For those that don’t know, Hayling Island is a few miles east of Portsmouth down on the South Coast and for me it’s my local rally. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the challenge of riding an Italian shopping trolley up and down the country, but it’s nice to occasionally roll out of bed at a sensible time, chuck my stuff on the scoot and arrive at the rally 20 minutes later.
The rally itself is run by the SWSC (South West Scooter Clubs) and is based at Mill Rythe Holiday Park, though as the accommodation normally sells out very fast a lot of people also camp nearby. Words and photos: Booga
Rider’s patches going like hot cakes Friday afternoon, the gates open and it’s blazing hot sunshine (hard to believe now when I sit here typing this and I’m listening to the wind and rain howling outside) and by 4pm the last of the 300 limited edition rider patches are being handed out to those that rode down to the rally. As more people arrive the place fills up quickly and that scooter rally buzz really kicks in. Man versus food My first stop is at the restaurant – it’s free, as part of the accommodation price and it’s all you can eat… and I can eat a lot. Too much. I think I’ll have a lie down for half an hour… Four hours later and I’ve missed the band (sorry Lo Numbers), and have invented the ‘food hangover’ (I’m never eating again). I’ll do better on Saturday.
Scorching Saturday Saturday dawns and once again the weather is glorious. I don’t quite know how they manage it, but Stu and Andy always manage to arrange fantastic weather for Hayling and this year was definitely no exception. The parts fair is busy, as is the outdoor custom show, with some lovely scoots, as well as a display from the Lambretta Chopper Owners Club. Come 12.30 and it’s time for the rideout around the island with yours truly holding the traffic at bay whilst everyone gets out on to the main road ‘thanks for stopping, it’ll only be a couple of minutes’ seven minutes later I’m waving the last of the scoots out and avoiding the glares of the waiting drivers. This has to be the biggest Hayling rideout to date, but it went well and everyone seemed to enjoy it, ending as it did down on the sea front.
Giving generously With the sad and horrific events in Manchester still fresh in our minds, whilst at the seafront we asked for donations to the Red Cross Manchester victims appeal, with SWSC kindly offering to match the donations and everyone giving generously. Back to Mill Rythe and it’s time to chill out and listen to The Asylum Seekers, a punk covers band who make every song they play their own, a great way to soak up the sun and relax. Come the evening and we bump into a few people we haven’t spoken to in ages, years in fact and spend the evening sitting in the complex chatting about old times. And once again I miss the band (sorry Jam DRC), oh well at least this time I stayed awake. Murder on the dance floor Then the shocking news of the attack in London starts to spread and understandably the mood becomes quite sombre, with people checking the live updates on the venue televisions. However, as the saying goes ‘the show must go on’ and although everybody’s thoughts were with the victims and their families the evening generally went on as planned.
UK Solidarity Fund
As I mentioned earlier, we asked for donations for the Manchester appeal. We passed the money straight to SWSC to match and donate on our behalf. On Monday Andy Of SWSC posted this on their FB page: “The Hayling Island rideout collection for Manchester bombing victims came to an amazing £343.47, well done guys. We said we would match it but after the horrendous events in London on the Saturday of the rally we have decided to beat that and add £1000 to the collection”. “The British Red Cross has launched a new UK Solidarity Fund. The Fund will support people who have been injured, bereaved or traumatised by terror attacks in the UK, helping to alleviate immediate suffering and ensure that victims and their families do not face short-term financial difficulties.”‘ We will be making a £1343.47 donation to the Red Cross Solidarity Fund, which has been set up to help all victims of terror attacks in the UK. Donate If you’d like to donate to the UK Solidarity Fund simply click this link or alternatively you can still donate to Manchester victim (and daughter of scooterists), Olivia Campbell’s Just giving Page which can be found within our recent story. Olivia’s fund raising page is set to end on Monday 12th June.
Rallery by Booga
For those that don’t know, Hayling Island is a few miles east of Portsmouth down on the South Coast and for me it’s my local rally. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy the challenge of riding an Italian shopping trolley up and down the country, but it’s nice to occasionally roll out of bed at a sensible time, chuck my stuff on the scoot and arrive at the rally 20 minutes later.
