The Italian Job (charity event)
The Italian Job is an annual fundraising event, inspired by the original 1969 film The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine and Noël Coward. The run takes place during late October and early November, and involves Minis and other cars driving from the UK to northern Italy and back. A wide variety of Minis have participated in this modern-day self-preservation society, ranging from models built as early as 1959, the first year of production of the Mini, to brand new BMW MINIs, via derivatives such as the Innocenti, Mini Moke, Mini Marcos, Domino and many more. Other vehicles that were featured in the original film, or their modern derivatives, are also eligible to participate.
The event was started in 1990 as a result of Freddie St George discussing the Beaujolais nouveau Run, while sharing “a dish of pasta and a bottle of new Beaujolais with friends in an Italian restaurant [Topolino] in Brighton.”[1] Freddie “had a better idea.” That idea was to drive to Trento, Italy to bring back the Novello, the first Italian wine of the season, within 48 hours. “It was Freddie’s mother, Giulia St George, who suggested they should turn it into a sponsored run, raising money for children’s charities.”
John Cooper was an early supporter of The Italian Job[2] and introduced Freddie to Denis Chick, then Marketing Director of Rover Group, who was equally enthusiastic. Both men were frequent attendees at early Italian Job events, and at the Gala Dinners.
The Italian Job developed to encompass exclusive visits to Italian Grand Prix circuits, has toured numerous Italian cities and other historic sites, and often includes the key locations in Turin that were featured in the original film. The event’s slogan is “Raising money for children in a fun way.”, has raised over £2,500,000 for a variety of children’s charities, both in the UK and other countries, and is still organised by its founders, Giulia and Freddie St George.
Jobbers
Participants in The Italian Job were first called Jobbers by Pearson Phillips, who took part on behalf of The Mail on Sunday’s You Magazine in 1992.
Charities Supported
The initial charities supported were Childline and BBC Children in Need. By 1992, the main beneficiary charity had switched to the NSPCC, who were supported for a total of 8 years. In 2000, The Italian Job organisers moved their support to what was then known as NCH Action for Children. From 2008 to 2011 the event supported Kids Out, a Bedfordshire based national grant giving children’s charity, before moving its support again in 2012 to Variety, the Children’s Charity and remained with Variety until 2017. In 2018 the Italian Job will support Buttle UK.
Regularity Drive Winners
| Year | Winning team | car | Runners up | car | 3rd Place | car |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Michael Wildman & Vanessa Gray | |||||
| 1993 | Phil Sullivan & Andy Willets | John Thew & Graham Marwood | 1989 Racing Green | Michael Wildman & Vanessa Gray | ||
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| 2009 | Ken Turner & Jan Reed | Roger & Yvonne Hunt | Carl Belinger & Rachel Cope | |||
| 2010 | ||||||
| 2011 | Jonathan & Emily Blaxill | Jiri & Tereza Plevka | Bill & Linda Handley | |||
| 2012 | ||||||
| 2013 | Duncan Cook & Steve Taylor | Ian & Mary Sims | Roger & Yvonne Hunt | RSP | ||
| 2014 | Alex & Suzy Kinsman | Martin & Sue Lawton | Neil & Family Gray | |||
| 2015 | Annie White & Will Tyler | 2000 Cooper Sport | Brian & Bryn Smith | Bill & Linda Handley | ||
| 2016 | Vic & Darren Mandrell | Emily Bacon & Jack Mansfield | Jason Harris & Emma Ladbroke | |||
| 2017 | Harry Weaver & Liam Fearn | Michael Butcher & Martin Wallis | Jon & Bev Raisbeck |
Event History
1990
The first run was billed as “24 hours from Trento to Brighton!” Fifty six teams responded to an advert that asked, “Would you like to drive to northern Italy in aid of BBC Children in Need and Childline appeals?”[3] and included a team from Auto Express[4] and the winner of the Oldest Mini – a totally restored 1960 Mini van – which suffered a few problems when the carburettor froze on the Alpine roads. The Minis were joined by a fabulous Lamborghini Miura P400 restored by the owners as a replica of the one featured in the Michael Caine film. The teams met in Trento, visited fabulous locations such as Castel Toblino, collected the Novello and dashed back to Blightly via an overnight stop in Lausanne, Switzerland and the Sealink ferry from Dieppe to Newhaven. The teams congregated at Brighton Marina to celebrate their return and a total of £58.000 was donated to Children in Need and Childline. The event was captured on a 50-minute video “The Great Italian Caper” produced by Frontrunner Video.
Celebrity Supporters
Patrons
Robert “Judge” Rinder launches[5] The Italian Job 2018 at The Classic Motor Show at The NEC, Birmingham on 10 November 2018.
Notable Vehicles
Since 1990 the event has welcomed nearly all of the other classics featured in the 1969 Michael Caine movie, with the exception of a Daimler Majestic Major (the Pakistani Ambassador’s Car), the Coach and the Gold Bullion Van. The red E-Type Jaguar 848 CRY, that featured in the original film, took part in 1992.
References
- ↑ Phillips, Pearson (31 January 1993). "Open Road". You Magazine, The Mail on Sunday: 34–38.
- ↑ "Wow what a trip!". Mini World: 60–61. November 1992.
- ↑ Thew, John (April 1991). "The Italian Job". Kitcars International: 40–43.
- ↑ Blokland, Arie (1 January 1991). "Charity Run". Auto Express: 24–25.
- ↑ "Interview with Italian Job and Rob 'Judge' Rinder". NEC Classic Motor Show 2018. 8 November 2018.