Bike ride tribute to colleague raises thousands for air ambulance

TWO WHEELS Arriva drivers switched buses for bikes. Pictured front is Dewsbury driver Leroy Jackson.

The 13 bus drivers and engineers from Dewsbury depot started their 60-mile ‘Tour de Arriva’ in York and visited the company’s depots in Selby, Wakefield, Castleford and Heckmondwike, before finishing at Dewsbury.

It’s the third time they’ve done the ride, which took place in September, but this year they had a special reason to support the charity.

The group chose Yorkshire Air Ambulance after one of their colleagues was airlifted to hospital last year after being involved in a car and bus smash in Crofton, Wakefield. This week they handed over £3,115.16 to the charity.

Organiser Stephen Kitchen, of Wilson Drive, Wakefield, said: “We had a meeting between ourselves and decided to support the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

“In the past we have done bike rides for Children in Need and two for Kirkwood Hospice.

“We just wanted to raise as much as we could to support the cause. I was quite pleased with the total.”

As well as the bike ride, Arriva head office workers Kate Pullett and Tracey Holt also decided to help raise money by having their heads shaved on the morning of the ride.