The Richard Burns Foundation is delighted to announce its first event of the season, the Rallye Sunseeker International Awards dinner in association with the Richard Burns Foundation on Saturday February 26.

The organisers of Rallye Sunseeker International, one of Britain’s most illustrious motorsporting events, will donate the proceeds of the dinner to The Richard Burns Foundation. The Foundation will use the money to further its work in helping those people suffering from neurological illnesses similar to the one which claimed the life of Richard Burns in 2005. The Rallye Sunseeker International Awards dinner in association with the Richard Burns Foundation will take place at the Marriott Hotel, Bournemouth on Saturday February 26, starting at 2000.

Richard’s co-driver and fellow World Rally Champion Robert Reid will be present at the Rallye Sunseeker International Awards dinner. The pair contested the event in 1992, when it was known as the Mazda Winter Rally. They finished second in their Group N Subaru Legacy, but would go on to win the British National Championship later that year.

Rallye Sunseeker International is an event Reid remembers fondly. He said: “The event was a very good start to a good year for us. It was – and is – a tremendously well organised and publicised rally. The year we did it, the weather was pretty mixed, with one really foggy stage. I remember Richard was fantastic in that stage, as he always was in the fog, and took a lot of time out of everybody else. It’s great to be going back down to the event – and even better to be looking forward to what will certainly be a very entertaining night at the dinner.”

Reid, who is now the vice-president of the World Rally Championship Commission, is not the only luminary from the world of motorsport who you have the opportunity to join at the Rallye Sunseeker International Awards dinner, Prodrive’s technical director David Lapworth – the man who designed and engineered the Subaru Impreza WRC2001 Burns used to win the 2001 World Rally Championship – also attends, as do Formula One commentators Tony Jardine and Louise Goodman and Richard’s father Alex.

For fans of Richard Burns, rallying and motorsport, the Rallye Sunseeker International Awards dinner is an opportunity not to be missed. And the best bit is that if you make your trip south a little earlier, you’ll get to see Britain’s premier rally stars in action on the stages, as Rallye Sunseeker International is the opening round of the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship and you’ll be helping the Richard Burns Foundation make a real difference to the lives of those who are suffering neurological disorders.

Tickets for the dinner are available from the Richard Burns Foundation website, visit: richardburnsfoundation.com. Tickets for Somerley Park are also available from the Richard Burns Foundation website, £10 from every ticket sold will go directly to the charity to help raise vital funds.

In addition to the involvement with the Awards dinner, The Richard Burns Foundation is delighted to continue its association with Rallye Sunseeker International with the second running of the Richard Burns Trophy. The Trophy and a cheque for £1,000 goes to the highest-placed Group N driver under the age of 25. Last year’s winner was Dave Weston Jr, who went on to become one of British rallying’s leading lights last season.

Rallye Sunseeker International starts from Poole Quay on Friday February 25 at 1830 and finishes, after 60 competitive miles in 11 stages, on Saturday February 26 at 1730 Bournemouth Pier.