Community gathers for Peter ‘Rusty’ Kennedy memorial car show

The sun shone on Great Academy Ashton yesterday (31st August) as people gathered for the fifth annual Peter ‘Rusty’ Kennedy Memorial Car Show — an event that has become a highlight of Tameside’s fundraising calendar.

Organised in memory of car enthusiast Peter “Rusty” Kennedy, who passed away in 2020, the show raises vital funds for Willow Wood Hospice, which cared for Rusty during his final days.

Event organiser Lee Randall explained why the event means so much to those involved: “Rusty passed away in 2020 and Willow Wood took amazing care of him. Everything that they’ve done, we just appreciate so much. This is a chance every year to keep Rusty’s memory alive and to pay back that kindness. It’s just a little something we do to help us all remember him for the great guy he was.”

Since its inception, the car show has grown year on year, and this is the second time it has been hosted at Great Academy. Lee added: “This is the fifth year. It’s the second year here at Great Academy and the people here are amazing with us. Every year it’s got bigger and bigger, and we’ve earned more for the charity.”

Visitors to the show were treated to a wide range of vehicles, from rare classics dating back to the 1930s, to modern-day supercars and iconic favourites from the Max Power era.

Alongside the spectacle of polished chrome and roaring engines, Willow Wood Hospice also ran a fundraising raffle on the day. Tara, community and events fundraiser for the hospice, explained the importance of events like this: “So every year we need £3.6 million to keep the hospice open and we only receive 24% from the government. So all of the other money comes from members of the community doing amazing events like this, raising funds for them. Just to keep our doors open, really.”

She added: “We’re hosting a raffle for everyone coming to see the car show. We’ve got some amazing prizes, some gifted from some of the stalls here, which we’re really grateful for.”