OXFAM RENAULT F1 TEAM AUCTION CONTINUES TO RAISE THOUSANDS FOR BRAZIL'S                                   POOR

The fourth annual auction of unique Renault F1 Team items on behalf of Oxfam is now in its third week. The items are being auctioned online at

www.oxfam.org.uk/f1 with the monies raised going to support the charity's work ending poverty and suffering in Brazil.

The total amount raised from the batches auctioned during week one and two was in excess of £8,000 and the highlights included the sale of Giancarlo Fisichela's race overalls worn during the 2005 season and a wheel rim from the R23 race car raced during 2003. The overalls raised a staggering £1,750 and the wheel rim £1,220  towards Oxfam's project providing water for poor communities in North Eastern Brazil, where 11 million rural people do not have access to clean water. The lack of clean water causes illness and disease and is a huge factor in the high infant mortality rate in the region. Ensuring access to a safe water supply is the vital priority and, in partnership with other organisations, Oxfam is implementing a huge project to build one million water tanks to collect rainwater in this region.

Week  three sees another batch of unique items (all signed) on the starting grid including:

·     A signed Fernando Alonso vest (produced by Alpinestar) worn by himduring his 2005 world championship winning season.·     A signed original wheel rim (produced by BBS) and part of the R23race car used during the 2003 season.·     A signed Giancarlo Fisichella cap.·     A pair of signed Giancarlo Fisichella gloves (produced by Alpinestar)used by him during Renault's 2005 world championship winning season.·     A set of signed gears ? an original part of the R24 race car and usedduring the 2004 race season.

In addition to these signed items there is also the opportunity to bid on a unique  trip  to  Renault's F1 headquarters at Enstone, Oxfordshire for the winning  bidder  and  a  guest. This is an event that very few people would ever  get  the chance to experience and will last approximately 90 minutes, including  a  factory  tour  accompanied  by  Renault's  F1  Team Technical Director, Bob Bell. Lunch will be included and the winning bidder and guest will receive a signed A3 Fernando Alonso print.

The auction is being hosted by eBay and will feature weekly batches of items until the end of February. It can be accessed via www.oxfam.org.uk/f1 and is being organised by Oxfam's Bournemouth Distribution Centre, one of a number of ebay sales outlets established by the charity to develop specialist sales skills in a number of high value donated gift categories including sporting goods and sporting memorabilia.

"The auction of Renault F1 memorabilia is a great example of Oxfam's ability to both acquire and sell high value donated gifts. It is clear that many of our supporters ? corporate and individual ? are willing to donate items worth hundreds or thousands of pounds if they are confident that the true value of these items will be recognised by Oxfam and that they will be sold accordingly, enabling these gifts to make a substantial contribution to our work" said Michael Taylor, Oxfam's Marketing Manager, High Value Donated Gifts.

Oxfam works with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.

Oxfam GB is a member of Oxfam International, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England No. 612172.  Registered office: Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 2JY Registered charity No. 202918.

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