Brave Mollie is inspiration behind Rugby grandad's 900 mile drive in pink banger

Simon Daniel, 55, will be getting behind the wheel of the striking five-door £500 hatchback wagon when he takes part in Rugby Round Table’s Skinflint Rally, to fundraise for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK.

He’ll be accompanied by his son Luke Daniel, 23, and stepson Martin Bell, 33, along with a fleet of other whacky ‘old bangers’, making their way from Kent to the Catalonian city of Barcelona.

The team’s inspiration for signing up is Simon’s eight-year-old grandaughter, Mollie Willis.

Mollie was born with Crouzon Syndrome in September 2015. Crouzon syndrome is a rare genetic condition in which the seams of the skull fuse prematurely and prevent the head from growing as it should.

Simon said: “From birth, our youngest granddaughter Mollie has been a patient at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

"When she was just five months old, she underwent a cranio-vault reconstruction, and she has gone on to have numerous operations including the fitting of a bone anchored hearing aid.

“We’re all extremely proud of Mollie, who has remained incredibly resilient. Along with her older sister Skye (now 10) and younger twin brothers Oscar and Jaxon (15 months), she lives life to the full and is now a wonderfully inquisitive little girl.”

Simon’s wife Jackie, added: “During Mollie’s numerous hospital stays, our daughter Laura and son-in-law Dave have been supported by the nearby Ronald McDonald House Birmingham, which provides free, comfortable, and safe accommodation for the families of sick children in hospital.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities UK provide a place to sleep, cook and retain some sense of normal life; a lifeline for families at a very stressful time, especially when they are far from home. A Ronald McDonald House saves each family an average of £1,240 in out-of-pocket accommodation expenses.

The rules of the Skinflint Rally state that teams must purchase a vehicle for £500 or less. They are then allowed to spend more money making it roadworthy and ready for the three-day pan-European road trip.

There are various check-in points and treasure hunts and along the way.

Simon explained: “The race begins with an early morning Channel Tunnel crossing from Folkestone on September 19. We have to make it to the coastal city of La Rochelle in Southwestern France by that evening. The following day, we travel to Toulouse, arriving in Barcelona, all being well, on September 21.

"We’ll then find out who’s managed to complete the most challenges along the way. Points are also awarded or deducted for factors including the age of the vehicle and how many breakdowns you have along the way.”

Simon’s stepson Martin is an ex-British army mechanic, which he’s hoping will come in handy on the trip.

“Martin was in the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) for seven years, so he’ll be the one to keep the car going,” added Simon.

"He now works as a maintenance supervisor at CEMEX Rugby Cement Plant and my son Luke is studying for a master’s in international business and finance at Leeds Beckett University. I’m sure we all have some transferrable skills for this challenge!”

To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/page/simon-daniel-skinflint2024

To find out more about Ronald McDonald House Charities UK, visit: www.rmhc.org.uk