Whizz-Kidz at Silverstone
20 April 2010
We are pleased to report that our initial “Whizz-Kidz go racing” initiative at Silverstone last Sunday was a huge success. Both hosts and guests enjoyed an involving day in glorious sunshine.
The Whizz-Kidz Ambassadors and their families travelled from homes as far afield as the Isle of Wight, Manchester and deepest Kent to take up the invitation to get involved in raising awareness of Whizz-Kidz’s sterling work and benefit from Silverstone’s generous offer of free entry. Indeed two families stayed overnight to make the trip and one young lad came despite being only 10 days out of hospital following spinal surgery and nursing a recently broken leg. These are brave, enthusiastic and inspiring children!
The welcome offered to these engaging Ambassadors was not limited to the Heritage GTCC competitors. Children returned from tours of the paddock with tales of photo opportunities seated in saloon and GT cars and wearing baseball caps from the Formula 2 series. Indeed, a tour of the F2 Will Bratt Team garage, with a comprehensive explanation of the series and their car by Team Principal Rowland Bratt, resulted in their race car carrying “Whizz-Kidz go racing logos” for their final race. A very generous gesture indeed.
Much more followed. Gary Eastwood of F.F. Corse and Christopher Haynes, competing in and administrating the GT Cup respectively, expressed to my colleague Angus Irvine their intent to involve our modest fund raising with the charitable ventures they are already undertaking. Thanks to Hannah of Bute Motorsport for the introduction.
The process of raising awareness has enlightened a number of my fellow competitors who expressed interest in our quest. Like me, they were generally staggered at the extraordinary costs that parents face to obtain the requisite mobility equipment, essential for the independence and quality of life of their children. Charities such as Whizz-Kidz provide invaluable assistance where the local health is unable to meet these essential requirements. As a result of my conversations, Nick James of Pol Roger has already stepped forward to offer a prize donation when we come to organise our proposed fund raising auction. Any other offers of lots to auction would be gratefully received.
Without exception, despite the sometimes frantic work going on to ready cars to compete, everyone who was approached gave their time to answer questions and give an insight to our activities for the benefit of our guests. For their part, I did provide them with cameras and notepads so in true Formula One style they were spying on you so we may gain some inside information to improve our competiveness!
A big thank you to everyone, particularly Fiona our Whizz-Kidz appointed co-ordinator who was in attendance and Roger Bennington and his team at Heritage Racing Support who was so welcoming. We will be continuing this campaign throughout the season and our website.
www.whizz-kidz-go-racing.org.uk will soon be live when we will upload the Ambassadors’ comments and photographs of their experience.
Mike Youles
