A dad has marked the end of his 23-year marriage - by driving a 'Just Divorced' car around his local town.<br /><br />Angus Kennedy, 58, says his split from ex-wife Sophie Kennedy, 47, was "amicable".<br /><br />But he decided he wanted to celebrate being single and raise awareness about the divorce process - so gave his Subaru a unique makeover.<br /><br />The split was finalised in January and Angus, an author, drove his car around Dartford, Kent last week (5/4).<br /><br />He said: "Divorce doesn't always have to be doom and gloom - it can be a celebration of a new start.<br /><br />"Me and Sophie are still friends - the relationship just broke down. But there is no animosity there.<br /><br />"The final order went through in January so I thought doing the car up would be a funny way to celebrate."<br /><br />The couple filed for divorce in July 2021 after they mutually agreed to go their separate ways.<br /><br />They share five children together, ranging between 11 and 23 - with whom they were planning to move to the jungle of Ecuador with.<br /><br />Angus is also a leading chocolate expert and, in 2019, the family decided to swap their spacious home for a bamboo property set in 50 acres of South American jungle.<br /><br />There they had planned to help run a cocoa farm after Angus was contacted by the Ecuadorian jungle.<br /><br />But, before finalising any plans, he and Sophie decided to end their marriage.<br /><br />The divorce was finalised in January 2023, which came as a relief to both parties.<br /><br />And, to celebrate, Angus drove around town and picked up his youngest son from boxing in his 2004 Subaru Outback.<br /><br />The dad-of-five decorated his car with special pens, writing words like 'freedom' on the windows.<br /><br />He designed and ordered his own 'Just Divorced' sticker for the boot and stuck fake roses and ribbons on the bonnet.<br /><br />Angus is also writing a new book called ‘Shaping Up For Love’, on how to find a new partner after so many years in a relationship.<br /><br />He said: "The whole idea was to have a bit of fun with it - it wasn't an anti-marriage campaign.<br /><br />"It's battering going through divorce, and the celebration was a way of helping me find myself. You have got to love yourself before expecting someone to love you. <br /><br />"I picked my son up from boxing and he was embarrassed but it was all light hearted fun.<br /><br />"Other drivers were hooting at us the whole way home which made him laugh.<br /><br />"And Sophie finds the whole thing hilarious, we are on great terms.<br /><br />"I'm planning to get in touch with the church so I can get unmarried and undo the vows I pledged over two decades ago.<br /><br />"I meet countless lonely people who feel they can’t have another relationship because they are so broken, so I've made it my mission to help them."<br /><br />And, after going through divorce, Angus says he's been frustrated with the long winded, archaic process.<br /><br />An he believes that, until couples end their marriage, they don't realise the magnitude of the contractual agreement they enter by saying 'I do'.<br /><br />Angus said: "It's a very painful process - it's the biggest contract of your life. Some people are really young when they go through it, and it can be really daunting.<br /><br />"There is enormous pressure from both sides, and you don't realise when you're signing the document the magnitude of it all.<br /><br />"They're so excited with weddings, and honeymoons but I wish someone took a moment and sat me down to go through it with me.<br /><br />"Most big commitments have a 'cooling off period' where people can pull out if it's not as it seems.<br /><br />"I want to be clear, although this wasn't the case with my marriage, people have reached out to me sharing their messy experiences. It's heartbreaking."<br /><br />Sophie, a beautician, currently still lives in the same area as Angus and they share custody of the children.<br /><br />The ex-couple have kept a good relationship since their split, and Sophie says she is fully supportive of Angus' divorce parade.<br /><br />Sophie said: "I wanted to have an amicable divorce to show our children that it was possible to stay friends.<br /><br />"It was very important for me to show them a good example.<br /><br />"We spend Christmas and Easter together as well as birthdays - and family dinners every so often for a catch up are a must.<br /><br />"The car thing is funny, and to be honest, I wouldn't expect anything less from him."
