THERE was high emotion as 160 burly bikers dressed as Father Christmas rode past the £100,000 mark for terminally ill children at the weekend.
The motorcyclists were taking part in their sixth annual Christmas run around the Tees Valley on Saturday to raise money for the Great North Air Ambulance and Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice.
And there were tears of happiness in two emotionally charged events following the 22-mile run through Thornaby, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Redcar seafront ending at the historic Kirkleatham Hall.
Usually children and staff from Zoe’s Place go to Kirkleatham, near Redcar, to meet the cavalcade for Santa’s motorbiker helpers but this year they couldn’t attend due to staffing problems and the nature of the children’s illnesses.
“About 30 of us decided that if they couldn’t come to us, we’d just have to go to them,” said organiser, retired policeman Brian Laverick. “It was a lovely moment, the kids were so excited and it brought home what it was all about.”
After their trip to Zoe’s Place the same 30 bikers, all members of the organising Boundary 500 group, paid a visit to their oldest member, 75-year-old Alan Wright.
“Alan had suffered a stroke not long before,” explained Mr Laverick, “so he couldn’t take part. He and his wife were devastated they couldn’t be there so we paid a visit to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough. We parked outside and he came to the window in tears. It was very emotional.
“The whole event was absolutely fantastic this year. There were kids smiling, adults tooting their horns. Just fantastic.”
Mr Laverick said that the first run involved just 28 bikers who raised £1,500 for their chosen charities. The previous five events have grown every year and raised just under £90,000 and they hope this year’s takings will take them over £100,000.
The Boundary 500 group, so-called because the Great North Air Ambulance covers about 500 miles with no public funding, have raised £367,000 for their two charities in various events over the years.
Mr Laverick stressed the group’s thanks to the councils, police and Fire Brigade for making the charity ride possible.
To donate visit the website at boundary500.co.uk
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