Background

In the aftermath of the tragic helicopter accident in September 2007, and the incredible response from the public via phone calls, letters, e-mails and at the Memorial Service in Lanark, the McRae family decided that it might be possible to utilise the profile of Colin’s name and achievements to raise funds for charitable and worthwhile causes.

The donations received at the time, into the hastily set-up Jerviswood Trust, led to investigations being made into setting up a more permanent vehicle under which monies could be raised and distributed to deserving causes.

A Deed of Trust was established in the name of ‘The Colin McRae Vision’ and the application for Charitable Status duly submitted to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) in January 2008. After due consideration and due diligence to ensure that we met the ‘Charity test’ as laid out in Sections 7 and 8 of the Charity and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 it was granted Charitable Status and entered on the Scottish Charity register in April 2008 with the Charity Number: SC039506.

 

Aims and Objectives

1) Charitable Purposes

In terms of the approved causes set out in the Charities and Investments (Scotland) Act 2005, the following are the main areas in which ‘The Colin McRae Vision’ seeks to operate:

• The advancement of education
• The advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
• The advancement of public participation in sport
• The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended
• Any other purpose that may reasonably be regarded as analogous to any of the preceding purposes.

2) Delivery

This will take place through the following initial strategies:

• Supporting causes and running initiatives, particularly for the benefit of underprivileged children, that the Trustees shall think fit.
• Education of young participants involved in motor sport, in particular in relation to the advancement of their motor skills and safety awareness
• Encouraging and facilitating young people in Scotland to participate in motorsport and to develop their talent
• Promotion and preservation of the Scottish heritage in motor sporting success, in particular through joint ventures with the Scottish Museum of Transport

Fundraising

During the course of 2008 there were 3 main fundraising events:

Land’s End to John o’ Groats cycle ride
(June 21st-30th)

 

Ian Hughes, General Manager of Scott Sports SA (UK Branch) undertook a 960 mile cycle the length of Great Britain, starting June 21 st from Land’s End and finishing 9 days later in John o’ Groats.

Ian (age 53) raised awareness and a four figure sum for the Colin McRae Vision, and was joined by WRC competitor Matthew Wilson, his co-driver Scott Martin and their fitness trainer Barry Johnson for the duration of the ride.

Ian struck up a friendship with Colin when they were introduced at a Rally test in 1998. From that period, Colin used SCOTT bikes and equipment as part of his fitness training. Colin officially opened the Wold Cup Downhill course at Fort William riding a SCOTT High Octane Downhill bike, and regularly trained on Scott mountain and road bikes.

Ian Hughes said “I had always wanted to complete the challenge of cycling from Lands End to John o’ Groats before

I got too old, and when the Colin McRae Vision was announced by his family after his tragic accident, I thought now is the time to make plans”. Hughes went on to say “I ran the idea passed Matthew Wilson, and he also liked the idea of the challenge, so we went about setting dates around his busy WRC calendar.”

McRae Gathering
(August 30th-31st)

The idea conceived by Grant Hendry, for Subaru Owners to organise a convoy drive from Lanark (Colin’s home town) to Prodrive in Banbury (Base of the Subaru World Rally Team) as a celebration of Colin’s time and achievements with the marque from 1991-1998 turned out to be an inspired one. The reaction and support for this initiative was astounding. Jimmy McRae led the cars away from Lanark Auction Mart and the convoy grew and grew as it progressed south, culminating in over a thousand Subaru’s congregating at Prodrive on the Saturday night. The convoy wound its way to Warwick airfield on the Sunday morning and succeeding in gaining entry into the Guinness Book of Records after 1086 Subaru’s were positioned to spell out “Colin McRae’ on the tarmac runway with the added touch of the blue and white cars forming a saltire on the end of the line-up. The sale of stickers, posters and memorabilia prior to, on and post-event and has exceeded all expectations and a cheque for £53,000 to ‘The Colin McRae Vision’ is due to be presented to Jim McRae at Chester Racecourse on 9th August 2009.

More information can be found at www.mcrae-gathering.co.uk

WELL DONE TO GRANT, IMY AND ALL THOSE WHO CONTIBUTED IN ANY WAY TO THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.

Below is an excerpt from the ‘McRae Gathering’ website that gives a flavour of the enthusiasm generated and an insight into what the event was all about.

“Firstly, many thanks to all those who took part. From the feedback we're getting it was an event you'll never forget (and hopefully not just for queuing on the M40!) Thank you for abiding by our rules - that is very much appreciated and made the weekend, particularly Saturday so much easier to manage. You entered into the spirit of the event as we intended. We even got a phone call from one of the police forces who's region we passed through on Saturday complimenting us on our driving standards. Thank you also for staggering your arrival at Banbury on Sunday. We had visions of 1000+ cars all turning up at bang on 10am, but you took our advice to arrive between 8 and 10 and in doing so caused no problems to other road users in Banbury and none of you were delayed in getting parked up.

To the public who turned out on almost every flyover from Lanark to Banbury, the crowd awaiting us at Charnock Richards and those who supported us from Banbury to Warwick with banners, flags (and even an inflatable Subaru!), on behalf of EVERYONE who took part

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. YOU ARE AWESOME

The various Subaru forums are buzzing with talk of the support we got from the public. It was way beyond what we expected and made the event extra special, although even more emotional than it already was. Again, our humble thanks.

To Strathclyde Police, Thames Valley Police and Warwickshire Police - many, many thanks for your support. You have all been great and we could not have done it without you.

Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally
( September 26th-27th)

Following a suggestion from Rally Manager, Jim Brown that we try to do something a bit special for the 2008 Colin McRae Stages event, the idea was born that we try and get along a few superstars of rallying to raise the profile.

Well little did we know what we were starting. Everyone approached to be a part of this unique rally was just so enthusiastic and supportive that it soon became a bigger project than we could ever have envisaged.

In the end we had an invited top 15 cars that read like a who’ who of the halcyon days of the sport, including no less than 5 ex World Champions.

Names such as Ari Vatanen, Hannu Mikkola, Bjorn Waldegard, and Jimmy McRae to name but a few drew huge crowds estimated at around 50,000 people,, to the Perthshire Forests to pay tribute to the memory of our own World Champion – Colin McRae.

A Forum on the Friday Night and a Tribute Dinner on the Saturday after the rally helped to raise over £40,000 in total for the ‘Colin McRae Vision’.

Whilst it was great to raise such a sum for the charity, it was equally as rewarding to see and hear the response from the fans who had travelled from all over the globe to see their heroes in action one last time and a weekend that will live forever in the memory -ABSOLUTELY MAGIC.

Project Updates and Disbursements of Funds

News of the development of the various initiatives now underway in the name of ‘The Colin McRae Vision’ along with the first disbursements will be posted here shortly.