The Radstock Devils Scooter Club has organised a charity ride this Saturday to raise funds for the RUH’s Intensive Care Unit, as a way of saying thank you for the care received by one of its members.

Les (Andrew) Hickling, a member of the Radstock Devils Scooter Club, was taken ill earlier this year with Swine Flu, Pneumonia and Septicaemia, and was rushed to the RUH, where he spent seven weeks in intensive care.

Sharon Marshall, from the scooter club, said: “On more than one occasion, we thought we were going to lose our beloved Leslie, but thanks in no small way to the diligence and care from the wonderful doctors and nurses who kept a 24-hour watch on him, he is slowly recovering and is now out in the general ward. He is by no means completely out of the woods, but he is getting there.

“As a way of showing our gratitude to the wonderful caring staff at the RUH, we have organised a charity ride to try to raise funds for the intensive care unit.”

This coming Saturday, 9th April, at 10 a.m., Radstock Devils Scooter Club will be assembling at Midsomer Norton Social Club and setting off on a leisurely ride over the Mendips to the lakes at Chew Valley and Blagdon, stopping on the way to rattle buckets and collect what they can. They hope to end their trek at the Wagon and Horses for food and invite any biker who would like to come along to join them.

During the evening, the club will be holding a ‘Thank You’ evening at Midsomer Norton Social Club with live bands and a disco starting at 8 p.m.

Sharon added: “Thanks to the generosity of local businesspeople, we have a superb raffle with over £500 of donated prizes. Tickets can be purchased over the bar at Midsomer Norton Social Club and will also be on sale during the evening.

“We hope you will come along and support this worthy cause. We can’t thank the doctors and nurses enough for what they do and in particular, what they have done to save our Les.”