H.O.G. members riding miles to makes wishes come true

Trudie Davies was delighted to receive a huge donation from her H.O.G. chapter on behalf of Make-A-Wish UK

I’m a proud member of the III Rivers H.O.G. Chapter and Ladies of Harley^®. I’ve been riding since 2015, along with my husband, Paul, but in February 2024 I had an ischemic stroke, leaving my left side weak. I had to temporarily stop riding my 2016 customised Breakout^™ while I regained my strength, and during my recovery I decided to volunteer with Make-A-Wish UK, helping to support children and families living with critical illnesses.

Each year, our chapter donates around £10,000 to charities including Macmillan Cancer Support and Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, and for 2025 we chose Make-A-Wish UK as our nominated charity. We raise money primarily through our annual Harpenden Bike Festival held in June, along with Ladies of Harley events such as wreath making and coffee mornings, plus support for external events including prom escorts and many more community activities. It truly is an amazing chapter to be part of.

Over the last six months as a volunteer for the charity, I have spoken to organisations collecting donations and supported events like BarbersRide, which left from our dealership, Newmarket Harley-Davidson^®, supported by Mike the Dealer Principal, which on its own raised more £26,0000 for Make-A-Wish. I’ve spent time with children and their families during their wish discovery conversations, helping them decide what they would like most. Demand for wishes is increasing, and it’s taking longer to reach and grant once-in-a-lifetime wishes to every eligible child in the UK.

So it felt particularly poignant to represent the charity and receive a cheque for £10,000 from III Rivers, presented by III Rivers H.O.G. Chapter Director, Martyn Coote, alongside Neil Bavister, Harley-Davidson UK & Ireland Country Manager, and Vicki Green, Harley-Davidson UK Customer Experience Lead. It was a very special moment and one I know will make a real difference to the children and families Make-A-Wish UK supports.

It was also a fantastic opportunity for a chapter magazine photograph with III Rivers H.O.G. Chapter Director, Martyn Coote, alongside Assistant Director, Steve West, and Head Road Captain, Graham Cross. Our group photo shows some of the incredible members who helped raise this money. Every ride taken, event organised and raffle ticket sold has contributed to helping grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

As one of my colleagues at Make-A-Wish said so perfectly: “Bikers really are the best.”

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