Sporting Bear's Dream Rides Support BBC Children In Need On Opening Day Of Classic Motor Show

BIRMINGHAM – November 11, 2008: Pudsey won’t be the only bear working hard next weekend as the Sporting Bears will be back at the Classic Motor Show with their popular Dream Rides, a ten-mile ride as a passenger in a rare classic car in exchange for a donation. All of the money raised on the first day of the show (Fri 14th November) at the NEC will be donated to the BBC’s Children in Need appeal.

The Dream Rides is one of the Classic Motor Show’s most popular features and in recent years, the Sporting Bears have given around 1,000 rides over the three days of the show and collected £35,000 in donations for various children’s charities around the UK. This year, as well as giving their support to Children in Need on Friday, the Bears will divide the money collected on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th November between children’s hospices.

And as well as the ‘usual array’ of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Bugattis, Jaguars and other exotica that visitors have come to expect from the Dream Ride cars, there will also be some new members offering rides at this year’s show.

TV motoring presenter and the host of the Classic Motor Show’s Live Stage Mike Brewer will be giving a Dream Ride in his newly restored classic Volvo P1800, best known for being Simon Templar’s car in the 60s TV series The Saint. Not to be left out, mechanic and madcap inventor Edd China will offer a Dream Ride in a World Record Breaker – the World’s fastest piece of furniture. The ‘CasualLofa’ is a two-seater settee designed to reach speeds of up to 87mph. The final vehicle up for grabs, on Friday and Saturday only, is the iconic 1974 Ford Cortina used in the BBC TV Series Life on Mars and driven by TV coppers DCI Sam Tyler and DCI Gene Hunt.

The Sporting Bears is a dedicated group of classic car and sports car enthusiasts that raises money for children's charities through social and touring events. Each member gives their time, car and even fuel for nothing and it is to the club's credit that annual subscriptions support the club overheads thus allowing all monies raised from events to be directed towards the selected charities. Since the Club was formed in 1989 we have been very active and have raised over £750,000 for children's charities in the UK.

Once again, the Dream Rides will be sponsored by BP Ultimate, allowing the drivers to give even more rides without worrying about topping up their petrol tanks. Visitors are advised to visit the Sporting Bears’ stand in Hall 2 early to book their rides and avoid disappointment.

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