Inspiration Friday: Spread Festive Cheer

Inspiration Friday Spread Festive Cheer

Inspiration Friday Spread Festive Cheer

Did you notice TMW Christmas decorations are up? December…snow, Christmas trees, holly, lights, music, social get-togethers, egg nog, presents, boxing day, midnight masses, ice skating, hot chocolate, it’s time for Inspiration Friday Spread Festive Cheer! December weather isn’t ideal for motorcycling (unless you live in Australia or The South), but it is an ideal time to smile, spread joy, love, understanding and acceptance, and let’s be honest, I think we could all use all of those for a very divisive 2021. Friends, family, loved ones even strangers need YOUR help in these challenging times we all face together. A smile goes miles, a hug or a Christmas card means the Earth and give where you can when you can in whatever form makes you feel good. Say “Hi!” to someone new and stand up for those who are down. The star at the top of the tree is pure inspiration for all, religious and non to come together, hold hands and spread festive cheer throughout the day and night. Join Total Motorcycle here in December and help us by joining Total Motorcycle’s new YouTube Membership and $1/mo Patreon channels. Please help us help riders, support motorcyclists and motorcycling worldwide today.

Total Motorcycle Logo Christmas

Total Motorcycle would like to thank BMW as well as the hundreds of millions of motorcycle riders who visit TMW for inspiring us to bring you this week’s Inspiration Friday: Spread Festive Cheer. Each week we bring you another Inspiring Motorcycle story to inspire you to get out and ride!

As a side note, I know the Festive MINI isn’t a motorcycle but I’m a big MINI fan and how can you not smile seeing it? Plus there is a great story about it and the charities associated with it if you keep reading below…. and while I know it is a little early, let me be one of the first to wish you Merry Christmas!

 

Inspiration Friday Spread Festive Cheer

May your December be MINI and bright – Festive MINI Electric embarks on charity tour.

Munich. Lighting the way after the Festive MINI Electric’s first public appearance at The Lexicon Bracknell in Berkshire, on the 25th November, the car is travelling to various locations around the UK, driven by project creator Nicholas ‘Nico’ Martin.

The sen-sleigh-tional project first started over three years ago, with Nico hand-wrapping his MINI in fairy-lights and displaying it in his local town of Bracknell. However, in December 2020, without the usual Christmas switch-on displays delivering much-needed festive spirit, Nico realised he could use the Festive MINI to bring joy and positivity to people on their own doorsteps, whilst also raising awareness and over £5000 for the MS Trust and Duchenne UK, two charities very close to his heart.

Nico said, “I’m so pleased to be back with the Festive MINI charity tour. I just knew last year I had an opportunity to cheer people up and also to raise funds for the MS Trust and Duchenne UK. Both charities mean a lot to me – unfortunately my mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis six years ago, and in 2019 I was asked to take the Festive MINI to surprise an incredible young boy, Marcus Rooks, who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. When I saw his face light up with so much joy and excitement, I realised that I had created something truly special. Ever since meeting him and learning about his condition, I’ve wanted to support him in any way I can.”

This year, Nico has introduced a guest charity spot taken up by Alzheimer’s Society and he has rallied support from MINI UK, Festive Lights and Italian smart lighting company Twinkly, to up the voltage on his project and make it bigger and better than ever, with an aim of raising as much money as possible for the three special causes.

Nico added: “I’m so grateful for the incredible support behind the project and the teams involved this year. The MINI Electric is even more exciting to drive and means all my trips on the tour are environmentally friendly and the app-controlled Twinkly lights with their amazing customisable animations really give the car a bit of extra magic. I can’t wait to get out on the road to spread some Festive MINI spirit and raise lots of money for the three charities!”

David George, Director, MINI UK said, “We’re extremely humbled to be a part of Nico’s fundraising project with the Festive MINI Electric. It’s a wonderful idea that will bring people together, make them smile, and also raise funds for some amazing charities.”

For more information on the Festive MINI Tour and to keep updated on where it’s headed visit www.festivemini.com

Donate here:  https://festivegiving.org.uk/fundraising/festive-mini/

 

 

Inspiration Friday Spread Festive Cheer

Festive MINI 2021 project

Powered by MINI Electric and wrapped in 2,000 Twinkly LEDs, the Festive MINI is starting a five-week tour to spread festive cheer and raise money for three important charities; MS Trust, Duchenne UK and Alzheimer’s Society.

The project is being supported by MINI UKFestive Lights and Twinkly. Special thanks to MINI UK for providing their all new MINI Electric, Twinkly for providing the app-controlled lights, and Festive Lights for installing the lights on the car.

Tour information

Nico is hoping to bring the Festive MINI to as many places around England as possible, but we haven’t announced all the dates and locations yet.

Check out where the Festive MINI is heading so far and keep checking back often to find out if a location near you has been added:

Dates and locations are subject to change at short notice

Thursday 25th November (5pm – 9pm): The Lexicon Bracknell, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1AP

Saturday 27th November (4pm – 9pm): Lap of Lights, Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN

Sunday 28th November (10am-2pm): Gilks’ Garage Café Christmas Market, Banbury Rd, Kineton, Warwick CV35 0JZ

Tuesday 30th November (6pm-7pm): Tesco Warfield, Warfield, Bracknell RG42 3JP

Wednesday 1st December (6pm-7pm): Bonsey Lane, Binfield, RG42 4GL

Saturday 4th – 5th December: MINI Williams Manchester, M41 7GF

Monday 6th December (6:30pm-8pm): MINI Park Lane, London, W1K 7TP (Tickets)

Tuesday 7th December (TBC): Berkeley Woodhurst Park, Warfield, Berkshire RG42 5AB

Thursday 9th December (4pm-8pm): Christmas Extravaganza, Princess Square, Bracknell RG12 1LS

Friday 10th December (5pm-7pm): Barons Hindhead MINI, GU26 6FZ

Saturday 11th December (1pm-5pm): Scramblers Festive Four-Wheelers, Bicester Heritage, Bicester, OX27 8AL

Saturday 11th December (6pm-10pm): Lap of Lights + POPBANGCOLOUR, Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN

Monday 13th – 16th December (press only event): BMW Group Electric Showcase

Saturday 18th – 19th December (TBC): Lloyd Blackpool MINI, Blackpool FY4 5PQ

Friday 24th December (3pm – 6pm): The Lexicon Bracknell, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1AP

Can you visit my home like last year?

Bracknell is still very much the home of the Festive MINI. Due to overwhelming demand and the fact the Festive MINI is going on national tour, it is not possible this year to visit individual homes. You will however be able to see the Festive MINI at a number of locations in and around Bracknell. Keep checking the above as locations near you may be added last minute!

Hosting a public Christmas event?

If you’re hosting a Christmas event for the general public and would like Nico and the Festive MINI to appear as special guests, get in touch by emailing [email protected] with the subject: Festive MINI location.

History

The Festive MINI started just as a bit of fun over three years ago, when Nico (Nicholas Martin) covered his own MINI in Christmas lights, after being inspired by a Car Throttle Christmas video. Driving around his hometown of Bracknell throughout December, the “Christmas car” was quickly becoming the talk of the town, with many residents hoping to see it and take photos.

In 2019, the Festive MINI returned with even more lights, but it was this year that a kind hearted resident asked if Nico could take the Festive MINI to surprise an 11-year-old boy called Marcus, who had been diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) when he was seven. Due to his limited mobility and now wheelchair bound, Marcus was unable to get around all the amazing Christmas displays. When Marcus saw the lights on the Festive MINI, his face lit up with so much joy and excitement, and it was in that moment that Nico realised the Festive MINI was something truly magical and more than just a bit of fun.

2020 was an incredibly difficult year for everyone, but it was even harder for clinically vulnerable people with life threatening conditions, like Marcus, but also Nico’s mother, who had been diagnosed with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS). Without the usual Christmas displays and switch-ons delivering much needed festive spirit, Nico knew that the Festive MINI was needed by the residents of Bracknell more than ever.

Nico decided to turn the Festive MINI into a fundraising effort for the first time in 2020, and raised over £5,000 for the MS Trust and Duchenne UK.

Charity information

MS Trust

130 people are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis every week in the UK. That’s one person every two hours. An MS diagnosis can be devastating, for people with MS and their loved ones. You may feel lost, alone and uncertain about the future. But you don’t have to deal with it alone. The MS Trust is here for everyone affected by MS, from the moment of diagnosis and throughout your journey.

We’re here for you today, tomorrow and every day after that. We fight to make sure everyone affected by MS can access good quality, specialist care and live the best life they possibly can. We support and train your MS health professionals and fund MS specialist nurses and Advanced MS Champions across the UK. We produce practical, evidence-based information, online and in print, and our dedicated Enquiry Service team are a friendly and knowledgeable voice to speak to for anyone who needs to know more about MS.

For more information visit https://mstrust.org.uk/

Charity number: 1088353

Duchenne UK

Duchenne UK has one clear aim – to end Duchenne, a devastating muscle-wasting disease. As the leading Duchenne charity in the UK, they connect the best researchers with industry, the NHS and families to accelerate every stage of drug development. Together, we will find effective treatments for this generation of people living with DMD.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common fatal genetic disease diagnosed in childhood. Children born with DMD cannot produce the protein dystrophin which is vital for muscle strength and function. Muscle weakness starts in early childhood. Many use a wheelchair by around the age of 12. As deterioration continues it leads to paralysis and a shortened life expectancy. It almost exclusively affects boys. In the UK there are around 2,500 boys affected and around 300,000 worldwide. It is classified as a rare disease.

Our president is HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. Our patrons include the broadcasters Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Mary Nightingale, and the sports stars Owen Farrell, Kris Radlinski and Andy Farrell.

For more information visit https://www.duchenneuk.org/

Charity number: 1147094

Alzheimer’s Society

Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity. We provide information and support, fund research, campaign to improve care and create lasting change for people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Dementia devastates lives. Alzheimer’s Society research shows that 850,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia. Dementia deaths are rising year on year and 225,000 will develop dementia this year – that’s one every three minutes.

We want everyone affected by dementia to know that whoever you are, whatever you are going through, you can turn to Alzheimer’s Society for support, help and advice. Visit Alzheimer’s Society’s website (https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/) or call the Dementia Connect support line on 0333 150 3456.

Charity number: 296645

 

 

 

The BMW Group

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2020 was € 5.222 billion on revenues amounting to € 98.990 billion. As of 31 December 2020, the BMW Group had a workforce of 120,726 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.

 

About Michael Le Pard 10151 Articles
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