Some random thoughts from the vicarage on all of this..
The event is being driven by emotion, whether this is right or wrong is immaterial. It's also not being organised by Afghan Heroes, but started on Facebook by a teenager & her fella with a view to raising money for the Afghan Heroes charity.
Afghan Heroes webpage has a registration form that currently shows in excess of 2500 bikes and around 1000 more people.
The charge will be a fiver for a wristband, that you have to pay on the day at the Leigh Delamere M4 services start.
If you simply donate via the Afghan Heroes website, a third party collection site kicks in to accept your money. In the T&C (at number 6.4 I think) there is a sentence to the effect that once you've donated, should the organisers wish to donate your money elswhere, you accept that they are free to do so without telling you or asking your permission.
So...how many bikes can Leigh delamere hold? Do they know? Who is organising this event & where is the culpability for catastrophe, bearing in mind its accessed by a motorway?
Who is going to take your money & what are the security arrangements given that £5 x 2500 plus is many thousands? It'll be a deep bucket, certainly.
What security checks are in place to allow access to the RAF Lyneham destination & who's responsibility is it?
Has any liaison been made with the relevant authorities of Police/Highways/Wilts CC?
Now call me Mr Suspicious if you like, but this could end up with a nightmare. One collision could close a road and 2500 bikes would get awfully gridlocked, residents of Wootton Bassett really inconvenienced & anti-bike and Joe Public would simply have a stereotype reinforced.
I want to ensure my donation will reach it's target & not some scrotes pocket for his rent money.
Until these questions get answered, I agree with leaving Wootton Bassett's mums having a lie-in & simply give my fuel money to H4H instead.
And breathe....