A GROUP of Tamworth motorcyclists have given wings to an air service for sick children.
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Little Wings welcomed $5000 from the Guardian Angels Bikers yesterday in Tamworth, which will help to keep them in the air.
Adrian Simshauser (Ace) said he wanted to organise the Ride to the Ridge (from Tamworth to Lightning Ridge) for Little Wings after hearing about Manilla boy Patrick Coombes.
Patrick was a five-year-old who had an inoperable brain tumour and passed away in January and often used the Little Wings service.
“I always wanted to do something for kids with cancer,”Mr Simshauser said.
“I saw Kevin flying Patrick around and wanted to do something for him to keep him in the air.”
Next year’s event is planned for the October long weekend and Mr Simshauser said he hoped to attract even more people.
Patrick’s mum, Emma, said Little Wings had allowed them to be together as a family more often while Patrick was sick.
“We feel really honoured as a family that Ace and the group remembered Patrick and have done this for him,” she said.
“We have lots of nice memories of Little Wings. It just meant we could come home and be home even if it was only for the weekend.”
Little Wings director and pilot Kevin Robinson said the donation meant more flights for kids.
“This helps more kids and more families,” he said.
“Without support from groups like this, we can’t do this.”
Mr Robinson said they had transported 530 passengers on 225 flights, with 70 per cent to and from the New England region in the past 12 months.
The Coombeses returned to Bear Cottage in April to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
“It was really nice and they were really normal, really sincere and compassionate and really interested in the story,” she said.
“Both of them were so normal and spent quite a bit of time chatting. We chatted with Prince William for what seemed like ages.”
Mrs Coombes said Bear Cottage’s support was priceless leading up to Patrick’s death and since.