The club has continued its successful charity work, raising £6,500 at its ninth annual charity motocross event… by Stuart Campbell

Each year the club picks two charities that have touched the lives of club members, their families, or the community and this has led to it presenting more than £60,000 to 17 different charities and charitable causes since 2007.

Mourne club Chairman Billy McLarnin said, “Once again this is an amazing amount of money for any sports club to raise, especially for what might be considered a smaller sport like motocross.”

“I would like to thank everybody who helped to organise the event, the riders who took part, the spectators and everyone who donated to make it another successful year.”

“Each year we try to choose local charities or causes that are close to the club. We were delighted to help Macmillan Nurses who do so much to help people at their time of need and Emma Hamilton, whose father Nigel is a well-known club member.”

“I know that everyone in the club is proud of what we have achieved in the last nine years and we hope to continue fundraising and giving something back to the community every year,” he said.

This year monies raised have been shared between Macmillan Nurses, which helps people and families throughout the country, and Help for Emma.

On March 4, 2014, twin girls Emma and Katie Hamilton, from Kilmore, were born in the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital.

Katie weighed just 2Ibs 12ozs at birth and spent her first two months in hospital, but Emma was not discharged for nine months as she was born with a rare condition known as Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS).

CCHS is a rare genetic condition where the brain does not tell the lungs to breathe during sleep, although it can also occur with some individuals when they are awake.

Now Emma depends on a ventilator for her breathing and she is continuously monitored to ensure her oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are maintained at a safe level.

Approximately 1,000 people are known to have condition worldwide; with less than 100 people in the UK and Emma is one of two children affected by the rare condition in Northern Ireland.

 

Charity event history

The idea for a charity event started when Mourne club member Andrew Shields, from Kilkeel, suggested raising funds for the ambulance services that help at the club’s races.

Plans for a fundraising event had begun, but tragic circumstances changed who the club raised money for the first year.

Following the passing of Andrew and Alison Shields youngest son, Kyle, from Sanfilippo Syndrome on October 13, 2006, (five days before his 14th birthday on October 18) the club decided to raise money for Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice in Belfast, which had provided so much care for Kyle during his short life.

Away from the Mourne club, Alison Shields wrote ‘Kyle – A mother’s love in action’, from a diary she had kept during the years of Kyle’s illness, with the proceeds going to Horizon House, Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice.

The Mourne club’s first charity event was held on May 22, 2007, and they have been helped every year by Ballynahinch Lions and Keith Cullen of Country Fried Chicken, Ballynahinch, who has supplied trophies for the race winners.

The charities and causes that have benefitted from the Mourne club’s charity events so far have been:

* 2007 – Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, Belfast.

* 2008 – Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

* 2009 – Tiny Life and Autism Northern Ireland.

* 2010 – Montalto Medical Centre and Friends of Cancer Centre.

* 2011 – The British Red Cross and St. Johns Ambulance.

* 2012 – Cash for kids and The Reece Burrows Cerebral Palsy Fund.

* 2013 – The Lucy Parke Appeal and Grove House, Ballynahinch.

* 2014 – The Ballynahinch Branch of Cancer Research and the Mitre Trust Spinal Injuries Unit, Musgrave Park Hospital.

* 2015 – Macmillan Nurses and Help for Emma.

Members of the Hamilton family accept a cheque for £3,250 from Mourne Motorcycle Club at a presentation held at the Millbrook Lodge Hotel, Ballynahinch, on Thursday evening. The money was presented to the Help Emma Appeal. Included with Emma (third right), who suffers from CCHS, is mum Patricia Hamilton and dad Nigel, with Emma’s twin Katie and brother Ryan alongside club president Junior Burrows (left), motocross rider Andrew Simpson and club chairman Billy McLarnin (right).

Photo © Raphael Mason

MacMillan Cancer Care representatives Joanne Young (second left) and Gemma Ross receive a cheque for £3,250 from members of Mourne Motorcycle Club. Included is club treasurer George Porter (left) alongside chairman Billy McLarnin, president Junior Burrows (right) and Jimmy Anderson (third right) of Ballynahinch Lions Club.

Photo © Raphael Mason

 

Again a big Thank-You to all who made these amounts possible!

 

Saturday 6^th June is the date for the 3^rd round of the JMK Sales Ulster Quadcross Championships and NI Sidecarcross Supporters Club Sidecarcross Championship hosted by Mourne MCC Ltd.

As the Championships reach the third round, the perhaps surprise leader of the JMK Sales Premier Quad class is Cavan man Leon Rodgers, who holds a one point lead over Banbridge man, defending Champion, David Cowan, with Saintfield rider Dean Colhoun third only 5 points adrift.  Fourth is Comber’s multi  British & Ulster Champion Justin Reid, four points behind Colhoun, followed by Hillsborough’s Mark McLernon, and Limavady’s Michael McAneney, non finishes hurting these last two challengers badly in the ultra competitive Quad racing we are privileged to see in Ireland, the top four are regular in the top 5 of the British Championship so we are seeing the best racing possible.

In the NI Sidecarcross Supporters Club Sidecarcross Championships, Lisburn Crew Neil Campbell & Ross Graham have a perfect score being unbeaten so far this season, but a returning from injury Gary Moulds with new passenger Alan Gardner have been showing some excellent form and this week could be the breakthrough they need after Gary posted his best ever finish at a British round with a ninth at the last round, the two Lisburn/Hillsborough based youngsters will be out for glory at Seaforde, after missing the first two rounds through injury.

Second in the Championship are Lisburn veterans Tony Willis & Ian Glenn, with neighbours Emma Moulds & Niki Adair a close third.  With up to twelve outfits on the gate the Class is growing and racing is getting better through the field.

The JMK Sales Clubman Quad class is led by Dublin based Ireneusz Furtak with a perfect unbeaten run so far, second is Graham Ballantine with  Pat Whelan and Steven Smith in hot pursuit.

Also on the race programme are three classes of Youth Quads running as support to the main Championships in an experiment for a possible 2016 Championship and the youngsters have really been enjoying the new tracks and riding with the adults.

Racing begins at 1130am, track is signposted off the main Ballynahinch to Newcastle Road near Seaforde Village, come along for a great family day out.

 

Paper download forms and online entry system is in full swing, please click here for direct link to these.

We really do encourage as many competitors as possible to use the online entry system. It is completely safe and ensures your entry is received and not lost in the post.

 

Competitors please note the following:

• Noise testing will be enforced on ALL machines… This will take place in the morning
• NO ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED ON THE DAY!
• Chain guards must be fitted to ALL machines for safety

The Ulster Motocross Championship returns to County Down on Monday, May 4, when the Mourne Motorcycle Club will host their annual May Day motocross event.

The Mourne club will be hosting the second round of the 2015 Ulster Motocross Championship at clubman Norman Green’s Seaforde Moto Park.

The first round of the championship was held at Desertmartin, Cookstown, on April 6 and there will be County Down men competing for top places in every class at Seaforde.

Comber man Wayne Garrett leads the Grade A MX1 class after two wins and a second placed finish at Desertmartin. He is followed by Lisburn’s Richard Bird and Portavogie man Robert Hamilton.

Speaking at the launch, Ulster and Irish Championship leader Wayne Garrett said, “So far I’ve had a really good start to the season.I’m trying to enjoy it and have fun, as it makes a big difference if you get the bike right and enjoy it. I know you can’t win every race, but I feel like I’m back to where I was a few years ago. The more races you win, the more you feel that you should be at the front,” he said.

In the Grade A MX2 class Loughbrickland’s Jason Meara leads Ballyclare man Glen McCormick by three points after they finished first and second in every race at the first round.

The Mourne club is holding the event with support from Brennan’s Service Station and Stick Restaurant, Bannside Pallets and Noel Cochrane Car Sales and Spares, along with help from the Ballynahinch Lions on the day.

Bikes will be out on the track from 9.30am and entry to the event will cost £5 for adults, while children go free and car parking is also free.

Back row – Wayne Garrett, Norman Green and Mourne Club Chairman; Billy McLarnin.

Front row – Schoolboy motocross competitor Nathan Green.