A farmer embarked on an extraordinary 2,500-mile charity expedition across Britain behind the wheel of a century-old vehicle to raise awareness for motor neurone disease.
Ralph Messenger, 49, completed the gruelling two-week trek from Land’s End to John o’Groats and back in his 1924 Austin 12 at the end of last year.
The challenge was prompted by the devastating diagnosis of his cousin Richard Messenger, a dairy farmer and father of four from Cumbria, who learned he had MND in February 2024.
“It is a very devastating diagnosis to receive. As a family member you obviously just want to help. I wanted to raise funds to eventually get this disease treatable,” Mr Messenger said.
He plastered the vintage Austin with MND Association advertising to spark conversations along his route.
The classic vehicle, which Mr Messenger acquired at auction for just over £6,000, proved remarkably resilient despite its age.
“I am not really a marathon runner or organiser of coffee mornings, so I tried to think of something that I am interested in and tried to use that to raise money,” he explained.
“I like old classic cars and happened to have an Austin 12 4. I thought if we could get lots of advertising on the side of the car then hopefully that would catch people’s eye.”
The Austin en route
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Mr Messenger meticulously charted his course before setting off, arranging overnight stops at the homes of friends and relatives positioned along the route.
His initial test run involved driving 186 miles from his home in Dorchester to Land’s End through heavy rain, which went smoothly.
The expedition was not without its difficulties.
The Austin broke down on three separate occasions, a leaking radiator, a snapped fan belt, and an oil leak, though each problem could be repaired roadside with assistance from enthusiasts found through a vintage Austin register.
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The car suffered a few breakdowns en route
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Weather proved a constant adversary, with snow and rain battering the unheated vehicle throughout the journey.
“I had to put a few jumpers on because there isn’t a heater in the car, so it was a bit chilly,” Mr Messenger recalled.
With a maximum comfortable speed of just 40mph, motorways were largely off limits.
“I did venture onto the motorway once and then regretted it hugely. That is definitely not the place to be in an old car,” he admitted.
Mr Messenger behind the wheel
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The fundraising effort generated more than £7,000 for the MND Association, with donations continuing to arrive.
Mr Messenger departed Land’s End on November and reached John o’Groats eight days later, covering 849 miles before turning south again, with members of the Austin society greeting him at the finish line.
Upon returning home, he marked the achievement with a Sunday lunch at the pub alongside his wife and 12-year-old daughter Agatha.
“The feedback from people was great. I had some really good conversations about MND and you could tell people genuinely cared,” he said.
He continued: “It makes you realise what a beautiful place the UK is. Whether you walk it, drive it, or push bike it I would recommend the trip.”
His cousin Richard described himself as “humbled” by the fundraising efforts.