Ian Sims and Michael Caine are participating in “The Italian Job”, an annual children's charity fundraising event - www.italianjob.com

This event has taken place every year since 1990, where the participants have raised nearly £2,000,000 for the National Children's Home - www.nch.org.uk

Each year approximately 100 vehicles associated with the original 1969 film, “The Italian Job” starring Sir Michael Caine, partake in a 2500 miles round trip run from UK to northern Italy.  The route taken by each team to reach the starting point of the event, at Stresa in Italy, is left entirely at their discretion, they must arrive there for scrutineering by 26th October 2007. Just the sight of 100 vehicles (mainly Minis) running around various locations en-masse in Northern Italy for the duration of the event would be a sight in itself worth seeing, finishing in Turin on 31st October 2007 and arriving back in the UK on 3rd November 2007. The main vehicles taking part are the classic Mini, and more recently the new style BMW Mini is getting more and more popular too. There have been “E” Type Jags, Alfa Romeos and Aston Martins (all of which also took part in the original 1969 film).

The vehicle Ian and Michael are using is a 1993 Mini Classic 1275, which is being prepared for the trip; it has been completely stripped down and rebuilt with new suspension, brakes, and full respray, etc. It has also been given the ‘retro’ Italian Job look with bonnet straps, 3 point fixed roll-cage and 3 Cibié Oscar spot lamps, endeavouring to match the original car as closely as possible.

Following some of the original Italian Job route the Minis took in the film, there will be a rally day on the hills overlooking Stresa and one or two around the Veneto Region. This is followed by a lap or two on the Formula One circuit of Monza, a day of sport at the Adria raceway and of course a spin or two on the famous Lingotto. En-route there will be fund raising fancy dress events and an auction of goods brought by the “Jobbers”. As the Italian Job organiser www.italianjob.com say:

Raising money for children in a fun way!

We would like to invite your company to support our mission; proceeds from the trip will go to numerous children’s 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 the NCH www.nch.org.uk, but in Mike & Ian’s case, they have negotiated with the organisers that half of the 80% will be donated to The Isle of Man Children’s Centre www.iomcc.org.im

None of the money raised from support, donations, or “The Italian Job” Prize Draw will be used by ourselves to fund the trip, we will meet all personal costs ourselves with help from family and friends, therefore raising money for this trip is not to fund a holiday for ourselves, but will go towards helping very worthy charities.

In return for financial support we can offer your company advertising on the vehicle and on our webpage, price is based on size and position on the vehicle. If you are interested we would be delighted to discuss details with you. We will endeavour to only include one type of each business activity advertisement on the vehicle i.e. one Bank, one Insurance Company, etc., but this will very much depend on the amount of support we gain. We would be pleased for your company to be the first of your business type to support us. Once the vehicle is prepared with all supporters' advertisements in place, we will make it available for advertising at your corporate events and photo shoots up to and after the event takes place.

Press Release

Since its launch in 1990, “The Italian Job” has consistently attracted media attention throughout the UK's local, regional and national press as well as some major and minor publications in Europe, the USA and Canada and as far afield as Japan.

Since the year 2000 “The Italian Job” Touring Event has been featured over 630 times covering in total a circulation in excess of 32 million (Some publications like Miniworld feature “The Italian Job” at various times during the year). It has also been widely featured on websites with Yahoo – Virgin.net – Freeserve – New Car Net and recently gommunity.tv/stream299.html

Over the years “The Italian Job” has been featured in the majority of daily and weekly Nationals in the UK such as the Observer, Mail on Sunday, Express, Telegraph, Daily Star, You Magazine, FT and also Marketing Weekly, Top Gear, Radio Times, Bella, Events, Business Life Magazine, GQ Magazine and many many more.

This year we can also add our own Isle of Man media to this impressive group.

We hope this breakdown encourages you to support us and we look forward to hearing from you soon.