A Driving Force for SSAFA is a biennial charity event, raising funds for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. It will involve one hundred people, in fifty vehicles, including participants and support vehicles, on an exhilarating driving 10-day adventure across Europe hoping to raise £120,000 and launched at Autosport International 2023 at the NEC Birmingham last month.
Two ex-serving members of HM Forces Benn Laidler MBE and Steve Shaw MA, FCILT, CMCIPD witnessed first-hand the hardship and devastation suffered by casualties of military conflict. They realised that the lack of resources available to support these courageous men, women, and their families to cope with the aftermath of such traumatic life changing injuries or loss, needed to be addressed.
In 2012, The Rally for Heroes was conceived to do something about it. These legendary charity driving events took place across the UK and mainland Europe raising over three quarters of a million pounds for many charities supporting military personnel during its ten years. The exciting news is that Rally for Heroes has evolved in 2022 into The Driving Force for SSAFA delivered through Torque Events and powered by Company X Consulting Ltd.
Company X Consulting Ltd focus in embedding consultancy specialists to provide technical advice to Government and Industry and was founded by Directors David Coffey, Kevin Kerr and Kevin Smith who are all ex-serving members of HM Forces.
Company X Consulting Group were substantial investors in the last Rally for Heroes, and it made sense to combine the financial power of the Company X Consulting Group with the motoring, fundraising passion and drive of Benn and Steve. Together the five Directors have created something exciting and unique, which is Torque Events.
Torque Events arrange the ultimate luxury, fully escorted, driving events and tours across the UK, Europe and beyond, ensuring unforgettable experiences of the best roads, destinations, and hotels.
The first Driving Force for SSAFA event will be in 2024, and we are sure it is going to be amazing and raise much-needed funds for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. Since 1885, SSAFA has shown commitment to ensuring that our service men and women, veterans and their families get the best possible support when they need it. When anyone in in the Forces family finds themselves in need, SSAFA is the charity they can turn to. Whether it’s financial, practical, or emotional, it provides the right kind of support, ensuring independence and dignity is protected at all times. Partnerships such as that with The Driving Force for SSAFA are fundamental in helping SSAFA help the Armed Forces.
Whilst combat operations have now ceased, our country must deal with the aftermath of 20 years of operations in the Middle East, where more than 150,000 UK military personnel were routinely deployed. As we conduct this event, we pay tribute to the hundreds of people who made the ultimate sacrifice on operations. Just as importantly our fundraising is aimed at sustaining people and their families who suffered life changing injuries.
Who SSAFA Help
Today nearly five million people living in the United Kingdom are estimated to have served in the Armed Forces at some point in their lives and every year, around 20,000 servicemen and women leave the services and return to civilian life.
1. In 2021, SSAFA’s trained teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 66,000 people, from Second World War veterans to those who have served in more recent conflicts, or currently serving (both regulars and reserves), and their families.
2. They have more than 4,000 volunteers working tirelessly to help the Armed Forces family.
Jonathan Sandall, Director of Fundraising for SSAFA, says: “Over the last decade, the Rally for Heroes family has raised a phenomenal amount of money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, whilst also remembering the brave servicemen and servicewomen who made the ultimate sacrifice whilst on operations in the Middle East. So, we are thrilled to be working with the newly named Torque Events team to begin the next chapter of this biennial adventure: A Driving Force for SSAFA, to take place in 2024.
If you have a passion for cars and driving then join A Driving Force for SSAFA on its next iconic journey and spend ten thrilling days travelling around some of the most breath-taking and spectacular roads in Europe in aid of our Armed Forces in their time of need.”
Our entrants will once again, come from all walks of life, coalesce around a common goal; to help others whilst having the adventure of a lifetime. Each entrant covers their own costs per car, and they must raise £1,500 towards the target for SSAFA. We offer our entrants the unique opportunity to attend up to thirty events across the year, where they fund raise with their cars, in either a static capacity or via organised driving events, where the public are offered a passenger ride in our sponsored vehicles, in exchange for a donation to SSAFA. Attendance at all our events is voluntary, and the entrants absorb all personal costs in the pursuit towards our £120,000 target, such is the altruism that our event generates and promotes.
Benn Laidler MBE, Director of Torque Events and Founder of A Driving Force for SSAFA said:
“We are very excited to have launched A Driving Force for SSAFA at Autosport International 2022. It has been an honour and a privilege to be part of the Rally for Heroes Team for so many years, and I cannot wait for the exciting new adventure that is A Driving Force for SSAFA.”
Why not get involved.
- Join a fabulous group of people raising money for charity
- Join us for the adventure of a lifetime
- Join us for the shared benefits of partnership
Steven Shaw MA, FCILT, CMCIPD, Director of Torque Events and Founder of A Driving Force for SSAFA said,
“We would be delighted to hear from you. We are passionate about what we do and committed to the target for our chosen charity SSAFA. If you want to be part of our adventure and play an instrumental part in A Driving Force for SSAFA 2024 and beyond then please contact us”.
For more information, visit the website: www.torque.events/a-driving-force or contact:
General Enquiries:
Steve Shaw MA, FCILT, CMCIPD:
Tel: 07823 331011
Email: steven@torque.events
Benn Laidler MBE:
Tel: 07787 115544
Email: benn@torque.events
PR, Marketing & Corporate Sponsorship:
Andrea Ince:
Tel: 07971 000519
Email: andrea@adrivingforce.co.uk
