Press Release from RIBI

TEAM ROTARY WORLD CUP RALLY DRAW RAISES OVER £250,000 FOR CHARITY

The Team Rotary entry in the World Cup Rally 2001 has raised more than £250,000 for charity in a nationwide Rally Draw. The money raised is in aid of Motability and Rotary registered Charities. Team Rotary successfully completed the 6000 mile round trip from the Brooklands Motor Museum in Weybridge to the Atlas Mountains taking in the sights of the Sahara Desert, Morocco, France, Spain and Portugal before arriving back at Brooklands 21 days later to tumultuous applause. Team Rotary’s final result was 30th in their class and 39th overall from a field of more than 70. The Rally is organised by the Classic Rally Association and is specifically for standard showroom production cars up to 1.4 litre petrol or 1.7 litre diesel.

Team Rotary comprised three Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Maidenhead Thames, Ian Boddy, Peter Miles and Nigel Morris. They drove a Ford Focus car loaned by MAGIC, Ford Motor Company’s information service for disabled motorists. Ian Boddy left the team at Marrakech to assist rally driver Peter Lewis, whose co-driver had to return unexpectedly to England. Ian took over as navigator to enable Peter Lewis to remain in the Rally. Ian and Peter driving a Peugeot 106 Rally, came in at 28th in their class and 37th overall.

The Rally Draw took place in Bangor, Northern Ireland and the draw was made by Brendan MacGrath, Past President Rotary Club of Maidenhead Thames and Promoter of the Draw. The prizewinners are as follows:

First prize – a luxury two week Caribbean cruise donated by P&O Cruises, was won by Mr Eric Cowcil, of Sandbach, Cheshire.

Second Prize - £5000.00 cash was won by Ms Victoria Maxwell of Warrington.

Third Prize - Two Club Class return flights to New York, donated by British Airways was won by Mr Peter Kessler of North London.

Fourth Prize - a weekend break for two at The Conrad Hotel, Dublin was won by Mr Michel Limon of Caddington.

Fifth Prize – a weekend break for two at The Conrad Hotel, Brussels was won by Mr Dave Hall of Macclesfield, Chesire.

The winners of sixth and seventh prize, a mini cruise to Bilbao were, Ms Sheila Dunbar of Pitlochry, Perthshire and Ms Wendy Smith of Stoke, Coventry.

Commenting on the Rally, Peter Miles said; ‘This was an experience of a lifetime, from breathtaking scenery to breathtaking poverty in Africa, to the splendour and majesty of the mountains of northern Spain, flash floods, roads disappearing, wonderful sunsets - we saw it all. The Rally is an amazing event and was much harder and tougher than any of us were expecting. It is heartening to know that the Rally helped Rotary raise so much for charity.’

Peter Lewis added ‘ I am indebted to Ian Boddy for stepping into the breach in Marrakech and enabling me to complete the Rally. As in so many times of need it really was a case of Rotary to the rescue!’

Further Details

For further details about this press release, please contact Judith Diment, HBL Media on: 01628 418133 or 07860 162313.

Photographs available

Editors Notes

1. Rotary is an organisation of businesses and professional persons united world-wide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Their motto is: Service above Self.

2. For general information on Rotary in your area, contact the local Rotary Club President. Details from Robin Freeman: 01789 765411

3. Motability is a national UK charity, which helps disabled people and their families to become mobile, by enabling them to use their Government funded disability allowances, to lease or buy a car, powered wheelchair, or scooter.

4. For more information on the Rally see www.teamrotary.co.uk

5. The full list of prize winners is as follows:

Team Rotary World Cup Rally Draw 2001

1st Prize Winner: Mr Eric Cowcill 4 Cedar Close, Sandback, Cheshire

2nd Prize Winner: VJ Maxwell 11a Stafford Road, Warrington

3rd Prize Winner: P Kessler Stevenikessler House, Goodwin Road, London N9 0BG

4th Prize Winner: M Limon 10 Mardle Close, Caddington

5th Prize Winner: Dave Hall 20 Eldon Road, The Villas, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK1E 3SA

6th Prize Winner: S Dunbar 17 Tummel Crescent, Pitlochry, Perthshire

7th Prize Winner: W Smith 50 Tennyson Road, Stoke, Coventry

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