Charity car convoy heads from West Sussex to Nürburgring

The seven vehicles, all described as 'ageing near-scrap cars,' are making the journey from West Sussex to the Nürburgring in Germany.

The drivers behind the wheel are tradesmen and small business owners from the Rustington area, taking part in the challenge to raise money and awareness for Andy’s Man Club, which supports men with mental health struggles.

Dan, who runs Direct Plumbing Supplies in Rustington, organised the road trip and gathered participants for the multi-day journey.

The group set off on May 28 from Artex Avenue and plan to travel through France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Richard Mallett, a gas engineer from RJM Plumbing and Heating and one of the drivers, said: "Mental health struggles can affect anyone, and the support Andy’s Man Club provides genuinely makes a difference.

"We wanted to do something memorable while raising money for an important cause."

In true charity convoy spirit, not all has gone smoothly.

A delayed start was caused by last-minute repairs to one of the vehicles, which was reportedly still on ramps shortly before departure.

Despite the setback, the group made it to Calais and spent the night in Lille, continuing their journey the next morning.

The cars were expected to arrive at the Nürburgring on May 30.

The team is continuing to collect donations during the trip. Contributions can be made on their JustGiving page at justgiving.com.

Team members hope to take their vehicles onto the circuit before beginning the long drive home.

With all seven cars aged and described as nearly ready for the scrapyard, their chances of completing the journey remain uncertain.

Mr Mallett said: "A lot of us work in trades where people don’t always talk about how they’re feeling, so raising awareness for men’s mental health is something we all felt strongly about."

Many of the cars required significant work before departure, and the convoy hopes to return to the UK in one piece..