Pleasure with a Purpose

Breast Cancer is a disease that kills. Many members will know of friends or family members who have suffered from the disease and may have witnessed the trauma when symptoms are discovered and the anxiety suffered whilst waiting for diagnosis. Breakthrough Breast Cancer aims to raise £5.5 million pounds a year to meet its ongoing research commitments and to initiate vital new research.

There are many motor sport events which raise money for charity. There is one that is unique.

The Regis Classic Tour, now in its second year, is organised by the ladies of Bognor Regis Motor Club, all of whom are experienced competitors, organisers and marshals, to provide participants with an enjoyable weekend of motoring. The 'Tour' takes in some of the most interesting scenery and visits places of interest along its route and with its Gala Dinner, auction and raffle on the Saturday night raises many thousands of pounds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Saturday 27th March

Participants in this year's event assembled on Bognor Regis Esplanade, where the road had been closed especially for the event. The was a wide range of cars, from the 1934 3.5 litre Bentley of Margaret Stowell, through numerous Healey sports cars, most of which seemed to be owned by Alan Tice, a very nice Cooper S, to a Morris 1000 Traveller. Probably the rarest vehicle taking part was the Rover Marauder of Jim Hann. This year the event attracted an international entry with the Silver Shadow of Henri and Carla De Potter from Holland.

From the Bognor start participants travelled to Goodwood where they were able to drive up the Hill Climb course in the grounds of Goodwood House. From here they travelled north traversing the South Downs before travelling through Midhurst and heading into Hampshire to take morning coffee at the Red Lion in Stanford. Here the village school had set pupils a short quiz about the cars taking part in the Tour and the children lost no time in talking to the drivers and taking the opportunity to sit in the cars, as did some of their parents!

From Stanford the route headed north west towards Basingstoke for the lunch halt at The Vyne, a National Trust property, some 3 miles outside the town .

A leisurely lunch was taken here with participants taking the opportunity to stretch their legs with a walk around the gardens and lake.

Leaving The Vyne the cars meandered north west passing Watership Down, before driving through the grounds of Highclere Castle.

After leaving the castle grounds, the route led the cars towards Hungerford for afternoon tea, taking in the magnificent views across the Kennet Valley and past the sinister Combe Gibbet on Inkpen Hill.

The final section of the day's route took the cars over the Lambourn Downs, crossing the Ridgeway to the Vale of the White Horse before descending into Uffington where they could look back at the 2000 year old creature cut into the chalk. Passing through Bishopstone and Wanborough the route led to Swindon and the Marriott hotel for the overnight halt and Gala Dinner.

An excellent meal was followed by an auction and raffle. Bidding at the auction was brisk. At one point Rick Smith & Neil Roden were trying to outbid each other to co-drive Mathew Fowle's Peugeot 306 on the Tempest Stages later this year. They were finally outbid though by Chris Darwin who secured the ride for his wife, event sponsor, Heather. The auction and raffle raised many thousands of pounds for Breakthrough.

Sunday 28th March

From Swindon the cars travelled via Broad Hinton to Inkpen Hill with a view of another white horse cut into the downland, although this one only dates from 1832 and the iron age hill fort at Barbury Castle. After travelling through Marlborough the cars passed through Savernake Forest and through Pewsey, before heading to Lacock for coffee.

Lacock is one of the most photogenic villages in the country and the organisers allowed plenty of time for participants to take a stroll, providing a suggested route in the road book.

After coffee at the Red Lion, the cars headed for Castle Combe race circuit where all the participants had the opportunity of driving 10 laps of the circuit. Mathew Fowle in his Caterham and Alan Tice, who jumped into his Healey (driven the rest of the time by Mick Briggs and David Walton) took the opportunity to give their cars a good thrashing. For many it was their first drive around a circuit and they certainly enjoyed it.

Once all the participants had had a go there was still time for the band of travelling marshals to have a few laps around the circuit – one or two of them finding the new chicane at Bobbies came up a lot earlier than expected!!

The final section led the cars over Wooton Hill with excellent views over the Severn Valley to the Forest of Dean and Wales. Lunch was taken at the magnificent Hare & Hotel at Westonbirt where finishers awards were collected and crews could reflect on their tour of some of Southern England's finest countryside before heading home.