AT the end of the month Chronicle reporter Rupert Basham will swap the newsroom for the mountainous roads of Europe as he embarks on a 1,500 mile rally to raise money for charity.

Over the August bank holiday, the 26-year-old, who covers Hammersmith and West Kensington, will spend four days driving a 17-year-old Renault Laguna from the northern port of Calais in France to the coastal city of Naples in the south of Italy for the Alzheimer's Society.

Joined by friend Simon Alderson, the pair, armed with a copy of Auto Repair for Dummies, are hoping to raise a pound for every mile covered.

After driving through France they will navigate the narrow cliff-top roads of the Swiss Alps before entering Italy passing through Verona, Florence, around Rome and finally into Naples.

There will be around 100 teams taking part in the Staples2Naples rally - the starting point at Staples Corner was moved a few years back due to logistical reasons - but with strict vehicle rules stating the car must be over 15-years-old and worth around £250, it's unlikely that number will make it to the end.

Rupert, said: "I've always wanted to take part in a banger rally, but the fact that I know very little about what goes on underneath the bonnet has always put me off.

"When Simon suggested we enter one I didn't have to think twice, although now only a few weeks away I'm not sure how much wiser I am about the mechanical goings on of a car.

"We originally signed up for a different rally but as this is the tenth anniversary of Staple2Naples the organisers decided it was time to revisit the original route so now we're facing a few hairpin bends around those precarious mountain roads.

"It's a difficult route anyway before you take into account that our car has seen better days, but we will make it to the end - one way or another."

When it came to choosing a charity, the pair opted for the Alzheimer's Society as Simon's grandfather suffered from the disease.

Balham resident, Simon, 26, said: "Though very young when my granddad passed away, the toll it took on him and our family was profound.

"I can recall distressed phone calls from my gran resulting in my father driving around town to find my granddad, who had gone to get a paper and forgotten the way home. He was a brilliant pianist and watching him sit down at the piano and stare blankly down at the keys demonstrated the destructive nature of his illness.

"He had lucid moments amongst the confusion, which really brought home to him what was happening.

"Alzheimer’s Society was an obvious choice given this; not only do they give invaluable support for sufferers of dementia and Alzheimer’s, but they provide much-welcomed support for families too, all through innovative practices and cutting-edge methods, aided by their extensive research programme."

To sponsor them, visit http://www.justgiving.com/Staples2Naples2012

Rupert and Simon will be tweeting throughout their trip, follow them at www.twitter.com/RupertBasham and www.twitter.com/S_Alderson .