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Set up in the name
of the former World Rally Champion - who
lost his brave fight against brain
cancer in November 2005 aged 34 - the
Richard Burns Foundation strives to
inspire and support people with serious
injury and illness. Since its inception,
RBF has raised hundreds of thousands of
pounds for good causes all over the UK
such as Youth Cancer Trust, Wales Air
Ambulance and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Chief Executive of
the Foundation is Richard’s friend and
co-driver Robert Reid. The pair are
renowned for winning the World Rally
Championship for Subaru in 2001. David
Lapworth, Motorsport Director for
Prodrive and the man responsible for
many of the cars Richard drove, is
chairman of the Foundation.
The RBF also
incorporates the Michael Park Fund, set
up in honour of Richard’s long time
friend and fellow competitor who died in
an accident during Wales Rally GB in
September 2005. It is dedicated to
helping people who have suffered serious
or life threatening injuries,
particularly in motorsport, and the
money it raises will be spent on
projects such as First Intervention
training to try and prevent lives being
lost on events.
The most recent
beneficiaries of the Richard Burns
Foundation’s fundraising efforts are
youngsters battling cancer. At the end
of February, RBF chief executive Robert
Reid visited Goodwood House to
officially present a cheque for £51,766
to Teenage Cancer Trust. The magnificent
sum was raised by Richard Burns
Foundation at the Festival of Speed 2007
through gate collections, raffles and
auctioning rally rides. RBF also
organised rides in World Rally
Championship cars for 10 young guests of
Teenage Cancer Trust.
“The Richard Burns
Foundation is delighted to have helped
raise a fantastic sum for such a
deserving cause,” said Reid. “It was
great to see the youngsters from TCT
enjoy the Goodwood rally stage in a
World Rally Championship car – something
most people can only dream about. We
hope they will be inspired by their
experience and that the money raised
will help care for and support others in
their fight against life threatening
illness.”
The donation will
be the perfect start for the TCT
Southampton Appeal, due to be launched
shortly. The campaign aims to raise
£1.5million to provide new facilities
for teenagers and young adults with
cancer in the local area, and will be
based at Southampton General Hospital.
How You Can
Help
You can help the
Richard Burns Foundation and Michael
Park Fund in so many ways, whether it is
dropping money into a bucket at one of
the many motorsport events we attend
each year, becoming either a supporter
or member, purchasing exclusive RBF
merchandise or organising your own
fundraising event in aid of the Richard
Burns Foundation.
We are also always
in need of people to volunteer their
time to help the Richard Burns
Foundation on events or raise money at
their own events. If you wish to find
out more about supporting or becoming
involved in the Foundation, please do
not hesitate to log on to
www.richardburnsfoundation.com and get
in touch.
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