Car enthusiasts in Fife helped keep a convoy of Mazda MX5 owners on the road as they continued on their 1,000-mile trek to John o’ Groats.
The 10-car group made a timely pit-stop at the UK headquarters of the MX-5 Owners Club in Dalgety Bay on Thursday for a well-earned cuppa and a few emergency repairs.
Drivers and their companions were on the fourth leg of a five-day charity drive from Land’s End in a bid to raise £20,000 for the Stand Up To Cancer charity.
The one-off event, finally got under way this week after a two-year delay due to coronavirus.
Claire Parnell, one of the main organisers, told The Courier they group are delighted to finally be on the road.
She said: “The idea was first thought up in 2018 but because of Covid had to be postponed.”
She added: “Now that we’re on our way the support from both MX5 owners and the general public has been phenomenal.
“We’ve already raised over £14,000 of our target and are confident of reaching our total by the end of the trip.”
However, Claire was given an anxious wait as her 31-year-old MX-5, the oldest one in the convoy, needed emergency repairs, including a replacement alternator.
Emergency repairs
Iain Fleming, general manager of the MX-5 Owner’s Club, said it was fate that the mechanical problems occurred as the convoy arrived in Dalgety Bay.
He said: “Claire and husband, Sandy, had suffered a sheered bolt in the alternator so it was all hands on deck to source the replacement items and get the car back to being road worthy.
“It’s just lo lucky it happened as they were within touching distance of the club HQ so we could help.
“They’ve got a lot of open road to cover and had it happened out in the middle of nowhere it could have ended their trip completely.”
£20,000 target for cancer charity
Driver John Hoy said it had been a joy to meet fellow enthusiasts across the UK, who came out to meet the convoy on route and travel part of the journey.
He said’: “Every one of us has been affected by cancer in one way or another, be it a family member or friend.
“Under our Drive Out Cancer banner we thought we’d use our appreciation of the MX-5 towards a worthy cause.”
Mazda owners David and Clair Parnell said the support along every mile has been fantastic.
The couple purchased their vintage MX-5 18 months ago and decided to join the convoy.
David said: “It can get a bit blustery with the top down but the whole experience has been amazing, with people tooting their horns and making donations wherever we stop.”
The convoy will complete the final leg of the route to John o’ Groats on Friday.
Donations can be made at mx5s-doc.co.uk.
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