Reviving the spirits at Amberley
In the absence of this year’s Goodwood Revival, Amberley staged its own ‘Revival’ on a gloriously sunny Saturday in mid-september, attracting 45 classic cars and raising around £1,400 for St Michael’s Church.
Entrants registered at a control point at The Sportsman Inn, where they collected their roadpacks for the 85-mile scenic tour of the Sussex and Surrey countryside, plus bacon baps and coffee to fortify them for the journey. The cars were flagged off from The Square in the centre of the village by 11-year-old Kasey Lock.
There was a ‘pit stop’ at Secretts Farm Shop at Milford, near Godalming for elevenses before completing the remainder of the route back to the cricket field at Amberley, where the Sportsman provided barbecued burgers.
A bottle of Champagne was awarded to the best dressed couple – Stephen and Denise Cherry – presented by the Revd Gerry Burgess, priest-incharge.
Cars ranged from a Ford Prefect to a Porsche 911S, with around a dozen Minis, plus Jaguars. MGS, Austin Healeys, a Triumph Herald, an Alfa
Romeo, a Caterham, a couple of Lancia’s and even a Jeep which had taken part in the D-day landings.
“What a truly memorable day,” said Martin and Sally Stoyles, who live in East Grinstead and were driving an MGB GT. “2020 has been a very strange year for us all, and for car nuts to be able to hit the roads and hopefully raise a bit of revenue for the picturesque village of Amberley was a total pleasure.”
“The cricket ground was the perfect venue to end the day and everything was well handled and controlled [for social distancing] by the helpers who were there to receive us.”