It's not every day that a Machine Gun Preacher comes to town! Sam Childers is coming to Hayling Island to share his story and his journey with you about his mission and his work rescuing vulnerable children.

This is the journey that took him to Sudan to rescue child soldiers from rebel armies. To date he has rescued over 1,500 children and as a result of his selfless work in 2013 he received the Mother Teresa Award for International Social Justice (the largest award of its type in the world for International Social Justice) and to date he is the only American ever to be bestowed with that honour. This is the same honour that the Dalai Lama and UK House of Lords rep, Baroness Caroline Cox were also bestowed with in previous years. 

The event is free, however due to the size of the venue, places will be limited so please reserve your seat. (Contact Mark or Deborah Dawes on 02392 460815 or by email at [email protected] or go to the webpage for front row seats (fee).

venue: South Hayling United Reformed Church (URC), Hollow Lane, Hayling Island, Hampshire, PO11 9EY - 7.30pm
price: Free event. See the webpage for front row seats (fee). There will be a retiring collection at the end where you can make a small donation towards Sam's work should you wish to do so.
tel: 02392 460815 - 07770 978999
www.nfps.info/machine-gun-preacher
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e-mail: [email protected]

16th April 2017
All Day Kawasaki Sunday - “Let the Good Times Roll”

venue: Ace Cafe, Ace Corner, North Circular Road, Stonebridge, London, NW10 7UD 
price: free 
tel: 020 8961 1000 
website: www.ace-cafe-london.com - www.acecafeevents.com
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e-mail: [email protected]

16th April 2017
Moorlanders MCC 19th Egg Run

Moorlanders MCC will be holding the 19th Egg Run as usual on Easter Sunday. An annual motorcycle event that raises thousands of pounds for children's charities in Cornwall. 

Bikes of all types are welcome to take part, as the route is carefully planned and marshalled to be safe and enjoyable for everyone. There'll be awards and trophies for the best bikes and a raffle and burgers at the end. Arrive with a full tank please. £5 donations will be collected per bike for the charities Action for Children, Children's Hospice South West and the special needs units of Camelford and Launceston primary schools.

venue: Davidstow Airfield, Camelford, North Cornwall PL32 9YF. From around 10am.
price: £5 per bike. Donations of chocolate eggs as well are welcomed
tel: 01208 816554
website: www.moorlandersmcc.co.uk
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e-mail: [email protected]

16th April 2017
Kilham Bikers - 21st Charity Easter Egg Run 

Charity Ride-out from Bay Horse, from 9.30am with ride out starting at 11am. In aid of SNAPPY - York which provides support for children with special needs and deliberating illnesses a very worthwhile cause.  There will be a Auction, Raffle/Tombola starting at 7.30pm at Bay Horse, Kilham. Everyone welcome to come along and join in the fun. Kilham Bikers have been raising money for worthy causes throughout the Yorkshire area for over 20 years. 

venue: Bay Horse, Kilham, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 4RL from 9.30am to leave @ 11am to  Martin House, Wetherby, LS23 6TX
tel: 01262 420399 
website: www.kilhambikers.co.uk 
e-mail: [email protected]

16th April 2017
Glasgow C.H.E.E.R Easter Egg Run
The annual Motorcycle Run in aid of Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity (formally Yorkhill Children's Charity). One of Scotland’s largest motorcycle runs as thousands of motorbikes, trikes and scooters parade through the streets of Glasgow to help raise funds.

The route takes in the city centre and west end, including the traditional, spectacular ride-out along Great Western Road, before finishing at Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow to ring a smile to the face of the children, entertainment, stalls, games and family fun. 

venue: Bikers are invited to assemble at the SECC Car Park 7, Stobcross Road, Glasgow, G3 8HQ from 10am, leaving at 11am and finishing at the Ogilvie Car Park by the Royal Hospital for Children.
price: We would encourage bikers to make a donation rather than bring eggs - the hospital is inundated with treats that most of the children cannot enjoy due to special diets or being 'nil by mouth'. Suggested donation of £10 per bike. Spectators free of charge. 
tel: 0141 201 6917 
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e-mail: [email protected]

16th April 2017
Motorbike Awareness Day

Come and have a chat with Carmarthenshire's Road Safety Unit, Dyfed Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, RoADAR, IAM, MAG and Blood Bikes Wales. Enhanced Rider Scheme Taster session available and you can also pick up a CRASH Card. 

venue: Owl's Nest Tea Room Diner, Lower Road, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, SA20 0DJ. 11:00 – 15:00. Local Accommodation
price: free event
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e-mail: [email protected]

16th - 17th April 2017
Red Marley Hill Climb

A unique weekend event for off-road classic motorcycles. A pre-65 trial on Easter Sunday and a classic Hill Climb on Easter Monday.

venue: Great Witley, Worcestershire, WR6 6JJ. Local Accommodation 
price: £10. Children under 11 free.
tel: 01886 888803 
website: www.redmarleyhillclimb.com 
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e-mail: [email protected]

16th - 17th April 2017
Cadwell Park Count of Cadwell Championship 

venue: Cadwell Park Circuit, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 9SE. Local accommodation
price: see website 
tel: 0843 453 9000
website: www.cadwellpark.co.uk | www.auto66.com
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e-mail: [email protected] | [email protected]

Easter Monday 17th April 2017
Ashford Classic Motorcycle Show & Bikejumble

Large indoor motorcycle-only Show for pre-1990 machines with Club stands. Large indoor and outdoor Bikejumble with new and used spares, bikes, clothing & accessories for sale. Everything for the classic motorcycle enthusiast.

venue: Ashford Livestock Market, Orbital Park, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0HB
price: £5 adults, £4 65+ over, kids under 16 free.
tel: 01797 344277
website: www.elk-promotions.co.uk
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e-mail: [email protected]

The seventh annual Prescott Bike Festival took place at Prescott Hill Climb (home of the Bugatti Owners Club) on Sunday 9th April 2017 and was hailed as the most successful yet. Thanks to the glorious sunshine, over 6,000 motorcycle enthusiasts flocked to a sun-baked Prescott to support the fundraising event for Blood Bikes and were treated to a whole feast of entertainment both on and off the track. 

Festival Organiser Gordon Downie said “It was a hugely successful Bike Fest and we'd like to thank everyone who helped make it so, from those that took to the hill, the entertainers, musicians, volunteers, marshals, bike clubs to trade stands and exhibitors - not least the thousands of visitors who came to support us. We'll post the final results on our Facebook page shortly, but early doors suggest that a record breaking sum has been raised for the Blood Bike charities this year. Exciting plans are already afoot for next year, which will be held on Sunday 15 April 2018”.

The Mayor of Gloucester, Councillor Neil Hampson said “I am delighted to support the work of the Blood Bikers. As a district qualified nurse, I understand the importance of the service that they provide moving vital medical supplies, blood, pathology samples and human breast milk from medical centres and hospitals throughout the UK. Both my wife and I have donated over 150 pints of blood throughout the years, so it’s a charity that resonates with me well. Prescott Bike Festival is a great fun way for the charity to boost its fundraising and profile; I have really enjoyed the day. The Blood Bikers deserve recognition for the outstanding free service that they provide to the NHS and for selflessly giving their free time to help save lives throughout the country”.

Amongst the many VIPs in attendance was David Hailwood, son of the legendary Mike ‘the Bike’ Hailwood with his father’s iconic Honda RC174 motorcycle, Norton sidecar racing World Sidecar Champion Stan Dibben, British motorcycle racing champion Rod Scivyer and popular British sporting hero Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards. Eddie took to the hill (not on skies we hasten to add) but in a Grinnall three wheeler.

The bike festival always celebrates engineering with an eclectic array of machinery and this year was no exception. The highly skilled engineer Allen Millyard returned with no less than eight of his amazing creations including his award-winning Flying Millyard (powered by a 5-litre V-twin aero engine). Matt McKeown thrilled the crowds once again with his Chinook helicopter engine powered Shopping Trolley and his latest project, the World’s Fastest jet powered Hearse called ‘Dead Quick’ which he hopes to set a new 200mph record in later this summer. Plus engineer Tom ‘The Atom’ Anable was ecstatic to actually reach the top of the hill climb course in his record-breaking Monowheel.

The event featured large displays of historic, modern and race bikes, a Paddock Specials Show ‘n’ Tell area, and the unique opportunity for members of the public to take part in the spectacle by ‘running the hill’ or participating in a thrilling passenger ride experiences. There was also a whole raft of entertainment too from live music, stunt shows, trade stands, motorcycle manufacturers and motorcycle clubs – what’s more it helped raise vital money and awareness for the Blood Bikes charities to help keep them on the road.

All proceeds from the event go to the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes and regional blood bike group Severn Freewheelers, one of 27 blood bike groups around the UK that provide a free out-of-hours courier service for medical essentials. The life-saving service is run by volunteers and operates between NHS facilities, with Severn Freewheelers alone dealing with around 400 calls per month on emergency response BMW R1200RTs.  

APRILIA CONFIRMS NEW COMPETITIVENESS IN ARGENTINA ONCE AGAIN

Aleix Espargaró rode a great race that confirmed both his feeling on the RS-GP and the new level of competitiveness Aprilia has reached. However, in the race he was unable to reap the fruits of the excellent work done during the weekend. In what looked like a repeat of the Qatar race, with Aleix Espargaró catching up to his rivals in the second part of the race, a sliding crash in the 15th lap took the Spanish rider and his RS-GP out of the running.

The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rider, who started from the eighth spot on the grid that he had earned yesterday, started well, staying in the group. Settling into eleventh place during the first lap, he set his pace, staying with the riders battling for the positions from fourth through seventh. On turn 5, he found his way past Petrucci and Dovizioso who had gone a bit wide while duelling. When he lost the front end, he went into a slide, colliding with a blameless Dovizioso. The good performance seen during practice and in the race remains, with the RS-GP once again competitive, especially over race distance and capable of battling for important positions in any condition.

The race ended early for Sam Lowes too, forced to retire due to a gear selection problem.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"In the opening laps I was a bit slower than the other riders, but then things began to work right. Just as I was starting to increase my pace and when I had gotten close to the group, I saw Dovi off the line and I moved in. Unfortunately, I had to brake hard and I lost the front. I am really sorry for the team and for Andrea, who was unwillingly involved in my crash. It's a pity because in the second part of the race we could have done well. Now we will head to Austin to confirm our progress."

SAM LOWES
"At the start I lost a few meters, but I was catching up. I managed to lap with a good pace and I was about to reach the zone where they were battling for points. I had a problem with gear selection and I had to go into pit lane, but this was a good weekend for me. In Qatar I had not had the chance to work a lot on the 2017 bike before the race, in any case finding a good setup base. Here we changed a few details and in the race I felt at ease. Our bike is very competitive at the end of the race, so I know that I would have been able to make up a few positions."

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"This weekend substantially confirmed the level of our bike, with Aleix doing an outstanding job in practice. In the race things were going just like in Qatar. I don't think it is an exaggeration to consider a fifth place finish as a result within our reach. Unfortunately, the crash stopped the comeback. We need to work to give Aleix a more incisive bike in the initial laps where it is important to be able to get out of the pack. Our setup will continue to be race distance oriented. Unfortunately, we were unable to reap the fruits of our labours today, but we had some important confirmation in terms of our competitiveness anyway."

FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"A bitter-sweet race. We know that we did a great job and that we have a rider in Aleix who is capable of battling with the best. We suffered a bit in the opening laps, but we were catching up. It's a pity about the crash where I think Aleix lost his braking reference, thrown off by Petrucci and Dovizioso running a bit wide. I am sorry that the crash involved Dovi. It was an unfortunate coincidence. We still have a very good technical base. Aprilia Racing and the team are doing a great job. We need to keep going in this direction."

ALEIX ESPARGARÓ RIDES HIS APRILIA RS-GP TO THE TOP-10
SAM LOWES INCREASES HIS FEELING WITH THE ARGENTINIAN TRACK

As was widely expected, the first two MotoGP sessions on the Argentinian Termas de Rìo Hondo circuit were characterized by a track in constant evolution, forcing teams and riders to adjust settings and tyre selection quickly.

At the end of the day, Aleix Espargaró rode his Aprilia RS-GP into the Top-10, finishing with the ninth best time (1'40.175) at less than 7 tenths from the top. Significant performance in anticipation of qualifying: if it should rain tomorrow, it would be difficult for everyone to improve their times from today and that would mean going straight through to Q2 for Aleix. As for race pace, on the other hand, the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini Spanish rider is having a few problems, especially in terms of braking. The less than perfect asphalt conditions are partly to blame for this feeling, but Aleix and his team will be working on it in order to optimize the setup solutions.

Sam Lowes continues improving and, despite the gap (best time 1'42.179), he demonstrated a better feeling in the saddle of his RS-GP. The British rookie tested various tyre solutions and worked on settings and riding style, setting up a programme with particular attention to consistent performance for the race.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"The feeling today was strange. I still haven't found the sensations I had in Qatar, especially when it comes to stopping the bike. I think that as the track improves, things will sort themselves. Right now we are still too close to the limit for me to feel at ease on the bike. In any case, we were able to get into the Top-10 and that is positive, since the weather forecast calls for rain tomorrow and that could make it difficult to improve times in view of qualifying."

SAM LOWES
“It was difficult to choose the right tyre option at the right time today, because the conditions were changing rather quickly. I feel like I could have shaved off a few tenths, but it isn't fundamental. At the moment I am happy because I feel much more comfortable on the bike compared with Qatar. We will be able to be more competitive here, especially in terms of race pace. We know that we need to improve without making any mistakes and continuing to build our performance calmly. Trying the RS-GP in the wet would also not be bad. I have never done that but it could be interesting.”