A Driving Force (for SSAFA) 2026 reaches the finish line!

14 August 2026

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity has thanked the organisers and participants of A Driving Force 2026 (ADF26) after the epic 11-day driving adventure raised £112,000 to support serving personnel, veterans, and their families.

ADF26 took place from August 1 to 11. The event brought together drivers, navigators, organisers, support crews, and fundraisers for an adventure combining unforgettable roads and destinations with a shared commitment to the Armed Forces community.

The biennial charity event, delivered by Torque Events, saw 52 cars and support vehicles travel some 3,000 miles across 10 countries, beginning in Dunkirk and travelling through Europe to Sarajevo and back. The 2026 adventure set out to raise £100,000 for SSAFA and smashed that target, bringing in £112,000 for the charity.

The route began with a drumhead ceremony at the Dunkirk Memorial, honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, before drivers took on some of Europe’s most memorable roads, including Alpine passes, the Adriatic Coast Road, and the onward journey to Sarajevo.

The convoy’s journey combined remembrance, camaraderie, and fundraising, with participants from across the UK coming together to support SSAFA’s work with the Armed Forces community.

Air Marshall Steve Shell, SSAFA’s CEO, spoke on behalf of the charity, saying: “Attending the drumhead ceremony at the Dunkirk Memorial was a profoundly moving way to mark the start of ADF26. Dunkirk reminds us of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds between allies, while the onward route to Sarajevo and back reflects how service continues to shape lives across generations.

“ADF26 was not only a tremendous fundraiser for SSAFA, but also an act of remembrance, gratitude, and action making sure that those who serve, and their families, are never forgotten.

“My sincere thanks go to the organisers and everyone who took part.”

Keith Marriott, a SSAFA trustee and a former Royal Army Medical Corps Warrant Officer, also took part in ADF26. 

He said: “What an adventure. Having set out from Dunkirk after a very moving ceremony of remembrance in sight of those infamous beaches, we began our epic journey with a huge variety of cars, each one of them the pride and joy of their petrolhead owners.

“For me personally, the thrill of driving my Ferrari F8 Spider with 100 like-minded people, who very quickly became friends, across Europe, taking on high-speed autobahns, the twists of great Alpine passes such as the Grossglockner High Alpine Pass, and the incredibly scenic Adriatic Coast Road, was a true privilege and a joy.

“But arriving in Sarajevo served as a very real reminder of the cost of war and why we were all taking part. The battle scars, both physical and those still burnt into the memories of the citizens of that beautiful city, and of UK veterans of the Bosnian War, demonstrate only too well the need for a charity such as SSAFA, which is there to ensure that no member of our Armed Forces, or their families, faces challenges alone.

“The funds raised by ADF26 will help ensure that SSAFA can remain alongside our Armed Forces and their families when they need us most. Roll on 2028!”

Benn Laidler MBE, Director of A Driving Force, said: “It was a pleasure and honour to provide the opportunity to give this amazing group of people the experience of a lifetime, whilst raising a cracking amount of money for a very, very worthwhile charity.”