The Big Macmillan Motor Show: How Turkington Turned Motoring Passion into More Than £200,000 for Charity

Since Turkington partnered with Macmillan Cancer Support in 2019, the show has helped raise more than £200,000 for charity, with funds supporting vital cancer services and the Macmillan Support Line in the Southern Trust area.

What began in 2018 as an indoor car show inside the former B&Q premises in Portadown has grown into one of Northern Ireland’s most eagerly anticipated motoring gatherings. Back then, amid a building in the middle of redevelopment, a star-studded line-up of competition cars, motorsport personalities and enthusiasts helped create the foundations for something much bigger. Today, the event is known as The Big Macmillan Motor Show — a community-powered celebration of cars, people and generosity, hosted by the Turkington family at James Park on Mahon Road, Portadown.

The move to the family business transformed the scale and atmosphere of the event. James Park offers the space to welcome hundreds of vehicles, trade stands, food vendors, local dealerships and specialist exhibitors, while also creating room for the kind of rare machinery that turns a casual evening visit into a memorable motoring experience. From exotic supercars and hot rods to rally machinery, classic Fords, tractors and even the occasional boat, the show has become known for its variety as much as its fundraising success.

This year’s eighth running brought another major addition, with a new indoor motorsport area giving visitors the chance to view an extraordinary locally owned Joey Dunlop collection. Motorbikes, helmets, overalls, photographs, signatures and race-worn items linked to names including Bruce Anstey, John McGuinness and Guy Martin were brought together under one roof — the kind of display many visitors may never see in public again.

The Turkington family’s own racing story was also given centre stage. Trevor Turkington assembled, for the first time, a remarkable display of vehicles connected to his sons’ careers: from Colin Turkington’s early Autograss Mini and Kirkistown Metro to the Ford Fiesta he campaigned in British Championship racing, his first BTCC-winning MG and all four of his BTCC championship-winning BMWs. Gary Turkington’s racing karts, which have won events globally, were shown alongside Trevor’s 1970s kart, while James Turkington’s Kirkistown Fiesta, current Mini Cooper and British Cupra championship-winning machinery added the next generation to the family timeline.

Outside, the displays continued to reward those who took time to wander around the puddles. Among the standouts were three fascinating Fords: a Mk1 Fiesta with only around 140 miles recorded, an RS500 Sierra showing just 78 miles, and a similarly low-mileage RS500 Focus. A dedicated celebration of the Ford Focus drew together an impressive spread of special editions, while Trust Ford added further manufacturer presence with a static display and test drives, donating to the charity for every drive completed.

Even torrential weather could not dampen the occasion. The turnout reflected the show’s growing reputation: eleven dealerships, seven trade stalls, six food vendors, Rally-e-slots’ indoor racing track, members of the Glass and Glazing Federation attending during their all-island quarterly meeting at James Park, and more than 380 vehicles on display, including two tractors and a boat. More than 1,600 people came through the gates, while Trust Ford delivered over 200 test drives and reached the maximum £6,000 donation through its Drive for Your Community initiative.

The support of local franchise dealers, specialist car dealer SJ Davidson, main sponsor GSF Car Parts and countless volunteers helped make the event possible. GSF Car Parts opened its doors on the night and hosted special guest Lewis Turkington, adding another draw for spectators and motorsport fans.

For the Turkington team, however, the cars are only part of the story. The real measure of success is the money raised for Macmillan Cancer Support and the awareness generated for a charity that remains close to the family’s heart. This year alone, donations were still arriving after the gates closed, with the total already exceeding £55,000 — making it the most successful show yet and pushing the long-running fundraising effort way beyond the £200,000 milestone.

Reflecting on the achievement, Gary Turkington praised the scale of support from exhibitors, spectators, sponsors and volunteers. “Despite the torrential weather, spirits were not dampened,” he said. “None of this could happen without your support and hard work.”

That spirit is what has carried the Big Macmillan Motor Show from a one-off display in a redeveloping warehouse to a major annual fixture. It is a show built on engines, heritage and horsepower, but its lasting impact is measured in something far more important: practical support for people affected by cancer.