Recent charity karting events at Buckmore Park

Charities have had a tough time raising funds over the last few years as their traditional sources of funding have been squeezed. However, this has not been the case at Buckmore Park as this year’s charity races have raised very substantial sums indeed. It seems that when the adrenaline flows, so does the cash!

Take a look at a few of the fundraising events that have been held so far in 2013…

Down Syndrome Extra 21 — Six Hour Team Endurance

For many years now the Downsyndrome Extra 21 Charity has held a six hour team endurance at Buckmore Park. This year the grid was full, with 35 teams all keen to buy their way to the top. A blind bid-for-grid auction, the buying and stealing of laps during the race, fines for minor misdemeanours, a donation included in the price of each team entry and a raffle with great prizes all combined to raise a staggering total.

Karting for Heroes — Organised by Hydraquip — 3hr Team Race

Braided hose manufacturer, Hydraquip has sponsored a three-hour team endurance at Buckmore Park for several years. Under the banner Karting for Heroes>, the event has raised thousands for the main charity Help for Heroes.
A combination of sponsored team entries, bid for grid and an auction featuring many unique items, the event succeeds in raising big sums of money. The final total for this year’s event has not yet been finalised but is expected to be in the region of £3,000. The previous total stood at £12,208 so the new rolling total raised is bound to be in the region of £15,000.

Demelza House Hospice — 90 Minute Team Endurance

Demelza House have been providing hospice care for children for the last fifteen years. The organisation, one of Buckmore’s chosen charities, recently held a ninety-minute team endurance for teams of three drivers.

With a profit made on the sale of each team place, funds raised through bidding for grid and buying extra laps, plus a raffle, the charity raised £4,600 in under two hours.

Individual Driver Greg McIlwraith — Solo 6hr Drive for Help for Heroes

It’s not just companies who have chosen Buckmore Park Karting as the vehicle for their fundraising efforts; take Greg McIlwraith of racing team Supergreen Racing as a good example. As his two regular team mates were away, he chose to enter our Six Hour Team Endurance as a solo entry, to try and win, obviously, but also to raise money for Help for Heroes Not only did he manage to keep going for six hours non-stop — losing five pounds in weight in the process — but he actually won the race outright too.

This got a standing ovation from fellow competitors who dug deep into their pockets as well. This solo effort raised a magnificent £400!

Rydon Construction — for CORDA, the heart and stroke charity

Rydonhave been hosting an annual charity fundraiser for CORDA, the charity dedicated to the early diagnosis and treatment of heart disease and stroke, for many years. In fact, the 2013 team endurance race was the 20th anniversary race. This charity is very special to Rydon as Rydon’s Yvonne Mitchell says...
“21 years ago our colleague Roger Horton arranged our first corporate Go-Karting event at Buckmore Park. Following his tragic death from a heart attack Rydon have held our Annual Corporate Go-Karting event at Buckmore Park in his memory and all proceeds are donated to CORDA (The Coronary Artery Disease Research Association). Money is raised through grid bids and raffle tickets and to date we have raised an amazing total of £60,280!"

Click here to download a pdf leaflet about organising your own charity event at Buckmore Park