SUPPORTING CHARITY
Each year SAM supports a charity and uses events throughout the year to raise funds for it. This year we have decided to support the excellent work of the Suffolk Accident Rescue Service.
From 2009 to 2014 SAM raised funds for the St. Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich with an annual motorcycle run.
The 2014 Run
The sixth St Elizabeth Hospice Motorcycle Run took place on Sunday 23rd June, 2013. You can see more details of the 2014 run in these various articles online.
The 2013 Run
The fifth St Elizabeth Hospice Motorcycle Run took place on Sunday 23rd June, 2013. Around 300 registered bikers took to the roads and raised £3,000+.
You can read more details here on the Hospice’s own website.
The 2012 Run
The fourth St Elizabeth Hospice Motorcycle Run took place on Sunday 24th June, 2012. Despite the dreadful weather around 250 registered bikers took to the roads and raised £5,000+.
You can read more details here on the Hospice’s own website.
The 2011 Run
The third St Elizabeth Hospice Motorcycle Run took place on Sunday 26th June, 2011. Around 450 registered bikers took to the roads and raised £5,000+.
A new route was used this year, starting at Stonham Barns before heading cross country to Tunstall, Woodbridge and then onward to Felixstowe
The event received plenty of good publicity and you can view various media using the links below.
Please note the sites linked to below are not the responisibility of Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists and are provided so that you can see the great publicity the event received.
The 2010 Run Presentation
The second St Elizabeth Hospice Motorcycle Run took place on Sunday 9th May, 2010. Around 400 bikers took to the roads and raised £5,000.
The scenic route started from Orwell Motorcycles in Ipswich and went via Hintlesham towards Hadleigh than out towards Lavenham and Bildeston before making its way to Great Blakenham and Claydon and ending at the A14 Orwell Crossing Truck Stop.
The event, which was covered by the local newspaper and local TV news, was supported by Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists, and Ray Walters, owner of Orwell Motorcycles. Around 40 SAM members and friends helped on the day with bike parking, Static and Mobile Guiding, and publicity.
The Hospice’s community fundraiser Rachael Mittell, who helped organise the event, said: “The atmosphere was excellent and the bikers were very generous. We were really pleased with the turn out and people were in high spirits despite the rain.”
“I would like to thank everyone who took part as well as Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists and Ray Walters for all their help. To raise £5,000 for the Hospice in one morning was fantastic and will really make a difference.”
Rachael Mittell (St Elizabeth Hospice) just before her first ride as a pillion rider on a motorcycle.
We hope to see everyone again at next year’s St Elizabeth Hospice Motorcycle Run. The date for the 2011 event will be announced this autumn, and will be announced here as soon as the date is set.
The 2010 Run Presentation
The 2010 launch event – Derek Barker (Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists), Rachael Mittell (St Elizabeth Hospice), Ray Walters (Orwell Motorcycles) and Rob Day (also from SAM).
The 2010 launch event – Mark Murphy (BBC Radio Suffolk) interviews Rachael Mittell (St Elizabeth Hospice) and Ray Walters (Orwell Motorcycles) for his radio show.
The 2009 Run Presentation
The money raised by the run, a fantastic £6,500, was recently handed over to the Hospice representative Patsy Johnson by the organisers of the run, Rob Day and Derek Barker of Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists, and Ray Walters, owner of Orwell Motorcycles in Ipswich.
Patsy Johnson (on bike), from St Elizabeth Hospice, receiving bags stuffed full of cash, some in the helmet, from Rob Day (left), Derek Barker (seated) and Ray Walters.
The 2009 Run
Sunday May 10th 2009 saw the first running of the St Elizabeth Hospice Motorcycle Run. The sun shone down, and motorcyclists from all walks of life, on all types of machines, from Suffolk and the surrounding area, descended on Orwell Motorcycles in Ipswich filling their parking area in preparation for the cavalcade winding its way to the SuffolkRide.Net motorcycle show.
When the event was first organised by Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists, Orwell Motorcycles and the hospice, the plan was to have 250 motorcycles attend so that all the organisational bugs could be ironed out before attempting a bigger event in 2010. Well word of mouth, the sunshine, and a cause that has touched most families in some way soon altered that, and over 600 bikes turned up, keeping the organisers and the snack bar very busy.
With so many bikes taking part the proceeds were significantly increased from our target, and at the time of writing aprox. £6000 has been raised with money still coming in from people who got friends and family to contribute as well.
The ride through the country roads of Suffolk, and finally along the A14 to Felixstowe was greeted by many bystanders lining the route, waving and cheering the riders on their way. It was a fantastic spectacle to see, and a source of great postive publicity for motorcycling in general. Thanks must go to all those people who helped organise, marshal and park the bikes at Felixstowe, as without them the event could not have happened or run so smoothly.
We hope you all enjoyed yourself, and that you will take part again next year, bringing your mates on their bikes along to swell the numbers and proceeds.
Publicity & Media
SAM’s Photo Gallery shows the bikes assembling in Ipswich
Please note the sites linked to below are not the responsibility of Suffolk Advanced Motorcyclists and are provided so that you can see the great publicity the event received.
Felixstowe TV have a nice little clip mainly about the Suffolk Ride motorcycle show, but the Hospice gets a mention from the Air Ambulance spokeswoman. You can also see the cavalcade riding along the A14 and arriving at Felixstowe’s seafront.
Liz Ordinary’s Blog entry, describing her first experience of an organised motorcycle charity run.
Adi of East of England Bikers.Com review and photos from the event.
Mihai Georgescu’s Photo Gallery of the Suffolk Ride Motorcycle Show.
In previous years we have raised £3000 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, £1100 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, £495 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and £500 for Riding For The Disabled Association (Shotley). We also have a regular Easter Egg run to the children’s wards of Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds hospitals.
EACH Cheque Presentation
Easter Egg Run 2005
East Anglian Air Ambulance Cheque Presentation
