Thatcham Research raises thousands for charities AutoRaise and Bangers4Ben

An automotive risk intelligence company has raised just shy of £5,000 in a charity rally in a restored Mazda MX5.

Thatcham Research team leaders Scott Loran and Keiron Woolgar drove the MX5 from Thatcham to Holyhead before later auctioning the car off for £800.

Their efforts raised a total of £4,953 for two automotive charities, AutoRaise Bangers4Ben.

They took on the six-hour journey from Thatcham to Holyhead, where they spent the night before boarding a ferry to Ireland.

The driving duo then took a choppy ferry crossing to Dublin where they began the first full day of the rally.

Along their route, they took in breathtaking sites, made stops and Keiron Woolgar even braved icy water for a quick paddle.

“We covered 149 miles in five hours,” Mr Loran said.

“And truly enjoyed the drive with the sun still shining and the roof down.

“It was nice to speak with different people about their rally experiences and those that had been doing this rally for years.

“We had a lovely meal before heading into Dublin to see the sites and historic places and sampling the local Guinness.

“The car made it all the way home and did not miss a beat, our MX5 did us proud and was a pleasure to drive.”

He added: “I spoke with the organisers who have said this was their biggest year to date and have currently raised £71,300, which will go towards helping a lot of people.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to be part of this great event and raise awareness and money for such a great cause.

“Bangers4Ben has been a pleasure and we look forward to next year.”

Earlier this year two media specialists from Thatcham Research Andy Mackay and Samuel Morris took the Mazda out for a 300-mile Autoraise Rally.

They made £2,750.