Since 2005, the Temple Street 4×4 Challenge for Charity has raised €177,000. It all began with two guys on a car ferry, having a good idea.

Robert Archibald and Jonathan Crozier were returning to Ireland in 2005, having participated in the Mac 4×4 – the British off-road event which fund-raises, very successfully, for the Macmillan cancer charity.

Rob and Jonathan thought they could run a charity challenge like this one – and maybe even do it better. By the time they drove their Land Rovers off the boat, they had the whole event planned – except for the charity that would benefit.

Back on his farm in Drumconrath, Co Meath, Robert read a feature in the Irish Farmers' Journal, about the work of Temple Street Children’s Hospital. 

Seven events later and every cent raised has gone to the hospital. 

Both LANTRA-qualified trainers, Rob and Jonathan are well known around in the Irish off-road scene and together they run ACT Training, the organising sponsor of the event. 

Rob, with his son, Graeme, runs Archibald 4×4 Engineering, doing repairs, service and modification, mainly to 4×4s but also to cars. 

Jonathan supplies Land Rover parts through Crozier 4×4 and for other cars through Crozier Autoparts, the Moate-based motor factors.

The organisers are backed up by several teams of marshalls, experienced off-roaders who are invited to help run the event, because of their contribution to previous Temple Street 4×4 Challenges. Some marshalls help to plan sections of the route, and they're on hand on the day, whenever somebody needs assistance in extricating their truck from a muddy ditch. The marshalls contribution helps to ensure a smooth and safe event each year.

Margaret Archibald and Geraldine Crozier (the ones doing all the work in the top picture – Margaret is on the left) are the event administrators, ensuring its smooth running behind the scenes each year. They run registration and take meticulous care of the marking, which contributes to who wins what in the Irish 4×4 Oscars on the Sunday night.

The media crew, Scribbler and the Snapper, aka Siobhán Crozier and David Tothill, publicise the event in Land Rover and 4×4 mags. They shoot stills and video for a movie, to be shown at the following year's 4×4 Oscars. David puts his images for the current year's event on a slideshow for the celebration dinner. Siobhán has collected tips on sponsorship from teams and through the forum, makes this available for entrants, along with advice on getting media converage to help teams drum up sponsorship. 

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