10,000 bikes at Wootton Bassett in tribute to Army heroes (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

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10,000 bikes at Wootton Bassett in tribute to Army heroes

11:13am Thursday 11th March 2010 in Royal Wootton Bassett By Nicola Curtis

Wiltshire is used to seeing bikes on the roads, like at the annual motorcyle meet in Calne, above, but nothing like on the scale of Sunday’s ride

An idea first aired on social networking site Facebook will become a spectacular reality on Sunday when 10,000 bikers cruise through Wootton Bassett to show their support from soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

The tribute, which will raise up to £50,000 for the charity Afghan Heroes, was first suggested on a Facebook group three months ago.

More than 10,000 people joined the group and have registered to take part in the ride. All the participants will pay £5 to the charity.

The group was set up by 18-year-old Lizzie Stevens from Luton but it was pensioner Julia Stevenson from Kent who has brought it to fruition by organising it.

Bikers from all over the country will be arriving in Wiltshire on Saturday night. They will meet at Buckley Barracks in Hullavington on Sunday before heading to Wootton Bassett from l1am.

The ride begins at Hull-avington and continues on A429 (north west to Burton Hill), B4042 (Priory roundabout to Callows Cross), Callow Hill to White Hill Lane and the A3102 to Wootton Bassett.

The bikers will be going straight up the High Street and the official ride will be ending at the Coped Hall roundabout.

Wootton Bassett Town Council is appealing for bikers to stay out of the town once they have completed the ride. Admin assistant Melanie Nicholls said: “The last pulse is expected to come through at about 6pm, so by then it will be getting dark and cold and there will be nothing to come back in for.

“It won’t help their cause, of that of Afghan Heroes, if they come back into the town.”

Baz Morgan, 54, of Port Talbot, Wales, grew up in Wootton Bassett and is looking forward to returning to his home town.

He was born in Lyneham and then moved to Wootton Bassett when he was a toddler.

He joined the Royal Engineers and spent time in Germany and Northern Ireland. He said: “This ride means a lot to me. It is unbelievable.”

Steve Roach , 31, comes from Melksham and rides a Yamaha R1.

He said: “There is a group of eight of us from Melksham. It is a way we can give Wootton Bassett a bit of appreciation for what they do.”

Trainee bike instructor Paul Day, 55, of Oakhurst in Swindon, said he can’t wait to take his place in the procession on his Harley Davidson.

He will be meeting more than 50 fellow members of two bike groups, the Rolling Hills Harley Davidson group from Cheltenham and the Oxford UK Chapter.

He said: “ The organisers have it spot on, as have the police, as they always do. I think it is going to be a one off and it is going to be some spectacle.”

Timetable

Saturday afternoon -

Bikers begin to arrive at camp sites and hotels in Wiltshire. warning signs go up on M4 and surrounding roads.

Sunday -

8am: Bikers begin assembling at Buckley Barracks, Hullavington. Police teams are briefed.

10.45am: Presentation of cheque by bike ride organisers to Afghan Heroes.

10.55am: Tim Pitten sings Fields Of Green, a song written for the charity.

11am: First wave of 500 bikers leaves for Wootton Bassett.

11.30am: Second wave leaves.

6pm: Bikers begin to disperse.

Comments(18)

Worz says...
12:16pm Thu 11 Mar 10

OK let's collect the facts, and do the basic arithmetic:
10,000 (or more) bikes
11am: First wave of 500 bikers leaves
11.30am: Second wave leaves
.
Waves of 500 bikes, every half hour = 10 hours to get them all through.
.
Therefore 11:00am start, 6:00pm finish = twaddle.
Therefore Nicola Curtis and/or Melanie Nicholls = pillock.
.
Adver, please can we have some facts instead of this nonsense?