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Press Coverage
& Media Clips
30 November 2001 - Bridgestone Motorsport T-shirt auction
Bridgestone Motorsport press release
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BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
MOTORSPORT UK
Hurricane Way, Axis Park,
Langley, Slough, Berkshire,
SL3 8AG, United Kingdom.
TEL: + 44 (0) 1753 589200
FAX: + 44 (0) 1753 589201
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Langley, November 30th
2001
Formula 1 stars sign up to help tragic children
Formula 1 stars, including three world champions, have come
together in the name of helping bereaved children.
In a unique feat, organised by Bridgestone Motorsport which
supplies tyres to Formula 1, 12 of the worldís top drivers have
signed-up to a charity run by traffic officers from Thames Valley
Police.
At races around the world during the 2001 F1 season, the drivers
autographed a Bridgestone t-shirt which will be auctioned to
raise money for Taplow Traffic Charity Trust, based not far
from Bridgestone Motorsport's headquarters at Langley, Berkshire.
The shirt will be sold to the highest bidder in an on-line auction.
The charity was set up in 1997 by traffic police officers based
at Taplow, Berkshire and raises money to send children who have
lost close relatives—parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters—in
road accidents on special holidays to Disneyland Paris.
Police Constable Martin Harper, of Taplow Traffic Charity Trust,
explained: "While a holiday can never make up for losing
your mum or dad or another close relative, it can help bring
a little happiness. It's a chance for families to have a break,
relax together and hopefully try to find a way to move on."
Inspector Steve Thwaites, who is also involved, added: "Eventually
we would like every police traffic office in the country to
have their own version of the Trust. Every day ten people die
on our roads. That means that every day children lose parents,
grandparents and siblings."
So far three trips have taken place, and about 60 children aged
from 18 months to 18 years have been helped. By raising at least
£8,000 a year, the charity can also allow for a surviving parent
or carer of each child to accompany them.
It is hoped that auctioning the shirt will raise thousands of
pounds for the charity. The drivers who have signed it are:
four-time world champion Michael Schumacher and his Ferrari
teammate Rubens Barrichello; double world champion Mika Hakkinen
and Scottish driver David Coulthard; Jarno Trulli, who drove
for Jordan Honda in 2001, and his former teammate Heinz-Harald
Frentzen; 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve and teammate
at Lucky Strike B.A.R Honda, Olivier Panis; 2001 Sauber Petronas
drivers Nick Heidfeld and Kimi Raikkonen of Sauber Petronas;
and Jos Verstappen and Enrique Bernoldi from OrangeArrows.
Bridgestone Motorsport Press Officer Sarah French said: "I
can guarantee the authenticity of the signatures - since the
start of the 2001 Formula 1 season in Australia in March, I
carried the t-shirt around the world, collecting autographs
among all 12 drivers who raced on Bridgestone tyres last season."
"Of course, this would not have been possible without the
support of our teams and their drivers and Bridgestone wishes
to thank them all for their help. No one hesitated in giving
their support. We're delighted that Bridgestone has been able
to help the charity in this way because, as a manufacturer of
passenger car tyres as well as tyres for Formula 1, road safety
is our priority."
"Now we hope that since the drivers have given their support
so generously that people will be equally generous in their
bids. The more money that this unique t-shirt raises, the more
children who have lost loved ones will benefit."
How to bid:
Bids for the t-shirt may be placed at www.ttcharitytrust.org.uk
by clicking on contact us. The closing date for bids is Monday,
December 31, 2001. At noon on this date, the t-shirt will be
sold to the highest bidder. Regular updates on the latest highest
bid will be posted on the website. If the highest bidder wishes
to pay by personal cheque, this must have cleared before the
t-shirt will be handed over.
Photo opportunity
Local media are invited to send reporters and photographers
to the official handover of this unique Bridgestone t-shirt,
signed by 12 F1 drivers, to Taplow traffic officers. Young people
who have benefited from the Taplow Traffic Charity Trust will
be special guests at the presentation.
Where: Bridgestone Motorsport, Hurricane
Way, Axis Park, Langley, Slough, Berkshire.
When: Tuesday, December 4, 2001 at 14:00
Contact: Sarah French, press officer,
Bridgestone Motorsport. Tel: +44 (0) 1753 589200 |
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