It's for cheridee

In exactly two weeks' time, I'll be shitting myself.

I'll be preparing to take part in this year's "North West Bikers Charity Toy Run", an event whereby up to 2000 motorbike enthusiasts and Hell's Angels, led by Coronation Street actress Bev Callard (Liz McDonald!), ride 15 miles to go and terrify a load of young offenders who will be languishing in borstal over the Christmas period.

Oh hang on, I've just re-read the flier:

"All toys donated will be taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. All money donated will be forwarded to Francis House Children's Hospice."

Yes, so there will be lots of toys taken to the little uns who are poorly sick in hospital over Christmas and all the money goes to the poor little uns who have been having it terribly rough and are extremely poorly and terminally ill in the children's hospice. Hospices do not generally come under the umbrella of state funding for healthcare and rely wholly on charitable donations. This event raised £16,300 last year.

Anyway, I've never been on a motorbike before and I need to think of a fancy dress outfit to wear as I'm clinging on for dear life as pillion on my brother's 1200cc monster. Any suggestions for a fancy dress outfit will be duly ignored, but check these guys out from last year's do.

Not only do I have to hang on to my brother and wear fancy dress, I also have to it one-handed as I've said I'll be taking photos while we're riding. I must be fucking mad.

I'm also being sponsored - I'd initially said I'd do this for a laugh, but I found out that I'm actually on the official sponsorship list so I need to collect some cash. If anybody fancies sponsoring me or making a donation and they've got a Paypal account, they can do so by clicking the "make a donation" button over in the sidebar. I promise that every penny will go to the charity. Alternatively, I think you can donate to this and many other similar hospices through their own websites.