Scooter enthusiasts are turning out in force and revving into action for charity.
The eye-catching convoy is set to travel from Broadland District Council’s offices in Thorpe St Andrew and will go past The Nook, which is run by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) in Framingham Earl.
The group will then complete its journey at the EACH offices at Manor Farm Barns, in nearby Fox Road.
The event is taking place on Sunday, 24th March and being organised by the Norwich Scooter Collective, to raise funds for EACH.
It is a long-standing event – this will be the 16th – and last year alone the group raised more than £1,290. The total in 2022 was nearly £1,800.
In previous years, the group visited Quidenham – EACH’s former Norfolk hospice, before The Nook opened in 2019 – and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.
“It’s such a special and worthwhile cause and a real pleasure to raise funds,” said organiser Jez Kidd.
“People love being involved and it’s great when we get a positive reaction from the public.
“It must be a quite a sight when we’re all in convoy, and if people know our rough timetable, they’ll line the streets and give us a wave and cheer.
“It’s a great thing to do and I’m looking forward to it.”
In addition to raising funds for EACH, the group also deliver Easter eggs to the Norwich Foodbank.
“The money comes from donations on the day and we also sell patches and stickers for people to display on their scooters,” added Jez, who has done lots of fundraising for EACH, including cycling from London to Paris.
“The outlay is covered by sponsorship and we also have trophies and medals, to encourage as many as possible to get involved.
“The most we’ve ever had is around 400 but this year’s crowd is likely to be anything between 100 and 300.
“It depends on the weather and other commitments and it’s mainly local scooter enthusiasts, from across Norfolk.
“We have all types of makes and models on display and most are their owner’s pride and joy.”
The group will start at 9am at the Broadland District Council offices, on the Broadland Business Park, in Peachman Way, Thorpe St Andrews.
There will be a burger van for coffees and bacon rolls and part of the proceeds will go directly to EACH.
They will depart at 11.30am, riding in convoy down Yarmouth Road, Thorpe Road, Carrow Road, Bracondale, the Inner Ring Road then onto the A146, turning right towards Poringland, Pigot Lane, The Nook and Manor Farm Barns.
