by Sam Hawcroft
A four-year-old girl with terminal brain cancer will be given a “true Withernsea welcome” when she arrives in the town on Sunday as part of a special biker ride-in.
Indi Atkinson was given nine to 12 months to live in September last year, and her family are trying to make as many special memories with her as possible.
A ride from Hull to Withernsea is being organised for Sunday, June 14, with bikers expected to escort Indi to the town in a sidecar before spending time on the promenade.
The ride has already drawn support from the biking community, Withernsea businesses and town mayor Cllr Kristina Richardson, who is calling on people to help give Indi and her family a memorable trip to the seaside.
Speaking at Withernsea Town Council’s latest meeting, Cllr Richardson said: “There is a little girl called Indi who is coming on a bike ride to Withernsea from Hull.
“It is really sad. She is four years old and has terminal brain cancer. The biker community has really rallied together. They are putting her in a sidecar and bringing her in a convoy from east Hull to Withernsea.
“I had an invitation to join them, which was a real honour, and I felt we needed to give her a true Withernsea welcome because that is what we do.”
Cllr Richardson said she had been contacting people across the town to help pull the welcome together at short notice.
She said: “So many people are going to come out, including the emergency services, Blue Light Weekend mascots and hopefully even ponies – anybody I can pull in favours from.
“We will give her the welcome that she deserves – We will show them exactly what Withernsea is made of and hopefully give her a memorable trip to the seaside.”
Indi is expected to arrive in Withernsea at about noon, and people have been asked to gather by 11.45am, wearing something pink.
Organiser Sam Huck, from Leeds, arranged the ride after hearing about Indi’s story through social media and getting in touch with her family.
Sam, who runs a car detailing business, said: “I just reached out to the family and said, this is the business we’ve got, we’re doing all right – let me help you fill some of those bucket list items.”
One of Indi’s wishes was a trip to the seaside, and when Sam asked where she would like to go, the answer came back as Withernsea.
The ride will see bikers meet at Indi’s home in Hull before travelling to Withernsea, with the Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy Ride of Hope providing a sidecar and marshalling the route.
Bikers are being invited to meet from 10.30am at 182 Gleneagles Park, Sutton-on-Hull, before the ride sets off for Withernsea at about 11am.
Before leaving, Indi and her family will have time to look at the bikes, meet riders and hand out stickers to those taking part.
Sam said: “We don’t want her to feel rushed. She can just do what she wants, go around and meet everybody, and just have a bit of time there.
“We want to make it as much of an event on the promenade as we can.”
The idea for the sidecar ride came after Sam’s grandad, a lifelong biker who had pulmonary fibrosis, was taken out by the same group.
Sam said: “I just knew how special that kind of thing can be.
“If she wants to go to the seaside, why don’t we try to combine two things together, raise some money and help fulfil some of the other bucket list items?
“It might also lift a bit of the financial pressure that comes with having to put your whole life on the back burner while your child is going through something like that.”
The ride will also include a collection for Indi and her family, not for a charity, but to help them make more memories together.
Riders have been asked to wear pink if they can, and pink “Indi’s journey” stickers have also been produced for the day.
Route 1033 café, in Queen Street, Withernsea, is also supporting the appeal and has a collection bucket for Indi and her family.
Sam added: “It’s about shining a light on Indi’s story.
“We just hope there will be a lot of people there, and we can let her have a nice day.”
Bikers travelling from Leeds are also meeting at the Crusader pub car park, in Garforth, at 7.45am, setting off at 8am to ride to Seaways Café before travelling on to Indi’s house.
Anyone who wants to support the ride is being asked to share details and help spread the word.