Freewheeling with Squire Trailers

Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is taking a Squire motorcycle trailer to the streets, to help raise awareness and funds for the operation. Run entirely by volunteers, Freewheelers provides a free out-of-hours emergency courier service for the NHS, using specially adapted motorcycles to deliver blood, test samples, patient notes, X-rays and other essential medical supplies to hospitals in the south west of England. 
Relying entirely on public donations and sponsorship, Freewheelers commissioned the Squire team to adapt a D18 motorcycle trailer for use at events across the UK to help raise the profile of the organisation and collect donations. The trailer – which will be towed by one of Freewheelers’ Honda ST1300s – has a custom built lid, which can be used as display board for promotional material and offers ample storage for banners, leaflets and fund-raising packs. Squire has also added a special floor section on which to mount an electricity generator. Freewheelers Vice Chairman, Mike Belch, said: “The Squire trailer will really boost our fund-raising efforts, as we will be able to carry everything we need. It will also be a great talking point when we visit schools, or attend shows and fetes to publicise our work.”  Squire motorcycle luggage trailers are growing in popularity in Europe, and as far afield as Japan, as an alternative to bike-mounted luggage. A well-engineered modern motorcycle trailer will not significantly affect the handling or performance of a machine, yet the volume of luggage they can transport is huge – up to 595 litres. Squire has performed several feats over recent years to demonstrate how easily modern high performance motorcycles can pull a properly designed trailer and in 2002 the Company set a world record, towing a Squire D21 trailer behind a Kawasaki ZZ-R1100 motorcycle at an average speed of 139.5 mph. Prices for motorcycle luggage trailers start at around £1000 and tow bar kits are available for a large range of motorcycles and scooters. Contact Watsonian-Squire on 01386 700907 www.watsonian-squire.com
Editor’s notes: Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is a registered charity and winner of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Freewheelers EVS has a coverage area that includes Somerset, Bristol, Bath and West Wiltshire and is funded entirely by public donation and sponsorship. For further info about the Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service and to make a donation, visit http://www.freewheelers.org.uk/

Margate to Land's End by Vespa and Sidecar

Watsonian Squire, Britain’s longest established sidecar manufacturer, is delighted to be supporting Paul King, who will be riding his Vespa T5 scooter outfit from Margate to Lands End to raise money for Help For Heroes.   Setting out on 10th April 2010, Paul will be accompanied by wife, Jules, and daughter Sophie, along with members of Modern Vespa, who will all be riding from Margate in Kent along the coast until they reach Lands End the following day – a journey of 466 miles.  Riders wishing to join the group for all or part of the journey are asked to raise a minimum sponsorship of £50.00 per rider; more details can be found at http://helpforheroessouthcoastvesparide.blogspot.com/. Help for Heroes raises money to support members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in the service of their country.  Find out more about Watsonian-Squire's range of sidecars for motorcycles and scooters at http://www.watsonian-squire.com/

MP taken for a ride

During a visit to Watsonian-Squire, a leading manufacturer and exporter of motorcycle sidecars since 1912 taht is based in his Cotswold constituency, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP had an opportunity to take a ride in one of the company’s sidecars and also to hear of the experience of the firm in surviving the recession (one of many in its 98-year history!)
The visit was of particular interest to Mr Clifton-Brown through his work as the Shadow Minister for International Trade and Development, with responsibility for supporting British Exporters; the company produces approximately 300 sidecars per year, exporting over 50%, with Japan - the country widely credited with destroying the power of the British motorcycle industry - being their biggest export market.
One of the key themes discussed at the meeting was the burden of legislation imposed upon businesses - the  managment team at Watsonian-Squire explained that keeping pace with a constant stream of new laws and directives absorbs huge amounts of time that should be spent on growing the business.
Speaking after the visit Mr Clifton-Brown said “Everything I have seen today has greatly impressed me, from the management side of the business to the craftsmanship and pride the staff take in manufacturing such an excellent product”