Drive it Day classic car event at Glenarm Castle raises over £2800 for Childline
The Ulster Vauxhall Opel Classic Community (UVOCC) were in top gear at the recent Drive it Day event in the beautiful grounds of Glenarm Castle.
Almost 80 classic cars were on display at the event, including Vauxhall and Opels together with other iconic models from the NI Italian Car Club, the NI Land Rover Club and many other classic models.
Some of them travelled to the venue in a rally, which was a magnificent sight, from Lansdowne Crescent in Portrush and The Ballymac Hotel in Lisburn.
This event was created by the Federation of British Historical Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) as an opportunity for historic vehicle enthusiasts and the public to celebrate the One Thousand Mile Trial, which was first organised in 1900 to prove the viability of the invention of the motor vehicle.
It is also a chance to raise awareness and support for the historic vehicle movement and keep transport heritage on the roads. Funds raised by the event go to the NSPCC’s Childline counselling service for children.
UVOCC is a Facebook group created by Billy Maxwell, from Ballymoney, to promote the often-ignored classic Vauxhall and Opel cars. The group shares information attends local classic car shows and charity events as well as holding several outings around the area, all while promoting their cars, some of which are very rare.
Ken Smyth, from UVOCC, said: “We have been delighted to support Drive it Day for the last five years and every year it gets bigger and better. We continue to be so grateful to the owners who take part and display their precious cars on the day or join the rallies from Portrush and Lisburn to the event
“We are also indebted to Glenarm Castle for allowing us to use their magnificent grounds which are the perfect setting for the cars, and we offer heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and supported us to make the whole event so special.
“It really was a superb occasion for classic car owners to get together and swap stories and for members of the public who came along to admire the vehicles and enjoy a lovely afternoon in beautiful surroundings.
“We are so pleased to have raised £2,835, which is even more than last year, and to know that will help Childline to support children and young people when they need it most.”
Susan Smith, community fundraising manager at NSPCC Northern Ireland said: “Once again, we are beyond grateful for all the hard work and amazing generosity of UVOCC who organised such an amazing Drive It Day event – and it all went like clockwork.
“It was such a lovely day, not just for car enthusiasts who relished the sight of the vintage vehicles, but also for members of the public who enjoyed the afternoon in Glenarm Castle, one of Ireland’s oldest estates.
“We were delighted to receive this wonderful sum of money from the event and these vital funds will be used to support our Childline service, which is available for children, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, when they have nowhere else to turn.”