Chairman's Blog

A fine display of machines - and owners

Following a request from Paul Johnson, a member of a nearby GWOCGB region, I asked members of Goldwings North Wales to assist at Asda, Queensferry. They had approached Paul and asked for a static display to assist them with their charity day in aid of Tickled Pink Campaign, which raises funds for Breast Cancer Campaign and Breast Cancer Care.

Without knowing who was turning up to assist, Jan and I went to Asda for 11 am this morning to find the display area set aside for all the bikes nearly full, with others in view behind us.  Paul was happily marshalling bikes into parking spots. I know he was pleased as he hoped for a total of 10 bikes

Fine example of charity collectors

throughout the day to give a static display lasting between 11 am and 4 pm.

There were 10 bikes there at 11am and this number increased throughout the day to 17 bikes together at the peak time and overspill display areas being utilised.

Members of Goldwings North Wales who attended were Jan and Myself, Steve and Colette, Alun and Sheila, Nigel and Joanna, Kevin, Carl and Maureen, John and Marilyn, Chalkey, Dennis, Paul and Jan, and Pete. We were also visited by Chris and Amy, who were in the car as they had an additional passenger with them.

Bikes on display came from quite far afield and included Halifax (Chalkey) and Dolgellau (John and Marilyn).  It was quite varied with a 1200 trike,  two 1500 trikes, two 1800 trikes, and the solos being a fair mix of 1500s and 1800s.

Would you buy a used car off these?

There was a lot of interest shown by the shoppers and the charity buckets became heavier as the day drew on.

It was a good opportunity  for all the wingers for catching up with gossip with other wingers they hadn’t seen for some time.

Asda kindly allowed the Goldwingers who were displaying their bikes to use the staff kitchen facilities which were gratefully received on what was quite a cool though very sunny day.

I have no idea how much the efforts of all the Goldwingers helped the charity collections, but I was only too glad to be of assistance to the cause.

We are always glad to help local charities or other organisations with our crowd-pleasing display of GoldWings. Events our members have been involved with include Toy Runs, Pet Food rides, Rotary rides, Santa’s sleigh escorts, Help for Heroes Display, Troops Support events, Easter Egg Runs, Lifeboat Open Days, Harvest Festivals, Wales Air Ambulance collections, Owain Glyndwr Tours, as well as numerous other daytime parades and static displays and night time light displays and parades.

Please get in touch if you would like us to help you with a worthwhile cause.

(Asda launched the Tickled Pink campaign back in 1996 to raise money to help improve the lives of people with breast cancer, both now and in the future. Entering its 13th year, Asda’s Tickled Pink campaign benefits two breast cancer charities – Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Campaign – and since it started, their work has raised over £20 million.)

See lots of  photos of the event in our photo gallery

Dave T