Inevitably, a charity event assumes the relaxed hues of a fun day out for one’s family and beloved classic car. However, when the organisers combine the forces of Cheltenham Cleeve Vale Rotary and the Bugatti Owners’ Club, the venue is Prescott, the display area is called ‘Orchard’, the main guest of honour is Sir Stirling Moss and the ‘run’ is a hill climb, the event itself morphs into an informal version of the famous Hill Climb which takes place in the summer.

History and fibreglass mixed in the ebullient atmosphere of a spring day on 15 May, when participating rules were elastic enough to allow the odd Cobra replica, entire families in spacious Stags and young 1990s’ Marcos cars up the celebrated hill. For the less agile or those of a more placid disposition, there was even a ‘cavalcade’ to give one’s pride and joy a chance to parade on the automotive catwalk.  

The racing spirit at Prescott was preserved by one or two notable appearances: mainly, a 1950 JAP-engined Mk4 Cooper, similar to the one Stirling Moss drove in his first competitive contest in 1948, and the very same famous Tojeiro-MG which Moss raced at Oulton Park back in 1954.
Fittingly, given the birthday celebrations befalling the Jaguar E-type this year, the event started with the oldest prototype in existence, 9600 HP (owned by Jaguar expert Philip Porter) being driven by Stirling Moss up the hill in the usual, brisk fashion. No stranger to a quick pace, the E-type was the same car which was driven overnight from the factory to Geneva motor show in 1961 for its own press launch and the delight of the world media. 

The event’s idea of ‘classic status’ was also open to interpretation: among the Austin Healeys, Sunbeams and Bristols, a black Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione shone in the Paddock. Driven by racer Mark Hales and owned by classic car collector Nick Mason, it looked very much at home next to its older relatives.     

In tune with the unstructured nature of the event, true celebrations of a passion for vintage metal go beyond lusting after the Astons and Ferraris of magnificence and fame: the ‘Best Turned Out Car’ competition saw an immaculate Vauxhall Viva Brabham among the first three winners.