Sytner Group has raised £27,721 for BEN thanks to donations of £1 which accompany every sale on its online auction site.

The group, which represents 19 brands across 100 dealerships, managed to raise the cash in just one year and Gary Cully, BEN’s partnership development manager, said that the charity was “immensely grateful”.

“This is an astonishing amount to receive, for which we are immensely grateful,” said Cully.

“Sytner is one of our leading partners and their ongoing support is very much appreciated. It enables us to provide lifetime support across a wide range of issues to our colleagues in the automotive industry throughout the UK.”

BEN is committed to making positive differences to the lives of people within the automotive industry, past and present, and their dependents, offering a wide range of free and confidential information, advice and guidance to help people be mentally, financially, socially and physically fit.

It also operates a number of specialist care centres around the UK, which offer residential, nursing and specialist dementia care.

Darren Edwards, Sytner Group managing director, said: “We are absolutely delighted to make this latest donation and hope that the on-going success of our auction site will lead to an even larger amount being presented next year.”

Cully added: “This money will make a real difference to the individuals and families BEN supports.

“We doubled the number of people we helped in 2015/16 and we hope to reach even more people over the next year.

“We wouldn’t be able to deliver our support across the automotive industry without the generosity of companies like Sytner Group; once again, thank you, we are truly grateful.”