A FATHER and daughter duo embarked on a 1,200-mile drive to raise money for a cancer charity – and return their classic Jaguar Land Rover car to its birthplace.
Raising money for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, Land Rover aficionado Ben Metcalfe set off with his daughter, Hope, on the 12-day adventure from John O’Groats to Lands End in their 1955 Series I Land Rover.
After learning about the duo’s planned fundraising drive, JLR opened an invitation to Ben and Hope to bring their 64-year-old vehicle back to its birthplace at the Solihull plant.
The firm offered Ben – the first Brit to complete the Dakar Rally off-road endurance race in Argentina and Peru – a bespoke tour of JLR Classic Works in Coventry.
The pair was then chaperoned by two Series I vehicles from Classic Works in a cavalcade to Solihull’s Lode Lane plant, the spiritual home of the brand.
They also had the opportunity to test the enduring capability of their trusty steed on the world-famous off-road Jungle Track in the heart of the manufacturing plant.
Mr Metcalfe said: “To be able to include a visit to the most hallowed of sites for any Land Rover owner on our journey has been incredible, and it’s helped us raise even greater awareness of the work of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.
“I was lucky enough to be invited to spend time with the charity recently and was so inspired and energised by the sheer positivity of every person I met there whether that be an employee, volunteer, or recipient of the outstanding services the charity offer.
“It was then I decided I wanted to raise some funds to support the great work they do, and I brought my daughter Hope along for the once in a lifetime experience.
“I feel so proud that at just seven years old, Hope can really share my passion for Land Rover’s heritage.
“The tour at Classic Works was fascinating, and then to top the day off with a drive on the Land Rover Experience Track at Solihull, where it all started for our Series I Land Rover was just brilliant, I am so grateful to everyone who has made this happen.”
After leaving Solihull, they headed to London to continue their journey which aims to raise £2,500.
