As one of the UK's largest motorsport events, one that travels to stages in different parts of the country, Wales Rally GB touches a large number of local communities each year. One key way for local charitable organisations to harness the event to raise money for good causes, is to volunteer to manage and run the event's spectator car parks.

One charity in particular which has benefited from the rally coming to its local area is Miri Mynach, a community association in the Devil's Bridge area, near Aberystwyth. The committee is raising funds to build a village hall so residents have a communal area. After four years of fundraising and, with the help of Wales Rally GB, the building is now well advanced.

Edryd Jenkins, chairman of Miri Mynach, commented: "Wales Rally GB is a very important event for the community here, as it allows the charity to raise funds from outside of the village instead of always relying on income from the same volunteers. Also, unlike running a traditional fete where we are unsure of the turnout, we can be confident that Wales Rally GB will generate funds for us - in fact each year the event 'donates' about £3,000 in return for our volunteers operating a car park. Plus we have lots of rally enthusiasts in the village so it is a perfect fit for us all round."

Andrew Coe, chief executive of Wales Rally GB, commented: "Wales Rally GB is organised and run each year with local communities front of mind and we work very closely with residents to ensure the rally benefits them. The money raised by car park operations is just one example of how the event supports local communities and charitable organisations. It's wonderful to see the passion and dedication of the volunteers who run the car parks - the event wouldn't be able to go ahead without them - and to know Wales Rally GB provides a key annual means of raising a large amount of funds for such worthwhile projects."

Charities that wish to find out more about volunteering at Wales Rally GB should contact rallygb@msaevents.co.uk

To keep up to date with news and information about Wales Rally GB, visit www.walesrallygb.com

Ends.

For further information please contact Zoe Liberty at Prova on 01926 776900 or zoel@provapr.co.uk or John Horton on 01213 782828 or john@jhmm.co.uk

Wales Rally GB:
www.walesrallygb.com is the official website and provides regular news updates and a link to copyright-free images.
Since its inception in 1932 the rally has been run 65 times; this year's event will be the 66th edition. Enforced stoppages have included World War 2, Suez Crisis (1957) and Foot and Mouth (1967).
Wales Rally GB is the British and final round of this year's 13-round FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). To date, it is one of only two events (along with Finland) to have retained its status as both a qualifying and scoring round of the WRC since the championship was established in 1973.
In addition, this November's Wales Rally GB is the 10th and final round of the FIA Super-2000 World Rally Championship, the ninth and final round of the FIA Production Car World Rally Championship, and the seventh and final round of the Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy International.
Wales Rally GB is held annually and is organised and promoted by International Motor Sports Ltd (IMS), the commercial arm of the Berkshire-based Motor Sports Association, the governing body of motor sport in the UK. Cardiff has hosted the rally since 2000 and the Welsh Assembly Government has been title sponsor since 2003.