Northampton children’s home ‘gobsmacked’ by 40 bikers delivering presents in the run up to Christmas

On Saturday (December 17), 40 bikers came together for a Christmas present run to a Northampton children’s home.

The group was made up of staff and regulars from The King Billy Rock Bar, Support 81, and Instigators Northants, and was in aid of Welford House Children’s Home in Welford Road.

They raised more than £1,500 over the past six weeks, which was able to provide every child living in Welford House’s five care homes across the county with a £25 voucher.

The remaining vouchers will be given to teenage children in foster care, and the cash donation of £500 will also be put towards gifts and hampers that they would not have received otherwise.

Manager of The King Billy, Rachel said: “Children in care tend not to be thought about first around Christmas time, and we wanted them to know someone cares and is thinking about them.

“I used to foster teenagers myself and I know they are overlooked.”

The staff members at Welford House were over the moon when they found out the group was rallying together for the present run, and have been left “gobsmacked” by the bikers’ generosity.

The bikers rode in a procession to the home, which they hoped would “add something different to their Christmas”.

“We absolutely did that,” said Rachel. “You don’t get 40 Hells Angels on your doorstep everyday.”

Rachel thought it was brilliant that so many people wanted to take part, and one has a foster child in their care at the moment. She said: “Bikers and rockers tend to get a bad reputation, but we do an awful lot of good that people don’t know about.”

Three young people, who will each receive one of the £25 vouchers, met the bikers as they arrived and Welford House’s manager said the children in their care were very “excited” about the present run.

The King Billy is already looking to the next fundraising event they can do for Welford House, and would like to do an Easter egg hunt in a similar format.

They hope to build a partnership with the children’s home as The King Billy believes people see providing for teenagers in care as an “underrated cause”.