Annual Toy Run Events
Toy runs are a very popular event for motorcyclists so there are a whole host of events planned across the country that you can be involved in. You’ll normally see Toy Run ride outs taking place in the winter months dropping toys off at local children’s hospitals/hospices or schools.
Find out when the next toy run takes place near you and get yourself involved…
The Three Amigos Xmas Toy Run
Date: TBC
Location: Wales
Background
The first Three Amigos Toy Run was started by 3 friends who thought it would be a good idea to take a few toys or donations for the benefit of the Children’s ward in Withybush hospital and the Action for Children Charity over a decade ago.
The Three Amigos Toy Run has since become very well supported over the last 10 years; little did those 3 friends know that it would be as popular as it is today. 100’s of bikers turn up on the day to take part in the event with donations and unwrapped gifts for the children they are planning to meet on their journey.
It really is a spectacle in the annual meeting place of the Commons Car Park in Pembroke on the morning of the Toy Run. There are a wide range of bikes that take part; from new sports bikes and classic bikes, to home built trikes and super trikes, to scooters. It is also a bit of fun to see the riders in the festive spirit with their bikes decorated and themselves in fancy dress.
The streets around the car park and in various places along the route become filled with onlookers and well-wishers. They brave the cold and wave their support for the parade of bikers as a police escort starts the Toy Run. The bikers show their appreciation of this support by returning toots of their horns along the way to their destination in Havorfordwest, Withybush Hospital.
Check out The Three Amigos toy run in action…
Charity donations
The donations the Three Amigos receive go to Action for Children. They are a charity that takes action to improve the lives of vulnerable children who are struggling, neglected, ill-treated and abused. Action for Children intervenes early to help fix problems before children suffer. They work to keep children safe and give them the childhood and opportunities they deserve.
This charity has been helping children and young people for 145 years and in 2015 they helped make life better for over 300,000 people. They have a huge impact on these people’s lives with the use of the services they provide. These services include fostering, adoption, support for disabled children and young people as well as support for the families the children come from or are going to. They also provide services for professionals and social care services in the UK.
For more information on this Toy Run and to get involved then go to the Three Amigos social network page for all the details.
The Ace Café Annual Christmas Toy Run
Location: London
Date: TBC
Background
The Ace Café is a former transport café in Stonebridge, North West London. It is a notable venue in motorcycle culture which originally operated from 1938 until 1969, then reopened in 1997. The Ace Café welcomes anyone who share the same passion for motorcycles and rock n’ roll as their members do.
The Ace Café Club is a club any biker can join and it will keep them up to date with upcoming events and news. This club also provides fantastic opportunities to join in with charity events organised by the café group, such as the annual Ace Café Toy Run.
The annual Christmas Toy Run began back in 1998. It sees bikers come together to attend the Children’s Wards of three hospitals in London:
- The first stop is at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Paddington,
- Followed by the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea,
- Finishing with the Evelina Children’s Hospital in Westminster.
Participants and spectators are asked to donate gifts that are festively wrapped and clearly labelled. All labels must state whether the gift inside is for a boy or girl and the recommended age group. It is requested that gifts donated are for all age groups as the above children’s wards look after teenagers, as well as young children and babies.
Charity donations
The Evelina Children’s Hospital has its own charity that raises money for the hospital itself through various fundraising events and donations. The hospital treats children with all kinds of health conditions. It is the UK’s leading hospital for pediatric heart services as well as a specialist in kidney transplants and dialysis, cleft lip surgery, metabolic conditions, allergy and neurology.
50,000 children are treated here each year, from babies in the womb through to young adulthood. The hospital sees 300 children through its doors every day.
Every donation made to the hospital goes towards improving care for sick children. This can be spent on everything from life-saving research and the latest medical equipment, to the little things that help make a hospital stay less scary for young patients.
Most of the children here are very poorly which makes a visit from the Ace Café Toy Run bikers all the more special as they can bring a little bit of Christmas magic to what otherwise be a difficult time of year for the children and their families.
Look at those Santa’s go…
Competitions
When all the gift donations are distributed, all bikers taking part can return to the Ace Café where there are prizes for ‘Best Dressed Bike’ and ‘Best Dressed Rider’. This makes it more fun for the bikers and the competition to be the best brings many creative designs on both bike decoration and fancy dress costumes.
The bikers complete this run annually just to see the smiles and excitement of the children who are in hospital for Christmas. They show consideration to the families who are separated from other loved ones so they can still be with their child at the most family orientated time of the year. It is an emotional experience for all involved which is why the Toy Run is now planning its 18th year.
For more information on this Toy Run and other events organised by the Ace Café go to their website.
Squires Annual Toy Run
Date: TBC
Location: North Yorkshire
Background
Squires Café Bar is famous for being a bikers’ Café in North Yorkshire that opened in 1954. The Café accommodates regular motorbike club meetings along with many other events including; charity runs, fundraisers, competitions, shows and concerts.
The Squires Toy Run is an annual event organised by volunteers of the Squires Café motorbike club. The Toy Run is a fully marshalled bike ride that leaves Squires café bar in the morning and heads to Masham to deliver donations and presents to those that deserve them. The event incorporates the Masham Christmas Fayre. It follows a L-plate friendly route so anybody riding a bike can join in if they want to be a part of this fantastic event. The only necessity to take part is to make a minimum donation of £5 or bring along unwrapped toys (new or good 2nd hand).
The Squires Annual Toy Run also features some nice extras such as food and drinks, music and a church choir. If you are near the area then this event is a must, it is guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit.
The donations of money or toys are to support two Yorkshire charities – The Ryedale Special Families and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Look at all those bikes, a great turn out for the Squires Annual Toy Run…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=7Fd9VnR6xlE
Charity donations
Ryedale Special Families is an independent charity founded by parents with disabled children. The charity began in the early 1900’s when a group of 20 families of disabled children started to meet in their own homes in order to share challenges and experiences. They also offered mutual support to each other.
Since then they have moved to a permanent base and expanded their workforce to over 30 staff and now support over 400 families in the Ryedale Area.
They key objectives of Ryedale Special Families are:
- To provide the relief of children and young adults with disabilities and special needs, their families and/or carers, in particular by the provision of an information, advice and support service, and
- They work to uphold the equal rights of disabled families and make sure their voices are heard.
The Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity relies in the generosity of individuals and organisations to help saves lives across Yorkshire. The only help the charity receives is through secondment of NHS paramedics through the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service NHS Trust. To keep both of the Air Ambulances in the air, the charity needs to raise £12,000 per day, the equivalent to £4.4 million per year. The Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity serves a population of approximately 5 million people across 4 million acres.
With the contributions of the public and volunteers, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance has saved 6473 patients to date (22/1/16). This is a very worthwhile charity to donate to as it is very needed as a first response emergency service.
For contact details and further information for this event, visit their website.
Roughleys Christmas Toy Run and Fundraising Bike Show
Date: TBC
Location: Stockport
Background
Roughleys Bike Show was set up in 1999 by Andy Roughley. He invited some mates to the pub he was working in on the August Bank Holiday of that year to meet up. He also invited market buskers to join them and play some tunes.
The following year this happened again and this time they decided to out some bikes on show. This show became very popular and Andy Roughley decided to do it year after year with the bike show getting bigger and bigger. Today, this Annual Bike Show is an August Bank Holiday extravaganza of motorbikes, music and fundraising with over 6000 visitors in one afternoon.
Roughleys Bike Show then extended to include annual Christmas Toy Runs and even Easter Egg Runs in previous years. Hundreds of wrapped and unwrapped gifts are donated for children of all ages each year and hundreds of bikers dress up and join in the fun to deliver the donations.
Charity donations
The committee members have 3 charities that are close to their hearts. Any donations or charity events they organise are to raise money for these following charities:
- The National Association for Bikers with a Disability (N.A.B.D)
- The Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, and
- The Together Trust.
The website was started in 1991 by 6 bikers who would not accept the idea that disabled people could not ride motorcycles, scooters or trikes. The initial reason for this charity was to find a way to adapt a motorcycle for a rider who had an amputation of his lower leg following an accident.
The NABD had over 100 members within the first 12 months and helped 3 riders get back on their motorbikes despite their disability. Each adaptation was individually designed with the help of fundraising.
Today, the N.A.B.D is the world leaders in their charity field and help change the lives of riders with a disability.
The Rainbow Trust support over 25% of 6,000 families in England who have a child aged 0-18 years with a life-threatening or terminal illness. They support the whole family including parents, carer, the ill child, brothers, sisters and grandparents.
Any family can receive this support from the moment of their child’s diagnosis. This support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days of the week, and 365 days of the year. The support offered by the rainbow Trust includes all or some of the following;
- Family support
- Sibling support – maintaining school attendance, arts and crafts, cinema trips, days out, fun and laughter.
- Home Support – emotional, respite, cooked meals, baths and stories.
- Hospital support – organise appointments, explaining illnesses and treatments, babysitting siblings and staying with sick children. This support also includes families with neonatal needs.
- Bereavement support for all the family – face to face or over the phone anytime of the day or night.
All donations make a significant impact to the work of the Rainbow Trust and no other organisation provides the range of services that they do. Donations from the public and organisations raised a record £5.1m in 2015 to help families when they need it most. This has made a huge difference to the rainbow Trust and the families they support and these donations are how this charity exists.
The Together Trust exists to help any child, young person, vulnerable adult or family referred to them. They believe every one of these people deserves an equal chance in life with no exceptions. Their work includes a range of care, community and special education services for people with behavioural challenges, learning difficulties, physical disabilities, complex health needs and autism.
With the help of fundraising and donations, The Together rust can provide specialist equipment, extra activities and opportunities and additional therapeutic and family support. This all helps the individual people overcome the challenges they face on a daily basis and achieve their full potential.
Thinking of taking part this year? Watch this video…
More information on Roughleys Bike Show and how to get involved in their annual Christmas Toy run can be found on their website.
Santa’s on a Bike Christmas Toy Run
Date: TBC
Location: Bristol
Background
The first Santa’s Toy Run began in 2004. It started with 200 volunteers on 170 motorbikes that all worked together to deliver 685 presents to the children at the Bernados Children’s Home in Bristol. This ride continued annually, growing in size each year and delivering more and more presents to the home.
The destination of the Santa’s on a Bike run changed in 2007 when they delivered to the new Children’s Hospice South West at Charlton Farm, near Bristol. The focus of the run soon changed from delivering presents to raising much needed finds for the Hospice instead.
2015 saw the Santa’s on a Bike complete their 12th run where they went to Charlton Farm, Little Harbour in Cornwall, Little Bridge House in Devon and a new ride in Essex for PARC – Play and Resource Centre.
- Bristol Ride to Children’s Hospice South West, Charlton Farm
This is the main Santa’s on a Bike run and has a number of start locations. Whether meeting in Bridgewater, Weston-Super-Mare, Frome, Bath or Gloucester, all rides meet at Cribb’s Causeway. From here all riders travel together to the Children’s Hospice to give a Merry Christmas to some great children and their families.
Charlton Farm Children’s Hospice South West provides hospice care for children with life-limiting conditions and their whole family across the South West of England. The care they offer is wide ranging; respite and short breaks, emergency care, palliative care and end of life care.
- Plymouth to St. Austell Bay in Cornwall
This ride visits the Little Harbour Children’s Hospice in St. Austell. All bikes, all sizes are welcome. There is no fee for joining the run, although donations at the hospice are greatly appreciated, riders just have to dress up in Santa gear to take part.
Little Harbour Children’s Hospice is a home-from-home. It is a place where each family member can find the time and space to feel normal and do the things they enjoy as a mum, dad, brother or sister. There are individual children’s bedrooms, accommodation for parents and siblings, play and therapy facilities, a homely family kitchen, living room, Jacuzzi and a multi-sensory room. Little harbour opened in December 2011 and provides a feel of a ‘holiday home in a relaxed seaside’ setting.
- North Devon Ride to Barnstaple
This Santa ride visits the children and families of Little Bridge House Children’s Hospice near Barnstaple. Again, there is no fee to join the ride but a donation the Children’s Hospice is greatly appreciated, no matter how big or small.
Bikers meet at a local transport depot ready to ride out together. Riders dress as Santa and elves and decorate their bikes to bring smiles to all they see and meet along the way.
Little Bridge House in North Devon opened in 1995. It is set in a peaceful and relaxing environment, surrounded by lovely gardens that provide plenty of places to play. The house has eight child-friendly bedrooms with minimum medical equipment and decorated with books, toys and DVDs. This helps provide a home-from-home for all that stay there.
Charity donations
All the Santa on a Bike Rides to the Children’s Hospices in the South West occur on the same day so riders can take part in the one that is easiest for them to get to.
The hospices are funded almost entirely by voluntary donations from people who want to make a difference to life-limited children. Every penny donated directly helps the children and their families which makes the annual run by Santa’s on a Bike even more magical. The run helps contribute to precious memories for the families whose children are living with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.
It’s all about Santa’s on a Bike!
New location
As well as visiting the South West Children’s Hospices, Santa’s on a Bike have now introduced a new run to PARC in Braintree, Essex. Riders dress up as Santa, elves, reindeer, snowmen and even Christmas trees to ride for this great charity. A donation of £5 to take part is suggested with all proceeds going to PARC. Many riders also get sponsored for dressing up and this means more money is raised for the benefit of the children at PARC.
PARC (Essex) was developed in 1995 by a group of parents who all have children with additional needs. PARC aims to provide play and recreational facilities for children with additional needs and short break care for their families and carers. PARC believes every child has a right to play regardless of their individual abilities.
The charity currently supports over 470 families within Essex and they work with children of all ages. PARC relies on donations, fundraisers and volunteers to succeed and thanks to this, they are now into their 21st year.
For more information on how to take part in a Santa run, or anything related to a run such as marshalling, fundraising or organising an event visit the Santa’s on a Bike website for contact details.
Last year the event raised £6316.32 for the charities involved and they aim to beat this this year.
The Blood Bikes Christmas Toy Run
Date: TBC
Location: Nottinghamshire
Background
The Nottinghamshire Blood Bikes are known as the unseen emergency service and they are run entirely by unpaid volunteers. The aim of the blood bikes is to provide an out-of-hours, emergency transport service to the NHS, delivering blood and other urgent medical items between hospitals in and around Nottinghamshire.
The vehicles, with ‘Hi-Viz’ livery can get through traffic quickly ns safely to reach their destination in record time. This is specifically helpful in critical situations when items are needed urgently to save a patient’s life.
The Blood Bikes transport blood, samples, medical notes, frozen breast milk for premature babies and much more. They do this free of charge to the NHS. This saves hospitals tens of thousands of pounds on local taxi companies or couriers.
At Christmas, the Blood Bikes and their volunteers make their way to the children’s ward of Kings Mill Hospital. They deliver toys and games to children who are unfortunately spending their Christmas in hospital.
The Toy Run is open to all bikes of all styles and sizes and riders from the young at heart to golden oldies, even learners can take part as the routes stick to A and B roads only. All those taking part are asked to bring a new toy or game with them to donate to the hospital and make a difference to the families in hospital during the festive period.
Toys need to be suitable for children aged new-born to 16 years and be suitable for boys and girls. Examples of gifts you can donate include teddies, soft toys, action figures, cars, dolls, playsets, board games and puzzles. For those who are unable to take part on the day and still wish to donate a toy to the hospital, drop off points are usually set up nearer to the date of the event.
On the day, presents are handed over to ward staff and pictures of the group are taken. There is then a further run where volunteers fundraise for the Blood Bikes. Everyone who joins the toy run can come along on this further run to show their support and make a donation if possible.
Charity donations:
Donating to the Blood Bikes will enable the charity to get a step closer to their goal. Their goal is to expand their services to cover every NHS hospital in Nottinghamshire. To help get these donations, volunteers take every opportunity they can to display their bikes and raise awareness of what they do.
Although the Toy Run is linked to raising awareness of the work of the Blood Bikes, on the day, the Toy Run is all about the children of Kings Mill Hospital.
Nottinghamshire Blood Bikes are actively looking for ways to expand their service. They are always on the lookout for people who have the desire to give something back to the community they love in.
The Blood Bikes website has all the information you need to know on the s=work they do and the service they provide. There are contact details for how to become a volunteer including riders, fundraisers and other support roles and there is also information on the annual Christmas Toy Run if you wish to take part or donate.
The Cambridge Bikers Annual Christmas Toy Run
Date: TBC
Location: Cambridgeshire
Background
Since 2013, at Christmas time, bikers from in and around Cambridge do their bit for charity by getting together for an organised event a complete a Christmas Toy Run. The Toy Run is to deliver donated toys to the Children in Addenbrookes Hospital over Christmas. The Toy Run has become very popular in the 4 years it has run with 2016 seeing 387 bikers and around 600 people taking part.
For more information on how to get involved with the next Christmas Toy Run with the Cambridge Bikers, have a look on their Facebook page for details.
Burton Annual Toy Run
Date: TBC
Location: Midlands
Background
Unwanted Mcc’s, formed in 2000 by 7 people, are a family friendly bike club in the heart of the Midlands. They are a club for people who like to ride their motorbikes and have a good time.
The Unwanted Mcc’s hold regular parties from Valentine’s Day to New Year’s Eve at their Rockbar. Anyone can go along to these parties and get involved. The purpose of this club is to have fun while raising money for various good causes.
2016 sees the Unwanted Mcc’s 14th Burton Annual Toy Run. There is a £5 registration fee to take part in the run and all proceeds go to the school and are handed over on arrival.
You can find out more about the run here.
Charity donations:
Fountains School is a special needs primary and high school that operates on a one-to-one basis with children who are aged from 5-18 years.
Alongside the Toy Run, Fountains School also puts on their annual Christmas fayre with stalls and an auction.
Other charities, as well as Fountains School, that the Unwanted Mcc’s supports with their fundraising events are:
- MAG (Motorcycle Action Group)
- BMF (British Motorcyclists federation)
- Midland Air Ambulance
- The Royal British Legion
- Help for Heros
- NABD (National Association for Bikers with a Disability)
To join the group or for more information on how to take part in these fundraising events then go to the Unwanted Mcc’s webpage for contact details.
The Unwanted MCC’s are out in full force for their toy runs…
The Reading Toy Run
Date: TBC
Location: Berkshire
Background
The Reading Toy Run launches into its 31st year continuing to raise money for Barnardo’s with over 2000 riders taking part each and every year. Bikers are encouraged to donate gifts to children who will be facing a tough Christmas.
The run was originally formed by the Reading Branch of the Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA) back in 1985 with only 18 motorcyclists taking part! Now over 2,000 bikers take part including 144 marshals volunteering their services to make sure the toy run is a success.
In 2014, Reading Toy Run set a new World Record with the most participants recorded for a toy run. With no previous records set, the Reading Toy Run set the new world record with 1735 participants registered… That’s a lot of toys!
The run takes approximately 55 minutes heading from Amec Foster Wheeler, Shinfield Park in Berkshire to High Close School in Wokingham.
All gifts and donations are for Barnardo’s and other local children’s charities. Check out all the latest updates ahead of the toy run on Twitter.