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East Lancs Riders Committee
Gareth Crooks
Chairman
RoSPA Adv. Tutor
My journey started back in April 2016 when I passed my motorcycle test. I was on a family trip to the Winter Gardens at Blackpool where I first saw a Blood Bike and I had a quick chat with them about advanced training. They pointed me in the direction of Bike Safe which I looked into when I got home that evening. The following year I signed up with Bike Safe at Accrington Fire Station. I thoroughly enjoyed my day there and immediately signed up for a advanced course with the IAM and got a pass with them back in November 2018
The following day I started with Blood Bikes. I got a phone call from Mark Furnival and my journey began.
I used my own bike for a short time which was a Suzuki Bandit GSF 650 until spring 2019 when I got the nod to use a fleet bike and in the same year I started my training with RoSPA. I got my RoSPA Gold in November.
I was asked to tutor for the group I was with at the time, Mark Furnival being their Chairman and so the next part of my journey began.
I gained my RoSPA Group Tutor qualification in 2020 and then the following year I passed my Advanced Tutor qualification.
Chairman of East Lancs Riders.
Sara Hailes
Treasurer
Newbie to riding
I am the group Treasurer.
I am a Commercial Account and head a number of international
finance departments for a financial services company based in the USA. I am also a qualified CCR (Rebreather) Trimix Diver and have two Spaniels who take up a lot of my time. You can see 'Merlot 'with Mark in his profile picture below.
Having been married to Mark for the past 10 years, although I love riding pillion, I finally thought it best to take my test which I have now done. I have just bought a shiny new Kawasaki Ninja 650 which I love. It looks just lovely.
I am going to spend this summer riding with Mark and the group then put in for my RoSPA test.
I look forward to meeting you all at our social events.
Iain Begg
Training Manager
RoSPA Examiner
As far as I can recall I have always been ‘into’ bikes. From a youngster with pictures of bikes on my bedroom wall. I remember as a teenager at school daydreaming and looking out of the classroom window in double history and seeing Bike Cops ‘working’ on the main road outside the school, and thinking ‘I could that do as a job’.
I joined Lancashire Constabulary straight from leaving school as a 16 year old as a Cadet. I was appointed as a Constable in 1980 and did my two year Probationary period on foot in quiet rural area of the Fylde Coast during which I got a good all round grounding of Police work, having to deal with pretty much everything. Traffic and in particular Bikes was still calling.
Attending Motor Driving School in 1982 for my ‘Standard Driving Course’ literally was the eye opening experience, seeing and understanding where and how far ahead the Instructor was looking and planning during his first demonstration drive, and the ease that he manoeuvred through traffic. That was it! I was hooked on Police Driving. From then on in it was all about getting on Traffic Patrol. There was the extra responsibility and more importantly to me, the freedom to go out and find my own work as well as dealing with the full range of ‘bumps’ and crime.
My ambition always, was to get on bikes. In those days a bike spot was pretty much ‘dead man’s shoes’ a slot only coming up when someone left or retired. I went on bikes full time in 1988 and stayed there until I retired in 2010. I must have been doing something right as I was left pretty much to my own devices for the whole period. A round peg in a round hole!
Away from ‘work’ I regularly organise a Ride Out to Scotland for likeminded friends. I love Scotland! Open roads, very often quite (ish) with room and views designed for ‘Progressive Riding’.
I joined RoSPA as an Examiner in 1998 testing car and bikes. I felt at the time and still do, that I received some of the best driver/rider training available free of charge and in addition actually got paid quite well to get the education. I have been lucky enough to perform Escort Duties to HM Queen, and other members of The Royal Family as well as all serving Prime Ministers from Thatcher to Brown. My aim is to pass on some of that knowledge/experience on through the new East Lancs RoSPA Group.
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Iain working alongside Miss UK
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Group Secretary
Vacant
John Brandon
Membership Secretary
I am the Membership Secretary. I started riding on a Yamaha “fizzy” 50cc back in 1981 ! I worked through the Yamaha air cooled 2 strokes and up through to the big 4 stroke water cooled machines over several years.
I have recently retired from an engineering management position.
I first encountered advanced training after the purchase of a new Honda Fireblade in 1997. Honda offered 2 free days training during which I realised I knew very little about riding “ properly “. This, despite having 20yrs experience!
ROSPA membership has really upped my game and made riding much more enjoyable.
