News

A bike fit for a hero boosted Wirral Metropolitan College’s efforts to help wounded soldiers. The specially customised Triumph Rocket 3 roared into the college’s Twelve Quays Campus as part of a national fundraising campaign for the Help for Heroes charity.

The bike – complete with a special paint job, laser lights and a fuel cap made from an Afghan campaign medal – was constructed and customised by Bill Harris and his team at Custom Bill’s shop in Ellesmere Port. Its visit to the college, where a collection was made for the appeal, was part of the bike’s UK tour to raise £1m for Help for Heroes.

College principal, Mike Potter CBE, said: “This was a very special and privileged day for Wirral Met because of the close links we have here with the armed forces via our Army Preparation course.  “With our pedigree in high quality motorcycle engineering, it was fitting that Wirral Met was one of the bike’s points of call on its national journey and we are delighted to be supporting Help for Heroes in any way we can.”

Matthew Falcon-Scott, one of the six-strong team at Custom Bill’s, said when Help for Heroes asked them for assistance with the fundraising initiative, they just couldn’t say no.  He said: “It took 10 days alone to strip the paint from the bike and 49 days to do the paint job.  People have given so much, even people who don’t have much.”
Also attending the event were Anthony and Margaret Boote, whose son Corporal Steven Boote, from Birkenhead, was killed in Afghanistan in November while serving there in the Territorial Army, as well as the college’s Uniformed Services students and members of the Cheshire Regiment.

Mr Potter added: “Sadly, Steven made the ultimate sacrifice and our thoughts are very much with his family and friends in supporting this worthwhile cause.”