CHESTER Lions Club lit up Chester on Saturday evening with its first ever Honda Goldwing Parade.
At 8.15pm almost 100 bikes and trikes set off from Castle Square across Grosvenor Bridge, through Handbridge, back across the Old Dee Bridge and around the city centre before lining up in Eastgate Street for a presentation ceremony.
The Lord Mayor of Chester, Cllr Eleanor Johnson and sponsor Karen Smith, of Smiths Honda, then presented trophies to the winners of various categories including Best Lit and Best Classic bike or trike.
Coronation Street star Ian Puleston-Davies (aka builder Owen Armstrong) also rode tandem in the parade astride a Honda Goldwing 1800.
Goldwing riders came from far afield to support the charity event some wearing scary masks under their helmets, others adorning their leathers with angelic fairy wings.
Chester Lions Club volunteers were dotted around the city to raise funds for Save the Family and other local Lions Club charities.
Chester Lion Peter Upton said: “The daytime static displays were a great success albeit we had to dodge the showers and the evening parade was quite spectacular.
“I would like to thank everybody for their help in staging this event: The Lord Mayor, Ian Puleston-Davies, Smiths Honda, Chester Giants, the Chester Chronicle, Dee 106.3, David Atkinson (CWaC), the police motorcyclists and of course the Goldwingers.”
Sponsor Karen Smith added: “We’ve been in the motorbike business for over 50 years and bikers of all kinds never fail to impress us when it comes to doing things for charity.”
The Lions Club is already in talks with Honda UK about the possibility of restaging the event next year.
Chester Lions Club is planning a spectacular Diamond Jubilee fireworks extravaganza on Saturday, November 3. Anyone interested in sponsoring this event, which is expected to attract a crowd of at least 15,000 people, contact Peter Upton on 01244 350903.
