South Yorkshire Motorcycle Egg Run in aid of Sheffield children’s Hospital

The Egg Run started in 2000 to raise enough money to buy 300 chocolate Easter eggs for Sheffield Children’s Hospital, with the help of South Yorkshire Police Motorcycle section, and a few other motorcycle clubs in the area, this has now grown into an annual event with around 200 motorcycles taking part each year

The South Yorkshire Motorcycle Egg Run in aid of Sheffield Children’s Hospital took place with the motorcade of 200 motorcycles departing from the police operation centre, (wait for it) Letsby Avenue (believe me, try it in your Sat Nav!!!), Catcliffe, Sheffield at 10am.

This was the 8th Egg Run on behalf of the Sheffield Children’s hospital but the first time I’d been part of it. Having walked the dog, I left home around 8:35 with Letsby Avenue programmed into the Sat Nav (still thinking it was a wind up) and arrived at the Operations Centre at 9-am. I was one of the first to arrive, which I’d planned to do giving me opportunities to take some pictures of the bikes arriving at the rendezvous. Over the next hour bike after bike arrived, individually and some in packs, some familiar faces and some in fancy dress. James Toseland was inside the building posing for pictures with anyone that asked, and a small display was set up outlining the Police Motorcycle Section history and “Bike Safe” (which I’m already booked on in May). Shortly before 10-am the police asked us into the building for a pre-ride briefing. We were instructed to ride in pairs, keeping the pack tight and on dual carriageways using lane 2 allowing the police motorcycles to travel past us on our nearside in lane 1 as and when they needed to. After the briefing we headed to our bikes, once again I was riding the Pan and I rode it up to the rest of the bikes and waited for the start.

With engines ticking over we waited for the start, James Toseland was to lead the ride and soon he rode past all of us to the front, soon we were off. Leaving the PO Centre we jostled for our positions which sorted itself out straight away. I had a Suzuki Bandit to my right and an old Triumph Trident in front of me. I saw James ride past us and into “Pole position” then soon the pack started to move off. As I travelled out of the PO centre and approached the first roundabout I saw a police motorcycle stopping traffic to allow all the bike to join the roundabout in one giant pack, this was to be the normal at all the road junctions as we continued our journey to the Sheffield Children’s hospital. We turned left onto Shepcote Lane then right onto Greenland’s Road then we seem to come over the brow of a hill and the sight in front of me was fantastic. I was on high ground, towards the back of the pack and looking over all of them towards the front. I could see the pack winding it’s way around road work and the police blocking the a joining roads to allow the pack to pass safely. My speed throughout the ride was between almost stationary to a maximum of 25-mph yet I managed not to put my foot down to the road until we started queuing for the hospital car park.

Once parked outside of the children’s hospital I made my way through the masses of bikers and finally met up with some of the guys and the partners from the Three Shires HOC. James Toseland was close by and giving as much of his time as he could to the kids and everyone. I tried to get a photo of him but it was bedlam at this moment. I chatted to others around for a while still looking towards James ready to seize my opportunity to get close to him. Finally I manage to get close but James’s attention was taken by the kids and bikers wanting autographs but soon my turn came and I got the chance to wish him good luck for the coming season and take a picture of him. “Good luck in 2007 James”

Soon the masses started to disperse and I was not sure if we’d get a chance to get out for a run afterwards. I was about to head home when I met a couple who had previously placed a card on my bike for the “Pan Clan”. We chatted for quite a while before they mounted up on their Pan 1300 and left. By now I was about to head for home but met up with a couple of club members and after a drink we decided to head into the Peak District for a short ride to Derwent Water and where the dam was that the Dambusters used to practice on before their raids on the Dams in Germany during WWII. After a walk up to the Dam we returned to our bikes and headed for home.

This had been a fantastic day that I am so glad I took part in. I’m not sure at this moment by I know we raised over £2,500 for the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity and the money is still rolling in. Thanks everyone, Thanks James