An historic motorcycle club raised £500 for an all-Wales lifesaving charity through a variety of different fundraising events.
The Herefordshire and Mid Wales Section of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club came together in aid of the Wales Air Ambulance.
There were two main events that contributed to the fundraising, including Chairman Terry Pickering holding a barbecue at his home where all members put money into a collection.
The second fundraiser was the Herefordshire on the Edge, the club’s annual riding event.
Members had to plot a route around the edge of Herefordshire plus dipping into surrounding counties sometimes.
The members were given a list of locations (waypoints) which are usually buried in deepest countryside and they have to plot a route to visit as many as possible.
Each location had a question associated with it and members had to find the answer at the location.
The popular event attracted over 100 riders, including locals as well as people from all over the UK and a few from Holland.
The club, has more than 10,000 members and caters to riders of motorcycles over 25 years old, with some owning bikes more than a century old.
The club covers a huge area, embracing the counties of Herefordshire, Powys and parts of Ceredigion. It has members in Aberystwyth in the west and Malvern in the east and from Monmouth in the south to Llandiloes in the north Powys.
Wales Air Ambulance volunteer Brian Tolley was delighted to receive the cheque from Builth resident Gary Jones and Vintage Motor Cycle Club President Elect, Roger Bibbings MBE.
It is believed this is the first year the club has raised funds for the Wales Air Ambulance, although they have raised funds for other charities previously. A spokesperson for the club said: “We decided on Wales Air Ambulance as it is close to our heart. If a motorcyclist is injured in an accident then they are often the service that will come out to take them to hospital.
“Motorcyclists are much more vulnerable than car drivers and therefore more likely to be injured when things go wrong. Wales Air Ambulance needs more than £11 million a year to run, so they need a lot of contributions to keep going.”
The Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.
It is delivered via a unique third sector and public sector partnership. The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £11.2 million required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.
As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.
Kate Thomas, Mid Wales Regional Fundraising Manager for Wales Air Ambulance said: “A huge thank you to everyone at the Herefordshire and Mid Wales section of the Vintage Motor Cycle Club, who raised a wonderful £500 for our lifesaving Charity. Their successful fundraising events sounded like great fun and aimed at all motor cycle club members.
“The Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. The club’s fundraising will help us to continue to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most. Thank you so much to everyone who played a part in raising the £500. We really appreciate your support.”
The Powys meetings are held at the Greyhound Hotel, Builth Wells at 7.30pm on the first Thursday of each month.
