Hundreds of motorcyclists took to the roads of Bristol today, dressed in their finery to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer research and men's mental health. It was part of the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride, which takes place in 121 countries around the world with some 340,000 classic and vintage riders taking part in total.
The rides have raised some £30m in total for men's health so far, since 2012 when it was founded in Sydney, Australia, by Mark Hawwa. It was inspired by a photo of TV show Mad Men's Don Draper astride a classic bike and wearing his finest suit.
So founder Mark decided that a themed ride would be a great way of connecting niche motorcycle enthusiasts and communities while raising funds to "support the men in our lives". Today in Bristol, if you were walking around the city centre you may have spotted a mass of motorcyclists dressed in suits, blazers and jeans, or similar and riding some pretty 'stunning' motorbikes through the city.
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One such passer by, Siddhant Chordiya, snapped a photo and video of the group of riders and said: "There were hundreds of motorcycles and scooters today which included many classic motorcycles. I was walking near Castle Park and I saw them. It was part of the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride I believe."
In a Facebook event found through the official DGR website 's Bristol page, the event details read: "Bristol is officially taking part in the world's largest and most stylish charitable motorcycle event on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Join hundreds of thousands of dapper gentlefolk riding stunning motorcycles on the same day around the world for men's health.
"The goal for 2023 is to raise awareness and $6m USD for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health on behalf of charity partner, Movember. Fundraise and be rewarded."
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