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Meet Team Director, Roy |
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Meet one man who has helped so many – his vision, endless energy
and disciplined approach to enabling young people to achieve their full
potential has rightly earned him an MBE as well as the respect of all
who meet him. Here, Imps team Director, Roy Pratt MBE tells us how The
Imps began and where next. 
In the late nineteen sixties I was working as an Education Social
Worker for the Inner London Education Authority in Hackney, I was also
a Sea Scout Leader. The London Borough of Hackney was considering
funding a play scheme that wished to take children to the country for
holidays during the summer school break. Because of my work in the
field of child welfare and my scouting experience I was asked to review
the proposal. It became clear that with the lack of relevant experience
the scheme appeared, at first sight, untenable. It was then that the
good people at Hackney Council asked me to run it!
I set about finding voluntary staff who were willing to donate a week
of their holiday time in the summer. I talked to my colleagues in
scouting, the teachers I knew and youth leaders and soon I had
sufficient cover for four weeks. Following endless phone calls and some
serious negotiations I secured the free use of Beckford Hall, owned by
the Salesian Order, in the Vale of Evesham, as a summer camp.
We ran a four week programme, taking forty children a week. Following
it’s success, the borough published a glossy manual, such that other
councils might do the same. Unfortunately, despite our success, no
other programmes were forthcoming. Undeterred, the voluntary staff and
parents involved in our scheme expressed a desire for us to continue
the next year and so The Hackney Adventure Holiday Project was born.
The children participated in activities such as canoeing, sailing,
camping, rock climbing and caving; all skills borrowed from the scout
world.
At Beckford Hall we came across two old motorcycles in a barn – a
Triumph Tiger Cub and a BSA Bantam. We made enquiries and the owners
willingly handed us the keys. I had served with The Redcaps, a horse
and motorcycle display team of The Royal Military Police, in The Army
and so told the youngsters that if they could get the bikes started I
would teach them how to ride. Some days later the sound of the first
bike starting broke the peace and tranquillity of the countryside, soon
followed by the other cracking into action. I set about acquiring basic
safety equipment and we started riding lessons. Naturally it became the
activity that everybody wanted to do. Having quickly mastered the
basics it soon became clear that riding circles around a small field
was not going to satisfy the exuberant youth of East London. The
activity had to be harnessed. It must have a purpose and in order to
fulfil the projects’ objectives it needed to have an end result. I
homed in on the unthinkable, a youth motorcycle display team – this
seemed to me to have all the qualities we were trying to instill in our
youngsters; teamwork, discipline, courage, turnout and pride.
We set about obtaining more equipment and researching how to go about
setting up a team. I visited The Royal Signals motorcycle display team,
The White Helmets, and then I made contact with the Metropolitan Police
Precision Riding Team and Special Escort Group, based in Barnes, South
West London. Both were extremely helpful, particularly with safety
matters. I put together what I learnt and added my own knowledge from
my Military days. Next we joined The Auto-Cycle Union, the governing
body of motorcycle sport in the UK. We looked at all the other
civilian display teams. All comprised adults. I could not find a youth
team anywhere.
In 1969 an open day at Upton House School in Hackney provided the
perfect platform for the parents of the ‘project children’ to see for
themselves, what their offspring had been up to in the summer months.
We performed our first public display with six different motorcycles.
Onlookers were amazed by the skill and discipline learnt in just six
months. After our first display I was approached by the organiser of an
event taking place on Hackney Marshes – our first booking. Now we had
our purpose – The Imps Motorcycle Display Team.
Our first major challenge was to get hold of suitable bikes and safety
equipment, given that we did not have any money at all. We were not
established enough to go for sponsorship and I tried many dealers to
see what help they might offer. We wanted to ride Honda SL125s. One of
my teacher friends, Oliver McClintock, put me in touch with a dealer in
Hertford called Bob Hill. I told him we needed six SL125s. on account.
When he asked me on what account I cheekily replied “On account we do
not have any money”. Without further ado we struck a ‘gentleman’s
agreement’ and for a small deposit he supplied us with six bikes. As
and when money came in from shows we paid him whatever we could. It
took eighteen months to repay Bob, without whose help The Imps may
never have got off the ground.
The next hurdle was to get the establishment to accept us, this was not
so easy. Parents were all for it, we even managed to obtain insurance
for the activity but the authorities view was “What on earth is the man
thinking of” While nobody tried to stop us, neither did any authority
provide us with any help or support.
I consciously set out to create the team as a junior version of
‘The White Helmets’, simply because I could not find a better example.
I realised that children would never achieve the high standard and
skill of The White Helmets or The Metropolitan Police, but it occurred
to me that to aspire to rise to the occasion would be a great
motivating factor. I believed that the one area, however, where we
could challenge these great institutions was in the quality of our
turnout. Following our first outing in Hackney with six different bikes
and some very tatty overalls in all colours our appearance could only
improve. After considerable research and not wishing youngsters to look
like racing car drivers with stickers everywhere, we chose to base our
uniforms on those of the smartest of regiments, the Guards. Now we
looked distinctive. It’s hard to be scruffy in that rig.
And so we were on our way, performing an increasing number of displays
around the country and gradually building the numbers in the team. A
Japanese film crew working in The UK for Honda chanced upon a team
member in the classroom, who invited them to see The Imps at the
weekend. When the film was shown to the Honda founder, Soichiro Honda,
he directed that we be given all the motorcycles and equipment that we
needed. For the next thirty years we became known as ‘The Honda Imps’.
As the team developed it seemed that a natural progression to join the
International circuit and by the mid eighties we had appeared in
Gerradsbergen in Belgium and had been booked for The Edinburgh Military
Tattoo. It was during the Tattoo that the contingent from the Singapore
Police and Peoples Association of Singapore invited The Imps to appear
in the Chingay Festival and Parade in Singapore the following year. We
were delighted to have reached the standard expected for International
events.
The Imps have had to adapt to the changing times over the years. The
training has improved a hundred fold to meet the challenges and
requirements of audit. The protective equipment has also improved. Many
items we now use were just not available on the market when we first
started. Staff have to be better trained in First Aid, Health and
Safety Issues and Child Protection matters. All staff now have to be
CRB cleared to work with youngsters. We carry out investigative on-site
visits to all overseas engagements to ensure accommodation, food and
childcare issues are taken care of before the team sets out. Our
transport is of a high standard; our coach holds a full PCV ticket and
drivers must hold professional qualifications – a far cry from the old
bangers we used to troop around the country in. We are expected to give
a professional performance wherever we go and to maintain high
standards. The organisation needs to be constantly aware of changing
trends in safety, insurance, legislation, risk assessments
none of which were in place when we started. Perhaps the greatest
change has been the need for our own training base and thanks to the
Princess Royal we do now have our own base in East London. This not
only provides training in motorcycling and allied subjects but also
runs it’s own education support project.
Since the formation of The Imps I have never for one moment asked,
“What part does it play in my life?” – I am thrilled to say that it has
been my life beyond my profession. I willing give all my time to
the Imps. After leaving the services I have worked in Education Social
Work in various posts in East London, I currently work part-time as a
Pastoral Care Coordinator for a forward thinking primary school.
Just to keep me busy I am also Chair of Governors of another East
London Primary School. My Profession and my Imps-life have always
complimented each other. There is always something that needs doing
with the Imps but it is a way of life for all involved rather than
something you go to for a change. I am most grateful to all those who,
over the years, have so generously given of their time. Although I have
little time for outside interests these days I do enjoy aviation, hill
walking, and eating in interesting places.
Three decades since we began this journey and each season throws up its
own challenges – each team with its own characteristics – that keep the
experience fresh and exciting. The highlights of this current season
are:
The Edinburgh Military Tattoo – a unique
International event held at Edinburgh Castle. The Måløy International
Tattoo. Måløy is an island off the West Coast of Norway and scene of a
famous WWII British Commando Raid called ‘Operation Archery’ in
December 1941. The Imps have also been invited to take part in the
commemoration ceremony along with 20 veteran British Commandos. This
type of event represents an invaluable and unique living history lesson
to the young team members. Our season closes at The Netherlands
National Tattoo.
I believe that we are entering a new phase for the team. I am seeing a
generation of former Imps, often now with their own young families,
coming on board to take up the challenge. We have done a few ‘one off’
desert crossings in the past and we are currently planning one for the
very near future – I might be in the support crew for the next such
trip – but they will still hear my bark across the sand dunes. We now
have a new brand, communications and sponsorship programme and we are
working hard to support ourselves with merchandise sales, while
building a valuable youth brand to be extended to other areas beyond
the motorcycle display team. We have, in a sense, come full circle and
although we have been on an incredible journey since those early days
with our rusting Triumph Tiger Cub I believe we are only just at the
start of something much bigger.
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