Riders Christmas appeal

Riders for Health – the official charity of MotoGP – has teamed up with the BBC in a bid to help people in remote African communities receive the gift of a healthier future this Christmas.

The award-winning charity will make an appeal for funding in the BBC’s Lifeline programme on Sunday 17 December with the help of presenter Suzi Perry.

Riders for Health has developed vehicle maintenance and training systems to enable African health workers to reach rural communities on a regular basis.

In 2006 the charity’s African-led teams helped to reach nearly 11 million people with regular healthcare, and it is now appealing for funding to expand its work even further to reach another 10 million people by 2015.

 The appeal will feature Riders’ work in the Gambia, West Africa including the story of Manyo Gibba who is based in Medina Serign Mass who cares for nearly 20,000 people in 14 villages.

 For the last four years, her tough job has been made easier by a simple motorcycle, managed by Riders for Health.

 Gibba said: “Before I had the motorcycle I had to walk or hire a donkey cart to visit my villages. Many of the communities would not see me for a month or more.

But now I can visit them at any time of the day or night, and they see me at least once a week.”

TV presenter Suzi Perry makes the appeal on behalf of the charity, of which she is a long-term supporter. 

Perry adds: “You could argue it’s the less glamorous side of life-saving. Riders don’t rush in with vast amounts of food or perform emergency operations, but it’s absolutely certain that without the role they play hundreds – maybe thousands – of people wouldn’t be alive today.

“So if you’re a biker like me, or you just admire the fantastic job Riders are doing, please support this appeal and make a donation today.”

The Lifeline programme will be shown on BBC 1 at 3.30 on Sunday, 17th December, and will be repeated on BBC 2 at 1.00 on Wednesday, 20th December.

To make a donation, call 0800 093 93 94 (from 17th December), or send a cheque payable to ‘Riders for Health’ to Freepost, RIDERS FOR HEALTH. Or you can donate online at www.riders.org