The Isle of Man goes Santa mad
Hundreds of biking Santas raise thousands for charity on Isle of Man
The first-ever motorcycle Santa run has taken place on the Isle of Man, raising thousands of pounds for the children’s wing of the Isle of Man Hospice, Rebecca House. Starting at the TT Grandstand and after a quick tour of Douglas Promenade an estimated 200 bikes rode to Castletown around the Southern 100 course, before convoying to the grounds of Noble’s Hospital and heading back to the Grandstand for tea and mince pies.
The event was organised by island resident Oli Allen, and raised over £4000 for the respite, palliative and end-of-life care for children up to the age of 18. The event was part of a larger group of processions known collectively as Santa’s on a Bike which include rideouts in Devon, Bristol, Essex and Plymouth. Last year, a total of £20,000 was raised across all events with over 1000 bikes taking part. “I originally went along as a rider and had a really good time,” Allen told MCN. “It was for a good cause and I loved the idea behind it. I got talking to the organiser of the Bristol ride, who wanted to take a break for a few years
‘We decided to do something a bit different’ ORGANISER OLI ALLEN
and wondered if I wanted to do it. “We decided to do something a bit different to just riding the TT course, because we thought the Mountain section wouldn’t be that good at this time of year, with tinsel wrapped around the bikes.”