TrustFord colleagues from across the UK will be drive as far away from the group’s Long Marston Distribution Centre in 25 hours as part of its Breakout for Ben charity challenge.

A total of 54 teams from the Ford-owned AM100 retail group will jump into an new Ford Focus or Ford Tourneo for the fund-raising initiative, which will start at 11am on December 6.

 Teams will be encouraged to raise funds by asking colleagues, local businesses, friends, family and business partners to donate or sponsor their vehicle.

TrustFord is providing each team with fully-fuelled vehicles, branded with the TrustFord Breakout for Ben logo, and a £400 allowance to spend on fuel, food and accommodation.

In line with TrustFord’s ‘Spirit of Care’, team members will not be required to use their annual leave time to participate.

Teams will be competing for a range of awards including the Chairman’s Prize for the team reaching the furthest destination; Most Efficient Use of Fuel; Best Fancy Dress; Most Money Raised Pre-Drive; Most Money Raised Overall; Single Biggest Donation; and Most Unusual or Novel Destination.

Stuart Foulds, chairman and chief executive of TrustFord, said: “Ben is an incredibly important charity to all of us in the automotive industry, having helped thousands of colleagues over the years.

“We’re guided by a Spirit of Care at TrustFord, so I’m delighted to launch Breakout for Ben, which will be the largest single fundraising event we have ever completed as a group.

“Our colleagues have been raising money for so many good causes during this year, so this is a fitting way to end 2018.”

At last month’s TrustFord annual conference, in Dagenham, Foulds announced that the group’s HE director, Sharon Ashcroft, had joined the board of Ben in a move which would cement the relationship between the group and its chosen charity.  

TrustFord has long supported Ben, the independent charity that partners with the automotive industry to provide support for life to its people and their family dependants, and has set a fundraising target of at least £100,000 in 2019 for Ben.

Commenting on its latest fund-raising drive, Zara Ross, chief executive of Ben, said: “We’re delighted that TrustFord is supporting us through this new Breakout for Ben initiative.

“Ben is entirely funded by the automotive industry so support like this is vital for us to continue providing life-changing support to those going through life’s toughest challenges.

“We look forward to receiving updates from the TrustFord team and wish them all the best with this great new initiative! Thank you to those taking part in this challenge and to all those who are supporting it.”