'We are breaking down barriers' - Banbury's monthly car and bike meetings give back to the community

The Banbury Car and Bike Meet, formerly branded as the Banbury Classic Car Show, regularly sees hundreds of vehicles showcased at the Banbury Cricket Club monthly meetings.

Alongside offering proud vehicle owners the chance to show off their cars or bikes, the group has also run a number of fundraising events to give back to the Banbury community.

Rowan Ridley, organiser at Banbury Car and Bike Meet, said: “I remember attending the event when I was a teenager with just a handful of the same people involved. Fast forward to the present day, and we have a really diverse attendance. It has become such a fun family day out for the local community.

“As well as creating a place where petrol heads can come together and talk about their pride and joy, we are breaking down barriers between the older and younger generations of enthusiasts by making it as inclusive as possible.

As part of a Christmas food drive this year, Rowan and the Car and Bike Meet group teamed up with The Lunchbox Project to deliver over hundreds of food parcels to families.

Now, thanks to a £800 donation from housebuilder David Wilson Homes, the group will be able to further expand upon community outreach projects.

Rowan said: “In the last year, we have shifted towards contributing more widely to the local community. We recently supported an initiative called Roadster Magazine, which is a motoring publication written by kids, for kids.“Over the festive period, we raised over £4,000, which, with the help of Prabhu Natarajan and The Lunchbox Project, we used to purchase and deliver over 300 food parcels to local families.

“The support David Wilson Homes provided Banbury Car and Bike Meet enabled us to complete a rebrand and improve our outreach to the community right before our food drive last Christmas, which ultimately will continue to have a lasting impact on the local community.”

For more information about the monthly events or fundraising projects, visit the group’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064646293856