The annual Marie Curie Ladies' Driving Challenge was held on Saturday 16 October, and we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day at Kirkistown.  The Marie Curie organisers and the event committee did a brilliant job, as ever, making all the arrangements, to allow the event to run pretty much like clockwork.  

Many of the favourite vehicles from previous years turned out with their drivers again happy to give their time in support of this fantastic fundraising day.   We had emergency vehicles, commercial vehicles, monster dumper trucks, mini diggers, saloon cars, off roaders ...and new for the team event, a very odd creation - a conference bike.  This is a 7-seater pedal bike, constructed in a circular shape.  Hard to describe, and equally hard to ride - but bizarrely one of the best fun challenges of the day! 

This year the candidates for the speed test were the stretch limo and, in keeping with the Back to the Future theme of the day, a proper original 1980s DeLorean (fab, fab, fab!) and a gorgeous yellow 2CV.

As ever, the event was strongly supported by AMNI members from North Down, Belfast, Ballymena and mid-Ulster who provided all the marshalling for the day, and to whom I would like to, again, say a giant 'thank you'.  It is always such an enjoyable day, regardless of the weather, and in such a good cause, but I do appreciate it's not always easy for group members to take a day out to volunteer. 

The number of competitors was significantly down on last year - a sign of the times, I fear - but enthusiasm was as high as ever, with the usual crop of envious husbands/boyfriends/sons who came along to support the ladies, and went away feeling cheated that they hadn't been able to take part too!  

A total of just under £20,000 was raised on the day - what an amazing result.