Dad's 'mixed feelings' on car meet in son's name

Matthew Pollard helped inaugurate Mattwood in 2022 but has since died

A father says he has mixed emotions ahead of a motoring event held in memory of his car-fanatic son.

Goodwood Motor Circuit in West Sussex is hosting Mattwood - named after Andy Pollard's late son Matthew - on Sunday.

Matthew Pollard, who has since passed away, helped inaugurate the event in 2022 to raise money for The Fountain Centre, which was helping him through his cancer treatment.

Andy, from Thursley, Surrey, said: "It's gonna be mixed feelings this time because [Matthew] won't be there but I think there's so many people that are well wishers."

Matthew was 19 and working at a race car experience company when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, his father said.

Andy told BBC Radio Surrey his son was "obsessed by cars and exceedingly good at driving".

The diagnosis was a "complete shock to everyone in the family", he said.

Matthew contacted a motoring YouTuber after he realised "there was no way" his Mazda would get fixed

The father-son duo had a Mazda MX-5 Mark 1, which they were trying to do up together into a drift car, according to Andy.

Matthew realised that "because of the fact that he was unwell, there was no way this car was going to get fixed" and contacted the YouTuber AutoAlex.

The motoring creator fixed the car up, organised the first Mattwood event and presented the car back to the family, Andy said.

"It was an absolutely amazing day," he said. "We had all sorts of celebrities turn up."

Andy said they thought the event was "such a lovely community thing" and wondered if they could host it again.

A second version of the event was held in 2023, but Matthew died the following year.

The Fountain Centre, based within the Royal Surrey Cancer Centre was chosen as the charity Mattwood would support because Matthew "made some very good friends there and it really did help him mentally as well as the body", Andy said.

The centre provides support to cancer patients and their families.

Matthew "always came out much, much happier" than he went in, according to Andy.