The Italian Job (charity event)

The Italian Job is an annual fundraising event, inspired by the original 1969 film The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine and Noël Coward. The run takes place during late October and early November, and involves Minis and other cars driving from the UK to northern Italy and back. A wide variety of Minis have participated in this modern-day self-preservation society, ranging from models built as early as 1959, the first year of production of the Mini, to brand new BMW MINIs, via derivatives such as the Innocenti, Mini Moke, Mini Marcos, Domino and many more. Other vehicles that were featured in the original film, or their modern derivatives, are also eligible to participate. 

The event was started in 1990 as a result of Freddie St George discussing the Beaujolais nouveau Run, while sharing “a dish of pasta and a bottle of new Beaujolais with friends in an Italian restaurant [Topolino] in Brighton.” Freddie “had a better idea.” That idea was to drive to Trento, Italy to bring back the Novello, the first Italian wine of the season, within 48 hours. “It was Freddie’s mother, Giulia St George, who suggested they should turn it into a sponsored run, raising money for children’s charities.” 

John Cooper was an early supporter of The Italian Job and introduced Freddie to Denis Chick, then Marketing Director of Rover Group, who was equally enthusiastic. Both men were frequent attendees at early Italian Job events, and at the Gala Dinners.

The Italian Job developed to encompass exclusive visits to Italian Grand Prix circuits, has toured numerous Italian cities and other historic sites, and often includes the key locations in Turin that were featured in the original film.  The event’s slogan is “Raising money for children in a fun way.”, has raised over £2,500,000 for a variety of children’s charities, both in the UK and other countries, and is still organised by its founders, Giulia and Freddie St George.

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Wikipedia