A HAMPSHIRE charity is hosting a classic car rally on May 14 to raise funds for Hampshire Hospitals.

Hampshire Medical Fund is a charity which raises funds to buy cutting-edge medical equipment outside of NHS budgets for hospitals in Basingstoke, Winchester and Andover.

The charity was founded by the late Earl of Carnarvon in 1981 and held its first Classic Car Rally in 2017.

With the burden of funding requirements on the NHS ever increasing, the Hampshire Medical Fund’s work is increasingly necessary to help enable Hampshire Hospitals to provide the best possible care for patients, putting the Hampshire NHS trust at the forefront of clinical excellence.

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The event will be raising funds towards the purchase of equipment for the speech and language departments in the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, which will enable therapists to assess swallowing difficulties in patients such as those who have suffered from a stroke.

Hampshire Medical Fund's annual Classic Car Rally gives auto-enthusiasts the chance to show off their vintage and classic cars, as well as getting the chance to look at other attendees’ vehicles. Starting at Highclere Castle, the rally will take place in several locations throughout the day with food included.

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Thanks to the kind support of Lady Carnarvon, the event will begin at 8.45am at Highclere Castle, before entrants will take part in a stage event at Laverstoke Park, lunch at The Grange, before finishing with tea at the Ham Farm House in Baughurst.

Basingstoke Gazette:

Marketing and communications coordinator, Robert Smith, 26, said: "We are really excited for the event this year. We will be travelling between some fantastic locations, including Highclere Castle and Laverstoke Park Farm, before finishing with tea and drinks with Lord and Lady Remnant in Baughurst.

"Obviously fundamentally we are there fundraising, but it's a great day out with like-minded people, with the opportunity to see first-hand some real classic and vintage cars. It's a different day with good variety to it, so I would encourage anyone to get involved."

For more information on Hampshire Medical Fund visit hampshiremedicalfund.org. For tickets, visit tickettailor.com/events/medicalfund/815754#.