We're riding! We will be raising money with the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride to help support prostate cancer and male suicide prevention charities. This isn’t just any old ride, this is a distinguished ride! Those of you who know Monaco by Stanford know everything that we do is distinguished - just look at our vehicles!
What is the Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride?
The Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride was born when in 2012 organiser Mark Hawwa from Sydeny, Australia saw a picture of Mad Men character Don Draper dressed in a suit on a classic motorbike. He decided that a themed ride would help to dismiss negative stereotypes of motorcyclists. The first ride was a great success with 2500 people taking part across the globe. Mark decided to make it an annual event and to use the event to raise money for a worthy cause. The event has since grown and supports prostate cancer, however this year the event will also support suicide prevention and other male health illnesses. Last year 56,000 participants joined across 505 cities and 90 countries raising over $3.6 million.
What does the Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride support?
DGR is the celebration of classic motorbikes. It’s about dressing the part - monocles, tweed, your finest suit, groomed facial hair and of course handlebar moustaches galore! As fun and glamorous as the ride is with side cars, classic motorbikes and scooters, it exists for a fantastic purpose. The ride raises money for men’s health with a particular focus on prostate cancer which is the second most diagnosed cancer in men. The ride’s official charity partner is Movember who are the largest funder of prostate cancer programs in the world.
Having lost one of the ride hosts to suicide, the Distinguished Gentlemen's Ride have decided to make mental health programmes the primary focus and beneficiary of the money raised. The rate for male suicide is high. 3 out of 4 suicides are men. 510,000 men die from suicide globally each year and many men are struggling with mental health issues alone instead of talking to someone and asking for help. The DGR wants to break down these barriers and stop the shame that many feel for having mental health problems. The Movember organisation has a number of tools to help encourage men talk about this issue.
So on the 24th September, a small selection of our finest, along with some friends and family, will be donning their finest clobber and riding their best classic bikes to raise awareness and money for these causes. The ride will start at the Olympic park and will continue through London. Please support our team and sponsor generously. If you have time, be sure to come and watch the spectacle in your finest gentry clothing.