First phase of funding announced for DGR Social Connections Challenge

Movember is delighted to announce the projects selected to take part in the first phase of the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride Social Connections Challenge, which is aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of motorcyclists.

The GBP £646,000 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Social Connections Challenge is using funds raised by the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride (DGR) community to support ideas that will improve the social connectedness, life satisfaction and mental wellbeing of motorcycle riders.

A total of 18 projects from across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US have now been awarded funding that will help them to develop and test their idea.

Take a look at the three projects selected for further development right here in the UK:

• Quay Rider, is a mentorship initiative based at the motorcycle workshop in Poole, Dorset. The project aims to connect older men with younger men who are living in care. Participants will learn how to build and modify a motorcycle, on which the younger riders will undertake a series of off-road challenges under the guidance of their mentors.
• Bike Directory is an online platform for riders in their middle years, looking for places to socially interact with others. The team will use social media to inform the community, many of whom are men who are hard to reach, about upcoming events and report past events.
• Project Pit Stop encourages motorcyclists to socialise with each other, strengthening existing relationships or developing new ones. It also uses a ‘health by stealth’ approach, providing mental health services and mental health literacy alongside practical bike maintenance tips.

The other projects from around the globe are Mind Moto - Putting the Cog in Cognition, The Workshop Project, Konnections, Lost Motos, Solace Garage, The Riders Project, Project 'Team Building', Men Riding for Sustainability and Wellness, Riding to Recovery, Motorcycle Therapy, BiKEMEETs.com, The Turn, The Ride 2 Wise, The Motorcycle Collective and Tinker, Talk & Tour.

The next phase will see grants of up to GBP £42,000 allocated to a maximum of 10 of the most promising projects, enabling them to be delivered in pilot format.

Movember's Global Director of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Brendan Maher, said:

“We have been extremely impressed with the ingenuity and ambition of the ideas we have received for the DGR Social Connections Challenge.

“We know that people who are satisfied with their relationships and social connections are more likely to enjoy good mental health and wellbeing. However, riding can be inherently isolating, which is why we’re looking to find new ways to help motorcyclists create stronger connections with each other.

“We’re excited about working with these partners to bring their ideas to life and create programs that will make a real difference to the mental health and wellbeing of the men in these communities.”

Founder of The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride, Mark Hawwa, said:

"When we launched the DGR Social Connections Challenge, we called out to our community to encourage their ideas to produce innovative and inspiring programs that will help men in motorcycling build positive social connections.

"We have been humbled by the incredible applications that we received, and are proud to be able to guide these concepts and help them grow into real-life programs that will benefit the mental health of men within the motorcycling community."