Macmillan 4x4 UK Challenge
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The Macmillan 4x4 UK Challenge is an annual navigational challenge event. It is open to any road legal 4x4 vehicle in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. The event has been run since 2001 over one weekend in March each year and consists of a series of on road treasure hunts interspersed with off road challenges. The event covers up to 1,000 miles and raises over £50,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support each year.
The event has been supported by a number of celebrities including Charlie Dimmock, Lynn Bowles, and Sunita Shroff
[edit] Background
In May 2000 a group of enthusiasts felt there was a gap in the 4x4 events programme and it was decided to introduce a new event to mark the Millennium - the objectives being to provide an interesting 'Challenge' to 4x4 owners/addicts/enthusiasts and at the same time support a worthy and well known charity. "The Macmillan 4x4 UK Challenge" was 'born'. A date was set in November 2000, the event was publicised and entries invited. Then, just as enthusiasm was growing a petrol blockade was announced for the same week-end - not a good idea with 4x4s doing a substantial mileage! The inaugural event was postponed for 6 months to March 2001.
Come February 2001 and Foot and Mouth reared its ugly head - another postponement - this time for a full year. Fortune smiled though and in March 2002 it was to be a case of third time lucky! The event took place, albeit with only 8 teams - the hard core of supporters and a website in place that was getting lots of hits - but enthusiasm and quality made up for numbers and the 8 teams raised a magnificent £8,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
The success of the formula for the event was established. With very supportive items in club and national magazines from competitors, with plenty of word of mouth from the excellent hard core, the 2003 event was soon raising its entry limit from an intended 30 teams to cope with demand. Having at one stage reached a possible 67 entries, for one reason and another, eventually 38 teams set off in March 2003. The spirit of fun, quality and enthusiasm was just as high as in 2002 and from an estimated figure of £20,000 announced at the Presentation Dinner the money has continued to flow in and in June 2003 went over the £30,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support from the 2003 event.
This level of generous sponsorship was catching and the 2004 event, with 45 teams, achieved a great £46,000. We thought the event record was now firmly established. That however was without reckoning on the 47 teams who started for the 2005 event. They have now put that magnificent £46,000 into the history books by raising a fantastic £55,000. So!! What are the 2006 teams going to do about that?" Well at the end of the event if all pledges come through we should top the £55,000
[edit] 2007 Event
The event will start on Friday 9th and end on Sunday 11th March 2007 (subject to vehicle reliability, successful driving and good navigation!) at a very well appointed hotel somewhere in the UK! There the competitors are invited to join in a celebration dinner, with prize giving, an auction and a no doubt welcome overnight stay. The dinner and a first class twin bedded room for each team on the Sunday night are included in the Entry Fee. In addition to the £150 Entry Fee every team is asked to raise a minimum of a further £600 sponsorship and should have their money, or a record of pledges, by the start. One of the team prizes awarded on Sunday evening at the Presentation Dinner is for the most sponsorship raised.
The proceeds of the fun - which depends largely on the sponsorship which teams can raise - will go to Macmillan Cancer Support, the country's major charity devoted to the treatment and care of people with cancer and their families. It will support Macmillan's continuing efforts to provide support services through the well known Macmillan Nurses, doctors, buildings and patient grants.
[edit] External links
Official web site - The Macmillan 4x4 UK Challenge
Competitors sites -
