A classic car event raised £160,000 for Maggie’s cancer care in Lanarkshire.
A total of 50 prestige and classic cars lined up for Drive for Maggie’s – a four-day Scottish Countryside Rally and Knockhill Race event with Sir Chris Hoy, Alan McNish and other famous faces to raise funds in the name of national cancer charity Maggie’s.
The top of the range, high performance cars launched from a start line outside Maggie’s Lanarkshire, on the grounds of Monklands Hospital in Airdrie, including an Aston Vantage, a Morgan, a Ferrari 488 Pista, an Alfa Romeo 6c 1934, a McLaren 720Spider, a Bentley GTC Supersport, and several Rolls-Royces too.
From there, the cars combed some of Scotland’s most beautiful countryside. The cars made a pitstop at premium Fife racetrack, Knockhill on day two – for a day of parade and race events – including lapping the course with famous faces from the racing world including Sir Chris Hoy, John Clelland, Gordon Shedden (to name just a few). Members of the public who went along had the chance to pay £100 to be taken on a lap around the course with a celebrity.
Day three saw the cars cross the camber of the Scottish country roads to enjoy an evening gala dinner at Achnagairn Castle, near Inverness, where there was a glittering raffle and auction.
Prizes included a gents Rolex and glittering diamonds. There was also a grand auction with prizes including a Hollywood extravaganza experience – including first class flights to Los Angeles, stay in a four-star hotel for four nights, plus VIP entry to the red-carpet premiere of Anthony and Joe Russo’s film, The Gray Man. Other prizes included the loan of a McLaren for a weekend, an Aston Martin experience, a legendary lunch for two on a yacht, and a Dario Franchitti Kool Green Race suit, to name just a few.
On day four the cars took another scenic route home.
The top of the range, high performance cars launched from a start line outside Maggie’s Lanarkshire, on the grounds of Monklands Hospital
Sandy Wilkie MBE, fundraising board chair for Maggie’s Lanarkshire, was instrumental in forming the committee to put on Drive for Maggie’s.
Sandy said: ‘Lockdown has meant that many people with cancer are facing illness that may not have been caught as early as it could have been. This means that more people need Maggie’s more than ever right now and we want to fundraise to be able to help as much as we can.
‘I am very passionate about fundraising for Maggie’s and I’ve been very lucky to have been able to work with a lot of people who have given up their time to put this event together. Myself and our committee members including Andrew Braidwood, Willie Paterson, Barry Wood and Chris Wilson worked to put on this Drive for Maggie’s event for a long time.’
Sandy added: ‘We have been very lucky that Gordon Deuchars of Quest Precision in Fife kindly allowed us to borrow four of his fantastic Ferraris for use on the day for members of the public to lap Knockhill Racetrack. Gordon is a long-time supporter of Maggie’s Dundee and for that we are extremely grateful.’
Lorrie Cameron, Centre Head for Maggie’s Lanarkshire said: ‘We are extremely lucky that Sandy and his team have got together to lead this supporter event for Maggie’s Lanarkshire. We can’t thank everyone enough. People with cancer need Maggie’s more than ever right now.’
The lead sponsors of Drive for Maggie’s were Parks Motor Group, with further sponsorship from Asset Alliance Group and Arbuthnot Latham Ltd, Jackton Distillery, Browns Food Group, William Grant & Sons, and long-time supporters of Maggie’s Lanarkshire, Tunnocks.
Maggie’s has 25 years of experience providing free cancer support and information in centres across the UK.
Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, the centres are warm and welcoming, and run by expert staff who help people live well with cancer.
For more information visit www.maggies.org.
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