Events

The Black Rat Bikers' Rally -

Sunday, 19 September 2010

The Black Rat Fund is holding a Black Rat Bikers' Rally which will take place on Sunday, 19 September 2010 in Catterick Garrison

The biking community in the UK has consistently shown incredible support for the Armed Forces. Events such as the Allied Memorial Remembrance Ride, the Mother’s Day Ride through Wootton Bassett, and the mass gathering at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire all clearly illustrate the biking community’s desire to show their solidarity with, and respect for serving, veteran, wounded and fallen members of the Armed Forces.

We at the Black Rat Fund would like to ask you to join our Black Rat Bikers' Rally to help support the serving soldiers of the Black Rats, as well as their immediate families.

Currently there are 16 different Regiments and Units that form the 4th Mechanized Brigade during the period of their deployment - this means that the Fund is trying to provide support to over 9,300 serving soldiers and their families. Elements of the Black Rats began deploying to Afghanistan in January 2010, with the rest of the Brigade following in March and April.  The Brigade will still have soldiers from a number of Regiments out on tour until December 2010.

The Black Rat Fund assists through direct welfare and compassionate grants to individuals or families in need or distress, as well as supporting community projects, events and activities which aim to improve and enhance the lives of soldiers and families who are part of the Brigade.

With the Black Rats recent deployment to Afghanistan we want to make sure that the Fund is able to provide whatever assistance is needed to any injured soldiers, both now and in the future.

To make sure that we have funds in place to provide as much support as possible the Black Rat Fund is inviting members of the biking community from all over the United Kingdom to come and take part in the Black Rat Bikers' Rally.  Bikes will meet at Marne Barracks, which is part of Catterick Garrison, and will then set off in groups to do a circuit of the Garrison and some parts of the surrounding area. The ride circuit will take approximately 45 minutes to complete.

The ticket price for each person taking part (whether a rider or passenger) will be £2.00.  However, because we’re sure that our Rally will be a very memorable occasion and a great day out for everyone who attends, we are suggesting you make an additional voluntary donation of £3.00 each for all registered riders and their passengers, making your total outlay £5.00 per person.  All registered riders and their passengers will receive a Black Rat wristband which they can wear on the ride to show their support for the Black Rats.

If anyone does want more than one wristband we will have additional wristbands available.  You can either pre-order these when you complete your online Registration Form, or you will be able to obtain one on the day.  We will also be commissioning souvenir tee-shirts which can be pre-ordered by making an additional donation during registration.  Tee shirts will, wherever possible, be posted to you once we receive your order, so that you can wear it on the day.

The Black Rat Fund website will be opening a Rider Registrations Page for riders to register online for the Rally.  More information will be posted on this website about how to Register from the 14th of May 2010 onwards. Places will be limited so early registration is encouraged. Further information will be released about the details of the event as they are finalised.

Brigadier Richard Felton OBE, Commander of the 4th Mechanized Brigade and the Managing Trustee of the Black Rat Fund, is currently in Afghanistan commanding Task Force Helmand for the duration of the deployment.

Upon hearing about the plan for the Rally he said, “Gaining support for the Fund is particularly crucial now, and will be throughout 2010, which is the period of the Brigade's operational deployment to Afghanistan. Both here in the UK, and in

Afghanistan, members of the Brigade are facing challenging times; challenges which are both personal and professional.

When these men and women suffer distress or need I want the Black Rat Fund to be ready and able to come to their aid.”

He continued, “Without the public’s help, and their generous donations, the Fund cannot continue to provide the kind of additional assistance that members of my Brigade may need in the coming months and years.  In my youth I enjoyed riding motorbikes myself, although these days I don’t find quite so much time to do it. However, everything I know about the biking community tells me that they are incredibly kind and compassionate people, who have never failed to support the Armed Forces. I hope they will support the Black Rats now.”