For the last eight years the Heavy Metal Truants have been doing an annual charity cycle ride from London to the UK Download Festival set upon the hallowed heavy metal grounds of Castle Donington.
Open to all, our charity ride has seen metal fans, bands, and industry types getting on their bikes and raising £681,500 (over $1.25 million AUD) in the process!
“We were heartbroken to see Download Festival cancelling this year – a decision which we of course fully support. We weren’t happy to sit this year out though. Our chosen charities, all of which work hard to support children and young people, need our support now more than ever, so we’re calling on all metalheads from around the world to join us in the name of heavy metal.
As it’s the 40th anniversary of Motörhead’s Ace of Spades, what better with which to honour Lemmy than to call it the Eighth Of Spades!”
Chris Maric spoke to Heavy Metal Truants Co-Founder Alexander Milas about the event for his newly launched podcast, The Fourth Rune. Listen to it here.
If you are able to spare anything at all to help Chris reach his goal, please donate via this page.
www.maricmedia.com/charity
Chris Maric is a three time veteran of the Heavy Metal Truants taking part in rides in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and personally raising over $8000AUD for the HMT Charities!
Heavy Metal Truants is the world’s first Heavy Metal Charity Bicycle Ride, The brain child of former Metal Hammer editor-in-chief Alexander Milas and Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood. It’s three days, 185 miles and lots of metal! In short, it’s about the brother and sisterhood of Metal uniting around some very worthy causes – in this case, Nordoff Robbins, Teenage Cancer Trust, and Childline, to raise money for children who need it most.
The eighth annual Heavy Metal Truants ride, officially dubbed HMT VIII – The Eighth Of Spades in honour of its Motörhead connections, sees a global group of heavy music industry people come together to raise money for these children’s charities. Nordoff Robbins, Teenage Cancer Trust & Childline and new addition, Save The Children.
Agents, managers, promoters, other publicists, record labels, media organisations, and artists alike, plus members of the public have signed up for the gruelling challenge.
Due to the ‘ride from home’ option this year, HMT has seen over 350 people from around the world sign up and collectively raise over £60 000 before the official start date! There is no minimum donation threshold for riders to reach this year, but riders and walkers are encouraged to raise as much as they can.
