Welcome
My name is Sali Gray and I'm the very proud owner of a Pink Nissan Micra C&C. I bought it simply because I fell in love with it. Little did I realise the impact it would have on other people. The reactions to it have ranged from screams of delight (usually from girls, aged from about 2 to about 22!), to looks of sheer amazement. I do a 'school run' in the morning and spend most of the time waving back to little girls who are waving at me.
Around the same time as I bought my car, I read a small article about a new children's charity, called 'The Little Princess Trust' (www.littleprincesses.org.uk). The charity sources and pays for 'real hair' wigs for children who have lost their hair, primarily through cancer treatment. The charity was started by a couple who lost their little girl to cancer. She found losing her hair very traumatic and her parents had great difficulty in sourcing a realistic looking wig for her. At that time, finding specialist, high quality wigs for children was very difficult and only after a long search was a suitable company found, who eventually made a wig for Hannah something she enjoyed wearing, especially for special events. This company is now one of Little Princesses many suppliers.
Towards the end of 2007, I attended the Little Princess Trust's AGM. There was a suggestion that they should employ a PR Company to raise awareness of the charity. I offered an alternative suggestion I volunteered to run some awareness raising / fundraising events for them, for free.
It didn't take me very long to put two and two together (especially when you consider that the charity's logo is the same pink as my beloved Micra) and come up with the most amazing event ever A Pink Car Rally. Can you imagine what effect it would have on people to see not one pink car, but perhaps 12, or 24, or even 50?! All following each other along the road? What a photo/film opportunity - the media would love it
Anyone can enter a pink vehicle into the Rally. If you don't have one, we can provide you with details of a company which 'wraps' vehicles with a removable film, or you could always have a respray! We are happy for participating pink vehicles to carry their own promotional material. NB 80% or more of the total surface area of the bodywork, of the vehicles which enter, should be PINK. Vans, Coaches, Motorbikes, Lorries etc which fit the criteria are very welcome.
We are also offering advertising space on the website.
The 2008 Pink Car Rally (which ran from Hereford Hospital to Bristol Children's Hospital) was a brilliant success and received a lot of media coverage. However, as hard as I tried, I couldn't get Chris Evans' Drivetime Programme to mention it. If you can help to publicise the Rally in any way, I would be delighted! Participants travel a long way to be in the Rally and I need National Media Coverage please, to enable as many people as possible to find out about the Rally. My aim is for it to become an annual event, with a 5th Anniversary Pink Car Rally, in 2012, running from John O'Groats to Land's End, with pink vehicles joining us and peeling off, along the route.
I do hope that you will be able to support this wonderful charity. There are many worthwhile charities around, including several cancer charities, but this one is different - it's not working on a cure.... it's simply helping traumatised children, by giving them the gift of hair, which means so much to them. To see a child who has lost her hair, being fitted with a wig and then watching her brush and brush and brush it, is the most humbling and emotional experience. My aim is simply to help more children receive 'new hair'.
Sali.
After the Car Rally Costs have been met, all monies raised will go to the Little Princess Trust. Additional Donations via Just Giving, would be very welcome. Please note, Sali Gray has not charged the charity for organising this event, nor will she be claiming any expenses. In her book, 'voluntary' 'means voluntary'!
