So how did “Rallying with Holy Socks” come about?

While doing a course with the Scottish Churches Open College (thinking I was
heading by some circuitous route for the ordained ministry), Holy Socks was born
as a gentle introduction to the Christian faith, a symbol of life as a journey
and Christian life as pilgrimage. We sold our first pair of Holy Socks in the
year 2000. They were well received and were developing nicely – not a hint from
anywhere that rally cars were in the picture.

A few years later and a move from north of Glasgow to South West Scotland;
I'm in the office and I answer the phone with my usual, cheery “Good morning, Holy Socks.”
The hesitation at the other end of the line indicated two things – the call was for
my husband and whoever it was had never heard of Holy Socks.

The caller was Malcolm Proudlock from Dumfries, who with his co-driver Steven Clark
from Elgin, was a front runner in the County Saab Scottish Rally Championship 2005
- eventually finishing second overall. The gift of a pair of Holy Socks had best
explained what Holy Socks were and one thing leading to another, 2006 saw the front
bumper of Malcolm's Subaru Impreza sporting the now familiar “Rallying with Holy Socks”
sticker for the first time. It got a lot of interest. People asked what Holy Socks
were and what it was all about. And that's good, considering that today, there
isn't much actual curiosity about the Christian faith.


(Malcolm and I - with the original Rallying with Holy Socks car in the background.
Photo courtesy of Gordon Hughes ©)

There are many ways to travel in life, practically and spiritually. You can play it
safe or you can be brave and take a risk. The biggest risk of all is basing your
life on a belief in God – after all it is the Christian Faith, not the Christian Proof
and we MIGHT be wrong. It is a risk to believe in God.

Rallying is a very different way to journey. It's risky to get into a rally car
and drive at well over 120mph and sometimes up to 140 mph on rough, narrow
forest roads, trusting that the guiding words spoken by your co-driver about
the route ahead are correct, and trusting yourself that you're listening
closely enough to hear them clearly.