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