A charity founder with two prosthetic legs, two transplanted hands, part of a lung and a kidney transplant is swapping mountain trekking for a 3,000-mile road trip in a 19-year-old Audi TT.
Cor Hutton, founder of Finding Your Feet, set off from Linwood this morning on an incredible journey to Nice and back — travelling through 10 countries in just 12 days in her much-loved but decidedly “clapped-out” Audi TT.
And with more than 120,000 miles already on the clock, Cor jokes that she now has more replacement parts than the car!
Cor’s life changed dramatically when sepsis resulted in the loss of both her hands and both her feet.
Although her family never left her side, Cor struggled to find people who truly understood what she was going through.
So she decided to create that support herself.
Today, Finding Your Feet (FYF) is Scotland’s only nationwide charity supporting amputees, people born without limbs and their families. The charity provides peer support, counselling, wellbeing services and inclusive clubs and activities, helping people rebuild their confidence, independence and sense of community.
Now Cor is putting herself through another extraordinary challenge to raise vital funds for the charity.
The route will take the four-car convoy through some spectacular European scenery, including the notorious Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps.
At 2,757 metres above sea level and featuring 48 hairpin bends, the pass has famously been described by Top Gear as the greatest driving road in the world.
The rally will also take in the Monaco Formula 1 circuit before continuing along the CĂ´te d’Azur to the official finish line in Nice.
Cor is no stranger to pushing herself to the limit.
She has previously climbed Kilimanjaro and Ben Nevis and trekked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
But with her legs currently unable to cope with another major trekking challenge, she decided that driving nearly 3,000 miles across Europe was the sensible alternative!
Cor admits she is both excited and nervous about the challenge.
She said:
“I’m equally nervous and excited for this challenge. I’m concerned my wee beloved convertible is 19 years old, has 120k miles on the clock and might not get me home, and that would break my heart.”
She also joked about the reality of spending eight to 10 hours behind the wheel every day — including backache, tiredness, blisters and the possibility of car trouble high in the Alps.
But behind the humour is a serious purpose.
Cor is determined to raise enough money to ensure Finding Your Feet can continue supporting amputees across Scotland for another year.
For many people supported by the charity, FYF is their only source of support.
“There’s the motivation, right there,” Cor said.
Joining Cor on the rally is Trooper Babs Poole from Dundee, a double above-knee amputee following vascular disease and a peer support volunteer with Finding Your Feet. Babs will be accompanied by nurses from Ninewells Hospital.
Babs is taking part to show that becoming an amputee does not mean giving up on life.
She said:
“Because of the amazing vascular team at Ninewells Hospital, I have a much better quality of life which is why I am doing the banger rally.”
She added that she wants to prove to herself and other vascular amputees that they should not be defined by being amputees or by using wheelchairs.
“I will push every boundary and live life to the full,” she said.
Also taking part are longstanding Finding Your Feet supporters Norma and Alistair Matheson of Matheson Damp Services.
Travelling with Cor for the full journey are her friend Evie Jackson and Cor’s son Rory, a mechanic apprentice at Arnold Clark Kia in Linwood.
Rory has taken on the unofficial role of convoy mechanic — armed, appropriately, with gaffer tape and WD40.
Evie’s son Indie will also make the entire journey.
Adding another special milestone to the trip, the final day of the official rally will fall on Rory’s 18th birthday.
The challenge was officially launched on June 11 at the Moulsdale Foundation Classic Car and Motorcycle Museum in Glasgow, with the launch evening hosted by Fat Brestovci of Capital Breakfast on Capital Radio Scotland.
đźš— THE BIG DEPARTURE
The four-car convoy left at 9.30am today, from the Malcolm Group head office in Linwood.
The convoy then made a special drive-by at Arnold Clark Kia in Linwood, before heading to the Finding Your Feet Charity Hub in Paisley.
From there, the teams begun the first leg of their journey south.
The official Two Ball Banger Rally takes place from August 13 to 17, with the celebration finale in Nice.
The convoy is expected to arrive back in Glasgow on Friday, August 21.
The challenge is being supported by a number of sponsors, including the Moulsdale Foundation, Optical Express, Arnold Clark, the Malcolm Group, the Reo Stakis Charitable Foundation and M8 Recovery.
Cor’s car is sponsored by the Moulsdale Foundation and Optical Express, Rory’s car by Arnold Clark and Babs’s car by the Malcolm Group.
For Cor, however, the challenge is about far more than driving an old Audi through Europe.
Every mile represents another opportunity to raise awareness and vital funds for people living with limb loss.
Three thousand miles. Ten countries. One very brave woman, one very old Audi TT — and a charity determined to keep helping people find their feet.
Paisley Photographs 
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