Up to 50
members of Crawley Bullseye Scooter Club will ride their Italian vintage bikes
to Horsham on Monday (April 21) and have them on show to mark the 50th
anniversary of the infamous clashes between Mods and Rockers.
Karen
Turnham, 55, and her partner Phillip Walker, 55, of Pound Hill, founded the
club in 2009.
Karen,
“the governor” of the club, said: “We’ve made a lot of friends through it and
go out to lots of different places. It’s given people a life. It’s brought
their youth back to them.”
Karen
said the club had raised thousands of pounds at events it had put on for a
various charities.
Among
the fundraising efforts was £1,600 for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity thanks
to a 60s-themed music event at The Tilgate Pub, Ashdown Drive. Karen said:
“It’s been increasing every year. We are recognised as a very active scooter
club because we do so much.”
The
group meet twice per month at The Snooty Fox pub, in Three Bridges, and go out
on weekend rides regularly.
Karen
said: “We’re all different, some are really shy when they first meet. It brings
people to life.”
Vikki
Thatcher, the pub’s landlady, was also a scooterist in Bournemouth.
Karen
said the club was “thriving” with its membership increasing every year.
The
group has around 50 members, the youngest being aged 18 and the oldest 66.
One
member owned five scooters.
Phil
said he started riding after his father bought him a scooter when he was
12-years-old. He attended Ifield Comprehensive School, now Ifield Community
College, and became a member of the school’s motorbike club.
Phil,
who works as a mechanic in Gatwick, said: “Other people from other places join
us on these [ride-outs].
“People
take photos of us. It’s great, the Americans can’t get enough of it.”
Karen
got into scooters after she met Phil more than 14 years ago. She said most of
their scooters were classic Lambrettas and Vespas from the 1960s and that club
members had appeared in television commercials, film extras and fashion photo
shoots.
A number
of members were involved in the opening of the Brighton Marathon.
The
Crawley Bullseye Scooter Club will park up in the bandstand in Horsham from
11.30am to 3pm.
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