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October 30th, 2014

Bangers4BEN event deemed as a huge success

 

By Jamie White – Head of Communications

 

This year’s Bangers4BEN rally has been deemed as the most successful ever for the automotive industry charity BEN – raising more than £35,000.

 

Some 40 teams from across the motor trade combined for the Car Dealer Magazine event, which saw competitors travel from Dover to Turin and back again – via the Stelvio Pass – in cars costing less than £750.

Bangers4BEN event is deemed as a huge success  - Douglas Stafford Mystery Shopping

 

Teams managed to raise £12,513 for BEN in sponsorship, before many of the cars that took part in the rally were sold in a special BCA auction at Blackbushe, raising a further £15,000. Fees and donations totalling £3,798 were added to £1,250 that was raised from private sales of cars, and £2,000 of entry fees, to give BEN its record-breaking total of £35,061.

 

Kelly Neal, events manager for BEN, said: “We are so grateful to Car Dealer Magazine for their support with Bangers4BEN and we are chuffed to bits that it has raised a record amount this year.

 

“We’d like to thank all the teams that took part in this year’s rally – which has raised the most in the event’s six-year history – and thank them for the excellent car buying skills and amazing fundraising efforts and a huge thanks to BCA for hosting this year’s auction.”

 

The grand total will be topped up even further when the Blackshaws entry – a Suzuki Ignis covered in fur to look like a dog – is auctioned at the BEN Ball on December 10th.

 

A sailing day on board the luxury 40ft Beneteau yacht, Lady Diane, donated by Douglas Stafford, is also one of the auction items up for grabs.

 

Managing Director of Car Dealer Magazine, James Baggott, added: “We’re incredibly proud of this rally and can’t thank everyone enough for making it a truly memorable event. The fact we managed to raise so much money in the process was a lovely by-product of a brilliant four days. We’re already working on a new destination for next year’s event, which we know will be just as much fun.”

 

BEN is the automotive industry’s only dedicated charity and offers practical and financial help, support, advice and friendship to those who work, or have worked, in the automotive and related industries, and to their family dependants.