Letter from Tony Early (From Swindon Advertiser)

Letter from Tony Early

3:20pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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On Sunday, March 14 my wife, I and a number of like-minded people are passing through your town on the way to a charity fund raising event. We will be travelling by motorcycle as will all the others, with the purpose of gathering and giving away money to a charity organisation who look after the mothers and families of the brave young men and women who make the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Given the number of people coming to give away money to this charity, you will notice some disruption to your normal Sunday routine, however as we are all honest hard-working citizens who believe passionately in our soldiers and their families, I hope you can join us by waving and supporting as we pass through. We will certainly wave back and happily stop to talk or pose for photos with your children or grandchildren.

The people of this country salute you for the manner in which you greet our young soldiers when they are repatriated and no doubt as I do you find each one heartbreaking. We all suffer when we witness these events on television but I suspect that you folks feel it more than the average citizen as each has a real and lasting effect on your community.

Motorcycling is our passion just as golf, football, hunting, walking flying, sailing and every other pastime you can name is for others. This does not put us in an underclass bent on causing misery for others. I am retiring this month having spent thirty years in public service during which time and longer I have practiced my passion of motorcycling. I have found that I am part of an international community of like-minded people from all walks of life and yet have never found a biker that would not have time to talk to me and share experiences no matter how different we may appear.

So, yes there will be noise and yes there will be fumes, but two things are certain, we will all be glad to see you out and sharing the experience, and we will give away a huge amount of our money to the Afghan Heroes Charity.

TONY EARLY Shepperton Surrey