Written by Carole Payne
On Sunday 22 August a Family Car Show, hosted by local car group Broken Soulz was held at Wyke Down Country Pub and Restaurant to raise money for Vickie Simmonds, from Kingsclere near Newbury.
Ten months ago, after a routine hospital procedure,Vickie 29, developed sepsis and went into septic shock. This has left her with several other incurable life – threatening conditions which require full – time care. The treatment needed to help Vickie is not available on the NHS. However there is some privately funded treatment in America which could be of great benefit to her so family and friends are raising as much money as possible from several organised events to allow this treatment to happen.
Sinead, Vickie’s PA organised the car show along with Broken Soulz who are a local car group formed last year during lockdown by local Andover car enthusiast Jenna Pike. They raise money through car shows and exhibitions for people suffering with Mental Health.
Music throughout the day was provided by Love Andover’s Chris Burford and the team Sarah, Carole, Brian and Ella.
There were lots of cars on display, many owned by local people. Paul Parker had his amazing white Chrysler 300 there. It has custom made 22 inch wheels and the bodywork is sprayed with different coloured nail varnishes, giving it a magnificent finish, especially in sunlight. This idea came from the Playstation game Midnight Club 3 Dub Edition. It took three years for Paul to build to how it is today and has the unique reg. plate .NOOKEYBEAR.
Also on display was a 1967 Cortina which has been fitted with a 1971 Lincoln Continental engine. The local owner has had the car for 24 years. The latest addition to this lovely burgundy, gleaming, well maintained pro street car was a new axle and prop shaft..
A black limousine was filled with balloons to raise money for the charity- all the visitors had to do was guess how many were in there. Amazingly there were 178.
There was also a Show and Shine competition for the Best Car in the show and for the little ones a bouncy castle.
At the end of the show there was a dance display by some of Vickie’s friends. Pre-sepsis she had opened her own dance school teaching all types of dance including Street,, hip-hop, contemporary and modern. Two of Vickie!s closest friends have taken over the running of the school until she is able to take up the reins again. The wheelchair dance they performed was brilliant and was followed by heartfelt thanks from Vickie to everyone involved, especially Sinead her PA, in organising the event. A lovely moving end to the day.
Here are some of the photos of the cars at the event taken throughout the day by Brian Payne
