AN ADVENTUROUS Rugby man is taking a colourful car on a 900-mile charity fund-raising journey from the UK to Spain, inspired by his young granddaughter who has a rare genetic condition.
Simon Daniel is putting his ‘Barbie pink’ Chrysler PT Cruiser through its paces in preparation for Rugby Round Table’s Skinflint Rally in September, to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK.
Veterinary surgeon Simon, 55, will be joined by his son Luke Daniel, 23, and stepson Martin Bell, 33, as the trio joins a fleet of wacky old bangers making their way from Kent to the Catalonian city of Barcelona.
The team’s inspiration is Simon’s eight-year-old granddaughter Mollie Willis, who was born with Crouzon Syndrome, which prevents the head from growing as it should. Symptoms include hearing loss, dental problems and breathing difficulties.
Simon, a grandfather-of-five, said: “From birth, Mollie has been a patient at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. When she was just five months old, she underwent a cranio-vault reconstruction, and she has gone on to have numerous operations including the fitting of a bone-anchored hearing aid.
“We’re all extremely proud of Mollie, who has remained incredibly resilient. Along with her older sister Skye, 10, and her 15-month-old twin brothers Oscar and Jaxon, she lives life to the full and is now a wonderfully inquisitive little girl.”
Mollie (left), pictured with sister Skye, is the inspiration behind the fund-raising journey.
Simon’s wife Jackie, 58, added: “During Mollie’s numerous hospital stays, our daughter Laura and son-in-law Dave have been supported by the nearby Ronald McDonald House Birmingham, which provides free, comfortable, and safe accommodation for the families of sick children in hospital.”
Skinflint Rally teams must buy a vehicle for £500 or less before making it roadworthy for the three-day pan-European road trip. There are various check-in points and treasure hunts and along the way.
Simon said: “The race begins with an early morning Channel Tunnel crossing from Folkestone on September 19. We have to make it to the coastal city of La Rochelle in Southwestern France by that evening.
“The following day, we travel to Toulouse, arriving in Barcelona – all being well – on September 21. We’ll then find out who’s managed to complete the most challenges along the way. Points are also awarded or deducted for factors including the age of the vehicle and how many breakdowns you have along the way.”
Simon’s stepson Martin is an ex-British army mechanic, which he’s hoping will come in handy on the trip.
Simon added: “Martin was in the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers for seven years, so he’ll be the one to keep the car going.
“He now works as a maintenance supervisor at Cemex Rugby Cement Plant and my son Luke is studying for a master’s in international business and finance at the Leeds Beckett University. I’m sure we all have some transferrable skills for this challenge!”
It’s possible that Mollie will need further hospital treatment in the future, and the family is hoping they’ll be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House again.
Jackie said: “When you have a sick child, you just want to be as close to them as possible. The House will help Laura and Dave to juggle childcare, now that the twins are here too, and most importantly, allow them to stay together as a family.”
Justine Cleary, a community fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, said: “We’re so impressed by the lengths Simon, Luke and Martin are going to, to raise vital funds for our cause.
“As a family, they know all too well the devastation of having a young relative in hospital and it was our great privilege to be able to support Laura and Dave throughout Mollie’s treatment.”
The family have already beaten their initial fund-raising target of £5,000 – enough to sponsor a room in a Ronald McDonald House for a year.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/3e4msjy6 to donate via Simon’s JustGiving page. Visit https://tinyurl.com/4m8za4pw to follow their fundraising journey on Facebook.
