Pam and Bill Adams of Leigh-on-Sea devoted their lives giving to others: a safe, caring and happy refuge for those who didn’t have the best start to life.

For over 30 years Pam and Bill fostered over 70 children and helped other parents by offering respite care. Pam and Bill had 3 children of their own – they don’t remember living without sharing their parents with others.

Bill was a site manager for Hackney Council, Pam a full time Mum. Pam had health issues suffering with meningitis, but that didn’t stop her helping others.

When the time came for Pam and Bill to stop fostering, their family took out loans and remortgaged their house to buy Bill and Pam a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, a car that both had dreamed of owning but never thought it would happen.

By now Pam needed supplementary oxygen. When the sun would make an appearance she would say “it’s a Rolls day” and they would go off for a drive, and chat with passers by when parked.

Last December Pam passed away. Bill lost everything: he was a lost soul finding it difficult to carry on.

The one thing that kept him going was their Rolls Royce. It wasn’t the easiest of cars to keep on the road and in August the car took a turn for the worse. A number of garages couldn’t fix it.

By October it was parked on Bill’s driveway ready to rust away.

The Worshipful Company of Carmen is a not for profit City Livery Company – formed in 1517 by Royal Charter.

Freeman Robert Lodge from Lodge Coaches runs a bus museum in High Easter Chelmsford and has brought the car back to life.

Bill visited the museum and was surprised to find his car actually on display! Also unbeknown to Bill he will be joined by some of the children (now adults with their kids) that Pam and Bill helped over the years. There was also be some video messages from those who can’t be there.

The Rolls Royce needs more work and the Worshipful Company of Carmen would love to finish the restoration by repairing some bodywork. It has some corrosion on the O/S/R wheel arch and at the bottom of the windscreen pillars. It not that noticeable at the moment but if left unattended it will become a major problem. We need a further £4,000.00 to repair the bodywork.

If you would like to help.