SMOC Raising Money for 30th anniversary

Last year the Southern Mini Owners Club (SMOC) celebrated their 30th Birthday by giving gifts instead of receiving them. Club members chose charities that were close to their hearts and they, along with the club, have made several large donations to local and national charities.

In June, the Southern Mini Owners Club convoyed to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home for a privileged behind the scenes tour.  A donation of £2120 was made to contribute to rehoming 8000 dogs and cats a year.

Battersea never turn away a dog or cat in need of help and it costs 18.4 million to run their homes per year. Thank you to members Paul and Jo Gallagher for nominating Battersea, they have homed several dogs and cats from Battersea.

In August, along with Mini Cooper Tonbridge, the Southern Mini Owners went on a Mini Macmillan Run to raise funds for Macmillan in the Kent area.  

The run started with cupcakes and refreshments courtesy of Mini Cooper Tonbridge, who have also nominated Macmillan as their charity of the year.  The convoy of Minis got plenty of waves when driving through the beautiful Kent countryside on the one of hottest days of the year. Thankfully the Minis and their drivers cooled off in the pubs on route and finally ending up at the 14th century Wealden Hall Pub in Larkfield.  

In 2015, 1.7 million was spent on Macmillan services in Kent and more specifically families who are affected by cancer can apply for grants to help them. Thank you to members Ann and Jim Black for nominating Macmillan.  The clubs donation of £2000 will be match funded by Utility Warehouse making a contribution of £4000 to Macmillan.

More SMOC charity Mini runs will take place throughout 2017.

Mini facts
The Classic Mini was launched to the press on 26th August 1959 and over 5 million Minis were made, with the last one coming off the production line on 4th October 2000.

The BMW MINI was launched in 2001 and since then around £1.75 billion has been invested in BMW Group’s manufacturing sites in the UK.

The Southern Mini Owners Club was established in 1986 by Mini fan Miss Lee Pegrum, owner of 5 Minis.

In 2015 SMOC donated £5,000 to each of the following charities The Kent Air Ambulance, Demelza House (Sittingbourne) and Hospice in the Weald (Pembury).

Mini fans are welcome to join the friendly club from just £15 a year and will benefit from many privileges found at www.smoc.co.uk.  The club meets at 8pm on the first Wednesday of each month at The Wealden Hall in Larkfield.

In 2014 the Southern Mini Owners club hosted the International Mini Meeting celebrating the Mini’s 55th birthday.  The massive event attracted thousands of Mini fans from around the world to the Kent Event Centre in Detling.

2017 will see the return of Southern Mini Days, the famous ‘dare to be different’ Mini Weekender, this time in its ‘Lite’ format taking some of the favourite Mini Days events to produce a relaxing Mini filled weekend on the south coast.

http://www.smoc.co.uk/

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