A TRIUMPHANT visit from a motorcycle owners’ club helped to raise funds for the Macmillan cancer charity.

More than 130 bikers from the Triumph Owners’ Motorcycle Club held their annual rally at the Chippenham Sports Club at the weekend.

Their arrival on Friday coincided with Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning and the ‘coffeethon’ being hosted by the sports club.

Chairman of the Bristol branch of the club, Martin Clough, said the bikers were happy to pitch in.

“Friday was the first day of our concorde rally, which we hold every year, and at our annual general meeting in April we had already made the decision to raise money for Macmillan,” he said.

“It was just good luck that it happened to fit in with the coffee morning, and even better luck that Chippenham Sports Club were holding a 12-hour coffee morning for the charity.

“We’ve camped out at the club for the last four years as part of the rally, so it fitted in rather well.”

Bikers on the rally have been shaking collecting tins and selling badges to collect the cash for charity, with all the proceeds going to their chosen cause.

After a morning of biking, the visitors to Chippenham were happy to be welcomed to the sports club for a hot drink and a slice of cake.

Mr Clough said: “We don’t know yet how much we’ve raised, but we hope it’s a good amount for Macmillan.”

The sports club wasn’t the only organisation to pitch in for charity.

MP James Gray visited Barclays in Chippenham on the big day to have a cup of tea.

The Chippenham and Calne branches of the bank raised £692 in total for people affected by cancer.

Tina Huxtable, the Chippenham branch manager from Barclays, said: “It has been great to be involved in Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning again this year.

“It was a great day for both colleagues and our customers – it was fantastic to take the time to show the local community why we are supporting Macmillan.

“The cause is very close to the hearts of our staff and we are thrilled to be able to give back to the Macmillan team. The coffee break was just the icing on the cake.”

Meanwhile, a total of £601.30 was raised at the Rose and Crown pub in Worton, which hosted a coffee morning on Friday for Macmillan Cancer Support’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.