THE owner of a Forest motorcycle training school is planning to take

customers, graduates and motorcycling friends on a 100-mile trip to help

a children's charity.

Vanessa Allen, 29, who runs Dean Motorcycle Training at the Enterprise

Centre in Valley Road, Cinderford, and is Gloucestershire's first

qualified woman motorcycle driving instructor, has asked everyone who

wants to come along.

"I thought it would be great idea. We'll all go off for a long day out

and make an occasion of it with lunch or a picnic. I thought we'd

perhaps go 100 miles or so.

"Anybody could come along – friends, and all the 60 or so people who

have passed the test with us, and our customers. Trainees would be able

to use our bikes if they need.

"I'm thinking of collecting £5 per bike, and we can collect on the way,

to raise money for the Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood Trust (CLIC)."

The event will take place on Sunday March 21 starting at the Enterprise

Centre in the morning. The bikers will be taking a three-counties route

through Monmouthshire and Herefordshire and back through

Gloucestershire.

"The route has been devised by friends Claire and Andy Taylor, and we're

going to have a burger van at the start in the morning so that everyone

can grab a breakfast before we set off," said Vanessa.

She said she had chosen the CLIC charity after the daughter of one of

her husband Geoff's friends died from Leukaemia.

"When it happened we promised that if we ever started our own business

we would try to do something to help people like her.

"Everybody has been really helpful. The owner of Fast Track training,

Walter Lee-Hynes, has also written to all his graduates to tell them of

the event," she said.

"We've also been given a helmet by Haines Motorcycles and Frazers of

Gloucester have given a pair of gloves – we will hold a raffle for them

on the day.

"Hopefully if this is successful we'll be able to hold other events like

it in the future."

She said people who were interested in joining could ring her for more

details on Dean (01594) 826333 or 825975.