Italian Job: Up to 100 Minis to descend on Halifax's Piece Hall for first ever UK rally

On October 17, Minis of all colours will be heading to the historic building where the finish line for their rally awaits in the 66,000 sq ft piazza.

The event, which is raising money for children's charity Buttle UK, is free-to-attend and organisers are calling on the public to support the event from 10am.

The Italian Job motor rally, inspired by the 1969 classic film, has seen Mini and vintage car enthusiasts rally across Italy for the last 30 years to raise money for charity.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year the annual event has swapped the scenic views of Italy for Yorkshire’s breathtaking landscapes, stopping at some of the region’s most picturesque destinations over three days.

Nicky Chance-Thompson, chief executive of The Piece Hall, said: “We are thrilled that The Piece Hall will be hosting the finale of the UK’s first ever ‘Italian Job’ – a unique event to raise money for Buttle UK, a truly outstanding charity working to support children living in poverty across the UK.

“The Piece Hall is a beautiful Italian-inspired building surrounded by stunning Yorkshire countryside, making it the perfect backdrop for the finale. We are looking forward to welcoming families, film buffs and classic car enthusiasts from across the country to celebrate the culmination of this spectacular event, showing our support for an incredible charity and those who have worked hard fundraising for a such an important cause.”

Joseph Howes, CEO of the charity benefactor Buttle UK, added: "These are particularly tough times for families that are struggling, and we know the numbers of children living in poverty are rising all the time.

"If you live local to The Piece Hall, I do hope you will be able to come along and join us – and show your appreciation to the “jobbers’ who have spent the summer tirelessly fundraising for the children living in poverty and who have been adversely affected by the pandemic. 100% of any money raised on the day will go directly to helping these children and give them a real chance in life.

"We are hugely proud to be the main benefactor of the Italian Job – it’s a great event, run by incredible people and the finale this year will take place at a great venue so it would be fantastic to see as many people as possible get down to The Piece Hall to show their support."

Organiser Freddie St George added: “We are absolutely delighted that The Piece Hall has agreed to host the climax to this year’s ‘Italian Job’ event. It is the first time we have held it in the UK, and I can’t think of a more stunning venue to host the finale.

"The success of the Italian Job is that it taps into a uniquely British sense of philanthropy. The British have a fantastic sense of charity and benevolence, of the idea of helping somebody less fortunate than themselves.

"As fundraisers we lead the world in terms of the things that we do, in terms of showing that we do care and we do want to give back. And I think all those things come together in the Italian Job Rally.”

More details on The Piece Hall can be found at www.thepiecehall.co.uk.