Rust Bucket Rally exceeds half a million in total raised for local charities at 10th anniversary trip after group returns from 'best rally yet' through Europe
The Rust Bucket Rally has returned from its four-day excursion through some of Europe’s prettiest sights, with its 56 entries having raised a combined £85,000 for Ailsa’s Aim and MND.
The cars, which were all purchased for no more than £1000 returned to a heroes’ welcome at the Old Grammarians on Monday, June 10, after what is being dubbed ‘quite possibly the best one we’ve done yet.’
Carl Baldry, an organiser of the event said: “ The roads were superb, and the people who took part embraced it how it should be embraced, which just made it the most enjoyable rally to date.”
The convoy of 56 cars departed from Wellingborough at 1.30am on the morning of Friday, June 7, and 55 arrived back in the town perfectly on schedule, having enough time to take part in the Earls Barton Carnival on Saturday, June 15. One failed to make it back, but Carl insists that its participants were in ‘good spirits’, despite having to fly back home from Nice.
The funds raised on the 2024 rally now tips the total to over half a million pounds across the ten excursions that have taken place since the Rust Bucket Rally’s inception, with other charities benefitting from their efforts including Children are Butterflies, Prostaid, We Mind and Kelly Matters.
Carl added: “It’s quite an achievement. It’s something I never thought we’d do, and it’s a fantastic target to get to. We’re not thinking about stopping, we’re only thinking about doing more and getting bigger.
"Ailsa’s Aim entered a car into the rally and the girls just got so involved and embraced it for all it is meant to be. It’s a good bit of fun, and it’s very tiring, but they had a ball, and I’m so glad they took part the way they did.
"It’s been a pleasure to work with them.”
The 2024 trip was in aid of two charities, each benefitting from the rally’s high turnout.
Ailsa’s Aim is a charity based in Olney which provides essential resources, emotional support and practical assistance to families affected by cancer, and Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND) supports families affected by the condition that affects up to 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time.
The next Rust Bucket Rally is planned to take place on between June 6 and June 9, with the proposed journey to feature a tour around the Swiss Alps, soaking in the sights and ‘exploring as much of them as we can.’