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Rome or Bust

French Connections is delighted to be sponsoring an ‘old banger’ car in Rome or Bust, a challenging but fun drive from England through France to Italy in aid of the Martha Trust charity.

Martha Trust provides a home for life for young people with profound physical and learning disabilities, and offers professional support to their families. The money raised from Rome or Bust will go towards specialized sensory equipment for the hydrotherapy pool at their Hastings branch, which is not far from the French Connections office in Etchingham, East Sussex. This includes sensors which float on the water that a profoundly disabled person can control with confined movements – ie  a nod of the head/ hand wave etc. The sensors will then adjust the lights/sounds/aromotherapy scents etc. This gives an immense feeling of achievement and satisfaction as the person is able to control their own environment.

The Rome or Bust challenge takes place between Saturday 3rd May – Monday 5th May 2008 and starts in Paddock Wood High Street at 8am.

Participants are invited to test their mettle by buying an old banger for £100 or less and spending 3 days driving over 1,000 miles through scenic France and Italy. They will celebrate their adventure in Rome before flying back to the UK to recover.

The French Connections car, is being driven by Stephen Barrett, 27, together with his friend Ricci Connolly, 26, a keen fisherman and traveller.

Rome or Bust
Rome or Bust
Rome or Bust
Rome or Bust
Pictures from the start of the journey. The drivers (and car) are dressed as the Flintstones!

“We’ve known each other for 10 years and have travelled together a lot,” explains Stephen. “We share the same sense of humour, which will come in handy if we’re going to complete the Martha Trust Challenge in one piece!”

“This is a great adventure for Steve and me”, adds Ricci “but it helps that we fully support Martha Trust Charity and what it stands for. It’s also fantastic to have such generous backing from French Connections.”

“We think this is a great cause and, with the boys driving through France, it’s a natural for us to support. We’re encouraging the owners of holiday rental properties listed in our site who are on the route to come out and cheer them on,” said Glynis Shaw, joint MD of French Connections

Details of the route
Leaving 3 May - 8am Paddock Wood High Street to drive to Dover for crossing to Calais. Arrive Dijon late on 3rd May.  Dijon to Bologna, Italy arrive 4th May. Bologna to Rome 5th May.

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