Gearing up for Good: The Hope Classic Rally in aid of WeSeeHope – An Unforgettable Day Out

Last weekend, the Mako team was part of an extraordinary event, the Hope Classic Rally; one which marries motor passion with a powerful purpose.

Mako has been a long standing partner of WeSeeHope (WSH) for over 20 years, the charity which the Rally raises money for. The longevity of our support is simple to explain; WSH is a truly innovative charity that's all about fostering hope and empowering some of the most vulnerable communities across Southern and Eastern Africa through impactful projects. Their methods are creative, sustainable, and most importantly, driven by the communities they assist. From creating micro-financing infrastructures for some of the poorest communities to empowering child-headed households, the combination of projects that WSH spearhead, in partnership with their communities, work in concert to support the lifecycle of the whole community.

The Hope Classic Rally, now in its 8th year, is another example of collaborative innovation which marries motor passion with purpose and trust. A truly unique event, the novelty of which doesn’t diminish! Made more powerful by the incredible symbol of generosity by which owners entrust their cars to, essentially, strangers for the day!

Immense thanks to Jaguar Classic, Tuthill Porsche and a whole host of private owners for donating such an impressive collection of exemplary classics for the event!

And oh what an event it was!

The lineup was a sight for sore eyes: 1955 Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing, 1962 Ferrari 250 SWB, 1967 Lamborghini Miura, 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 RS, Aston Martin DB4s, DB5s and Jaguar E-types, resplendent in the summer sun, against the backdrop of Great Fosters Hotel in Egham. All polished to perfection thanks to Spotless Mobile.

As drivers, you’re in safe hands - equipped with a briefing from the owners on the peculiarities of your car; a well laid out route and additional comfort with the knowledge that the support team are on call if anything goes south!

Fortunately, although there were a few overheated engines on the first leg and perhaps a few cases of misnavigation, after a couple of hours whizzing along the leafy Surrey roads, we all made it our pitstop, Hattingley Valley Wines. We were greeted by some exceptionally good, wood-fired pizzas by Leather and Willow and a taste of some of the award-winning English wines from the vineyard (I highly recommend the sparkling Rose 2019). Of course, this experience was not for those taking the wheel for the return journey home.  

This wonderful day was capped off by an amazing charity auction with some truly one-off motoring and travel-related prizes, amongst others. An incredible £420k was raised as part of this event and every penny raised on the day will be going towards WSH's incredible initiatives. These initiatives are much like the engines of our classic cars - they power transformation.  

So, to anyone reading this and wondering whether to gear up for next year's rally, my advice is: do it! Come for the cars, the camaraderie, the culinary delights, but stay for the cause. It's not just about the drive, it's about the destination: creating change and making a real difference. After all, who says charity and classic cars can't share the same lane?

Photo credits to Jono Renton and James Mann

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