Classic car gift makes charity £25,000 (http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/)

[A special holiday.  Someone got a car they very much wanted and a worthwhile charity welcomed the proceeds.  Well done.  Mark.]

A CHRISTMAS gift with a difference has funded a generous donation to York Against Cancer.

A businessman, who has asked not to be named, has sold his classic Morgan V8 sports car to donate £25,000 proceeds plus Gift Aid to the city charity.

The car had been given to him as a Christmas present by the late York farmer and motor rally driver David ‘Piggy’ Thompson to thank him for advice he gave him some 20 years ago.

David Thompson, father of World Touring Cars star and former British Touring Cars champion James Thompson, was a major motor enthusiast and following the advice, David asked the businessman what sort of car he really liked.

He told David that the only car he had ever really wanted was a Morgan V8. “That Christmas Eve, there was a brand new Morgan sitting on my drive!”, he said.

David sadly died in the years after he made his generous gift, and recently the businessman began to think it was time to do something with the Morgan as he no longer used it very much.

“I didn’t want it to just sit in the garage so I rang David’s widow, Barbara and said, ‘Look, I am going to sell it and give the proceeds to York Against Cancer.’ A sentiment she totally supported.”

Another friend was keen to buy the car and agreed to pay the highest price they could find for a similar vehicle on the internet – with York Against Cancer receiving the £25,000 proceeds plus Gift Aid.

The businessman has long supported York Against Cancer and David’s widow said that David would have been delighted to see the cash support the mobile unit since he had had to travel to Leeds for treatment during his illness.

Steve Leveson, Chairman of York Against Cancer, said the charity was touched by this kind gesture. “The charity is very grateful for this gift, which couldn’t have come at a better time as we are about to launch an appeal to raise money for our mobile chemotherapy unit.”