THE winner of the eighth annual charity raffle for the Chris Jones Riders Fund drove away this week with a brand new Honda Fireblade 1000cc motorbike after helping the charity to raise more than £20,000.

The fund was set up in 2008 by Pam Jones, following the death of her 14-year-old son, Chris Jones in 2008. Chris had been a rising star in the racing world, who was expected to reach world level in competitive motorcycle racing, until his death following a crash the British Superbike at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire.

Mrs Jones, and her husband Clive, who own CJ Motorcyles and Scooters in Droitwich, originally set out to raise £200,000 to pay for an x-ray unit at the circuit, but since 2008 the charity fund has managed to raise nearly £1 million, paying for a mobile Intensive care unit and three physiotherapists, which follow the whole Superbike season, as well as an air ambulance to be present at Caldwell Park each year.

Mrs Jones who lives in Bromsgrove, said: “Never in a million years did I expect it to take off like this. It’s just snowballed from nothing. Everyone uses it constantly. A few years ago we saved over 250 visits to the local hospital in one season. It means that the riders don’t have to leave the circuit because it’s all mobile.”

The fundraising is ongoing to keep the facility up and running each season, and Mrs Jones takes a stand to each meet to raise awareness for the Fund.

She added: “It just makes it a lot easier for the riders at the end of the day. They would probably never cope without it now if the truth‘s known. They’ve become reliant, and it’s just seems natural now to do it.”

This year’s raffle saw 24,564 tickets sold at £1 each, with the prize bike donated by Honda UK and going to lucky winner Richard Cundell from Leicester.