This evening a merry little band of us made our way to the Bridge Inn in Llangollen, summoned by the promise of a cheque and the even stronger promise of cold drinks. The pub had raised two hundred and fifty pounds for Blood Bikes Wales through their weekly quizzes, and we thought it only right to turn up in person, shake hands, smile warmly and generally look grateful and heroic. It is always good to remind people that bikers do more than roar about the countryside. Sometimes we collect cheques.

Since we were going anyway it made perfect sense to combine the noble act of charity with the equally noble act of having a few drinks. Bikers are creatures of tradition after all. You cannot simply walk into a pub, accept a donation and then leave like a group of monks. There are standards to uphold.

And once the drinks had begun to flow it seemed only polite to join in the pub quiz itself. Hospitality demands participation. So we formed a team of four and gave ourselves the kind of name that would strike fear into the hearts of lesser competitors. We were Three Drunkards and a Girl. On paper we were unstoppable. Two who had been to university and still remembered most of it. One retired engineer with a mind like a toolbox. One who had travelled the world in the merchant navy and collected more stories than stamps. A perfect blend of ages too. Two baby boomers, one Gen X and one millennial. A cross generational alliance forged in the fires of mild intoxication.

We were certain to win. Absolutely certain. You could feel the confidence radiating from our table like heat from a forge. Answers were whispered with the kind of authority usually reserved for professors and people who have watched a lot of documentaries.

In fact I am fairly sure we did win. I assume we won. We had to leave before the scores were checked because duty called and bikers are always in motion. But in a gesture of international goodwill we handed our winning answer sheet to a group of foreign students. It felt like the right thing to do. A small act of cultural exchange. They seemed delighted. We like to help.

If anyone ever sees a group of visiting students proudly claiming victory in a Llangollen pub quiz, you will know exactly where their mysterious knowledge came from.

The first day of Volunteer Week rises like a bright banner across Wales, calling us to pause for a moment and honour the people who give their time and their strength simply because it is the right thing to do. These are the men and women who step forward without fanfare, who lift the weight of their communities with steady hands, and who remind us that the heart of a nation is not found in its buildings or its borders but in its people.

Across our valleys and our coastlines volunteers keep the world turning. They guide the lost, comfort the weary, support our hospitals, protect our animals, strengthen our young people and breathe life into every corner of our shared life. They do it with kindness. They do it with courage. They do it because service is a light that never goes out.

Among these quiet heroes stand the volunteers of Blood Bikes Wales. Riders who take to the road in the rain and the dark. Controllers who hold the night together with calm voices and clear minds. Fundraisers who keep the wheels turning. Supporters who stand behind every mile. They carry blood and samples and hope through the small hours when most of the world sleeps. They ride not for glory but for the simple truth that every journey matters and every life is precious.

So as Volunteer Week begins let us raise our heads and honour them all. The unseen. The steadfast. The ones who answer the call without hesitation. Wales is stronger because of them. Wales is kinder because of them. Wales is Wales because of them.

Earlier today, I took a brief hiatus from haunting the digital wilds and shaking my metaphorical walking stick at the TikTok generation to wander down to the Maesgwyn Masonic Hall. Every now and then it’s good for a man to step out of the algorithmic shadows and remind the world that he exists in three dimensions, not just as a sarcastic ripple in the newsfeed.

This particular outing was for an Open Day, a chance to pull back the curtain on this so‑called “secret society” of ours and show the world what Freemasonry is actually about. Spoiler: it’s not all bout world domination, lizard people, or coded handshakes that unlock the vaults of the Illuminati. It’s a mix of making friends, helping deserving causes, and having a damn good hobby. In other words: community, charity, and the occasional biscuit.

The event was a brilliant opportunity for anyone curious to meet both Male and Female Freemasons and learn about the wide constellation of charities the fraternity supports. As someone who has spent twelve of the last thirteen years in one Masonic chair or another, it does my heart good to see the Craft standing proudly as part of the community rather than lurking in the background like a Victorian uncle with too many secrets.

And speaking of community, Blood Bikes Wales were there in force, engines gleaming, bikes lined up like a cavalry of red‑liveried dragons. Their presence was a heartfelt thank‑you to the North Wales Masons for the incredible support we’ve received over the years. As many of you know, I’ve been giving presentations for Blood Bikes since 2017, and through those talks we’ve raised over £50,000 for this vital cause. Seeing that support reflected back today reminded me exactly why I pour so much energy into those presentations. It’s not just fundraising, it’s fellowship in motion.

Of course, the Blood Bikes weren’t the only ambassadors in the car park. We were accompanied by: –

• St John Ambulance — the ever‑reliable healers in green
• North Wales Mountain Rescue — the heroes who go uphill so the rest of us don’t have to
• The Widows Sons — our leather‑clad brethren on two wheels

Now, regarding the Widows Sons, today was a perfect chance to dispel a few myths. As I wrote in my book, people sometimes see our patches and assume they’re looking at an outlaw biker gang. To be fair, we do have some members who look like they were carved out of granite and taught to frown by a thunder god, but the truth is far more wholesome. We are Masonic Ambassadors on two wheels, blending the brotherhood of the square and compasses with the freedom of the open road. Less “Sons of Anarchy,” more “Sons of Harmony.”

It was, in every sense, a day for dragons, community, and that particular flavour of Welsh magic that sparks when good people gather for a good purpose. Whether you came to admire the big shiny motorcycles or to find out how to become a better citizen of the world, the message was the same: even in a world that feels increasingly fragile, the spark of community service refuses to go out.

And that, perhaps, is the quiet miracle of days like this. They remind us that the world isn’t held together by grand speeches or sweeping gestures, but by ordinary people choosing, again and again, to show up, help out, and be part of something bigger than themselves.

A very happy Star Wars Day to all who celebrate the ancient Jedi tradition of doing the right thing even when it’s wildly inconvenient and involves travelling great distances with questionable navigation droids.

And let’s be honest: if the Jedi were here in Wales today, they wouldn’t be gliding around in starships or meditating on some windswept cliff.
No! they’d be on a Blood Bike, riding for Blood Bikes Wales.

Because what is a Jedi if not someone who gives their time freely, rides out at all hours, and answers the call for the benefit of all? A lightsaber is impressive, yes… but try delivering urgent medical supplies across North Wales in the rain at all hours. That’s real heroism.

I can absolutely picture it: Cloak billowing, visor down, the Force guiding them through the roundabouts of North Wales while an AT‑AT sulks in the background because it can’t corner as well as a Blood Bike

So on this May the Fourth, here’s to the real guardians of peace and wellbeing, the volunteers who ride not for glory, but for service. The Jedi would be proud.
And they’d definitely want a go on the bike.

May the Fourth be with you, and may the road rise to meet every rider who serves the galaxy, one delivery at a time.

This evening was the Blood Bikes Christmas Party!!! We had decided (by popular vote) that we would move the monthly meeting to a Saturday this month and turn it into a Christmas Party. So at 7:30pm all the good boys and girls of the NE Blood Bikes Wales gathered up to celebrate the season. Christmas Jumpers were optional, and in attendance.

So we had a quick update on the last months actions, including how we had been given a new bike by the family of someone who had passed away. Then we were informed that the High Sheriff of Clwyd who has been a fantastic supporter of the Charity for several years now (I think we are on the third or fourth bike she has gotten us) had put some money behind the bar to pay for our drinks.

We then spent a while eating and drinking and making merry to celebrate another busy year with the charity. Blood Bikes Wales Christmas baubles were presented to the members, some 10 year volunteer badges were handed out (I believe I would have been a volunteer for 10 years in 2026). We then had a raffle which raised £180(ish) I forget the exact amount, I did mention the free beer didn’t I?

I managed to win two raffle prizes, and Nev, Hugh and John won none, which made my day because Facebook had reminded me that last year ago the four of us had visited a Lodge to give a talk for Blood Bikes and those three had all won two raffle prizes, and I had won none.

Karma gets there eventually.

Blood Bikes Wales

Blood Bikes Wales is a charity that transports blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, donor breast-milk & any other urgently required medical items to hospitals at night, weekends and bank holidays. This service is provided completely free of charge, allowing the NHS to divert funds where they are needed most.

Our riders are a hardy bunch that operate in all but the very worst weather.

To recover from the stress of yesterdays Provincial Convocation, I decided to have an easy day today. So I went along to the Ruabon Frost Fayre to see Santa with the Blood Bike Wales guys. 

And as the song goes “The weather outside is frightful” and it was, since it was raining. But the Fayre was really busy with loads of people, stalls, and fundraising events.

Chatting to Santa he was shocked to hear we deliver 365 days a year, he said the reindeers would strike if he tried to do more than once a year.

To finish off the day a few of us Blood Bikers decided to get dry by going to sit by a fire in a real-ale pub and having a few drinks (off duty I should point out)

This weekend Blood Bikes Wales braved Storm Amy to pop along to Sam’s Cafe (𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵) to collect the money raised at their recent Blood Bikes Wales charity event.

Sam’s Cafe have been hosting an annual event in aid of Blood Bikes for 4 years now, with a variety of fundraising events like a ride out, raffle, cakes, selling donated items, etc.

This year they raised an amazing £760 (𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳, 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵).

The crew at Sam’s Cafe have been supporting Blood Bikes Wales for many years now, so if you are passing by pop in and have a coffee, a bacon sandwich and say thanks to them for their continued support.

Today is National Blood Bike Awareness Day,

So lets us take a moment to say “thank you” to the 1000s of volunteers who give up their free time to help support this wonderful and important service.

There are multiple Blood Bikes groups across the UK. they are all charities that transports blood, plasma, platelets, samples, vaccines, donor breast-milk & any other urgently required medical items to hospitals at night, weekends and bank holidays. This service is provided completely free of charge, allowing the NHS to divert funds where they are needed most.

Their riders are a hardy bunch that operate in all but the very worst weather.