15.12.22 Honorary Assistant Lesley Upham
The Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards
Pictured above: Past Master Sarah Jane Adams-Diffey and Simon Diffey, courtesy of Jeff Bloxham
The Master and fellow Coachmakers congratulate Past Master Sarah Jane Adams-Diffey and her late husband Simon on winning The Royal Automobile Club Historic Award 2022 for Personal Endeavour.
The awards are a set of annual accolades recognising excellence and outstanding contributions to the UK’s historic motoring and motorsport industries. The Club has been at the heart of the motoring world since its formation in 1897, and the Historic Awards are a natural continuation of a rich heritage.
The Personal Endeavour award seeks to recognise any individual who has made a truly outstanding contribution to heritage, historic motoring or historic motorsport during the judging period. The winner can come from any part of the British historic motoring world – private enthusiast, club organiser or perhaps a specialist who has achieved something remarkable.
The Royal Automobile Club Citation
In May this year we lost a bright light of the historic motorsport community. Simon Diffey made a contribution to our historic motoring and motorsport world every day. His wife Sarah’s ability to turn around a moment where her world was shattered, and spinning that into a positive for good, is quite frankly heroic. By establishing the Simon Diffey Heritage Motorsport Apprentice Award Sarah has created a fitting tribute to ensure Simon’s fun, can-do positivity lives on, through encouraging new opportunities to young aspiring talents both on and off the track, just as he himself always did.
Sarah with fellow Liveryman and Chairman of the Motoring Committee, Duncan Wiltshire. Picture courtesy of The Royal Automobile Club
Judges’ comment
There was very little debate in this nomination, the judges unanimously decided Sarah Jane Adams-Diffey, and the late Simon Diffey were the clear winners in this category. For Sarah for showing such bravery, courage and still thinking of others in the face of such a tragic sudden loss and for Simon – who shone so brightly, with great humour, and did so much good for so many others every day. They were always a team, and this is truly an award that belongs to the two of them.
More information about the Simon Diffey Heritage Motorsport Apprentice Award can be found here.