As it’s a rather different way to donate to a good cause, we often find ourselves wondering what it is that may have prompted people to donate their car to a particular charity. We’ve reached out to some of the lovely people that have chosen to use Charity Car and asked about their car donations. We’ve had some interesting and moving responses and wanted to share their stories with you…
“There is a story behind my donation!!….So, here goes!! I have worked for the NHS for 17 years providing respite care in the community for children with disabilities, to give their parents and carers a break and to give the young person some fun and adventure!! My little Panda has taken me far and wide to provide this care without ever letting me down.
After many years in this role, In 2021 I decided to train as an apprentice to become an Occupational Therapist. This has been challenging and very rewarding. I was due to graduate in March ‘25. However, unfortunately, in May, as I was getting ready for work, I came over feeling very peculiar! I was able to contact my sister, who knew this was very out of character for me. She dashed down to where I live, called an ambulance and tried to persuade me to unlock my door so they could get in – which at last I luckily did …And this is as far as I remember. I did in fact have the first of two massive seizures. I ended up unconscious in intensive care. It was found that I have a 40mm tumour in my brain that caused these seizures. I am now home, on lots of medication to prevent further seizures, awaiting surgery to remove the tumour. And I have of course had to give my driving license back.
Dear little Panda failed it’s MOT, and whilst on sick pay and unable to drive, I couldn’t justify spending out on it to sit at the kerbside. The car sales offered me £500 for it. I slept on it, and Googled ‘how to give my car to charity’, and here we are, a week later with my little Panda continuing its good work for the community having been donated to Oxfam through Charity Car!
I chose Oxfam, as being an OT, I feel they enable people to use their existing skills to build a better future. I feel they are humanitarian and work towards equality (and education) for woman and other less advantaged groups, irrespective of race, ability, disability . They do this in a world, irrespective of borders. If my donation was to be set to song, it would be John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’!”
The Charity Car team have very little to add to Frankie’s extraordinary donation story, other than to thank her for sharing it with us all and to wish her the very best for the future with a swift recovery. It sounds as if the motivation to get back to helping the wider community is just the ticket for Frankie and we’re all lucky there are people like her in the world. Oxfam was certainly the natural choice for her car donation.
Donating your old car to Oxfam whether it’s an MOT fail, ready for scrap or has a few miles left in it, will help the global movement of people working towards a world without poverty.
“Dear Frankie, we at Oxfam are extremely humbled by your story and by the generous donation of your vehicle to us. We would like to express our most heartfelt thank you to you, for choosing and trusting Oxfam with your little Panda and we can assure you that the funds raised from it will go a long way in supporting Oxfam in the delivery of aid and development work, helping others overcome poverty and suffering. Thank you again for your support and generosity.” Oxfam
Emergency Response – When disaster strikes Oxfam works in solidarity with communities and partner organisations on the front line of the crisis.
If you are thinking about donating an old car, you can find out more about how it works or go straight to choosing which one of our wonderful charity partners you’d like to donate it to!
If you’ve donated an old car to charity and that car, or the person that drove it, had an interesting story, or maybe it’s just a charity that’s close to your heart for a special reason, we’d love to hear from you.
It would be great if you are happy to share your story with this community of people, but we’d like to hear from you either way – your stories are what drives the Charity Car team.
