Newbold Verdon Vicar Revd Sue Ives-Smith will be pulling on her leathers and riding pillion as part of a meeting of hundreds of Harley Davidson motorcycles in her parish this Easter, and planning a special Café Church for bikers.
Sue, whose parishes include Newbold Verdon, Peckleton, Kirkby Mallory and Barlestone, has been invited to take part in the annual meet of the Harley Davidson Sportster Sickness group at Mallory Park.
Sue says: “The organiser of the event James Bricknell invited me to come along. They are anxious to reach out to the community and felt that working with the local church was a good way to do this. They are also going to make a donation to the church in Kirkby Mallory. I leapt at the chance.
“Of course, it’s lovely to have a donation, but it is also a great opportunity for outreach and to show another side to the clergy. As a follow up to event over the Easter weekend, we are planning Biker’s’ Cafe Church Service to be held in the School Room in Kirkby Mallory on Saturday 25th April 2020 at 10.30am.”
The meeting at Mallory Park on April 11th could attract anything up to 1000 bikes. The Facebook group which is organising it is for fans of one particular model of Harley Davidson called the Sportster – hence the group name ‘Sportster Sickness’.
James Bricknell says: “We have nearly 9000 members who love their Harley Davidson Sportsters. We come from all kinds of backgrounds, but we think of ourselves as a community. This Easter we will be riding to Mallory Park through Kirby Muxlow, Desford, Market Bosworth, Newbold Verdon, Barlestone and Kirkby Mallory.
