Putting his foot down in a good cause has helped motor executive Leyton Cooper and his company to raise over £3,000 for a national auto charity.

Leyton, who is Group Buying Manager for ACF Car Finance Ltd, recently took part in the charity’s gruelling 1700-mile challenge to drive to Italy and back in a scrapyard banger.

And on his return, Leyton (aged 33) learned that the total raised by his motoring marathon had scooped the largest single sum of all the 30-plus teams taking part in the event.

Organised by the automobile industry’s charity BEN, it required participants to drive cars worth less than £500 to Maranello in Northern Italy, the home of motor racing legend Ferrari.

Leyton and his co-driver Mark Cranmer chose an ancient Volvo 850R which was re-painted in the colours of the famous “Ectomobile” - the car star of the much-loved movie Ghostbusters.

Despite mechanical problems on the return leg of the four-day trip through France to Italy, the ancient auto made in back to Britain in time for the charity auction of all the cars taking part.

The few hundred pounds achieved by ACF Car Finance’s venerable Volvo was added to the much larger amount raised in recent months by sponsorship and a range of activities by the company.

Initiatives included a charity fun day at the company’s Chester headquarters when - amongst other come-ons - staff could pay to have their car washed by company bosses.The firm for which Leyton works, ACF Car Finance, is a member-company of The Funding Corporation which has around 160 employees.

Its Managing Director, David Challinor, was among well-wishers from the staff who waved Leyton off recently at the start of his fundraising bid.

“Everyone at the company was behind this project right from the start, and it involved literally months of preparation and fantastic efforts by many individuals to add cash to the pot,” said David.

“But our reward was to be placed in the pole position of money raised amongst all the companies taking part, so I think that everyone can feel justly proud!” he added.

A special thank-you has been sent to ACF Car Finance and its parent company by the charity trustees of BEN which provides help for people in need who work, or have worked, for the motor industry.

Via EPR Network
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