The annual Waringstown Cavalcade is set to take place this weekend, with proceeds going towards a worthwhile local charity.
The show, which is in aid of NI Kidney Research Fund (NIKRF), will be held in the County Down village on Friday, June 30.
The vehicles will be assembling in the village from the late afternoon, with the Cavalcade parade commencing at 6:30pm with horse-drawn vehicles. Following close behind will be the motorbikes and then a cavalcade of motor vehicles and tractors.
Over 500 exhibits are expected to be on display, all in aid of a very important local charity.
The theme for the event this year will be ‘Porsche vs BMW’.
Currently around 80% of those on the transplant list require a kidney, with kidney disease affecting people of all ages.
NIKRF, which is the leading charity funding kidney research in Northern Ireland, was founded at Ballynabragget near Waringstown in 1971, by the Late Walter & Josie Kerr.
So far, the charity has raised £10 million and all monies raised stay within the province and to date the fund has supported over 100 medical research professionals.
Following her own personal experience of kidney failure after childbirth, Josie’s vision was to raise funds for research to help save lives and prevent people from suffering from kidney disease.
To raise awareness of kidney disease and collect funds for the charity, Walter organised the first car rally through Waringstown in 1971, establishing the Cavalcade as an annual fundraising event.
In 1979, Josie received an MBE for her work promoting kidney disease awareness. Over Walter and Josie’s lifetimes, they raised millions of pounds for research into kidney disease.
