“Patricia, what will you do on Sunday morning, May 19th?” Charlie, a friend of mine who loves his family and his Harley Davidson, asked me.

And there I went very early to Guildford, a city in the west of Surrey (England), which is about 43 km from the center of London, not too far from my home.

I arrived at the station, and... what is the street's name? Oh my god, I forgot the street name! It didn't take so long for me to find out the place after sighting the first motorcycle driven by someone who looked like he came back to the future, in this case from the 50s, because of his clothes. Plus, I started to hear the unique sound of a Harley Davidson; it was impossible not to recognise it. Hey ho, let's go!

Less than 15 minutes later, there I was on the street with no pedestrians at all, but with many, many motorbikes that left me perplexed and not knowing which one to look at to record or admire, not to mention the riders' clothes. I asked two ladies who were taking photos which of the bikes they would like to have; the answer was the most unusual possible: “Do you say to choose the bike or the riders?!" they laugh.

My focus is to learn about the work of one of the largest global charities, The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride, which brings together motorcyclists from all over the world, ranging from classic to vintage styles, as well as restored motorcycles from the Second World War era, like Jeffrey's, which he bought ten years ago, I asked him what the importance of a day like this was, the answer? “A day like this is about men, about their motorcycles, what’s more important than that?” He smiles and asks a friend, “Isn’t it?”

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was founded in Sydney, Australia, by Mark Hawwa in 2012. It was created as a wonderful new way to bring together motorcycle enthusiasts focused on a common cause for good. It was inspired by a photo of Don Draper from the TV show Mad Men, riding a classic motorcycle and wearing his best suit.

Mark decided that an annual themed ride would be a great way to connect motorcycle enthusiasts and communities while also raising funds to support three major concerns for men around the world: prostate cancer, men's mental health, and suicide.

Prostate cancer, according to an article in The Lancet from April this year, is already one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The prostate cancer commission predicts that the number of new cases will double between 2020 and 2040 and suggests that the number of new annual cases will increase from 1.4 million in 2020 to 2.9 million in 2040.

Men's mental health and suicide prevention are the DGR's two other focuses. According to the World Health Organization, more men die from suicide than women (12.6 per 100,000 men compared to 5.4 per 100,000 women). Suicide rates among men are generally higher in high-income countries (16.5 per 100,000).

“Globally, on average, we lose a man to suicide every minute, every day, and an event like this that brings together 728 riders here in Guildford (England), as well as other cities and countries around the world, aims to draw the attention of the population and to receive donations that are invested in prostate cancer and men's mental health initiatives around the world.”

The official partner of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is Movember.

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men's health on a global scale. Since partnering with Movember in 2016, donations have been invested in cutting-edge research into prostate cancer testing and treatments, initiatives that improve the quality of life for men living with the disease, and innovative men's mental health projects.

DGR funding has enabled Movember to support projects in: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the USA.

“It's the second year I've been coming, and I think it's very important to participate in the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride charity ride because it supports mental health and prostate cancer, as well as being great to meet other people and see wonderful bikes like theses that are participating in this global event," he says. Rob Streeten.

As the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride concluded in Guildford, the sense of camaraderie and shared purpose was palpable. This global event, inspired by a simple yet powerful idea, unites motorcyclists in their finest attire to raise funds for prostate cancer and men's mental health. The ride not only supports crucial health initiatives but also fosters a strong community spirit. Each participant's effort contributes to a growing movement that brings hope and change to men worldwide.