The Motorcycle Ride for Dad, supporting the Prostate Cancer Foundation, thundered through Windsor-Essex on Sunday.
A large congregation of motorcycles departed from Thunder Road Harley Davidson, enjoying a scenic route that included stops at the Royal Canadian Legion Fort Malden Branch 157, Colchester Bar & Grill, and concluded at The Bourbon in Belle River for an evening of festivities.
Initiated in 2005, Ride for Dad organizes events across Canada and has successfully raised over $1 million in the battle against prostate cancer. Funds from the annual rides contribute to innovative research, awareness campaigns, and emphasize the significance of early detection. Discover more on their website.
During the period when Sir Tony was guiding the party towards the center with a New Labour rebranding effort, Lord Prescott effectively maintained the party’s connection to its working-class roots. Hailing from Prestatyn in North Wales, he had previously worked as a cook and steward for the Cunard line before embarking on his parliamentary career.
In 2010, he was granted a peerage and became known as Baron Prescott of Kingston upon Hull after dedicating four decades of service as an MP for the city. He made his exit from the House of Lords earlier this year due to health challenges.
Lord Prescott thrived on the campaign bus, spreading the party’s message nationwide and embracing every photo opportunity. However, a notable incident in Rhyl, where he faced an egg-throwing protester, demonstrated the risks that come with a high-profile public role.
With tensions often bubbling between Sir Tony and then-Chancellor Gordon Brown, Lord Prescott frequently found himself in the position of mediator between these two prominent figures and their factions within the party.
John Prescott at work in 1974 (Archive/PA)John Prescott after swimming two miles down the Thames as part of a protest against the Government’s policy of dumping nuclear waste at sea (PA)
Lord Prescott’s steadfast commitment to Labour ideals, particularly during the era when Margaret Thatcher was the principal political figure, earned him admiration within a party grappling with where to shift its ideological stance to counter the influential prime minister of the time.
One of his notable actions was donning a wetsuit to swim down the Thames to deliver a letter to Downing Street, exemplifying a politician who understood the significance of imagery.
John Prescott as a member of Neil Kinnock’s shadow cabinet (PA)John Prescott and wife Pauline with Michael Foot at a thanksgiving service for late Labour leader John Smith (John Giles/PA)John Prescott eating a pie in Blackpool during the Labour conference (John Giles/PA)Then- prime minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie join then-deputy PM John Prescott and wife Pauline on stage (Andrew Parsons/PA)
His encounter with a protester who threw an egg at him in the town of Rhyl during the 2001 campaign briefly caused unrest among Labour supporters. However, he quickly turned the situation into a moment of humor, stating he was simply trying to connect with the electorate as his party leader had urged.
John Prescott being hit by an egg while surrounded by protesters in the seaside resort of Rhyl (David Kendall/PA)John Prescott and Gordon Brown sit with Tony Blair during his final Prime Minister’s Questions (Archive/PA)
Lord Prescott stood by Sir Tony during his final Prime Minister’s Questions and was a loyal supporter throughout three successful election campaigns. After the passing of John Smith, he ran for the leadership himself, securing a respectable second place behind Sir Tony, while finishing ahead of Dame Margaret Beckett.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and his wife Pauline cross a footbridge during a visit to East Park in his constituency of Hull (John Giles/PA)Former deputy prime minister John Prescott holds up his Labour membership card (Jonathan Brady/PA)
Although he stepped back from the forefront as Labour returned to opposition, he remained a sought-after figure on the campaign circuit and actively campaigned for Jeremy Corbyn.
Eventually, Lord Prescott found his place in the House of Lords as Baron Prescott of Kingston-upon-Hull, the city he had long championed in the Commons.
Beyond politics, he also served as a director for Hull Kingston Rovers and often made television appearances, frequently alongside his wife Pauline.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott (Chris Radburn/PA)Former deputy prime minister John Prescott in the crowd during the Engage Super League match at Craven Park Stadium, Hull (Anna Gowthorpe/PA)Comedian Eddie Izzard in Liverpool supporting John Prescott at the launch of his battle bus (Archive/PA)John Prescott saddles a Police Harley Davidson at the opening of the new Harley Davidson garage in North Tyneside (Owen Humphreys/PA)John Prescott is introduced to the House of Lords in London (PA)
