West Norfolk champion Richie Finney is one of founding members of BarbersRide, the annual road trip adventure, which this year has raised £27k for Make-A-Wish charity. Here, he shares the story of this year’s epic 800-mile motorbike ride.
For five days over the summer, a fine fellowship of mad-cap adventurers, united by their passion for bikes and barbering, set off from Weston-Super-Mare on an 800-mile mission to support Make-A-Wish, a charity which turns the dreams of seriously ill children into real life magic. Richie Finney, West Norfolk champion and owner of Captain Fawcett Ltd (manufacturer and purveyor of ‘First Class Gentleman’s Grooming Requisites’) is one of the founding members and key sponsor of BarbersRide, an annual road trip adventure bringing barbers and bikers together on a journey of camaraderie and mayhem.
This year saw this band of brothers take to the highways in the thick of a heatwave, trailing through England’s West Country and on to Margate.
BarbersRide is now in its sixth consecutive year with total funds reaching over £110K for The Lion’s Barber Collective, London’s Great Ormond Street and Liverpool’s Alder Hey children’s hospitals and Make-A-Wish. This year alone BarbersRide have raised £27K* for Make-A-Wish UK – via JustGiving and offline direct donations.
It has supported Make-A-Wish UK since 2019. They even managed to ride in 2020, observing social distancing, with incredible support from sponsors, riders, the barbers and barbershops.
Richie says: ‘It is a true pleasure to be part of bringing barbers and bikers together on these extraordinary annual journeys of camaraderie, mayhem and just fantastic goodwill. In 2022 our haphazard band of brothers took to the highways amidst a record-breaking, tarmac-melting heatwave with fantastically formidable trails through the beautiful West Country and on to Margate. We’ve never been so glad to cool down at the BarbersRide’s legendary after parties! This year’s hosts excelled themselves providing live music, food and drinks to revive the somewhat wilting riders. We simply couldn’t do it without them. And my personal thanks to Jenna at Fawcett HQ for her outstanding support and magnificent logistical expertise!’
Make-A-Wish UK Chief Executive Jason Suckley adds: ‘We are hugely grateful to BarbersRide and all those who have supported their brilliantly unique way of fundraising for Make-A-Wish over the years. Any money they raise will help us with our ambitious mission to light up the lives of every child in the UK who has a critical condition, by granting their wish. From the moment they are diagnosed, the joy of childhood is often brought to an abrupt end while treatment, medical appointments and worry take over. It can ’t be underestimated how powerful a wish can be in bringing light and joy to those children, as well as their loved ones, creating positive moments and cherished memories that have a lasting impact on all their lives.’
Visit barbersride.com and www.justgiving.com/team/barbersride2022, Rumour has it, BarbersRide may be heading across the sea to Ireland in 2023. Watch this space…
Featured image of Richie Finnie, by Iain Crockart
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