Up to 50 motorcyclists ride from Edinburgh to London - taking
the longest route possible!
Members of the xrv.org.uk adventure
motorcycle forum will hold The Longest Day 2009 charity event in aid of
Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, the
charity that grants magical wishes to children and young
people fighting life-threatening illnesses.
The bikers will visit five capital cities in 24 hours. Starting at Edinburgh Castle, they
will ride via Belfast, Dublin and Cardiff to London,
finishing at the famous Ace Café on the longest day of the year, 21 June.
This
follows last year's event, which saw the team ride from John O'Groats to Land's
End in one day, raising more than £15,000 for charity.
In December 2007, over 100
bikers came together from across the country to fulfil the wish of a very brave
boy fighting a rare form of cancer. Jack Kyte, aged six, loved the sight and
sound of motorbikes and wished to see and hear the biggest and loudest
motorbikes drive past his house.
He was thrilled to see the huge
convoy which rolled up and rode past his home in Slough. It was
a remarkable gesture from the bikers, who made a tremendous effort to turn up
with Santa hats, decorations and presents to make their visit really special
for Jack. The convoy was made up of motorbikes from the British Motorcyclists
Federation, Harley Davidson Clubs, the London Sidecar Club, and GoldWing Owners
Clubs.
Sadly, after spending Christmas and
New Year at home with his family, Jack died on Saturday 5 January 2008. His parents, Paul
and Maxine, have expressed their gratitude to everyone who helped to grant Jack's
wish and Paul said: "It was a day not to forget. You should have seen his little eyes light up
when all the motorbikes were coming past the house and as he opened all of his
presents."
You can see the support from these bikers
means so much to Make-A-Wish, especially when times are difficult. To find out
more and to get involved in the fantastic ride for wishes all participants need
is a bike and a sponsorship form.
They have also set up a fundraising page - www.justgiving.com/thelongestday2009 - where supporters can donate money easily and securely.
This year, over 1,000 children will
ask Make-A-Wish for a wish. It is thanks
to the kind donations at events like these and others across the UK that Jack
was able to see his favourite bikes. These magical wishes can only continue
with this huge support.