2013 Italian Job

2013 Italian Job

44 years on from the original bullion robbery and the re-enactment starts again. Mary and Ian Sims from the Isle of Man are to travel to Northern Italy by Classic Mini where they will meet up with other fellow “Jobbers” at Imola from all corners of the globe in May 2013.

This is an event organised by “The Italian Job” organisation www.italianjob.com in aid of the charity “Variety Club – The Children’s Charity” and, in Mary and Ian’s case a local children’s charity, “Wish Upon A Dream“, too.  The organisation has been putting on this event since 1989 and up to the present day has raised just over £2,200,000.

The vehicle Ian and Mary are using will be the 1966 Morris Mini Traveller  which they used in 2009, only slight modifications will be done since the 2009 event.  A 4,000 miles round trip is anticipated, where they travel at their own pace to Northern Italy to meet up with the other cars for scrutineering and briefing etc on 9th May 2013 in Imola.  Following some of the original Italian Job route the Minis took, en-route there will be fund raising events and an auction of goods brought by the “Jobbers”.  This year the event will finish in Rome to coincide with joining the International Mini Meet in the Tuscany region of Italy, some 3hours drive away.

To start their fund raising Mary and Ian were selling “Prize Draw” tickets for £1 each (10 per book), to win a first prize of a 1996 Classic Mini Equinox, second prize was a 7 day holiday for 2 people at the Crowne Plaza in Rome, the third prize was a hamper of delicious Italian wines and food. 
To their surprise one of the tickets they sold to a friend in the UK won the first prize, what a result!

Mary and Ian are funding their own expenses, hotel, food, fuel, entry fee etc.   Therefore any money donated, raised from supporters, or via the prize draw tickets or advertising space on the Mini, will all be for the benefit of the charities.

The money raised by the “Jobbers” is split as follows: 15% to “The Italian Job Development Fund”, 5% to a local Italian children’s charity and 80% to “Variety Club – The Children’s Charity”, but in Mary and Ian’s case, they have negotiated with the organisers that half of the 80% will be donated to “Wish Upon A Dream“, on the Isle of Man.

If you would like any more details, or able to offer support, please contact Ian Sims 07624 496879 or use the contact form here on the website.