8.1.09

This year’s 'Ride In A Ferrari' event to be staged in Dorset on Saturday 6th June, will be the 10th Anniversary and the final event organised by Roy Twycross.

He has decided to call it a day due to changes in his health and other commitments. Roy said: “A tenth anniversary is a good place to stop and I’ve achieved much more than I set out to, making a net profit every year of around £1,500. In all, since 1999 I have raised nearly £20,000 for good causes including the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign; the Wessex Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus; the Ridgeway Ward for orthopaedic patients at Dorset’s County Hospital; and over £9,000 out of that £20k has gone to the Jennifer trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, in memory of a dear school friend who had that particular condition”.

In 2009, the event will take place on Saturday 6th June between 10am and 4pm at the Wyevale Garden Centres, Galton Branch on the A352 Wareham Road at Owermoigne near Dorchester, in south east Dorset. The postcode for the site is DT2 8BY. It’s a return to the venue for 'Ride In A Ferrari' after a year away and after the 'Enjoy Ferrari' static show Roy staged there in 2007. In 2008 at a location nearer Dorchester itself, Roy saw 16 cars take part including an Enzo on show and an alloy-bodied 275GTB/4 giving rides, both supplied to the event from a small private collection in the UK.

The established and well-loved format will be in place in that Ferrari rides will be offered to members of the public plus rides in what Roy calls “guest” cars such as Bentley and Aston Martin, which also prove popular. The rides will be given over a set road route and are in accordance with liaison Roy has carried out with Dorset Police. The minimum donation he asks will remain at £10 per ride and Roy commented that “many people buy six or eight tickets at a time with the intent of riding in as many different cars as possible”.

Ferrari models expected in 2009 include 308 GTS, 328 GTB and GTS, F355 variants and 360 Modena and Spider models as well as a promised return of the Enzo for a limited number of rides. Guest cars already confirmed are a Bentley Continental GT in silver and possibly an Aston Martin Vanquish.

Money raised in 2009 will be split between the Jennifer trust for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Ridgeway Ward at Dorset County Hospital.

You can read Roy’s official preview for the event courtesy of the benefiting Jennifer trust charity on their website pages and learn more about the history and ideas behind the event.