​Riders for Health UK will close in the coming weeks after recent financial difficulties ensured that the operation could not fulfil its duties properly.

A statement released on the official Riders for Health website said:

“The past two years have been difficult financially for Riders for Health UK and we have been unable to secure enough income to cover our operating costs. Great efforts have been made to turn this situation around, reducing expenses, cutting the size of our UK team and assessing all possible ways forward, including exploring the opportunity for a partnership or merger. None of these has proved sufficient however to secure the long-term future of the UK office and as a consequence, the Riders board of trustees has taken the difficult decision to close.

“Despite this being a sad time for everyone associated with Riders UK, our priority has always been to safeguard Riders for Health’s programmes in Africa. Although the UK office will close, we are pleased to say that the Riders for Health’s programmes in Liberia, The Gambia, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya and Malawi will continue, ensuring that vital healthcare continues to reach the remote African communities who so urgently need it.

“We would not have chosen to share this news with you via email, however, it was important that you heard this from Riders for Health personally, as we are making efforts today to communicate with as many of our valued partners and supporters as we can.

“We would like to thank all our generous donors and supporters who have contributed to Riders’ success over the past 25 years. To our loyal volunteers and followers, not to mention the generosity and warmth of the international motorcycling community from where Riders for Heath was born, we would like to express our deep appreciation and thanks. And, of course, the Founders, Andrea and Barry Coleman and Randy Mamola, without whose vision and energy Riders for Health would not have existed. The support received through Riders UK, that we hope our programmes will continue to receive, has been enormously valued and the legacy of this support will live on through Riders for Health’s programmes in Africa.”

It is understood that Day of Champions will continue to be held on the Thursday prior to MotoGP at Silverstone. See tomorrow's BSN app for more details plus full reports from Mugello and Brands Hatch.