ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is delighted to award a £15,000 grant to Mission Motorsport, helping veterans rehabilitate by getting involved in motorsport and train for new careers in the automotive industry.
Thegrant will help Mission Motorsport, The Forces’ Motorsport Charity, fulfill its core mission of “Race, Retrain and Recover”. The donation will be used for various recovery sport activities from indoor karting to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It will also help provide opportunities for veterans and service leavers to gain industry-recognised qualifications and ultimately place them into rewarding jobs in the automotive sector.
Mission Motorsport typically organises around 60-80 events annually, including monthly skid pan and car control days, frequent off roading, karting and track days, and large-scale events such as the Silverstone National Transition Event where service leavers can find out more about the automotive industry. The charity also delivers the MoD and Royal Foundation initiative ‘Mission Automotive’ in partnership with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which promotes Armed Forces engagement across the £83bn British industry. To date, more than 2,000 veterans have found jobs in the sector.
James Cameron, CEO Mission Motorsport, said:
“We are incredibly grateful to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity for their continued support. Since the pandemic, like a lot of charities, we have seen an increase in requests for support. Using motorsport as a hook to get those who are harder to reach out of the house, these events help beneficiaries to engage with others, build their confidence and enjoy activities that they would not normally access. As we transform our training to help those leaving the Army to harness their skills, this generous grant means we are able to collaborate with others and help more beneficiaries on their recovery journey.”
Brigadier (Ret’d) Peter Monteith, Chief of Staff at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, added:
“We are delighted to make this grant to Mission Motorsport. Many veterans come out of the Army with first-rate engineering and mechanical skills that can be so valuable to wider industry, especially in the automotive sector. We are very impressed with Mission Motorsport’s track record in working with other charities to pioneer motorsport as a recovery activity and deliver such a wide range of support to veterans.”
