Two local businesses are combining their efforts to raise a minimum of £2000 for local charities, to include the Great North Air Ambulance.

Shildon based Barrier Energy and Darlington based Northern Distribution Ltd are to each pledge £1000 towards the Scott Charities as part of this years running by The Richmond Motor Club of the Scott Motorcyle Trial, held in and around Reeth and Arkengarthdale on Saturday 18th October.

This prestigious motorcycle event is in it’s Centenary Year and the Richmond Motor Club and are hoping to raise in excess of £10,000 for the Scott Charities (a list of which is available via www.richmondmotorclub.com), this being the amount handed over to the charities last year. The club have contibuted over £137,000.00 to local charities to date.

The respective directors of the two businesses, Kevin and Barry Johnson from Barrier Energy and Trevor Willans from Northern Distribution Ltd, both wish to see a contribution going to the Great North Air Ambulance as they have all needed to use the invaluable services of the GNAA recently ! Both Kevin’s and Trevor’s respective daughters needed the services of the Air Ambulance when both girls each had horse riding accidents in separate incidents. Thankfully both girls are fine and are riding again. Also, Barry Johnson fell from his horse whilst hunting and needed Air Ambulance support in February of this year !

To assist in their challenge, they have put together a team of ‘Veteran’ trials riders to complete the forthcoming Scott Trial in a non-competitive ‘relay’ ride.

The team has been assembled with the help of long time Scott enthusiast Nigel Mackenzie from Manfield, North Yorks, himself a past competitor from the 1980’s and whose late father David (DT) Mackenzie had a long time association with the event.

The team consists of 5 Riders, all of whom are multiple award winners in the event during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Non of the riders are in the first flush of youth (all mid-50’s and one over 60 !) and between them they have collected 16 silver and 3 gold awards in the event.

At the head of the team, will be Finland’s 61 year old trials legend Yrjo Vesterinen, being a triple world champion in the years 1976,77 and 78, and indeed British Champion in 1982, he is guaranteed to draw the crowds.

Yrjo, known to all as ‘Vesty’ will be backed up by Glen Scholey from Ripon, Yorks;  Mark Willis from Richmond, Yorks; Trevor Willans from Piercebridge, Co Durham; and Joe Buckworth from Guisborough, Cleveland.

Glen and Joe were top British and World Championship contenders in the 70’s and 80’s and had many top placings in the Scott Trial during that time. Both retired from the sport in the late 80’s and have only recently returned to compete again at clubman level.

Mark has been a regular Scott competitor until very recently and is a multiple award winner in the Scott and is still a regular top placed rider in local events.

Trevor is best remembered by Scott followers for his epic race around the event in 1987 with Les Richardson and Harry Crawford, only losing out to Harry in the last mile to be 1 minute off achieving fastest (standard) time and the coveted trophy that goes with it ! Trevor retired from the sport in the early nineties only to return 15 years later and is now a regular top placed rider at clubman level.

The team is to be known as the Barrier Energy / Northern Distribution Charity Team and they are all hoping that supporters and spectators will cheer them along the way and more importantly, dig deep and contribute generously to The Scott Charities.

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