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>Driving Challenge raises £9,000 for charities

The sun shone (amazingly!) and the air was filled with the sound of roaring engines as the Ladies Driving Challenge came to Norfolk.

Already a success in other brigades this year it was our turn in Norfolk to get involved and team up with the Fire Fighters Charity (formerly Benevolent Fund).

The event took place on Saturday September 20 at the former RAF Coltishall airbase and saw around 60 women driving a host of weird and wonderful vehicles, from fire engines (guaranteed) to police cars, sports cars to HGVs and buses. One of the most popular was the Lotus sports car.

This time around it was women only behind the wheel (sorry chaps, maybe next time).

One of those taking part was Radio Broadland’s Chrissie Jackson who said: “The new Sugarbabes single is called ‘Here come the girls’ – which I will adopted as the theme tune for the day. I couldn't wait for the driving challenge and to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity was the icing on the cake.”

The total raised on the day was around £9,000, which was fantastic for a first time. The majority of the money will go to the Firefighters Charity and there will also be a contribution to the Help for Heroes charity (www.helpforheroes.org.uk).

Chief Fire Officer Richard Elliott said: “Both the Firefighters Charity and Help for Heroes are great organisations which do fantastic work. Both deserve our support and the Ladies Driving Challenge was a way of raising thousands of pounds and enjoying a day to remember.

I would like to personally thank the team of people who made it possible and while it was very much a team effort I would single out Frank Johnstone and Barbara Donnelly who were instrumental in making the event he success it was.   I am also indebted more recently to Phil Berry, Vikki Bond and Peter Holliday.  But I must stress there were many others who have helped in so many ways that deserve my thanks and recognition.
 
It really was a tremendous effort by our staff and the many people outside the service who supported this event ensured the LDC was a great success.  Not just in terms of the amount of money raised but the very positive impact on the people who were involved.  It was fantastic to see over 60 women who took part in the driving complete their sessions with huge grins and countless driving stories.
 
I very much hope we can run another similar event again next year.”

Cathy Clark, from The Fire Fighters Charity, said: “This is always an exhilarating event and a great opportunity for women to drive vehicles that they maybe wouldn’t normally have the chance to and raise vital funds. The amount raised in Norfolk was a great first effort and thanks to all those who worked so hard making the event a success. Well done Norfolk.”

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