Lee Rigby Memorial Ride

Date published: 21 May 2017

The community came together once again on Sunday (21 May) to remember Fusilier Lee Rigby on the fourth anniversary of his death.

The Rigby Guardians came from all across the country and rode from Rochdale Town Hall, through Heywood and Middleton onto a parade with the Manchester Pipe Band to Middleton Memorial Garden where they were joined by Lee’s family and the community for a service of remembrance.

Lyn Rigby said: “The service in Middleton and support from the Armed Forces and wider community provides strength to our family as we remember Lee and what an amazing person he was. We miss him every day and for those who have lost loved ones you will understand that anniversaries are particularly hard to deal with.

“This year is particularly poignant as we deliver the Lee Rigby Lodge, a house for bereaved families, a positive legacy for Lee. This will be a place to get away from it all and to support our Armed Forces families at their time of most need.”

The house is set in beautiful countryside in Staffordshire and will provide a retreat and place of quiet for those who have lost a loved one while they were serving their country.

On hearing the terrible news about Lee Rigby’s death Gavin Vitler wanted to do something in Lee's memory, to help people grieve and to pay their respects.

Gavin said: “Lee was a local lad from my home town and someone I knew. I wanted to do something to show the family that as a community we cared and that we would never forget Lee. We set off from Rochdale Town hall with over 200 bikers to the Memorial Gardens for a service which was attended by hundreds of people from all over the Country. The community just came together and provided some strength to the family at what was an extremely difficult time.”

Gavin did the same again for Lee’s funeral, and each year he organises the ride on the anniversary of Lee’s death. More recently this has developed into a charity weekender that attracts hundreds of people who remember and honour Lee and pay their respects to Lyn and Ian Rigby and their family.

Rigby’s Guardians has grown and it has three branches in Middleton, Scotland, and Yorkshire.

In 2014 Gavin was presented with an award for his work by the then Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Colin Lambert and the then Deputy Chief Executive Linda Fisher.

On Sunday (21 May) Gavin was 'ordained' prior to the Guardians setting off from the Town Hall as the 'Reverend Gavin Vitler'.

A Foundation spokesperson said: "What an amazing achievement, the level of dedication by the President and Founder of Rigby’s Guardians, the Reverend Gavin Vitler."

Lee Rigby Memorial Ride 2017
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