Students studying mechanical qualifications at King’s Lynn-based charity are set to learn new skills with the donation of a Reliant Scimitar from a generous patron.
Kristina Amadeus, an award-winning short fiction author donated the car to the charity after seeing posts about the charity on LinkedIn. Kristina, first cousin of the singer-songwriter David Bowie, used to ferry the musician around in the reliant around Cornwall, where the car spent much of its life. Before living on the southwestern coast, the car spent time on the Isle of Man and then moved with Kristina to Corfu for a time.
Open Road West Norfolk aims to provide alternative pathways to students out of traditional education. From the state-of-the-art facility in King’s Lynn, the team provide qualifications to students in construction and automotive maintenance. Practical skills are essential, and while the students have ample modern cars to practice on, the addition of a classic car offers them a chance to build new skills.
Martin Slater, Managing Director of Open Road West Norfolk commented “We’re thrilled with the donation of the Scimitar. Our usual vehicles donated by the brilliant, Co-Part allow the students to learn on the latest automotive technology, but this will be a great experience to show them how rewarding restoring a classic car can be. We’re so thankful for Kristina’s donation, and for entrusting the car to our care.”
The car was assessed by a local mechanic, giving the team and students a list of things to achieve to get it moving again. Once the rebuild is complete, the charity hopes to sell the car to raise additional funds.
As a charity, the organisation relies on external donations and funding to keep running. This year, due to the cost-of-living crisis and other factors, funding has been limited, and the donations from individuals and companies are allowing Open Road to continue to provide its vital service.
The previous owner of the car, Kristina commented: “[I] thought it was best to donate it to a good cause. I am about to turn 82 in July which is a little too old to be hot-rodding around! I really love the car and am thrilled that she’s getting the right attention now.”
To find out more about the charity Open Road West Norfolk, visit www.openroadtraining.co.uk.
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