Two fundraisers are driving a Muppet-themed car 1,700 miles across Europe in a Top Gear-style challenge to raise money for a hospice.
Cousins David and Gordon Dunhill, from Long Melford, decided to embark on their crazy adventure after David’s mother-in-law spent several months in the St Nicholas Hospice.
They bought the Saab 93 convertible for £750 from eBay so they could take part in the Screwball Rally, which sees fundraisers drive customised old bangers across Europe to raise money for charity.
David Dunhill said: “Me and Gordon had been watching quite a few old Top Gear episodes where they travel around the world and complete these challenges in old cars.
“It’s something that we’ve both wanted to do, so when I saw the Screwball Rally advertised online we bit the bullet and signed up.
“You have to have a theme for your car and we decided to go with the Muppets because we spent most of our childhood loving shows like Sesame Street.”
He also added a deafening sound system to the car - a throwback to the days when he used to decorate his friends rides’ with sub-woofers.
The main premise of the rally is to take over 80 customised whacky cars and drive them across Europe, with this year’s rally going from Calais to Poland and passing through eight different countries.
The Screwball Rally also states that the drivers must raise money for a chosen charity, which gave the pair an idea.
David Dunhill said: “St Nicholas Hospice provided such amazing care to Nicky’s mum, she had some really complex conditions but they were fantastic. We decided to raise money for them and kill two birds with one stone.”
Whilst the pair were busy finding a car and making it as Muppet-themed as possible, his mother-in-law, Monica Baker, sadly passed away.
Nicola Dunhill, David Dunhill’s wife and daughter of Monica said: “The whole family have come together hugely over the last couple of years.
“What struck me about the hospice is that they had so much time to sit with mum, to hold her hand, talk to her and alleviate some of the fears she had about dying.
“I felt that we owed them something for that.”
If all goes to plan, David and Gordon will arrive back in Dover on Monday, September 24.
To sponsor the boys on their journey head to their Just Giving page here.
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