http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk AUGUST 2019 51Assembled over 13 years with husband
Robert, the showcase features 70
vehicles – with Ferraris, Porsches and
Aston Martins all represented.
“The guys and girls love it here and
leave with big smiles on their faces,”
Lewis quips as we wander between
rows of top marques, this most surreal
of showrooms heavy with the smell of
grease and fuel.
“I feel really privileged to be able to
do these events having always enjoyed
driving – the more complex the car, the
better the experience behind the wheel.
“It is also very humbling to help
those who face a daily battle to get back
to health.”
Laying on motoring days for troops
is personal for Lewis, who fi rst came
up with the idea when her brother
Charlie – a former offi cer in The Royal
Regiment of Fusiliers – was evacuated
from ops in Sierra Leone with a serious
neurological condition.
Having initially been treated in Selly
Oak, Birmingham, he later arrived at
Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre
Headley Court. And it was after getting
to know the troops there that Lewis fi rst
thought automotive therapy might be a
useful tonic to help with recovery.
“Back then, 11 years ago, I thought
a more exciting experience would besomething that could assist,” Tanya,
who also races a classic MGTF, recalls.
“When we started out I was struck
by how people who were very quiet on
arrival soon became animated.
“We now lay on several events a year,
sending down a minibus to Wiltshire to
pick the personnel up, and we have a
curry afterwards to round things off .”
As the personnel in the group
continue to swap seats to sample new
supercars on this latest outing, one
veteran highlights that the event has
had a life-changing eff ect on him.
Ben Grinyer was on the Rolling
Recovery programme some years ago
as he battled mental health issues –
and a spin in a few supercars helped
him dramatically turn his life
around.
“I’ve recently started
my own business
after qualifying
as a driving
instructor,” the
former soldier
with the Royal
Logistic Corps
points out, as
the Koenigsegg
again growls
down the driveway
towards the outside
world. “But I continue to
come back as a volunteer with Tanya
and Robert to show the troops that
there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“After nine years of service, running
my own enterprise suits me because I
have control over when I work – a lot
of students I teach also have anxiety
issues and I can relate to them.
“To be honest I have always been a
bit of a car geek and I fi nd being around
them calms me down – the Lewis
family have really helped me put my life
back together.”
With the latest event concluding, and
the troops taking the opportunity for
some photographs, there is certainly a
sense that a morning in the hot seat of
high-end cars has had a positive eff ect.
The road to recovery may be lengthy,
but this private collection of top
marques and expert drivers has helped
a generation of soldiers follow it to the
conclusion – and a new life beyond. ■IN NUMBERS
SEVENTY
Vehicles in the Lewis's collection11
Years of helping recovering personnel277
Koenigsegg's top speed in mphVehicles in the Lewis's collection48-51-sol-aug supacars.indd 4 25/07/2019 18:50