A Grand Day Out For Ford Transit

Britain’s favourite animated characters Wallace & Gromit will be swapping their usual gadget van for the high tech cab of the new Ford Transit on 23 April when they take part in the London Marathon to raise money for needy children.

Helping their marathon effort is the fact that the new Transit is only an inflatable replica of the one that will be unveiled for the first time at the NEC, Birmingham next week (Tuesday 25 April).

It’s all the idea of the Wallace & Gromit's Children’s Foundation - a national charity that raises funds to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK. The charity is famous for its special Wrong Trousers Day - which this year is on 23 June - when schools and businesses are encouraged to pay £1 to the charity for the right to wear the wrong trousers.

Marathon runners Bernie Hollywood and David James, the charity's ambassadors, will be dressing up as the much-loved characters and 'getting behind the wheel' of the inflatable new Transit supplied by Ford.

Gary Whittam, commercial vehicles director, Ford of Britain, said: "Transit is Britain’s most dependable van so it’s only natural that Wallace & Gromit would rely on it for this important fundraising event, which Ford is delighted to support."