POOLE motorcycle enthusiast Mark Pardy had a close call with some sheep shears during his latest fundraising for the Mac Unit hospice in Christchurch.
Mark, 60 and his fellow members of The Kinson Riders Group raised £1700 over six months through bucket collections and selling t-shirts and glow bands – and a charity shave and haircut with a difference.
Mark, who works for international engineering company IMI explained: “As a bike group we have supported Macmillan Caring Locally (MCL) the charity which supports the Macmillan Unit, for many years.
“My father Dennis Pardy was cared for in his last days at the Mac Unit and most members know someone who has been supported by the wonderful staff there, so we love to raise money for them whenever we can.”
Mark continued: “This summer, my boss at IMI Neil Bunning, heard about our fundraising and invited us to attend and fundraise at a huge music and entertainment event held by the company for its staff and their families, at the Big Sheep Experience in Bideford Devon.
“We went along and sold t-shirts and glow bands and collected money and I also found myself volunteering for a charity haircut.
“I had grown both my hair and goatee beard quite long during lockdown and it seemed like a good idea. Although I didn’t realise at first that I would be having a haircut with sheep shears powered by a bicycle!
“Not surprisingly it was pretty painful and those shears got quite hot, so I was glad when it was all over! But it was certainly worth it to raise money for the unit’s work supporting so many people and their families each year.”
Mark and his fellow riders presented a cheque for the £1700 they had raised to Neal Williams, Trust Secretary of Macmillan Caring Locally.
Neal said: “Mark and the rest of The Kinson Riders Group are fabulously generous people and we feel privileged to have had their backing over many years.
“We all had a great laugh 
when Mark described what he had been through for the sake of his ‘haircut’. But this just perfectly sums up the devotion he and his friends have for the Mac Unit. We would like to thank all the members for their outstanding support.”
The Kinson Riders Group will be holding their annual, fundraising Mistletoe Run on Sunday December 12th and would like to invite motorcyclists of any age and with any bike to join them. Riders – some dressed in festive fancy dress and with decorated bikes – meet at the Halfway Inn, Wareham BH20 5DU at 11am and pay a £5 donation before riding back together to Kinson Conservative Club for free hot drinks.
To donate to Macmillan Caring Locally or to start your own fundraising journey please visit: www.macmillanlocal.org
