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This bank holiday weekend was filled with camaraderie and gratitude, as the motorcycling community gathered to support Holidays for Heroes Jersey. The event was the ninth Big Ride Out.
Sponsored by Islands, the Big Ride Out filled St Catherine’s Breakwater once again with the roar of motorbikes as nearly 1,100 riders gathered for their annual journey across the south coast of Jersey, including one canine pillion with their own helmet and goggles. Before the kickstands were lifted, Islands gave participating riders cups of tea and coffee to help prepare for the gentle and scenic ride with Islands’ staff lending a hand to the St Catherine’s Breakwater Café.
From Tweets to Triumphs, machines of all shapes and sizes rallied together to raise over £11,000 for the local charity, with more donations still being counted. These proceeds will help fund roughly 17 trips to Jersey for wounded veterans and members of the British Forces together with their families.
Safety was the top priority for the organisers, working with States of Jersey Police, the Honorary Police, the Parishes, Ports of Jersey, and the Watersplash to ensure the 2019 Big Ride Out was a safe, enjoyable ride and day out for everyone involved. This year, the Greenman MCC from Guernsey also joined the ride to assist this mission, offering friendly faces to help answer any questions before setting off and a presence throughout the column on the road.
Islands’ Marketing Manager, Gary Kelly, who also took part in the event, commented, “It was amazing to be a part of this community event as both a rider and a sponsor. The Big Ride Out lets you enjoy the beauty of Jersey in a new way, as you know that you’re helping to share this experience with visiting veterans. This event has become a key fixture in the summer calendar for riders in the Channel Islands, and we hope that we can help the Big Ride Out to remain so in the coming years.”
