Alan Carr MBE

In his own words ….

“Growing up in a proud working class family I had no burning ambitions, but I was certainly taught right from wrong which has been my life’s foundation.

I ran my own successful property business with a very caring ethos in Ascot for 20 years, with a great team who became virtual family but it was never enough.

The charity world was my calling and for the last 20 years it has taken over my life. I have formed and run four charity foundations, or CIC’s supporting many charities, and holding events in many prestigious venues including Kensington Palace and on the Royal Yacht Britannia. I have been party to breaking world records in the Arctic, enjoyed desert adventures in Lawrence of Arabia’s Wadi Rum in Jordon,  renovated  school houses for the poor in Brazil and climbed up to the condor circling Torres in Patagonia, all great adventures and all with a charitable aim. I was also privilege to be a part of ‘Team Sophie’ who acquired Janeiro 1V for Sophie Christiansen CBE who together won three golds in dressage at the London Paralympic Games.

But it was on a John O’Groats to Lands End Walk with my daughter, Charlotte and then terminally ill friend, Nigel, for Prostate Cancer that I received a life changing call! I was asked if I would like to have a Beatles Caravan for charity purposes. One of our clients had purchased a property, many years before, from Ringo Star who had left the remains of the Caravan in his garden. At the time I had know idea that it’s history made it the most famous Gypsy Caravan in the world, and that it was previously owned by John Lennon.

Imagine is my favourite record of all time so I was overjoyed  when the two connected. That was eight years ago and it was destiny that led me to Sam – the rest is in Our Story.

Apart from being a trustee for The Delight Makers I am also co-founder of The War Horse Memorial CIC and National Purple Poppy Appeal which are both heavily focused on animal welfare, and the strong therapeutic value they have always shared with their human owners and friends.

I have been married to Margaret for 44years, have two amazing daughters in Michelle and Charlotte and four precious grandchildren.

My life wasn’t planned but it has been a great adventure with more to come – I believe it happened this way for a reason. Now my life all is about discovering peaceful ways and enlightenment, which I try to learn and practice through Washindo Kai with a close friend and Shihan, Colin Reeve.

I believe our Peacing Together Project will be a catalyst for inspiring, seeding and creating peace in the world, and the beautiful caravan will be the vehicle that literally enables us to ‘Brings Peace to Life.’

In 2010 I was awarded an MBE for my services to charity.”