Donation appeal as Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard Truck Convoy will go ahead - but showground cancelled

Although the truck convoy itself is still going ahead this Saturday (June 8), the stalls, performers and funfair have been axed due to bad weather.

Now the organisers are appealing for as many donations as possible to help Scotty's Little Soldiers and the East Anglian Air Ambulance - residents can either drop money into collection buckets on the convoy route, or donate online.

Organiser, Graham Munt, said: "The showground is water logged; the rain hit on Monday and Tuesday and just killed it.

"We're gutted, as although it's out of our control, it makes us feel that we're not doing what we've done for the last nine years. It costs £3,400 for one air ambulance flight. We gave them 12 grand last year; this year, we'll be lucky if we can just afford to send it up once.

"And Scotty's Little Soldiers, it's for the kids, and the money goes a long way."

The children's charity helps youngsters whose parents have been killed in action, while the East Anglian Air Ambulance helps to save lives across Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire.

A JustGiving page has been set up online with a £1,000 target - although the convoy raised over £20,000 last year and had hoped to hit a £200,000 overall total this June after nine years. There will also be a prize raffle held at a later date. More details to follow soon.

Posting on Facebook, the convoy organisers stated: "The convoy route will form the sole method of raising funds for our charities, so can we please show our support by giving generously along the route. A very distinct vehicle will travel in front of the convoy with authorised collection buckets, and also a number of authorised official collectors will be along the route."

The convoy will leave Herts Showground at 10am and travel along the A5 to Dunstable, arriving at approximately 10.15am, before it heads to Leighton Buzzard for 11am. It will follow its normal route - in via Hockliffe Road and out towards Leighton Buzzard showground - but instead of the afternoon entertainment, the drivers will toot farewell and go their separate ways.