The Maurice Project gets the VIP treatment @ Shelsley Walsh
Its around 4:30pm on Friday 19th June and a van with trailer arrives at the IOT (driven by our friend Mel Deakin) to collect the Jag.
We are off to the races! Or rather, The Lucas Classic Hill Climb to be specific, as we have been invited to attend by our sponsors SNG Barratt.
From the very beginning, we had agreed to attend certain events that SNG were going to in order to showcase their parts and demonstrate their Corporate Social Responsibility.
The plan was to arrive in the evening, deposit the car in the paddock and enjoy the evenings hospitality (nice!). So we did just that. Later that evening at the campsite we just happened to strike up a conversation with Simon (the event organiser). He had heard of our project and was keen to weave us into the next days event program. Simon suggested that around lunchtime we push the car to the start line of the hill climb (which should get peoples attention), where Fuzz Townshend will interview us on the site tannoy. Not only that, but at the prize-giving towards the end of the day, we should come up on stage together with Josh, our L3 college student, and be interviewed again. What an opportunity was unfolding before us!!
Bright and early we went to the paddock and set up our display. The car obviously took centre stage, under a gazebo, flanked by a Dudley College ‘Automotive’ banner and the project banner. The DC banner was significant as not only is the project now being supported by Dudley College, but I am now a member of staff we will have students who have worked on the car joining us for the day.
No sooner had we set up when Fuzz Townshend walks past and says ‘wow things have really moved on’. The last time he saw the car was at the project launch event in March ’25. It was great to have a chance to chat and catch up with him before things got busy. I was also able to introduce one of our students (Josh) to him. We soon discovered Josh was quite a fan!
The next big event of the day was the hill climb itself. There was the most superb collection of mainly British sports cars (Jaguar, Triumph, MG, Lotus, Jensen, Sprite, Mini, Daimler, Land Rover, TVR etc) at the event, dating from the 1930’s to 1990’s, nearly all incorporating Lucas parts.
SNG Barratt had brought three E-types, a fabulous lightweight (pictured left), a V12 and a Series 1. These were there to be driven and Mr Barratt had a fantastic time taking people up the hill with him. One of my team, Stephen worked his magic and managed to talk them into giving or student volunteer, Josh, a seat in the lightweight, Not only that but his dad got a go too (how was that for a pre-Fathers Day gift), we were thrilled for them both.
After a day of multiple sprints up the hill, two of the three E-types were broken! Like I said, the cars were there to be driven, and they were!
After the mornings events we got ‘the nod’ from the marshals to push the car to the ‘Start’ line. This was a stroke of genius by Simon, the organiser, as if it was publicity we wanted, we certainly had it now. We had a captive audience of classic car enthusiasts and were about to be interviewed on the start line by Fuzz Townshend. You really couldn’t make it up.
Fuzz, already knowing the project, asked all the right questions, helping me to plug the project as well as the new relationship we had with Dudley College. Finally, or student was asked to share his experience of working with us on the car, and tell everyone that his ambition was to work for a motor sport team. Fuzz jumped on this right away a made an appeal for anyone to help this young, car man of the future, to get a foot on the ladder. It was so great to see Josh having such a great day, and all because of Maurice’s gift of this car!
It wasn’t until a few days later that something very moving occured, one of those ‘stop you in your tracks’ moments.
I sent one of my regular updates to Maurice’s older brother, Dave Pope. Something I have done from the start of the project to keep the family involved. I spoke of the success of the weekend and how much Maurice would have loved to have been there.
It was then that I received a return Whats App message with photo’s attached. Dave told me of how much Maurice loved Shelsley Walsh, and that it was one such event that was the last time they had been out for a day together before Maurice passed away.
Here he is, on that day out at Shelsley Walsh doing what he loved.
Now that’s a story.
Thank you Maurice, for the opportunities and happy times you have given us. Rest in peace brother.
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