Band of Builders getting in gear for charity car rally

A group of volunteers from national charity Band of Builders swapped building sites for the driving seats in an ambitious challenge to raise money for good causes.
Four volunteers from Band of Builders drove from Reims in France to Italy’s Lake Como in four days – in a car worth less than £500.
The group took part in the Pavestone Rally, an annual event that sees teams spend four days driving through Europe’s greatest roads and cities in their budget vehicles, dressed in fancy dress and taking on challenges to earn points along the way.
The Band of Builders team included James Greenwood, Andrew Pell, Billy Thomasson and Barry Dorrington.
The team raised money for the three designated charities for the rally: the Teenage Cancer Trust, Rainy Day Trust and Variety – the Children’s Charity, as well as additional funds for our Band of Builders in the hope of becoming one of the Pavestone Rally’s chosen charities.
Described as a cross between a Top Gear challenge and a Carry On film, the rally took the group from Reims to Stuttgart, Salzburg and Venice before finishing in Lake Como.
Over the last three years Pavestone Rallies have raised more than £325,000 for good causes and the BoB team contributed to this year’s target of £175,000 as well as raising funds for the charity itself to put towards future projects.
Band of Builders is a national charity set up to help members of the UK construction industry battling illness or injury. Each year, volunteers carry out practical projects to help tradesmen and women in their hour of need.

Billy Thomasson, from the team, said: “We’re always looking for ways we can raise money for BoB as well as other good causes and this seemed like a great challenge.”

“As a team we needed to raise a minimum of £2,000 but we wanted to go far beyond that so we asked people to back us and were lucky to receive lots of support including some companies. All four charities are great causes and we wanted to raise as much money as possible to help them.”

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NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT BAND OF BUILDERS

Band of Builders is a national charity set up to help members of the UK construction industry in their hour of need. BoB was formed in 2016 after landscaper Addam Smith asked for help to renovate the garden of his friend and employee Keith Ellick, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Keith lost his battle with cancer in 2017 but Band of Builders continued with the aim of helping other members of the UK construction industry battling illness or injury. Band of Builders was declared a registered charity (Charity Number 1182283) on March 1, 2019.

Previous projects have included:
● Installing a specialised bathroom for Pippa Atkinson, an electrician’s daughter suffering from a rare skin condition
● Landscaping a garden for builder Jamie Thompson, who is suffering from Motor Neurone Disease, so he can safely watch his children play, as well as installing a new kitchen.
● Creating a bedroom for plasterer’s daughter Sadie Jenkins, who had spent the first half of her life in hospital and needed machines to breathe, as well as installing a downstairs bathroom for her carers.
● Installing a summer-house and landscaping the garden for carpenter Dan McIntosh, who was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour, so he could spend precious time with his family.

For more information on how to become a member or how to apply for help from Band of Builders, visit www.bandofbuilders.org