A vintage car has completed an ambitious 3,500-mile journey around the UK coastline to raise awareness for a mental health charity.
Harry Sear and Paul Harold began their journey on 11 April from the offices of Reclaim Life in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, and successfully returned on 30 April after completing the coastal route.
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Sear said the charity has spent the past 15 years supporting more than 2,000 people experiencing mental health difficulties, adding that its work has “even saved some lives.”
The journey was made in a vintage Talbot 14/45, nearly 100 years old, which the pair named “Lavinia.” Sear explained that the name was inspired by a “nice 1920s-style name,” taken from the mother of a friend he purchased the car from.
Ahead of the trip, Sear’s wife Linda Sear, who serves as chairwoman of the charity, said she felt slightly apprehensive about the journey but was extremely proud of their effort.
Harry Sear, trustee and founder of Reclaim Life, said the organisation is run by trained volunteers who provide five free life coaching sessions. He described the support as “really effective” in helping people manage mental health challenges.
“It is our passion that every community should get to know about this and get to start up a group in their own town.”
As Lavinia went round the country it carried a simple message – “with Reclaim Life a community can care for its mental health – make it happen”.
After departing from Leighton Buzzard, the team stopped for lunch at Ladbroke Hall in west London, once used as a showroom for the Talbot motor company.
The visit also marked a special occasion, celebrating the 100th anniversary of both the Talbot Owners’ Club and the Talbot 14/45 model—Lavinia’s make.
Following lunch, they continued to their first overnight stop in Margate, before setting off westwards in a clockwise direction around the UK coastline.
Their coastal route included stops at several locations such as Brighton, Bridport, Minehead, Blackpool, Dumfries, Ullapool, Wick, Dundee, Edinburgh, Berwick, Scarborough, Hunstanton, and Southend.
Paul Harold, who previously worked as a lorry driver, described the three-week journey as “a lot of fun.” He added that only a small component needed replacing during the entire trip and said the vintage car “ate the roads up,” highlighting its reliability throughout the long journey.
Sear said they “had met some wonderful people; seen some great sights and had a great time”.
