Bikers pay tribute to RAF Lyneham ahead of Wootton Bassett charity ride (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Bikers pay tribute to RAF Lyneham ahead of Wootton Bassett charity ride

5:46pm Friday 12th March 2010

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Organisers of the 10,000-bike charity ride through Wootton Bassett this Sunday visited RAF Lyneham today to pay thanks to the air base on behalf of Afghan Heroes.

Organiser Julia Stevenson lead the group of bikers from the Cross Keys pub in Wootton Bassett to RAF Lyneham, and they were joined by some RAF personnel who were on the ride on Sunday.

The group met Station Commander Group Captain John Gladston to present a glass plaque to show the thanks Afghan Heroes feels for the role RAF Lyneham takes in repatriations.

Afghan Heroes is the charity which will benefit from the bike ride, as each person who attended paid at least £5 to the charity.

Gp Cpt Gladston said: “I think it is terrific.

“The support we get from the local community and charities like Afghan Heroes is absolutely astonishing.

“This is a fitting mark of respect from the Afghan Heroes Charity.”

Speaking directly to the bikers, he added: “I would like to say thank you on behalf of the whole of Lyneham.

“We highly value the support you give us.”

RAF Lyneham is where the bodies of soldiers are flown back to before they are driven through Wootton Bassett towards Oxford.

Bike ride organiser Julia Stevenson said: “It is an honour and privilege to visit Royal Air Force Lyneham and present the Station Commander with this award for all his people as a ‘thank-you’ to the essential work that they accomplish here.

“I can’t believe I am here and I am totally overwhelmed.

“We’ve just driven down here from Kent.”

The group stopped in the Cross Keys Pub in Wootton Bassett, which has become well known for supporting the families of repatriated soldiers.

Ms Stevenson added: “Kirsty has been very kind.

“I think the people of Wootton Bassett are lovely and the majority of the people in the town do support us.”

Squadron Leader John Kirk is based at Lyneham and was part of the bike ride on Sunday and has been riding a bike since he was 18.

He said: “A massive thanks to Julia for all the effort she has put in.

“We are bikers so we appreciate the effort.

“For all those people to come together and raise all that money is fantastic.”

Sqn Ldr Kirk met with the bikers from Kent and rode with them from Wootton Bassett to Lyneham.

Check back here on Sunday evening for a report and reaction to the ride

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