Post featured image

Sporting Bears Dream Rides Return to Spring Live in Support of DVLCC

Posted on April 9, 2026 by - Fundraising, News

Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity (DVLCC) is delighted to announce that Sporting Bears Dream Rides will once again be raising funds for the charity at Spring Live! at the South of England Showground, Ardingly, on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April.

This year’s event is especially significant as 2026 marks the charity’s 25th anniversary year. As part of this milestone, DVLCC is aiming to raise additional funds to support a further 25 children with cerebral palsy and other motor learning impairments, helping even more families access life-changing specialist early intervention.

This will be the third year that Sporting Bears has supported DVLCC at Spring Live! and the partnership has already raised an incredible £11,869.31 for the charity to date. Last year alone, Sporting Bears raised a fantastic £6,500, and this year they are hoping to go even further and beat that total.

Throughout the weekend, visitors to Spring Live! will have the chance to enjoy an unforgettable Dream Ride in a stunning selection of classic, sports and supercars, all in return for a donation to support Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity and its work with children under five.

The DVLCC team will also be there across the weekend, joined by Bernie the Bear, meeting visitors, cheering on supporters and helping to create a fun and welcoming atmosphere around the fundraising activity.

The funds raised could make a truly meaningful impact. The amount raised by Sporting Bears this year could go towards the cost of one child accessing the average number of services they need over the course of a year, helping them build communication, movement and independence at the most crucial stage of development.

Sophie Barriball, Community Fundraising Officer at the Charity said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Sporting Bears supporting us once again at Spring Live, especially in such a special year for the charity as we celebrate our 25th anniversary. This will be their third year fundraising for DVLCC, and we are so grateful for their continued commitment, energy and generosity. To have raised £11,869.31 for our children and families already is just incredible. Last year’s £6,500 total was phenomenal, and this year the money raised could help cover the average annual cost of support for one child accessing our services. As we aim to raise funds to support a further 25 children in our anniversary year, their support means a great deal to us.”

John Dalton of Sporting Bears said:

“I’m really pleased to be returning to the Ardingly Showground with my fellow Sporting Bears members to once again raise money to help DVLCC support more children and families across the region. I have been amazed by the generosity of visitors to Spring Live, who come and make donations in return for a passenger ride in one of our members’ amazing cars.

Once again this year, we have a fantastic array of classic, sports and supercars, and every year I see people stepping out of the cars with incredible smiles on their faces – and that includes the drivers too. Everyone has a fantastic time. We love welcoming back people who have joined us before, as well as introducing new people to our club and our fundraising.

Our members give their time, travel, accommodation, fuel, tyres and more completely free of charge, so that every single penny raised can go to DVLCC. To date, Sporting Bears has raised £4 million for children’s charities across the UK, and we look forward to continuing to work with DVLCC through the Spring Live event.”

Spring Live is a much-loved annual event celebrating all things countryside, family and community, and Sporting Bears Dream Rides promises once again to be one of the weekend’s standout attractions.

Whether visitors are passionate about cars, looking for a memorable family day out, or simply keen to support a local children’s charity, the Dream Rides offer a unique opportunity to enjoy something special while helping transform young lives.