DENGIE and South Essex Bikers are celebrating after raising £2,900 for the air ambulance with their lockdown motorcycle ride-bys.

Throughout the pandemic, the group has staged around 130 ride-bys for residents across the area, including several visits to Maldon.

The events were put on to mark everything from children's birthdays to wedding anniversaries - and sometimes just when something was needed to lift a person's spirits – all at the request of people who contacted the group through its Facebook page.

No fee was charged for the ride-bys, with those who enjoyed them invited to donate instead to a Just Giving page set up by the group to raise funds for the East Herts and Essex Air Ambulance Service charity.

Bikers spokesman, Jamie Dorrell, told Maldon Nub News how the rides, often involving more than 60 bikers, had created lots of great memories.

He said: "The adrenalin builds when we start revving and you just get an enormous atmosphere around you, which brings people together. People would come out of their houses and into the street and everyone would be part of it.

Jamie added: "It's helped some people change their view of bikers. They can see we're just members of the community doing our best to help."

The bikers hope to help make Christmas special for children at Broomfield Hospital

Now the bikers are planning to support local children who find themselves in hospital over Christmas. The group's third annual Motorbike Toy Run for Christmas is planned for Sunday, 6 December.

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Riders will dress up, decorate their bikes and ride to Broomfield Hospital to donate toys to children on Phoenix Ward.

Anyone can donate brand new toys to Dengie and South Essex Bikers in the months leading up to the event or, if preferred, buy the group's teddies. The biker bears cost £15 each or £25 for two and can be purchased for the children on the ward through the group's Facebook page.