Category: Charity

1. Ross Noble and Riders for Health launch nationwide ride-out

   Posted on 1:08pm Monday 12th May 2014

   Comedian Ross Noble is launching a nationwide motorcycle ride-out with a difference in support of international charity, Riders for Health.

   The Last Mile Ride, which takes place on Saturday 21st June, is a ride-out with a destination, but no beginning. You decide where to start, and how to get to the finish. Motorcyclists from across the country will be completing quirky challenges, set by Ross Noble, as they make their way to the offices of MCN in Peterborough.

   Participants will plan their own route to Peterborough – the only condition is that they arrive at the MCN office at 3pm and complete as many challenges as possible!

   As riders head to the final destination, Ross Noble will be using Twitter to send a series of challenges for them to complete using the hashtag #lastmileride. As they complete their challenges and share their snaps on Twitter, Ross will be keeping an eye out for his favourite and awarding prizes for the very best.

   For more information and to register yourself or a group of riders for the Last Mile Ride visit www.riders.org/lastmileride

   When participants reach the offices of MCN, Ross will be there to greet them with some well-earned food and the chance to share their stories from the ride. He will also be awarding prizes for the most entertaining tweets and auctioning unique motorcycle memorabilia and experiences.

   Ross Noble said, "I’m really excited to be launching an event that brings the whole motorcycling community together to do something they love whilst helping Riders for Health. I’ve supported Riders for a number of years and the thing we all like about their work is that it is a simple, straightforward solution that is having a visible impact in Africa. I want to get hundreds of bikers involved from across the whole country. It would be amazing for groups of riders to meet up as they get closer to Peterborough."

   Registration for the Last Mile Ride costs £30 for a rider and £15 for a pillion and includes entry to all events at the final destination as well as food and a Last Mile Ride visibility vest. Riders can sign up to the ride individually, or can gather some friends for a group ride-out. Participants can also fundraise for the ride, with fantastic prizes available for the groups and individuals who raise the most money.

   All of the money raised from the event will help Riders for Health ensure health workers in Africa have access to reliable, well maintained motorcycles and ambulances so that they can continue to deliver life-saving health care to 14 million people.

   For more information and to register yourself or a group of riders for the Last Mile Ride visit www.riders.org/lastmileride
   
   
   

2. Bikers raise £30k for local charities

   Posted on 1:22pm Tuesday 29th Apr 2014

   Bikers from across the country turned out in their thousands at the weekend to show their incredible support for two Midlands charities, as they took part in one of the largest biking events in the country – the Bike4Life Ride Out and Festival, 27th April 2014. 

   Helping to raise money for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and Royal Air Force Museum, in excess of 3,000 motorcyclists participated in the 23 mile ride along the M54 from Meole Brace, Shrewsbury to the RAF Museum Cosford, double the number of bikers who took part in the 2013 Ride Out.  They filled the motorway as far as the eye could see, as they travelled en masse by police escort to the Museum with hundreds of members of the public lining every bridge along the route, waving as they passed. TV’s Emergency Bikers Mark Hayes and Steve Forrest were two of the bikers leading the Ride Out before spending the day at the Festival meeting and greeting.

   The event raised in excess of £30,000 thanks to the impressive turnout and support shown by the biking community, smashing last year’s total.  The day was a huge success, with more bikers taking part in this year’s ride out than ever before, with many bikers travelling some distance to be part of the day.  In addition to the 3,000 bikers on the Ride Out, over 2,000 additional bikers headed straight to the Festival along with thousands of interested members of the public with almost 8,000 visitors on site throughout the day. 

   Nina Mitchell, Events Executive for the RAF Museum Cosford said, “We knew the event this year was going to be big, judging by the level of interest we received in the buildup, but nothing could prepare us for the overwhelming support from the bikers who turned out on the day.  We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who attended and donated to the two event charities, we hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as we did.  We have received some fantastic feedback on our Facebook and Twitter pages and we hope to see everyone again next year.”

   Upon arrival at the Museum, bikers were treated to an afternoon packed with entertainment which included a spectacular flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire and live music supplied by five rock bands on the Planet Rock stage. Arena displays entertained the crowds throughout the day and even encouraged participation from some members of the public, with some fantastic biker related prizes up for grabs.  Plus, some of the biggest names in the biking world were exhibiting with road safety and advance riding organisations on hand to talk biker safety.

   The Cosford-based Midlands Air Ambulance helicopter was situated at the event and was called out several times during the day, demonstrating the great need to continue to raise funds for the lifesaving service. 

   Jason Levy, Fundraising and Marketing Director for Midlands Air Ambulance charity said, “We were overwhelmed by the level of people who attended both the Ride Out and the Festival.  Bikers make up about a fifth of the air ambulance missions we attend, so their support is hugely appreciated by everyone at the charity.  We trebled our fundraising total from last year and we’re already planning next year’s event, so watch this space.” 

   Bike4Life is also in collaboration with Safer Roads Partnership and West Mercia Police who work tirelessly to promote road safety and to help reduce the number of road traffic collisions across West Mercia.  The event took months of planning and wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Central Motorway Police Group, the Highways Agency and West Mercia Police who ensured the safety of all of the bikers on the Ride Out.

   Vicki Bristow from the Safer Roads Partnership, Road Safety unit for Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police says, “Improving safety for motorbike riders is a big part of what we work on throughout the year so to be part of this event and to talk to bikers, not just in our region but from neighbouring counties was great.  We are really pleased that we were able to support the event and two wonderful local charities and we'd like to thank everyone who turned up to the event, without the support it wouldn't have been possible.  We hope to see everyone again next year!"

    

   Photos from the event will be posted on the Bike4Life website www.bike4lifefest.co.uk and on the official Facebook and Twitter pages over the coming days.

    

   Find out more information about the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity by visiting www.midlandsairambulance.com or for more information on the RAF Museum Cosford visit www.rafmuseum.org. Further details about the Safer Roads Partnership can be found at www.srpwestmercia.org.uk

3. ALLIED MEMORIAL REMEMBRANCE RIDE June 28th 2014

   Posted on 10:00am Saturday 22nd Mar 2014

   The Royal British Legion Riders Branch in association with the American and Canadian veteran riders will be holding their annual Allied Memorial Remberance Ride (AMRR) on Saturday the28th June 2014. The ride will take place in Cambridgeshire starting near Cambridge with a run to the American War Cemetery just outside at Madingley. The event will commence at 12:30 and run from Cambridge Services with the support of Cambridgeshire Police, ride on the A14 into Cambridge and on to the memorial where there will be a short service.
   
   The event this year coincides with Armed Forces Day. It is organised by the Royal British Legion Riders (RBLR) Branch. A UK charity that safeguards the welfare, interests and memory of those who are serving or who have served in the armed forces.
   
   This event is open to all bikers, not just for members of the RBL. Anyone can come and join the ride and show their respects. People who just want to watch the event or to come along and show support at the service are most welcome to attend.
   
   Over a thousand bikers of all ages and interests with bike types from trikes to classics sports to adventurers, are coming from all over the country to attend United Kingdom event. Canada and America are also holding many events at the same time for those fallen heroes of the allied forces past and present who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
   
   At the same time that the UK ride takes place, 7 rides are taking place across United States of America in Texas, Oklahoma, Miami and New Hampshire. In Canada there are 3 rides taking place. There are also rides in South Africa and France.

   
   www.alliedride.org

4. Riding out for charity

   Posted on 10:28am Wednesday 19th Mar 2014

   Calling all bikers….this Spring, bikers from across the Midlands are invited to attend one of the region’s biggest biker events in support of two local charities - Midlands Air Ambulance and the Royal Air Force Museum.

   Taking place on Sunday 27th April, the Bike4Life Festival is being held at the RAF Museum Cosford and is backed by some of the biggest biker organisations, dealerships and suppliers in the UK including Stratstone, Triumph, Harley and Bridgestone. You will find everything a biker could possibly need all in one place and in addition to this, with arena displays, stalls and exhibitions, biker tutorials raising awareness of road safety and live music supported by Planet Rock radio, the atmosphere will be electric. Plus, there will be a spectacular flypast from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire to wow the crowds. 

   This fundraising festival will run from 10:00am to 4:00pm and visitors of all ages, not just bikers are encouraged to come along. There will be plenty of family entertainment including Kiddie Quadz and in the arena there will be a mountain bike display team and a Moto Gymkhana demonstration. Plus, why not have a go and test your strength in the tyre balance game sponsored by Bridgestone where you could be in with a chance of winning a set of Bridgstone tyres worth over £300. Specially commissioned Bike4Life merchandise including biker snoods, hoodies and collectable enamel pin badges will be available to purchase on the day with all proceeds going towards the two event charities.

   Midlands Air Ambulance is the only charity responsible for funding and operating three air ambulances serving six counties within the Midlands. What is not widely known is that the service receives no Government or National Lottery funding. Each time the air ambulance undertakes a mission it costs £2,500, meaning in excess of £6.5 million is needed each year to keep its three air ambulances operational, which is donated entirely by the public and local businesses, with four in ten of those they help, funded by gifts in wills.

   As a national museum, the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford proudly hosts a world class collection of aircraft and aviation memorabilia that can be viewed for free daily from 10am. Exhibits on display include the worlds’ oldest Spitfire, the mighty Vulcan bomber and the Dornier Do17 recently salvaged from the bottom of the English Channel. Additional funding for future expansion, acquisition and development must be found through sponsorship, donations and fundraising events such as this. Funds raised from the Bike4Life event will go towards the upkeep of the exhibits on display.

   RAF Museum Cosford Events Executive, Nina Mitchell says: “After years of holding and developing this event, the 2014 Bike4Life Fest promises to be a great day out for the whole family to enjoy. Year on year, the event has grown from strength to strength and this year the response from the biking community has been phenomenal, with over 1,600 bikers already signed up for the Ride Out, the biggest advanced registration in the events history. We have lots of added extras at this year’s event including a ‘Best in Show’ competition and fantastic live music supported by Planet Rock.”

   In addition to the Festival, bikers have the option of taking part in the Bike4Life Ride Out, gathering at Meole Brace Park and Ride, Shrewsbury from 10am and travelling en mass to the Bike4Life Festival at Cosford, arriving around midday. Entry to the Festival and participation in the Ride Out is free, however we ask bikers to dig deep and make a suitable donation on the day, with all proceeds from the event going towards the running costs of each charity.

   Organisers are anticipating that as the day draws nearer and the weather warms up, hundreds more will show their support. For more information on Bike4Life Festival or to register for the Ride Out, please visit www.bike4lifefest.com. Keep up to date with the latest news and event information by following us on Facebook – Bike4Life Fest or on Twitter @Bike4LifeFest.

   The event is also in collaboration with Safer Roads Partnership and West Mercia Police who work tirelessly to promote road safety and to help reduce the number of road traffic collisions across West Mercia. Bikers can find out more information on the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity by visiting www.midlandsairambulance.com or for more information on the RAF Museum Cosford visit www.rafmuseum.org.
   
   Further details about the Safer Roads Partnership can be found at www.srpwestmercia.org.uk

5. Sign up to the big biker event of the year

   Posted on 2:02pm Thursday 13th Mar 2014

   Bikers from Shropshire and the wider Midlands area are invited to start the season off in style on Sunday 27th April 2014.

   Bike4Life Fest is being held at RAF Museum Cosford in support for two local charities - the Midlands Air Ambulance and Royal Air Force Museum. The event is being run in collaboration with the Safer Roads Partnership and West Mercia Police and this year is being supported by radio station Planet Rock and is set to be the biggest organised biker gathering in the Midlands this year.

   The event will feature various trade stands, bike dealers, arena displays, live music at the Planet Rock stage and refreshments with plenty to entertain the non bikers of the family! The popular Bike4Life Ride Out will also be taking place on the same day, and is expected to attract over 2,000 bikers. Leaving from Meole Brace, Shrewsbury, the 23 mile Ride Out will finish at the event at RAF Museum Cosford where all the bikers can enjoy the entertainment on offer at the Bike4Life Festival.

   There will be the opportunity to speak to various local clubs and dealers, watch the activities on display in the arena and enjoy live music and food with fellow bikers. One of the main focuses of the event will be the opportunity to speak to The Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists (IAM), Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and other trainers to find out more about further training and additional courses that are out there to brush up on your biking skills.

   Vicki Bristow from the Safer Roads Partnership says: “It promises to be a great day out for riders. It doesn’t matter if you’re thinking about buying a bike, just getting started, or have been riding for years and are an experienced biker there will be something there for everyone. Put the 27th April in your diary now so you don’t miss the event!”

   With hundreds of bikers already signed up, organisers are expecting thousands will show their support on the day and join in the fun, so, if you’re a biker and you’re not already registered for the Ride Out or just want to find out more visit www.bike4lifefest.com or call the Bike4Life Festival team on 01902 376 252. Find us on Facebook by searching for Bike4Life Fest and follow us on Twitter @Bike4LifeFest.

   The festival will run from 10:00am to 4:00pm and visitors of all ages, not just bikers are encouraged to come along. Bikers wishing to participate in the ride out MUST have a full licence as the route to the Museum will travel along the M54 motorway.

   Bikers can find out more information on the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity by visiting www.midlandsairambulance.com or for more information on the RAF Museum Cosford visit www.rafmuseum.org.

   Further details about the Safer Roads Partnership can be found at www.srpwestmercia.org.uk