MCE Insurance Supporting Riders for Health

Riders for Health (RFH) are an international charity born from the world of motorcycle racing and are the official charity of Moto GP and motorcycle sport's ruling body, the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).

The RFH mission is to ensure that health workers in Africa have uninterrupted access to reliable transport. Without such transport, health care projects can fail. Using an innovative social enterprise model, RFH has developed a practical, dynamic approach which is helping to achieve real and sustainable development.

RFH operates three national programmes, in the Gambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, where they work with ministries of health, UN agencies and local humanitarian organisations. All programmes are managed by wholly-African teams, and not by volunteers or expatriates. This means that RFH is able to build a lasting base of local knowledge and a culture of maintenance in the communities with which it works.

‘Riders for Health, of which I am Patron, has developed exactly the solutions that are needed. The tried, tested, proven transport systems developed by Riders have already saved thousands of lives and have the potential to make a real difference throughout Africa.’HRH, The Princess Royal

RFH is one of MCE’s chosen charities for 2009 and we have teamed up with 18 other leading motorcycle companies, including Yamaha, Honda, Triumph, Rivetts and The KJM Group. We have chosen to ‘kick start’ our charity campaign by motorcycling from Lands End on May 24th arriving 900 miles later at John O Graots in the early hours of May 26th 2009.

Our aim is to raise £10,000. All donations will be sincerely received no matter how small. Cheques should be made payable to Riders for Health and forwarded for the attention of Dominic Edwards, Director, MCE Insurance, Crown Way, Rushden, Northamptonshire, NN10 6BS.

For more details on the charity please visit www.riders.org

We thank you in anticipation of your support for this worthwhile charity and will forward photos on successful completion of the ride.

• Riders at a glance;
• Operates in five countries (the Gambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania)
• Employs 230 people in Africa
• Manages 1,274 vehicles
• Reaches 10.8 million people
• Has helped increase the proportion of fully-immunised infants in The Gambia from 62% to 73%
• In Zimbabwe there has been a 21% decline malaria in Binga district, in which all health workers are now mobile, compared with a 44% increase in neighbouring district.