87 Year Old Dorothy's Emotional Land Rover Reunion
December 10, 2018 by Land Rover UK•Dream come true for Dorothy Peters as she takes the surprise off-road drive of her life at the age of 87 •Retired Land Rover employee Dorothy is re-united with the early Land Rover she worked on 70 years ago as a 15 year old •Land Rover fulfilled Dorothy's long-held dream to go off-roading in the car she'd kept a photo of for seven decades •Film released today captures emotional reunion •https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCwa2DR98gc&feature=youtu.be Monday 10 December 2018, Solihull – 87 year-old Dorothy Peters enjoyed a literal drive down memory lane when Land Rover took her off-roading in one of the earliest Land Rovers in existence. Fulfilling a lifelong dream, the retired employee got to go off-road in the vehicle she worked with 70 years ago. The surprise day sparked a wave of emotional memories. In July 1946 at the age of 15, Solihull-born Dorothy joined the service department at the Lode Lane factory working alongside the first Series Land Rovers to be built at the site. In June this year, Dorothy went to Land Rover's 70th celebration event in Solihull, UK, with a photograph album of her time working at the plant. Little did she know that one particular picture would trigger a series of events that would reunite her with a very special Series Land Rover – number 16 off the production line. The reunion was made possible by Mike Bishop, Land Rover Classic's Reborn Engineering Specialist and heritage expert, who spotted an old photograph of Dorothy posing next to a car he now owned. It was at this point the Land Rover team decided to create an experience Dorothy would never forget. Mike said: 'Over the course of Land Rover Fest I was fortunate enough to talk to many enthusiasts and former employees. When I was approached by a very charming lady with some pictures of her time at Solihull, I had no idea we would share a special connection to 'number 16'. Her enthusiasm for the company and this vehicle in particular was wonderful as was her surprise when she discovered I now owned the car! I knew instantly we needed to reunite them.' Over the course of the following weeks the Land Rover team at Solihull worked with Dorothy's daughter to create a day full of surprises, bringing her back to Solihull and back to the car she posed next to in the treasured photo 70 years earlier. The results were captured in a heart-warming film to mark the end of Land Rover's 70th anniversary year.
Trending News• Elvis's Cadillac Offered By Bonhams|Cars
• Merrell and Jeep Brand Announce Second Footwear Collaboration, Inspired By Future of Outdoor Innovation
• Oxa unveils autonomous Ford E-Transit Van and Minibus
• Aston Martin aiming to conclude Vantage GT3's debut world championship campaign on a high
• Award-winning Bentley Padova celebrates landmark anniversary
Dorothy said: 'I couldn't believe the reaction to my pictures at the Festival in Solihull. I had no idea this one conversation would take me on a journey down memory lane and on the wonderful off-road track at Solihull. 'The opportunity to share this day with my daughter and granddaughters was a wonderful surprise and to see how different the factory is today was very special. It all felt like a dream and I won't ever forget it.' To complete the surprises, Dorothy and her friends were given a preview of the reunion film in a special screening at Dorothy's retirement home.
posted on conceptcarz.com
Recent Posts
- Elvis's Cadillac Offered By Bonhams|Cars
- Merrell and Jeep Brand Announce Second Footwear Collaboration, Inspired By Future of Outdoor Innovation
- Oxa unveils autonomous Ford E-Transit Van and Minibus
- Aston Martin aiming to conclude Vantage GT3's debut world championship campaign on a high
- Award-winning Bentley Padova celebrates landmark anniversary