1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff also run trips to France & Belgium. We recently did a very successful and moving trip to visit the War Graves in The Somme and Belgium.
The next trip will coincide with the 65th Anniversary of The D Day landings and will visit Normandy Beaches, Pegasus Bridge and World War II sites.
Full details of this trip can be found on our Newsletter Blog. Just click on the link on the left.
Well it is in and what a start. I’m pleased to say that 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff has had a success with our first student going forward for the New Part 1 of the 2 Part Test, passing with a fault free ride.
Others were not so fortunate and reports in the press showed four crashes and one broken arm on the first day of the new safety manoeuvres part of the test.
With no motorcycle test centre in Cardiff we have to travel to Swansea or Newport for the Part 1 of the test. We then get a choice for the Part 2 (on road practical riding) and the choice is Swansea, Newport or Merthyr. Yes, again, No Cardiff motorcycle tests.
What this means is that the demand for motorcycle tests has far out stripped the availability.
Tests which could have been taken in Cardiff, Abergavenny, Bridgend, Cwmbran and many other regional, ‘local’ test centres can now only be taken at the limited number the DSA have provided for us.
The DSA are proud of what they have achieved! But now you try getting at test for students. At Newport last week there were training schools from Monmouth and as far as Hereford with students for tests. Newport is now their ‘local’ test centre.
So take away the misfortune of the crashing test candidates on day one, it is the ‘crashing’ of the testing and booking system, buckling under the strain of there not being enough test centres that will carry the lasting damage.
The industry is struggling, and the DSA think they have met their targets.
Riders of Cardiff, the new BMW & Ducati Dealership opens it’s door officially this weekend at Sloper Road in the City. (Saturday the 9th & Sunday the 10th of May 2009).
Just along the road from Cardiff City’s new Stadium, you are assured a warm welcome from Dealer Principal, Kevin and his dedicated sales team.
The dealership will be launching two new bikes this weekend. The new BMW F800 R and the Ducati Streetfighter.
Kevin has invited us at 1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff to ‘be a presence’ at the dealership and we certainly hope to continue the links with Kevin that we enjoyed when he was in charge at Aston Martin/Porsche and Ducati at North Road
Riders of Cardiff is a long awaited next chapter in BMW bikes sales in Cardiff.
Over the weekend Riders will be providing entertainment, a BBQ, competitions and free give aways to customers who pay a visit, as well as ‘some great opening offers’.
1st Class Rider Training-Cardiff are please to be supporting this event and we will see you there.
A big Thank You to all of you who donate so freely during our Monthly Ride Outs. The last ride out raised £50 and I have received the following letter from the NSPCC. (Reproduced here in part)
” On behalf of the NSPCC Cymru/Wales thank you for your kind and generous donation of £50 towards our work to end cruelty to children. We are pleased to enclose receipt number 586354.
Your support is vital to ensure we can continue with our work in preventing cruelty to children. We rely on the support of the general public for 87% of our funding. Without your support we would have to close our services within six months.
Here are just a few of the ways donations such as your own are used in Wales and The Borders;
National Child Protection Helpline – Annualy, approximately 147,000 calls were made to the Helpline. The service also provides support in Welsh and five Asian languages.
,~~,
CHILDLINE CYMRU/WALES – is a service provided by the NSPCC and is the free 24 hour national helpline for children and young people in distress or danger. It takes a lot of courage from a child in need to make the step to call CHILDLINE and sadly due to lack of funds only around half of these calls are answered. Children call CHILDLINE for support, advice and to voice their concerns. Without CHILDLINE their voices may never be heard and these children would not get the help they are crying out for.
The children that we help can never thank you personally but here is a quotation from one child who has recently been supported;
‘Without the help of the NSPCC I don’t know how I would have coped. My life is now stable, I can’t forget what happened, but I am able to live and grow. I can’t thank you enough’.
If you would like to know more about the work of the NSPCC either visit our website at www.nspcc.org.uk or give me a call on 0207 650898
Yours Sincerely
Julie George
Community fund Raising Manager ”
Thank you to all who have donated.
Andy