INSPIRATIONAL rally driver Tina Kerridge Reynolds whizzed along to King’s Ely Junior – much to the delight of pupils and staff.
Tina, who lives near Ely and who has two grandchildren at King’s Ely Senior, is one of three women who competed in the gruelling London to Mexico World Cup Rally in 1970. In April, despite now being in her seventies, Tina will be testing her mettle in the 2017 London to Lisbon Rally alongside one of her original team mates, Bronwyn Burrell. Sadly, their third team mate, Tish Ozanne, has passed away since the original race.
On Monday March 13th, Tina addressed morning assembly at King’s Ely Junior, where she spoke to pupils and staff in great detail about the fascinating rally nearly 50 years ago and the reasons she has decided to take on the London to Lisbon Rally this year. Tina conveyed several clear messages to the students, especially that they should not give up on anything in life and follow their dreams.
Tina and Bronwyn are taking on this year’s rally in the very same Austin Maxi that they drove in 1970. The two ladies nicknamed the car, which has been specially renovated for the occasion, Puff, after the Magic Dragon, because it helped them ‘fly’ back in the 1970s; it will hopefully do so again. Bronwyn will be behind the wheel and Tina will be navigating.
Tina, Bronwyn and Tish raced competitively in the 1970 rally, achieving 35th place out of 96 starters in London at the end of the rally’s European stages. They were backed by Marshall of Cambridge, and at the time, Sir Michael Marshall, now president of the global auto and engineering company, flew out to Lisbon to greet the car and crew.
The Marshall Maxi still sports the original 1970 livery and decals, as if the car had just competed in this most famous marathon rally, and Tina and Bronwyn have recently been able to meet up again with Sir Michael on a visit to Cambridge.
Three of Sir Michael’s grandchildren are all pupils at King’s Ely Junior, and were delighted to be asked to present Tina with a beautiful bouquet of flowers after what was a truly wonderful assembly.