Ford Mustangs will roar into Viking Park next month for a good cause: raising funds for Bosom Buddies ACT, a grassroots charity that has supported hundreds of Canberrans with breast cancer over the past 30 years.
With entrants coming from as far away as Queensland and Tasmania, the Canberra Mustang Car Show (8 February) is expected to draw more than 2,000 spectators and feature more than 200 cars — a 25 per cent increase over the last event held in 2023 — from 1960s classics to the new Dark Horse and E Mustangs, the first model to enter the electric vehicle market.
“Since their debut at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, Ford Mustangs have enjoyed a world-wide following as an affordable sports car,” event organiser John Perryman said.
“They have been popularised by Hollywood over the last six decades appearing in notable films including: James Bond — Diamonds Are Forever, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Misery, Starman, The Fast and the Furious, and the John Wick franchise.
“The cars have become iconic as classic cars across three generations of men and women, and they continue to prove popular today. This is especially true in Australia now that Ford no longer manufactures cars in our country.”
Mr Perryman said the Show would be “a colourful, family-oriented event that will have something for everyone”.
Members of the public can have photos taken with — or even behind the wheel of — the vehicles. Owners of vehicles will be interviewed every half-hour, so the public can learn about owning and enjoying these vehicles. There will also be vendors selling food, drinks, and ice cream; a charity fund-raising prize raffle; and Hot Wheel toy car giveaways for young children.
All proceeds go to Bosom Buddies, “to assist it with providing ongoing support to those touched by breast cancer, and their families, within the greater Canberra region,” Mr Perryman said.
“Our club enjoys a very close-knit membership, and many of us have, or know someone who has, been touched by breast cancer. Indeed, there are several of our members who themselves have been treated for this illness.”
The 2023 show raised $15,293 for the AFP Veterans’ Association, and Mr Perryman expects to exceed that figure this year.
Bosom Buddies — run by volunteers, many of whom have survived breast cancer — provides personalised on-the-ground support services to help people affected by breast cancer in Canberra and surrounding NSW.
Executive officer Ijeoma Onwuka said the funds raised from the Canberra Mustang Show would support their core services, “enabling us to make an immediate and meaningful difference for those diagnosed with breast cancer”.
The money would fund free care packs (Buddy Bags) for newly diagnosed patients. “Often provided at a critical time when individuals and families are feeling particularly vulnerable”, they contain recovery aids and information to help patients before and after surgery, Ms Onwuka said. Funds will also help sustain the organisation, “helping to ensure Bosom Buddies can continue to deliver high quality services free of charge, efficiently, and with strong governance practices”.
Mr Perryman encouraged the public to come along and support this local fundraising effort.
“Entry is by gold coin for spectators, and every single gold coin will be put to good use in the future by Bosom Buddies. As the saying goes: ‘If you look after the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves’.”
The Canberra Mustang Car Show: Viking Park, Wanniassa, 10am to 2.30pm, Sunday 8 February. Hosted by the Canberra and Southern NSW chapter of the NSW Branch of the Mustang Owners Club of Australia. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/canberramustangshow.
