Grieving mum takes up role at charity her late son admired

A mum who lost her son in a bike accident has become a fundraising manager for the charity he was desperate to join.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 21/08/2016 - Press - Lewis Clark Whiteknights, Rogerthorpe Manor, Thorpe Audlin,  England - Andrew & Beverley Clark with the Whiteknights and the new bike named after their son Lewis.Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 21/08/2016 - Press - Lewis Clark Whiteknights, Rogerthorpe Manor, Thorpe Audlin,  England - Andrew & Beverley Clark with the Whiteknights and the new bike named after their son Lewis.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/YWNG - 21/08/2016 - Press - Lewis Clark Whiteknights, Rogerthorpe Manor, Thorpe Audlin, England - Andrew & Beverley Clark with the Whiteknights and the new bike named after their son Lewis.

Lewis Clark, of South Elmsall, planned to become a volunteer for the Whiteknights Blood Bikes Charity, which transports much-needed equipment and supplies to hospitals, hospices and care homes.

Now, his mum Beverley has joined the organisation and will help to raise money so it can carry out its work.

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Mrs Clark said: “Lewis wanted to be a Whiteknight but sadly never got the chance.

“I was shocked when the charity invited me to be part of its team of volunteers.

“But I am delighted that I can play a role in raising funds to support the bikes and raising awareness of the fantastic work they do.”

Motorcycling enthusiast Lewis was killed in a collision in the Isle of Man in August 2015, at the age of just 22.

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His family have raised more than £6,000 for the Whiteknights since his death.

They first made contact with the charity to arrange a collection point for donations at Lewis’ funeral.

And kindhearted Whiteknights volunteers took part in the cortege to the church.

The charity later named a bike in Lewis’ memory, as a way of saying thank you to his family for their donations.

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Mrs Clark said: “Becoming a Whiteknights volunteer fundraising manager is my way of trying to support the bike named after Lewis.

“Since losing Lewis, everything has felt so empty. This is giving me something to focus on.

“Lewis’ bike is a piece of him doing something good, and knowing that I can help to keep it on the road is brilliant.”

The Whiteknights relies on fundraising and donations to keep going.

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And one business which has pledged to help is the Rogerthorpe Manor Hotel in Badsworth, where Lewis used to work as a chef.

Mrs Clark said: “I once held my baby boy in my arms but I now hold the flowers that I take to his grave.

“My heart aches for him everyday. I miss him so much.

“The bike with Lewis’ name on is so precious to us as a family and I want to support this and the other bikes in the charity.

“The Whiteknights is a self-funding charity.

“The riders deliver blood, plasma, donor baby milk and documents between hospitals, hospices and care homes. Last year they carried out just under 5,000 trips in the region.

“The Whiteknights support the NHS for free.

“If they weren’t there, the NHS would have to pay for taxis and other transport.

“But the charity cannot do this alone. We are in desperate need of support.”

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