Torque the Rock - Brought to you by 'A Driving Force for SSAFA'

Something special is coming to Gibraltar next weekend – A Driving Force for SSAFA 2024!

A Driving Force for SSAFA * is a biennial charity event, raising funds for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.  It involves seventy people, in thirty-five vehicles, including participants and support vehicles, on an exhilarating 10-day driving adventure across the Iberian Peninsula and Gibraltar from 30 July to 9 August 2024, hoping to raise £120,000 for SSAFA.

The 10-day event will be visiting Gibraltar on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 August 2024 and will make quite a spectacle as they arrive. The A Driving Force Team are working closely with Commodore Tom Guy, Commander of British Forces, Gibraltar to put together some very exciting events in Gibraltar, which is seen as the jewel in the crown of the 2024 A Driving Force for SSAFA event.

Plans are in place to hold a remembrance service to remember those military personnel that have been lost at Trafalgar Cemetery.  There will also be a special VIP dinner with live music, and a tour around Gibraltar of the cars involved in the 2024 event. 

Two ex-serving members of HM Forces Benn Laidler MBE and Steve Shaw MA, FCILT, CMCIPD, Directors of A Driving Force, witnessed first-hand the hardship and devastation suffered by casualties of military conflict. They realised that these courageous men, women, and their families needed support to cope with the aftermath of such traumatic life changing injuries or loss. Since 2012, they have been fundraising through charity driving events, which have taken place across the UK and mainland Europe raising over three quarters of a million pounds for many charities supporting military personnel. The 2022 event managed to raise a staggering £173,000.

Partnering with SSAFA once again for the event in 2024, A Driving Force who are accredited Professional Fundraisers with The Fundraising Regulator, have pledged to raise a further £120,000 to support military personnel and their families.  Whilst combat operations have now ceased, our country must deal with the aftermath of 20 years of operations in the Middle East. As we conduct this event, we pay tribute to the hundreds of people who made the ultimate sacrifice on operations. Just as importantly our fundraising is aimed at sustaining people and their families who suffered life changing injuries.

Like the brave men and women of the Armed Forces, we never stop trying to serve the needs of our society…

Commodore Tom Guy, Commander of British Forces, Gibraltar said:

“It is a great event in aid of a fantastic cause, and we look forward to giving them a warm welcome.” 

Steve Shaw MA, FCILT, CMCIPD, Director of A Driving Force for SSAFA said:

“We cannot wait to bring A Driving Force for SSAFA to Gibraltar next weekend, for the highlight of our 2024 fundraising event.

We have a big target of raising £120,000 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, and by visiting Gibraltar, it provides us with a platform to improve awareness of all the fantastic work that SSAFA do.”

As we know, the nation is coming to terms with the unseen impact of sending 150,000 military personnel to conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of those, 636 people sadly lost their lives. Regrettably, tens of thousands more were left with unseen injuries both mentally and physically, which they carry with them each and every day. We can probably never relieve them of the burden, but we can certainly help, bringing to bear our passion, enthusiasm and drive as ex-members of the Armed Forces.”

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is a trusted source of practical, emotional, and financial support for the UK military’s serving personnel and veterans of the Royal Navy, British Army and the Royal Air Force, and their families.

For 138 years, making them one of the UK’s longest serving military charities, SSAFA has shown their commitment to ensuring that our service men and women, veterans and their families get the best possible support when they need it.

The SSAFA family includes the Military Wives Choirs, both an independent charity and a subsidiary of SSAFA, which supports women across the military community. SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person – any time they need us, in any way they need us, for as long as they need us. 

Jonathan Sandall, Director of Fundraising for SSAFA, says:

“Over the last decade, Steve and Benn have raised a phenomenal amount of money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity through their charity driving events, whilst also remembering the brave servicemen and servicewomen who made the ultimate sacrifice whilst on operations in the Middle East.”

*A Driving Force is a subsidiary of Torque Events Ltd.

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