Motoring enthusiasts took part in a car rally around the Cotswolds yesterday (Sunday), all in aid of a great cause.

The Gloucestershire Community Foundation (GCF) organised the Great Escape navigational car rally to launch the "Poverty Hurts Appeal".

Twenty-five vehicles, including lots of classic cars, spent about six hours touring round some beautiful Cotswold countryside in search of clues at a number of landmarks, with food stops on the way.

The event started at the Amphitheatre at Berrybank Park, near Stow-on-the-Wold (https://www.amphitheatreberrybankpark.co.uk/) and finished at the Classic Motor Hub at Bibury (https://classicmotorhub.com/ ).

Secret locations visited were Fitszdares club at Naunton Downs Golf Club (https://www.nauntondowns.co.uk/ ), Far Peak outdoor and climbing centre at Northleach (https://www.farpeakclimbing.co.uk/ ), and Ampney Park, a private house (https://www.ampneypark.co.uk/discover ).

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The winning team came from Hayman Joyce estate agents in Moreton-in-Marsh.

Talitha Nelson, CEO of the Gloucestershire Community Foundation, said: "This event is to shine a light specifically on rural poverty, which in most parts is completely overlooked. Wealthy areas mask poverty. We also call rural areas 'cold spots for social mobility' where young people are being left behind.

"Poverty comes in many forms - lack of transport, access to services, low employment or educational opportunities. There can't be anything more lonely to be on a low income surrounded by wealth, living cheek by jowl and you can't access anything, to change your circumstances.

"Therefore GCF's Great Escape is also about encouraging the support for our rural economy. The car journey is poignant as you can't get around this part of the county without a car and the businesses we are visiting on this discovery journey all need supporting, as they give opportunities, employing local people and giving opportunities to young people or providing a venue for people in local communities to get together."

"Thank you all for coming and supporting us today, to get GCF's Great Escape off the ground, our pilot event. Your support has been essential."

Talitha added: "We have set a target to raise £500,000 and have already raised £100,000 through the COLC appeal that runs through the winter months. We have already distributed £80,000 which has supported over 45 organisations, but as need is still rapidly rising beyond the winter months we have decided to launch an appeal that supports all year around.

"There are many statistics, but the most shocking for me is there are 41,000 children living in poverty in Gloucestershire. That's one-third of all children many from working families."

Talitha thanked "three brilliant charity partners" who were supporting yesterday's event - Cotswold Friends, Play Gloucestershire, and The Churn Project.

She also thanked co-organiser Dany Fremantle from lead sponsor Oasis Events Gabbi and Manfred Schotten from Schotten Antiques for the rally route and quiz.

Thanks were also given to all those businesses who had supported the event at no cost and all the venues who had opened up to the event, as well as Pete Moore from the Cotswold Film Company for photos and video and Steve Smith from Jazz Media Cheltenham for printing the rally books and stickers.

Punchline editor Mark Owen, who took part in the event with his wife, said: "It was a really good event. Everybody gave their time for nothing.

"It was all over the Cotswolds and it was absolutely stunning scenery through some areas that you wouldn't normally go to."

"It was about a 60-mile route and Punchline ended up doing 75 miles by accident!"