media coverage
The Alzheimer's Society PR team were fabulous throughout our preparation for the tour; they drafted a press release and sent it out to over 200 media contacts nationwide which bore fruit in several interviews and articles.
From my side though, over the course of planning and executing 'The Tour', I reached out to various media outlets to spread the word a bit further afield, to increase our coverage and encourage donations. Because of our racing coverage, I was fairly comfortable in and around Sussex, but once out of our home territory, my contact list dried up a bit. Google really was my friend!
Infamy, infamy; they've all got it in for me!
Please donate through Alzheimer's Society by clicking on the button below
Upcoming Coverage
June - BSEC Race Programme - Print
The British Scooter Endurance Club's - first race of the season takes place in June 2025 and I have been asked to write a piece for the programme.
My article will be the formal wrap up all of the activity - In this last publication, I will be mainly concentrating on thanking everyone from BSEC, the organisers, teams and fans who all supported and helped us to raise funds.
Published Coverage
April - Dementia Together - Online
April / May edition of Dementia Together - an online magazine put together and distributed by the Alzheimer's Society.
End February - Scootering - Print
March's edition of Scootering includes a bit of a write up of the tour and lots of photos. Go out and buy it - you know it makes sense!
Available from all good magazine shops!
End January - Scootering - Print
February's edition of Scootering sees a small 'teaser' on the back page, to an article coming in March's edition.
Available from all good magazine shops!
23rd January - Exmouth Journal - Print and Online
On the back of a press release sent out on Tuesday 21st January, we made the Exmouth Journal.
'Before we Forget' tour complete 2000 mile trip around UK | Exmouth Journal
5th September - Dorset Echo - Print and Online
This was our second opportunity to talk about how 'The Tour' went and I was happy to talk to journalist Katie Keyes in a follow up article to the one previously published.
Because of the regional significance of the Dorset Echo and the location of our team-mates Alex and Dave (both based in Weymouth), I took the opportunity to thank them and their Scooter Club - the Lowriders.
https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/24557877.scooter-riders-raise-nearly-20k-alzheimers-society/
1st September - BBC Radio Kent - Live On Air
As it has been a week since we 'finished' the Tour, we celebrated by appearing on BBC Radio Kent, Radio Sussex and Radio Surrey, on a slot on the Pat Marsh show called 'Who's made the News?'
Please note that there's a bit of a break in the recording (I think our internet dropped out partway through our bit) but you can find it available on BBC Sounds for the next 30 days.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0jj44d0 - scroll forward and our interview is 2hrs and 48 mins in. Usual BBC rules apply.
12th August - Ashdown Radio - Live On Air
We started today with a return visit to the HQ of Ashdown Radio - about a mile and a half from our house - to be interviewed by Peter Suter in his 'East Sussex Today' slot. This gave us a great opportunity to thank several people for their support!
https://www.ashdownradio.com/player/on-demand/items/alison-bowen-and-henry-smith/
7th August - ScooterNova - Print and Online
ScooterNova is a scootering magazine predominantly in print but also with a large online presence and is put together and published by rally going scooterists who just happen to be friends.
https://scooternova.com/2024/08/07/grass-skirts-button-downs-the-before-we-forget-scooter-tour/
2nd August - Western Mercury - Print and Online
A great day for media coverage with an article in the Western Mercury covering Watson Super Mare and Exmouth. Sadly, the 'reporter' who copied and pasted my text into 'his' article, didn't let us know about it and we had to be told 3rd or 4th hand, as the link was posted into a random Lambretta FB group and we were tagged into the comments! https://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/24492766.uk-scooter-tour-stopping-weston-super-mare-exmouth/
2nd August - Dorset Echo - Print and Online
As 2 of our team come from Weymouth in Dorset, it is right and appropriate that we kick off the next phase of our media coverage with a local newspaper - the Dorset Echo. https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/24486582.scooter-team-tour-britain-alzheimers-society-fundraiser/
2nd August - ScooterLab UK - Online
SLUK is an online (only) scootering magazine read by over 350,000 people annually. This is massively significant for us.
https://scooterlab.uk/the-before-we-forget-tour-around-80s-rally-towns-news/
1st August - Uckfield Matters - Print
Our local press comes up trumps again. Sadly they are not on line, but we managed another half page! Equally sadly, we are slightly out of their coverage area as we are a bit out of town. Not so sadly, the Father-in-Law, also came up trumps and hand delivered a copy to us!
24th July - Helensburgh Advertiser - Print and Online
Not any of our local media outlets but rather one of Beef’s friends who sent over a newspaper clipping. We went looking … and found it In a ’very local’ paper. By the power of Greyskull* (or the Helensburgh Advertiser) there is potentially one more person joining us en route!
*For any younger readers, this is a reference to the 80’s TV series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
1st May - Sussex Living Magazine - Print and Online
In a magazine that (allegedly) appeals to the prosperous area of Mid Sussex and beyond, we may be somewhat out of place. Nevertheless less, it's a great article with fabulous pictures taken from our photoshoot with the immensely talented Gabe at GKRJ Photography. Published on May 1 - we made pages 43 and 44: https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=8b1e2d90-bf11-4aa3-9b48-cbbf409429fc
1st May - Uckfield Matters - Print
Uckfield Town's community resource for local news. We managed half a page...
1st May - Scootering Magazine - Print
International Scootering magazine. We made a half page of page 24 / the News Section.
16th April - Sussex Bylines - Online
As Sussex residents (although I haven't been here very long, Henry has been here much, much longer) there is a lot of interest in what we are doing. And so far, the media has been very kind. The latest article was published on 16th April: https://sussexbylines.co.uk/news/health-and-care/taking-the-long-way-round-the-before-we-forget-alzheimers-fund-raising-tour/
9th April - SLUK - Online
Scooter Lab UK (the world's first on-line only scooter magazine) published a review of the recent SWSC Rally to Dawlish and featured ... yes you guessed it ... Us! https://scooterlab.uk/south-west-scooter-clubs-present-dawlish-pre-season-rallery/
2nd April - Ashdown Radio - Live On Air
And we did it again - today we hit the airwaves, live! We were interviewed by Peter Suter on his East Sussex Today show. https://www.ashdownradio.com/player/on-demand/items/alison-bowen/
28th March - ITV News (Meridian) - On Air
So the cat is out of the bag and ITV went on air on 28th March with some interviews and footage about what we are doing. https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2024-03-29/sussex-scooterists-celebrate-mod-memories-on-before-we-forget-tour
23rd February - Sussex Express - Print
Same content as the Sussex World article below
23/24 Winter Issue - Uckfield Community Magazine (Print)
A mention (and call to arms) for our upcoming event in Uckfield (2nd April).
1st December - Scootering Magazine - Print
We were featured on Page 29. Very exciting considering this magazine has covered our 'scene' since 1985
Grass Skirts and Button Down Shirts; the Before We Forget Tour