Charities to benefit from scenic run around Perthshire

Crieff is to once again play host to the finale of this year’s Perthshire Classic Car Tour.

Taking place on Sunday, April 21, more than 100 vintage, classic and prestige cars are set to take part in an event designed to raised much- needed funds for eating disorder charity Beat and the MS Society Scotland.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Perth, drivers will take a spectacular route between Perth’s McDiarmid Park, along Loch Tay and then up to Ballachulish.

After lunch the tour will go back through Glencoe, then south along the top of Loch Awe and will finish at Crieff Hydro Hotel for an end -of-tour dinner and awards ceremony.

Each leg of the journey is 100 miles and is billed as a great opportunity for classic car lovers – drivers, passengers and spectators alike – to join in.

Rotarians are organising the rally with the support of main sponsor John Clark Motor Group and raised £30,000 for charity last year.

Ahead of this year’s event Anna Page, a community fundraising officer with Beat, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the Rotary Club of Perth for choosing to raise awareness of eating disorders.

Morna Simpkins, a director of MS Society Scotland, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to the Rotary Club of Perth and, in particular, the organisers of this year’s Perthshire Classic Car Tour for choosing to support us.

“More than 15,000 people in Scotland live with Multiple Sclerosis and, every week, 14 new people receive an MS diagnosis.

“MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, which impacts how people move, think and feel. Symptoms are different for everybody and often invisible.

“The MS Society Scotland is here to make life better for people affected by MS. We offer emotional support and information via our MS helpline, and provide online webinars, courses and sessions through our LivingWell programme. We campaign to improve the rights of people with MS and their carers, and fund ground-breaking research.

“It’s thanks to our wonderful and generous supporters, such as the Rotary Club of Perth, that we’re able to continue this vital work. We hope everyone has a fantastic time on the tour and raises lots of funds and awareness for both charities.’

Joe Cairns is chair of the Perthshire Classic Car Tour committee and said: “We know that eating disorders and MS impact so many people – not just those who are currently unwell, but also their family and friends.

“We’ve heard good things about the incredible work that Beat and the MS Society Scotland do and we felt compelled to raise funds for them.”