Four Claas UK directors recently drove a £900 black London taxi with 350,000 miles on the clock to Monte Carlo and back (2,021 miles) in just 45 driving hours.
Dubbed the Claas UK Monte Carlo or Bust challenge after the 1969 classic movie, the initiative was to raise £10,000 for the British Heart Foundation in memory of their colleague and friend Patrick Wells, who died unexpectedly following a heart attack a year ago.
But such has been the support from within the agricultural industry and those that knew Patrick, that the team has nearly tripled the target with almost £30,000 raised to date.
The challenge saw the team of four (Claas UK CEO Trevor Tyrrell, CFO Thomas Spiering, retail director Richard Vaughan and property director Paul Butcher), take it in turns to drive a 16-year-old black cab travel through six capital cities and eight countries.
The cab was christened Little Nellie in recognition of the James Bond autogyro that featured in You Only Live Twice and the fact that Monte Carlo and the surrounding area was often used as a location for Bond films.
The JustGiving page (www.justgiving.com/fundraising/claas-fundraising-montecarlo) is still open for further donations. And if anyone wants a black London taxi with 352,000 miles on the clock, Little Nellie will be auctioned off later this year with the proceeds being added to the fundraising total.
