Island Roads volunteers are today (Friday) working to help ensure an event to bring Christmas cheer to scores of young carers can go ahead at the weekend.
For the last 3 years, charity organiser Clive Ford has organised the ‘Smiles for Miles’ as part of a Christmas Party event based at the YMCA centre in Sandown for 100 young carers and their families. The Smiles For Miles element offers children the chance to ride in around 30 high performance sports cars. However, the private driveway at Winchester House had become so uneven and potholed as to become unsuitable for such valuable vehicles as TVRs, Aston Martins, a Ford Mustang a Bentley, a Cobra a TVR Sagari and a Ferrari.
After issuing an SOS for assistance, the YMCA was swiftly contacted by Island Roads who offered help under their volunteer programme.
Today (Friday) Island Roads teams turned up to first sweep away the loose material from the driveway and then undertake surface repairs enabling the cars to use the track.
Trudie Augustus-Harris, YMCA Young Carers administrator, said:
“It is absolutely fantastic that Island Roads have been able to help out so quickly to make our driveway accessible in time for the super cars to give such joy to so many of our young carers.
“Without their help and support, this exciting event may not have been possible.”
Kevin Burton, Island Roads network manager, said:
“Though there was not much time in which to organise the crews, we were delighted to be able to come up with a plan to make the required improvements to the driveway.
“We are sure that the young carers will have a thoroughly entertaining day and enjoy the impressive collection of vehicles Clive has assembled.”
