TV Star Larry Lamb Officially Launches Charity Event Run By Steyning Businessman.
TV Star Larry Lamb Officially Launches Charity Event Run By Steyning Businessman.
Now in its 21st year and having raised £2.3m for children’s charities, the Italian Job Mini Car Rally was officially launched on Saturday during Ladies’ Day at the Longines Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, by ex-Eastenders star Larry Lamb.
This year Ladies’ Day was held in support of The Variety Club, a charity which raises funds for sick, disabled and disadvantaged children. Entertainment included a spectacular cavalcade of Minis and an appearance by actor Larry Lamb, who is a Variety Club ambassador. Instead of the thunder of hooves, the International Arena was temporarily filled with the sound of engines as a parade of the types of cars featured in the film The Italian Job drove round the main ring, with Larry in one of the iconic vehicles as he officially launched this year’s Italian Job Mini Car Rally which will be raising funds for The Variety Club.
In 1990 businessman Freddie St George, who lives in Steyning, masterminded the original Italian Job, based loosely on the plot of the 1969 Michael Caine movie in which a band of British reprobates escape Turin after a daring bullion heist in three Mini coopers. Freddie’s event though, didn’t lead to Minis outperforming police cars through crowded city centre streets or roaring through sewer pipes, for the modern day self-preservation society was about giving rather than taking.
The first event involved 75 Minis travelling to Italy and back to raise money for nominated children’s charities. In the first year over £70,000 was raised for Children in Need and ChildLine, and it was this success which firmly established the Italian Job as a ‘must do’ annual event.
“It was quite by accident that the first event took off as it did” recounts Freddie, “I sent a cheeky press release to Autocar and Motor and they ran a half page editorial about us. I’d hoped we might generate some sponsorship from the article but instead we were inundated with requests from Mini drivers to come with us. What could we do, but say yes?!”
Freddie also managed to get the late John Cooper, co-inventor of the Mini Cooper, to lend his support to the event early on, which in turn meant that Rover Cars, which at the time produced the Mini, became very heavily involved too.
For the next 20 years, the Italian Job grew in size, stature and fundraising success. Fast forward to 2011 and the 21st edition is set to roll this coming October. To date Freddie’s annual Mini event has raised over £2.3 Million and he’s not resting on his formidable laurels for one moment. He is determined to make the wheels of the Minis spin furiously fast so that the Italian Job can realise its dream of buying a few Sunshine Coaches for this year’s chosen recipients, the Variety Club Children’s Charity.
The Italian Job starts on Friday 28th October in Imola, Italy, and finishes on Saturday 5th November at a star-studded celebration dinner in London. Classic or modern Minis are all welcome on the rally, as are any of the cars featured in the original movie (for example Fiat 500, Alfa Giulia, Jaguar E-Type, Aston Martin DB4 or even a black London cab).
The excitement of being escorted through cities like Turin or Rome by police outriders and exclusive opportunities to drive around the Lingotto Rooftop (the site of the former Fiat factory test track featured in the film), the Ferrari circuit and the famous race track at Monza, has to be experienced to be believed.
The cost per mini is £1500 which includes hotels and most meals, and entrants must organise their own fundraising. The aim each year is to raise £100,000 for children’s charities. Jobbers (the name for those in the rally) also donate money raised at events held during the event for local charities in Italy.
Anyone wanting to take part should contact Giulia or Freddie St George on 01273 418100 or info@italianjob.com and for more information, see www.italianjob.com
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