Gift-bearing Chesterfield bikers are Santas in disguise - spreading Christmas cheer to children in need

Special deliveries from the modern-day Santas have been gratefully received by charities working with families who are victims of domestic abuse or who are struggling to make ends meet.

At a time of year when motorcycle owners often mothball their machines because of wintry weather, members of four clubs hit the road to make sure their gifts arrived in time for Christmas.

Bikers from Marauders Motorcycle Club, Twisted Iron MCC, Iron Cross MCC and Baphomets MCC dropped off a bumper bundle of new toys at Chesterfield FC’s stadium on Saturday to be distributed by the football club’s community trust.Dad of four Kris Davenport, who is chairman of Marauders MCC, said: “The club just likes to give back to the community and in particular children who should not be going without presents at Christmas.”

The Marauders MCC, which has five members and meets at the Whitecotes pub, launched its toy appeal just a month ago and the three other motorcycle clubs throughout Chesterfield jumped aboard. Computer engineer Kris, 43, who lives in Walton, said: “We want to make it an annual event and hopefully we'll have a bigger run-up to it next year.

"The bikers are great people - it's a wonderful family atmosphere.”

Kevin West, secretary of Iron Cross MCC, said: “It’s the brotherhood which is the pull for a lot of us. It’s a very open non-judgmental group of people and we do regard each other as family.”

The 57-year-old outdoor pursuits instructor has been at the forefront of his club’s Christmas charity drive. As well as backing the toy appeal, Iron Cross MCC has rallied support from fellow bike clubs and the wider community to gift selection boxes to The Elm Foundation and Crossroads domestic abuse charities, the New Hope food bank which is based in Killamarsh, and donate clothes, toiletries and sanitary supplies to Gussie’s Kitchen in Chesterfield.

Kevin, who lives in Hollingwood said: "People have been incredibly grateful. We dropped off 45 selection boxes at The Elm Foundation where we told they were going straight out that afternoon to the shelters and refuges that they have got. They’ve got 25 children in care at the moment and they’ve got empty rooms but over Christmas those empty rooms always fill. It’s such an emotional start point.”

Helen Mitchell, head of operations at The Elm Foundation, said: “Our clients often struggle with the additional costs of moving home, possibly becoming a single parent for the first time and the costs associated with this and the debts that they are generally left holding from the abuser. We try and ensure that our clients can provide gifts and presents for their children, and also provide a gift for the client to enjoy over the festive period. With the contribution from the motorcycle club and other generous groups and individuals, we are able to ensure that Christmas will be a safe and happy time for all our clients. A huge thank you to all the members.”

Iron Cross MCC launched their appeal for donations after Kevin heard that clothing had been collected for refugees but for some reason was never sent to a distribution centre. He said: “People were talking about chucking them into clothes banks but rather than the clothes being turned into rags I thought shall we find somewhere that needed them. There was a lot of winter clothes, children and babies clothes so I contacted around 20 charities. I found out that there are quite a few domestic abuse charities where they’ve got children in refuge at the moment and will have over Christmas. That’s when we extended the idea to chocolate selection boxes.

"Any charity does excellent work as does anyone who supports them – it’s just humanity and being nice to people. It’s the smallest of gestures that can sometimes mean the most.”

Councillor Lisa Blakemore and Chell Whiteley, who are joint secretaries of Gussie’s Kitchen, said: “Winter clothes and food are so important during this cost of living crisis. We were so grateful that the Iron Cross Motorcycle Club donated so many items for us to help support the community of Chesterfield. They really are lovely people with such big hearts.”

Kevin said: “The donation for New Hope Food Bank was in conjunction with the Royal British Legion Riders Branch. Paul Black, their Derbyshire county representative, suggested this charity and between us we donated over 60 items."

Iron Cross MCC, which has seven full-time members and three probationers, will be hunting for a new home in 2023. Financial pressures mean that the club will have to give up its base in New Whittington where members meet in an industrial unit. Kevin said: “We’re going to look at finding a pub maybe with a back room that we can use each week and invite local bikers and clubs into the area a couple of times a month during the summer. It gives revenue for the pub and shows us as a friendly motorcycle club.”