Whitley, UK, 4 March, 2015 – Land Rover today announced its sponsorship of the Forces’ motorsport charity Mission Motorsport in its 2016 Defender Challenge campaign.

The 2016 Defender Challenge starts this weekend at the Mid Wales Stages Rally and comprises seven rounds of hill and stage rallies. This year, up to 14 teams driving modified Land Rover Defender 90s will go head to-head, including the new entry from Mission Motorsport who will use the Defender Challenge as a fundamental part of its ‘Race Retrain Recover’ programme.

The partnership between Land Rover and Mission Motorsport, an Endeavour Fund supported initiative, realises the mutual commitment to help Wounded Injured and Sick veterans leaving the military find employment in the automotive industry. Mission Motorsport will enter a new team at each round of the Defender Challenge. Working together as a team of four comprising two Technicians, a Driver and a Navigator, each Mission Motorsport team will need to draw upon determination and teamwork.

In preparation for each round, the teams will undertake various training and practice sessions which can form part of a formal qualification. As an accredited City and Guilds training provider, Mission Motorsport’s Training Wing delivers Level 3 Diploma courses and full apprenticeships which allow service leavers to bridge the gap between military service and second careers as civilians, beyond injury.

Jaguar Land Rover is committed to working alongside Mission Motorsport and the Career Transition Partnership, the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) official provider of Armed Forces resettlement. Since 2013 Jaguar Land Rover has hired over 200 former servicemen and servicewomen and has a growing number of initiatives, including a work placement scheme which was launched in October 2014 in conjunction with the Career Transition Partnership and Mission Motorsport which helps wounded, injured and sick veterans find a fulfilling and long-term second career.

Ed Tilston, Global Sponsorship Manager for Jaguar Land Rover said, “Land Rover are proud to have enabled Mission Motorsport’s entry into the 2016 Defender Challenge, and we look forward to the team exemplifying Land Rover’s Above and Beyond spirit as its beneficiaries Race, Retrain and Recover through this exciting vehicle based adventure.”

James Cameron, CEO of Mission Motorsport said, “All at Mission Motorsport are hugely excited to be entering the Defender Challenge in 2016.  The Forces’ Motorsport Charity, our motto is ‘Race, Retrain, Recover’ and this is a fantastic opportunity to bring together some inspirational sport with a training and vocational program of which we are very proud.  We work closely with Jaguar Land Rover to provide training and jobs for those servicemen and women leaving the Forces wounded, injured or sick, and are delighted to fly the flag for these efforts with an exciting rally program manned by servicemen and veterans.”

The Defender Challenge starts its 2016 programme this weekend at the Mid Wales Stages Rally which is the first round of the 2016 MSA British Rally Championship. The event is set in the challenging Mid Wales forests Hafren, Myherin and Tarenig and the Sweet Lamb Rally Complex, which have played host to many famous rallies over the last 60 years such as the Lombard RAC and now Wales Rally GB. Spectators are welcome and details are available form ‪www.midwalesstages.co.uk