The Royal British Legion Riders Branch

Last updated

The Royal British Legion Riders
AbbreviationRBLR
Founded2004
TypeCharitable
PurposeCharitable Motorcycle Group
Membership
over 6,000
Acting Branch Chairman
Paul Woodward
Website www.rblr.co.uk

The Royal British Legion Riders Branch (RBLR) was formed in 2004 as a branch of The Royal British Legion, a registered charity that supports past and present members of the Armed Forces. [1] [2] [3] While its membership is dominated by former and current HM Armed Forces personnel, it also welcomes members who support the aims of the Royal British Legion charity, namely of helping and assisting service people, ex-service people and their dependants.

The members are regularly seen at many motorcycle events wearing the distinctive rider's badge. They have become synonymous with the repatriations of fallen service personnel at both Royal Wootton Bassett, where they have met since 11 December 2008 for the repatriation of the bodies of fallen service personnel who were flown into RAF Lyneham. [4] [5] [6] and since 1 September 2011 at Carterton, Oxfordshire after repatriation flights were moved back to RAF Brize Norton. They still attend all Repatriations & continue to do so. Ex-military members of the RBLR often wear medals and head dress with their leathers and motorcycle kit.

RBLR runs events such as Weston Bike Night in Weston-super-Mare, [7] an annual rally, and is now running the annual RBLR 1000 Iron Butt Rally. In 2009, 173 riders completed 1,000 miles in 24 hours and raised £10,000 for the Poppy Appeal. [3] [8]

The RBLR also organises poppy runs (a kind of motorcycle rally) to raise both awareness and money for the Poppy Appeal. Its members also become involved in rides to places with special military resonance such as the Armed Forces Memorial in Staffordshire and European battle sites.

The RBLR has had some celebrity support with Hayley Westenra and Simon Weston both having received the Branches' Poppy Appeal cheque. [9] The Hairy Bikers are members and can often be seen wearing their riders branch wristbands.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remembrance Day</span> Day honouring military casualties of war

Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty. The day is also marked by war remembrances in several other non-Commonwealth countries. In most countries, Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the end of First World War hostilities. Hostilities ended "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918, in accordance with the armistice signed by representatives of Germany and the Entente between 5:12 and 5:20 that morning. The First World War formally ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayley Westenra</span> New Zealand singer (born 1987)

Hayley Dee Westenra is a New Zealand classical crossover singer. Her first internationally released album, Pure, reached number one on the UK classical charts in 2003 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide, making it one of the fastest selling albums in her country's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remembrance Sunday</span> Day to commemorate war dead

Remembrance Sunday is held in the United Kingdom as a day to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts. It is held on the second Sunday in November. Remembrance Sunday, within the Church of England, falls in the liturgical period of Allsaintstide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Canadian Legion</span> Canadian veterans organization

The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canadian veterans' organization founded in 1925. Members includes people who served in the military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, provincial or municipal police, Royal Canadian Air, Army and Sea Cadets and direct relatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Butt Association</span> US-based organization dedicated to endurance motorcycle riding

The Iron Butt Association (IBA) is a US-based organization dedicated to safe long-distance motorcycle riding, which claims membership of over 75,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Muhajiroun</span> Militant network based in Saudi Arabia

Al-Muhajiroun is a proscribed militant network based in Saudi Arabia. The founder of the group was Omar Bakri Muhammad, a Syrian who previously belonged to Hizb ut-Tahrir; he was not permitted to re-enter Britain after 2005. According to The Times, the organisation has been linked to international terrorism, homophobia, and antisemitism. The group became notorious for its September 2002 conference "The Magnificent 19", praising the September 11, 2001 attacks. The network mutates periodically so as to evade the law; it operates under many different aliases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal British Legion</span> Charity for members of the British Armed Forces

The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants, as well as all others in need.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorcycle club</span> Group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles

A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles. A motorcycle group can range as clubbed groups of different bikes or bikers who own same model of vehicle like the Harley Owners Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Wootton Bassett</span> Market town in Wiltshire, England

Royal Wootton Bassett, formerly Wootton Bassett, is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, with a population of 13,570 at the 2021 Census. In the north of the county, it lies 6 miles (10 km) to the west of the major town of Swindon and 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Calne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remembrance poppy</span> Artificial flower worn to commemorate military personnel who have died during war

A remembrance poppy is an artificial flower worn in some countries to commemorate their military personnel who died in war. Remembrance poppies are produced by veterans' associations, who exchange the poppies for charitable donations used to give financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the armed forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patriot Guard Riders</span> American nonprofit organization

The Patriot Guard Riders (PGR) is an organization based in the United States whose members attend the funerals of members of the U.S. military and first responders at the invitation of a decedent's family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-distance motorcycle riding</span>

Long-distance riding is the activity of riding motorcycles over long distances, both competitively and as a pastime. A goal of long-distance riding is to explore one's endurance while riding a motorcycle, sometimes across several countries.

A motorcycle rally is a gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts. Rallies can be large or small, and one-time or recurring. Some rallies are ride-in events, whereas some like the Iron Butt Rally involve days of riding and an actual gathering only at the end of the ride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help for Heroes</span> Organization

Help for Heroes is a British charity which supports members of the British Armed Forces community with their physical and mental health, as well as their financial, social and welfare needs. The charity was founded in 2007 by Bryn and Emma Parry after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. The charity now supports all veterans, serving personnel, those who have served alongside the UK military, and their families.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poppy Factory</span> Manufacturer of Remembrance Day poppies

The Poppy Factory is a factory in Richmond, London, England, where remembrance wreaths are made. It was founded in 1922 to offer employment opportunities to wounded soldiers returning from the First World War, creating remembrance poppies and wreaths for the Royal Family and the Royal British Legion's annual Poppy Appeal. It is operated by a company that is a registered charity which provides employment support to veterans with health conditions across England and Wales. The factory's production team continues to make remembrance wreaths by hand today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heroes Welcome UK</span>

Heroes Welcome is a scheme designed to encourage British communities to demonstrate support to members of the armed forces. The concept involves the displaying of a Heroes Welcome Sticker, this can be by either private individuals, or business operators and simply indicates a special welcome to service personnel. Heroes Welcome is not a charity or discount scheme, the minimum offer is; "A Warm Welcome", participating members may choose to offer a small discount or additional service upgrade if they wish, but this is not mandatory to membership of the scheme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Field of Remembrance</span>

The Field of Remembrance is a memorial garden organised annually by the Poppy Factory in Westminster, London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Humphrey (designer)</span>

Mark Humphrey is an English interior designer and installation artist.

London Poppy Day is an annual event organised by the Royal British Legion which aims to raise £1million for its Poppy Appeal. Launched in 2006, the event takes place in London on the first Thursday of November, shortly before the United Kingdom observes Remembrance Sunday, and is one of several similar events held in cities around the United Kingdom. The day sees volunteers and armed forces veterans selling poppy merchandise to raise funds at venues such as railway stations, on the London Underground, and in offices, as well as entertainment provided by military bands.

References

  1. Eastwick, Philip (25 October 2007), "Poppy Appeal launches in town", Wiltshire Times
  2. "Last chance to join thousands on motorcycles at Ride to Wall", Tamworth Herald , 20 September 2011
  3. 1 2 Keeling, Mark (9 January 2009). "The Royal British Legion Riders Branch 2009 World Record Attempt". Motorcycle News . Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  4. "British Legion Riders Bike into Bassett". Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on 29 July 2010. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  5. Gillan, Audrey (25 February 2010). "How Wootton Bassett became the town that cried". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  6. Deal, Paul (10 November 2009). "Wootton Bassett sheds tears for soldiers". BBC News . Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  7. "Weston Bike Night - Bigger and Better for 2009". Motorcycle News. 5 May 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  8. "RBLR 1000". Iron Butt Association. Archived from the original on 22 April 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  9. "Bikers present Poppy Appeal cheque to Hayley Westenra". The Royal British Legion. 25 April 2008. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2010.