My fascination with travel is matched only by my love for the Ford Transit. That’s why, back in the summer, I bought a van with a unique history and set about modifying it for overland adventuring. It’s been a passion project, and with Christmas approaching, I thought: wouldn’t it be great to do something charitable with my van?

Mental health is a cause very close to my heart. I reached out to my local Mind charity in Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and together we came up with a plan. This December, I’ll be delivering children’s letters directly to Santa’s official hometown of Rovaniemi, in Finland.

Later this week, with my wife and three young children, I’ll be setting off from our home, in Greater London, on a journey that will span nearly 2,000 miles. We’ll be camping in the back of the Transit, travelling through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany before catching a ferry to Denmark. From there, we’ll head north along the coast of Sweden and cross into Finland.

“I bought a van that had been written off for the second time in its life and repaired it myself. It felt more sustainable to save a van rather than buy a new one.”

Matt Rice, Vehicle Infotainment and Connectivity Engineer, Ford Dunton

A Camper Built on a Challenge

A lot of people have asked: "Why didn’t you just buy one?”. Well for one reason, finding a five-berth, five-seater camper under six meters long — which we need for our family and for cheaper ferry crossings — is no easy task.

But I also wanted to embrace a challenge. I bought the van at an auction. It was an ex-rental with 42,000 miles, no service history, and had been written off for the second time in its life due to roof damage. I managed to knock out the dents and fill them myself. It felt more sustainable to save a van rather than buy a new one, and I wanted to show that this form of travel can be accessible to many.

Engineered for the Arctic

Having taken part in several cold-weather tests for Ford, I know the challenges of Arctic driving. My aim for the camper conversion was to rely only on electricity for heating and cooking. It’s safer than gas, and it reduces our carbon footprint.

The van is heavily insulated with six different layers — far more than a typical camper — to use less energy keeping us warm. For power, I’ve fitted two large leisure batteries, four solar panels, and an inverter that allows us to use an air fryer, an induction hob, and a kettle. For sleeping, we have a pull-out double bed, a camp bed, and a unique sleeping system over the front seats for the kids.

For the drive itself, I’ve added all-terrain tyres for extra grip and some aftermarket lights for visibility, but other than that, the 2.0-litre diesel engine and running gear are standard. I have every faith my Transit will get us there and back safely.

The Journey's End

The drive to Rovaniemi to deliver the letters will take about seven days, and we plan to be there on Christmas Day. But our journey doesn’t end there. We will head deeper into the Arctic Circle, to Nordkapp, in Norway — another 400 miles or so — the northernmost point in mainland Europe that can be accessed by car. Every penny we raise will go to the Mind charity in Havering, Barking and Dagenham which does incredible work in our community, including their spectacular Havering Christmas Land lights display.

We’ll be livestreaming our journey, so friends and supporters can follow our Arctic adventure in real-time. If you would like to support our festive fundraiser, your support would mean the world to us. It’s a long road to Santa's workshop, but it's about more than just the journey — it's about showing what a bit of determination and one rescued van can do for a cause that truly matters.

Matt Rice is a vehicle infotainment and connectivity engineer at Ford’s Dunton Campus, in Essex.