HUNDREDS of bikers from across Hampshire gathered in Basingstoke this morning (Sunday) to embark on a mass rally in memory of PC Andrew Harper.
Members of the HBB group met in The Harrow Way, near the Viables Craft Centre, before heading up to Oxfordshire for the PC Harper Ride of Respect.
The event is being held as a tribute to the Abingdon-based police officer who died in the line of duty in August.
Thousands of bikers from across the UK and Ireland are expected to join in the ride, where participants will travel en masse from RAF Benson, near Wallingford, to Abingdon Airfield in memory of PC Harper.
A HBB contingent of some 300 bikers assembled in Basingstoke for a 9am departure today, with many having travelled across the county to be involved and some rising as early as 5.30am to be a part of the event.
Keith Longman, who organised the meet-up, says the ride is a part of the biking community that the general public don’t often see, but one that means so much to all involved.
“It’s massive,” he said. “This is our group leaving here and that’s just a splinter group, we’ll be going to Oxfordshire where there’s going to be near on 5,000 taking part.
“As much as it means to the bikers here, it means a lot more to the police.”
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Keith says the group usually get around 150 riders on their regular rides, but nothing quite like the turnout this morning.
The riders departed at 9am, heading down Western Way, along Worting Road and up Roman Road, before continuing to Newbury and on to Oxfordshire where they met with the rest of the riders.
Participants in the Ride of Respect were encouraged to make a £5 donation to cover traffic management costs, with any leftover funds being donated to the family of PC Harper, adding to the total already raised by crowdfunders from across the country.
Keith added: “Through the course of the last few months there’s been donations via the Just Giving page. I think it’s near half a million pounds which goes to the family and other charities.”
HBB will be taking part in another ride for charity next month, when they travel to Thruxton for a fundraiser in aid of the Hampshire branch of SSAFA – the Armed Forces charity.
For more information or to get involved search ‘HBB’ on Facebook.
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