The Ride of Honour organising team are very pleased to announce that we will be adding Afghan Heroes as one of the charities that the 2012 Ride of Honour will be helping to support.

We believe that by supporting this trio of charities (Help for Heroes, The Black Rat Fund, and Afghan Heroes) assistance and funds will go towards helping service personnel of the armed forces in three different, but equally essential areas.

Help for Heroes focus mainly on helping injured and wounded soldiers and their families.  Their main objective is building rehabilitation and Personnel Recovery Centres (PRC’s) across the country for those brave service men and women that return home injured, helping them onto the road to recovery and preparing them for the next phase of their lives.

The Black Rat Fund is a charitable enterprise established by the 4^th Mechanized Brigade (collectively known as “The Black Rats”).  The fund aims to provide social and welfare support for the wellbeing of servicemen and women and their immediate family, and to alleviate suffering and distress by providing charitable assistance.  As The Black Rats are based at Catterick Garrison in Yorkshire and the Ride of Honour is held in Yorkshire we believe it is fitting that we are able to help local service personnel by supporting The Black Rat Fund.

Afghan Heroes primary objective is to boost motivation and morale of service personnel directly on the front line deployed in areas of conflict by providing care packages containing a few home comforts and showing the gratitude from the public.  They are also helping to build support networks for the families of fallen soldiers where they can give support and comfort to each other.

By the Ride of Honour supporting these three charities, the funds we raise will go towards supporting service personnel and their families at every stage right from the front line for those currently deployed, through to those returning home with horrific injuries and scars both physical and mental and finally provide care, support and assistance to the families of those that have made the ultimate sacrifice and laid down their lives.

We hope that the biking community in and around Yorkshire will once again rally around and join us in June 2012 to again show our gratitude and support for our armed forces and help make the Ride of Honour bigger and better and raise even more money for these three very worthwhile charities.

Ride safe and see you in 2012.