A husband and wife duo are set to race a tartan-clad Volvo estate across 4,500 miles in aid of Scots rugby legend Doddie Weir's charity.
Lucy and Stewart Alexander are taking part in Rust 2 Rome, a banger car rally that sees participants pick up a car for less than £1,000 and then take it on the road trip of a lifetime from Edinburgh to the Italian capital. The couple, who are directors of Glaswegian contractors the A Alexander Group, have painstakingly restored an ageing Volvo 940 estate for the race.
Bella, as the 28-year-old rustbucket is named, has been adorned in the tartan of the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation – set up by the late lock to support motor neurone disease (MND) research. Every penny the pair raise on their epic journey in June will benefit the charity, which also supports people living with the debilitating disease, for which there is currently no cure.
Lucy and Stewart have chosen to support the charity in aid of Isobel MacKay, Stewart's aunt, whom the plaid-clad Volvo is named after. Bella, as she was known, was originally from the Isle of Arran and lived in Glasgow before moving to Canada.
She was diagnosed with MND at the same time as Doddie and died at around the same time as the rugby legend, who lost his battle with the disease on November 26 last year. Stewart, a self-confessed tinkerer, says he can't think of a better way to remember his beloved auntie.
He said: "I love nothing more than tinkering about with cars and it seemed a great opportunity to combine a passion with a terrific charity cause that’s very close to our family. However, the closer it’s getting the more and more things come into our heads of what we need to double check and prepare for.
“I think it’s certainly going to be an adventure and we’re really looking forward to meeting all the other people taking part. It’s going to be a great trip for us, but the main thing is that we can raise a lot for the charity that does such great work for so many.”
The route for the challenge is yet to be confirmed, but Lucy and Stewart will set off from Edinburgh on June 4 and aim to arrive in Rome ten days later. The Rust2Rome website promises that the journey is "not for the faint of heart", and will take in winding mountain roads like those seen in films such as The Italian Job.
Eight of the ten days will involve camping, with two stays in a hotel. And at the wheel of the eye-catching Bella, the pair are sure to raise plenty of awareness of MND and the Doddie Foundation along the way.
Paul Thompson, director of fundraising at the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, added: "What a great adventure that Lucy and Stewart are embarking on - we always enjoy seeing fundraisers coming up with fun and creative ways to support My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, and this certainly ticks those boxes.
"We're especially impressed by the entirely tartan wrap of the car and can't wait to hear what people make of it as they travel across Europe! We wish them the best of luck and a safe journey to Rome and offer our thanks once again for their support."
Lucy and Stewart are fundraising on JustGiving and will post updates on their Bella2Rome Instagram. They are also seeking corporate sponsorship for the car, to give it some authentic racing kudos while raising more money for the charity – for more information, email bella2rome@gmail.com.
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