GENEROUS Black Country bikers set off on a 24-hour 1,000 mile journey around the UK this morning (Tuesday, September 20) to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Stourbridge fundraiser Matt Davies has been raising money for the charity, which provides free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families of seriously ill children in hospital, for a number of years, but this will be his toughest challenge yet.

In a race against time, Matt – alongside his wife Bev, and two friends Mark and Steph Smith – will travel to each of the 14 Ronald McDonald Houses situated next to children’s hospitals.

The group set off from Ronald McDonald House Birmingham in the early hours of this morning with the aim to complete the trip within 24 hours.

Matt was one of many bikers that started fundraising for the charity after a fellow rider lost his son following a serious illness in 2013.

While being treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital his parents were able to stay at the charity’s Birmingham house to be close him.

Matt said: “The work Ronald McDonald House Charities does to give families the chance to remain close to their child whilst they are in hospital is invaluable, and they provide so much for families staying at the houses.”

Since then, Matt and other bikers bring donations of household objects to the house every Christmas and Easter, while 150 big-hearted bikers rode from Halesowen to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with gifts for patients, and vital supplies for the charity’s Birmingham house.

Libby Aston, house manager at the charity’s Birmingham House, said: “We are so grateful to Matt for the fundraising he’s done over the years.

“Fundraising by our supporters allows us to continue to keep our doors open for others who need our ‘home away from home’ in the future.”

Click here to follow the progress of the group, or click here to donate via Matt’s JustGiving page.