Big-hearted Ride5k members ride to help the homeless
Three-day ride across UK aims to raise £30,000 for Crisis
By Dan Sutherland
Nigel Lomas has combined his love of riding motorcycles a long way with raising money for worthwhile causes and his latest venture could make a huge difference to the homeless. The active #ride5000miles member is organising a threeday event on June 20-23 across the UK in a bid to raise £30,000 to tackle homelessness, with a specific focus on former military personnel.
He said: “I find it offensive that a country like ours doesn’t offer the care that these people need – in particular, military veterans who find themselves living and dying on the streets.” Nigel, 67, rides a Honda Gold Wing and he is now looking for others to join make up a 50-strong convoy, which will begin at the Ace Cafe, London, on Saturday, June 20, before snaking across England, Wales and Scotland – passing through the 11 cities worst affected by homelessness. Travelling around 800 miles, riders must pay for their own accommodation and are also encouraged to gather as many
‘You can go as an admiral or even a pilot’
R5K MEMBER NIGEL LOMAS
donations as possible on the run-up to the start date. The group will stop in each city to collect further donation. To make sure everyone completes the route, bringing up the rear will be a mobile service truck, driven by independent BMW technician, Pat Keenan, from Mobitec. “Nigel asked if anyone wanted to help out and I volunteered,” Pat explained. “You see this sort of thing in the news and when I’m working around London in the truck and it’s astonishing. It needs to be sorted.”
To add to the fun, riders must do the route in militaryinspired dress – an idea Nigel came up with on the Ride Cymru 1000, which sees riders lap Wales dressed as Evel Knievel in aid of Macmillan. “The military garb can be as fancy dress as you like,” Nigel added. “You could be a Napoleonic admiral, or even a pilot. We just want it to become like a travelling carnival.”