Killara hostel resident Alan Northcliff and staff member Kate Sillcock with Garry and Doreen Fletcher. Pictures: Mike Richards.By Paul Dunlop
A BIKER with a mohawk and his leatherclad wife roared into Kooweerup last week with just one thing on their minds.
A nice cup of tea.
Garry and Doreen Fletcher don’t look anything like your average dogooders, but don’t let their looks fool you.
They are taking charity work to a whole new level.
The Fletchers have been riding a motorised trike around the country to promote Arthritis Australia.
They have been riding now for more than 17 months and raised more than $84,500.
The Fletchers were guests at Killara Hostel, Kooweerup, on Friday. They also paid a visit to St John’s Catholic Primary School.
The duo’s outlandish looks — Doreen has dyed her hair bright pink to match her husband’s mohawk — belie a commitment to making a difference.
“We are not your average bikers or grandparents, just an unusual middleaged couple trying our best to raise muchneeded funds for the fight against arthritis,” Mr Fletcher said.
“Our image started as a joke but proved to be so popular with school children and adults alike we have resigned ourselves to maintaining it to the end.”
The Fletchers became involved with arthritis after watching Doreen’s mother undergo three hip and two knee replacements over a 12year period.
Their mission, Trike Around Australia, is a marathon ride on their custombuilt motorised trike, nicknamed Arthur, which tows a tiny caravan, nicknamed Martha.
“When Arthur was hitched up to Martha for the first time we named them Arthur and Martha Ritis,” Mr Fletcher said.
The pair rides regardless of weather and has been through snow blizzards, hail, rain and 43degree heat to visit as many towns as possible.
Killara codirector Cathy Bain said the Fletchers’ visit was very well received.
Cardinia Shire’s Port Ward councillor Doug Hamilton also praised their fundraising efforts at council’s meeting last Monday.
