Being Evel for a good cause

One of the things that has made us smile here in the OBM Shed recently is Ride Cymru Knievels’ fundraising venture to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Instead of sitting in baths of baked beans or doing sponsored parachute jumps,

Ride Cymru MCC came up with a frankly bonkers but truly excellent idea; Being

Evel for a Good Cause. For five days at the beginning of June, participants undertook to ride for up to 10 hours a day for five consecutive days … while dressed as

Evel Knievel.

Over the long Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, riders journeyed from the capitals of Great Britain – Cardiff, Edinburgh and London – with riders choosing which to attend. One of the stops in London was at the iconic Ace Café where the 50 Evels were joined by long-time supporter

Richard Jones of the Welsh pop group Stereophonics (also in full Evel costume) as well as former stunt rider Eddie Kidd OBE who was made an honorary member of the Ride Cymru MCC.

Over the five days, the Evels visited Brooklands, played football and formed an impromptu guard of honour for a couple getting married at Gretna Green and generally appear to have had a very good time. The Ride Cymru Knievels is just a fantastically British idea that made a lot of people smile (including us) and, as we go to press, it has raised close to £40,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Here at OBM we would like to doff our hats to organiser Jason Lewis and to all the good gentlemen and gentleladies who donned Evel jumpsuits and took part. You are all stars.

A pair of newlyweds at Gretna Green with a guard of honour of Evel Knievel. And Evel Knievel. And Evel Knievel…

The Evels at Tower Bridge in London.

Eddie Kidd OBE with the Evels at the Ace Café in London.

The Evels meet Concorde at the Brooklands Museum in Surrey.

The somewhat bizarre sight of a dozen Evel Knievels having afternoon tea at the Owls Nest Tea Rooms in Llandovery, Wales.