Roll your egg…

On Sunday 06 April WTTR supporters turned up at Rouken Glen Garden Centre near Linlithgow to join the Forth Gear / WTTR / Bikers Cove Easter Egg Run. 

The sun shone as a variety of bikes arrived and parked-up in our designated area of the car park. The was a real party atmosphere helped by our surprise "special guest" - BaxterBear - who is the most positive bear in the world! It was also brilliant to see how many bikers made an effort to wear bunny-ears and other Easter paraphernalia too. 

As always, Kaz Holmes provided the assembled riders, pillions and passengers with a thorough safety-briefing. There was a final group photo, and then BaxterBear climbed aboard Jockie Reid’s trike in readiness for the off.

Although the run wasn’t long, there’s no denying that a procession of 52 motorbikes is impressive. En-route people stopped to wave, take photos and cheer as we rode by. The combined noise of our engines also shook a sleepy South Queensferry as we passed through it on our way to our final destination, the Bikers Cove.

All the donated Easter Eggs - so far 489 of them!!! - will be given to the Venchie Children and Young People’s Project and Kinsfolk Carers Edinburgh - two local charities that are significant to members of Forth Gear, WTTR and the Bikers Cove. In return everyone was treated a selection of yummy cakes to accompany our much needed teas and coffees.

WTTR would like to thank the management of Rouken Glen Garden Centre Linlithgow for allowing us to use their car park for the start of the Easter Egg Bike Run. We’d also like to say a big thanks to Forth Gear and the Bikers Cove for looking after us so well at the end of our ride too. In addition many thanks to our route planners and route marshals - who helped us to get this event up and running and ensure the roads were clear for our procession to take place safely and without incident.

Finally we’d like to that everyone who turned up to support this event - bikers, pillions, passengers, supporters. All the eggs will be going to great causes and you’ve helped to make someone’s Easter extra special. Your all stars!

For more photos of this event see the WTTR Flickr feed and then why not join the other 576 WTTR supporters and become one of our Facebook friends too.

- Derek Green, WTTR Media & Communications

Teamwork

Last weekend War-Torn Troops Remembered took part in the MCN Carole Nash Scottish Motorcycle Show. We'd been given our own stand this year. The WTTR/Poppyscotland motorbike certainly turned lots of heads, as it was displayed at this event for the very first time. The teas, coffees, music and video-wall certainly seemed to hit the spot. As someone commented "…it was like having the Bikers Cove at the show!" Fantastic! That's just the relaxed kind of vibe we were aiming for.

Lots of preparation went into getting our stand together and without the help of our amazing supporters its doubtful that we would have pulled it off. 

WTTR would like to say a massive thanks to everyone who entrusted us with their motorbikes for the duration of the show. We also want to send out a huge "thank-you" to everyone who made and donated sandwiches and cakes for the stand - they were all delicious and went down a real treat! Thanks also to everyone who helped us on the stand – Leeanne, John, Tom, Faye, Billy, Kev, Jim, Kaz, Jocky – you guys were outstanding! 

If I've missed anyone out - then please accept my apologies - with so much help being provided to us it was difficult to keep track of who did what - but you know who you are and WTTR is indebted to you for your time and commitment.

Finally we'd also like to say thanks to the generous public who help us to raise over £850 for Poppyscotland - our chosen charity. We know this money will be put to excellent use. 

So on behalf of the WTTR team, thank-you!

Derek Green, Media & Communications

   

A Very Grave Matter

When I took over looking after the WTTR Riders twitter feed from co-founder Karen Holmes last year I wasn't sure what to expect. I don't know why I was so apprehensive. Usually there is good biker and military chat from the groups and individuals we follow and as a result I'm being enlightened and I'm learning loads. 

A couple of weeks ago I started to see photos of local war memorials and graves that had been photographed by @saltirechaz. In one tweet Charlie mentioned a war graves project he was participating in, and in another tweet there was a link to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. All of this was just too interesting for me to pass by. So I contacted Charlie directly to find out more about the project and what he was up to. 

"I got involved with the War Graves Project by accident. I was waiting for a bus by Comely Bank cemetery and saw a sign saying 'Commonwealth War Graves' at the entrance. I had a quick look in and thought I need to come back here with the camera - which I duly did and discovered a great memorial in the cemetery. I took some pictures and looked on the CWGC website which directed me to the The War Graves Photographic Project."

I sent off an email and the CWGC got in touch to say that they already had loads of photos of various war graves in Edinburgh. However they asked me if I would be interested in take more up-to-date photos for them. This is what I'm doing at the moment. Last weekend I was in Seafield Cemetery, which I know very well as used to live nearby, and I took about 190 pictures.

I'll be out again this weekend but haven't decided which cemetery to visit yet."

If you'd like to see some more of Charlie's photos - like the Commando Memorial above - then please visit his War Memorials set on Flickr. They're certainly worth a look. 

Derek Green; WTTR Media & Communications

Thank-you

Early January is traditionally a time when we all look back with pride on what we've achieved in the previous 12 months. It's also the time when we look forward with purpose and excitement to the goals and challenges we have set ourselves in the year ahead. 

2013 was a tremendous year for War-Torn Troops Remembered and has provided us with a solid foundation upon which to build. In February we kicked our events programme off with an informal meet-and-greet at the Southsider Bar in Edinburgh. It was well attended and provided us with an opportunity to meet so many of you, who have regularly turned-out month after month to support us. 

Those of us who participated in the Forth Gear's Easter Egg run in South Queensferry certainly felt the March winds, but thankfully by late spring and early summer the sun started to shine and the temperatures in Scotland rose as we took part in the Bathgate, Newtowngrange and Seafield Gala Days. 

WTTR was honoured to be part of the Edinburgh Armed Forces Day and Parade of Colours in Coldstream. We had a significant number of bikers at both events - which helped us to raise our profile, communicate to people what we do, and let them know who we raise money for.

Our main "Ride of Respect" event to Princes Street Gardens, in the autumn, surpassed all our expectations. We were overwhelmed by the number of bikers who came along to support our event and by the distances many of you had travelled in order to attend. 

The October event was also the perfect opportunity for C.Sgt James Thomson - one of WTTR's founding members - to reveal his WTTR/Poppyscotland motorcycle. As you can see from the photo above, it really is a unique machine. We know it'll be an amazing ambassador for both organisations in the months and years ahead - so expect another blogpost on how this bike came about very soon.

In the closing weeks of 2013 the WTTR/Poppyscotland motorbike was at Murrayfield for the Scotland versus South Africa rugby match and most significantly was present at Poppyscotland Remembrance events. 

On behalf WTTR's Committee I'd like to say "Thank-you" to all the bikers, pillions and passengers who have come along to support our events in the past 12 months. Thanks to those of you who have bought club merchandise, written blogposts, and have raised cash donations for us in your own unique ways. Thanks also to the companies and individuals who helped create the WTTR/Poppyscotland motorbike. Your time, commitment and generosity is outstanding. Thanks to all the members of the public who have photographed us, chatted to us, sat on our motorbikes, and most importantly put cash into the Poppyscotland tins. Your support provides us with great strength. 

We also need to say thank-you to everyone at Poppyscotland - especially Fraser, Alice, Kirstie and Leigh - for having the vision to support War-Torn Troops Remembered and to assist us in bringing the WTTR/Poppyscotland motorbike into reality. We look forward to helping you promote the amazing work your organisation does for our ex-Servicemen and Servicewoman through the next year.

Looking ahead, plans by WTTR for 2014 events are already in progress. As soon as we have firm confirmations we'll be updating our website, so don't forget to check the Events page for more information.

Finally may we pass on our best wishes to you for 2014. 

Derek Green; WTTR Media and Communications

Bertie the Biker

When this picture from the Birmingham Mail was posted on the Motorcycle Funerals Limited Facebook page in January it attracted a lot of attention. It shows our founder Paul Sinclair riding on the funeral of WW2 dispatch rider Arthur Craythorne in Solihull. The story was even picked up and run by the German press.

Here in Scotland we also served at a funeral for a WWII veteran recently.  

In November 2011 we met a man from Helensburgh at an exhibition. He explained how he had seen our Triumph hearse the previous day and had called his dad, who was in his 90’s, and told him about us. He explained that his dad had ridden his bikes until he was well into his 80’s and that he was really interested in our service. The following day he emailed me to say he was worried about his father who he said was “sitting revving up his armchair”. As I was visiting the town a few weeks later I was invited round to the elderly gentleman’s home, together with the hearse, for my lunch so he could see one.  A surreal experience I can assure you.

I spent a wonderful couple of hours with Bertie Weir, known locally as Bertie the Biker, and despite the stormy weather he carried out a detailed inspection and liked what he saw.

Unfortunately in September 2012 I took a call from James Auld Funeral Directors and Jim explained that Bertie had passed away and that my services were required.  

When I arrived at the funeral home on the day of the funeral I found that Bertie’s coffin was something special.  

His son told me that when war became imminent he joined the TA and, as so many did, he and his wife to be advanced their wedding plans, marrying on 14 September 1939. By a strange quirk of fate the day of his funeral would have been their seventy-third wedding anniversary.

During the war he served in various regiments including the Highland Light Infantry (H.L.I) and Enniskillens and at the age of only twenty-two he was a Major in charge of a company of men.  

However Bertie spent the majority of the war in Africa where he served with the Somaliland Camel Corps. To celebrate his military service when he passed away the family arranged to have Bertie’s coffin adorned with pictures of camels set against a desert background provided by Colourful Coffins.  Bertie’s Kullah (Camel Corps head dress) travelled on top of his coffin. Instead of being a sad day it was a celebration of all Bertie enjoyed in his life and it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces.

Rest in Peace Bertie the Biker, it was an honour to meet and serve you.

– Alistair Tait, Motorcycle Funerals Limited

An Important Statement from WTTR

We are aware that one or two individuals are not happy that WTTR changed its status earlier this year and became a motorcycle club. Instead of approaching us directly to ask us for our reasons, these people have taken it upon themselves to disparage WTTR and spread misinformation about us to other bikers.

WTTR would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight so that everyone is clear about what we have done and why we've done it.

From the beginning the intentions of WTTR have always been simple. These are:

1. To remember servicemen and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf in conflicts both past and present.
2. To raise money for charity – primarily those who support UK armed forces veterans, military personnel who have been injured, and the families of those killed in conflicts both at home and abroad.
3. To ride with respect for our fellow bikers.

Due to the nature of the events that WTTR participates in – bike shows, Gala days, military parades, 'one-off' ride-outs and our own WTTR event in October – there is often interaction between the general public and our motorcycles. Earlier this year WTTR had to examine every aspect of these events in detail. We had to consider what would happen if something went wrong, for example, a child falling off of a stationary motorcycle while sitting on it to have their photograph taken. Unfortunately we live in a culture where people do not think twice about suing someone else. So it made sense to us that WTTR has Liability Insurance that covers the events we organise or participate in. 

As a not-for-profit organisation WTTR wants the maximum amount of money it raises to go to good causes – specifically poppyscotland – rather than it being spent on administration. As anyone who runs their own business will know, Liability Insurance is expensive. We talked to the British Motorcycle Federation (BMF) who informed us that if WTTR became a motorcycle club then we would be eligible to be covered by their Liability Insurance for a very reasonable annual fee. For us, it was a no-brainer! 

Not wishing to make too much of a fuss about this change of status Jim Thomson, Karen Holmes and myself formed a small committee. We asked Faye Gray to join us because we knew she would keep us right with the club finances. For clarification WTTR does not have a president nor a vice-president, and none of us get paid for any of the work or time that we put into WTTR. The committee is purely administrative and its function is to:

• Liaise with the British Motorcycle Federation (BMF) and, if necessary, its insurance company.

• Promote WTTR to others and obtain invitations to events where we can raise money for charity.

• Carry out pre-event risk assessments, including notifying Police Scotland, arranging marshalling and organising bike parking etc. Completing written forms for the BMF should they be required.

• Actively participate in WTTR events, man WTTR stands and help raise money for charity.

• Co-ordinate with key personnel from poppyscotland and other organisations on WTTR activities and money raised etc.

• Source, order and distribute WTTR merchandise. Keep WTTR social media channels and website up-to-date so that individuals and supporters know what is happening and are able to make informed decisions as to whether they participate in an event or not.

In summary all WTTR events are open events. You do not have to pay an annual membership fee nor be a member of WTTR to attend one of our events. All we ask is that you support us in any way you can in order to help us to help others.

Thanks for attention and your amazing support.

– Derek Green; WTTR Media and Communications

Bathgate Gala Day

We really couldn't have asked for a better day. About twenty WTTR supporters with motorbikes, clear blue skies and the streets packed with townsfolk waving and cheering. This was the first time I'd personally participated in the Bathgate Procession and John Newland Festival and it was the first time that WTTR MCC had be invited to lead the procession - a real honour for us. 

The day had begun with Jeanie Reid giving me £175.00 that she and friends had raised for WTTR and poppyscotland on behalf of her dad - and fellow WTTR supporter - Jockie Reid. Jeanie told me that the cash had been raised through a variety of activities, all of which sounded great fun. I certainly look forward to receiving an invite to one of her future fund-raisers!

In Bathgate, WTTR MCC members and supporters made sure that we were most definitely heard and seen as we were guided around the the town by two police bikers to our destination - the Bathgate Showground. It was great to see some bikes flying the new WTTR flags that have produced with the support of Zephyr Flags. 

At the showground we parked up our bikes in and around the WTTR stand and then spent the rest of the afternoon chatting to folk about who we were and what we do. We asked those who wanted to have their photos taken sitting astride the bikes to make a small donation to poppyscotland and I believe we've raised a tidy sum of money. Thanks to everyone who visited our stand and made a donation. It was good to meet you and your generosity is much appreciated. 

This weekend WTTR MCC members will be participating in the Newtongrange Gala Day parade, so if you didn't see us in Bathgate then come along and say hello on Saturday.

– Derek Green, WTTR Media & Communications