Out with friends for breakfast, I was following my friend, Jackie's idea, attempting to take a selfie in a large silver bauble at the garden centre when I was aware of somebody attracting my attention. That somebody turned out to be Kevin, joking that I could take his photo.
Of course, I was soon explaining my strangers' portrait project and asking if he would participate. A quick agreement and I took just two photos: both looked good to me on the camera rear screen. I asked Kevin to tell me something about himself to accompany the photo and he volunteered 'born-again biker' and 'Welsh Guardsman'.
It soon became obvious that these two aspects of Kevin's life are intertwined. He had a motorbike at age 16, then family life intervened but at 50 years of age he bought himself another bike, hence 'born-again biker'.
Kevin told me about Ride To The Wall: every year since 2008, on the first Saturday in October, five to seven thousand bikers have ridden to the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, on RTTW to pay their respects to our serving and fallen men and women. These bikers start from 11 UK locations, also Europe, mainly Belgium and Holland. At Alrewas, they ride en-masse into the Arboretum, which Keven described to me as an astounding sight.
Free entry but a £10 registration fee, each participant receiving a commemoration pin and wristband. Kevin has been attending since 2013. All money is donated to the upkeep of the Arboretum and nearly one million pounds has been raised - all of this by volunteers.
In 2020, RTTW was cancelled due to Covid. Everyone already booked donated their £10: to commemorate 2020, bikers wear that year's pin upside down on their "cut" (bikers waistcoat). Kevin has sent me a photo of his waistcoat, with its colourful badges, to show me this.
Kevin joins the ride every year because he is a veteran; because he respects the fallen; last, but definitely not least. because on the main wall there are 44 names of Welsh Guards, many personal friends of his with whom he served during his time in the regiment.
At the conclusion of my meeting with Kevin I thanked him and offered him photos but did not have a card with me. We all looked blank except for Jackie who produced a pen and wrote Kevin's email on a serviette from breakfast. I have already sent photos and Kevin described them as 'great'.
Thank you so much to Kevin for telling me about RTTW, even generously sending me some information via email.
https://flic.kr/p/2n1tT9a
A wonderful portrait & story.
I like the title of your 'Hazel at Work', Jackie: it IS indeed work but very enjoyable!
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