Martin Hanks, the big man with the big hands and big heart. Husband to Emma, Father to Lucca and Esme, Friend to many and Grafter, loved by all that knew him. The life and soul of any party or social occasion, the lead singer of the band “The Rides”, the void left by his untimely departure from our world will never be filled. He lived life to the full and there was never a dull moment when he was around. 

“Hanks” was tragically taken from us, doing the tree surgery job he loved on 28^th April 2015. He was just 34. Life as many of us knew it was never to be the same again, most of all for Emma, Lucca and Esme.  

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance were on-site in minutes, but unfortunately were unable to save Hanks. They do however attend many incidents where the outcome is different. The phenomenal work they do across the area and with Martin being a local man that loved Yorkshire, his friends are doing a little something in his honour. 

We have decided to don the Lycra and smuggle budgies to Scarborough and back in 2 days. 200 miles. Some of us haven't ridden a bike since we were teenagers. We do not have the abs of a 16 year old any more and our arses are definitely bigger! All the more reason to take on the challenge in aid of the Big Man. 

Geordies call it the "Coast to Coast" but us Yorkshire folk have coined it the "Coast to Roast". It's 60 miles longer in total than the Coast to Coast, it starts at the Rose and Crown in Thurstonland (his local), touches the coastline where his family enjoyed holidays in the caravan, and back for a roast and of course some celebratory beers at his and our local, with all the riders friends and family. It's what Hanks Would Have Wanted. #WHWHW

We are trying to raise as much as possible for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance so they can continue to help save someone else's Daddy, or loved one's life in the future. Without donations the Yorkshire Air Ambulance would not exist.  

The other half is going towards a trust fund for Martin and Emma's children: Lucca and Esme. The "crowdfunding" page for this is:

Please give generously and help us, help them. Obviously anyone who wants to join us is welcome to do so in this physical and mental challenge of the "Coast to Roast". It will be epic. The more people we have the more we raise and the prouder Hanks would be.