Prinfest
ThisMay saw thefirst‘PrinFest’ all-dayer takeplace. Supported bya
close set of familyand friends,Jo Prinsenorganised the eventto
celebratethelifeofher late husband,Ian Prinsen’s 50 th birthday...
J
oPrinsenrideswiththeB 62
scooterclub,Halesowen,and
duringthemonthsleadingupto
‘PrinFest’sheknewthatthe
eventhadgatheredagreatdeal
ofsupportfromscooterclubsfromallover
theWestMidlands.There’dalsobeen
goodcoverageonsocialmedia,andinhis
lifetime,beingsuchapopularand
unassumingfigureinthelocalscootering
andModcommunity,thememoryof‘Prin’
wasalwaysclosetoeveryone’shearts.
Thebigdaystarts
Intraditionandwithpreparationssetup,
Jostartedthedayoffbymeetingherpals
forafullEnglishbreakfast.Whilstthis
washappening 46 ridersfromvarious
BirminghamandBlackCountryscooter
clubshadbravedtheraintojointhemto
takepartintheactivitiesahead.
Withbreakfastsettledthe‘PrinFest’
memorialride-outsetoff,ledbyAnthony
ridinghisLambretta,whowasfollowedby
Joonher‘Prinspeed’VespaV 90 and
Prin’sbrother,Dylan,who’dflownover
speciallyfortheeventfromIreland,riding
hisbrother’sPrimevera.Josmiledandtold
us:“Theride-outbrieflystoppedoffat
LeasowesParkwherePrinusedtogo
fishingandasakidclimbtrees,and
wherehealsowenttoLeasowesSchool.
AlsoaspecialmomentforDylanandIwas
whenwerodeinperfectsymmetry
alongsideeachotheruptotheClentHills
andatothertimesDylanwasridingjust
behindme.Itwassopoignantformethat
IcouldseePrin’sscootjustovermy
shoulderinmymirror.Theride-outthen
stoppedoffatFletchersArcadenear
LickeyHillsbecausePrinwould’veloved
theoldschoolarcadegamesandpinball
machines,whichwerethesameasthe
onesweusedtovisitonallthosemod
ralliesinthe 80 sand 90 s.”
HavingpassedbyLickeyEnd,which
waswhereJoandPrinusedtogotothe
StGeorge’sSoulNightstogether,Jotook
overatthehelmoftheride-out,to
proudlyleadeveryonealongtheA 38 to
wheretherestoftheday’sactivitieswould
takeplaceatoneofherandPrin’s
favouriteplaces,theBournbrookandSelly
OakSocialClub.
Themainevent
Whentheride-inreachedtheclub,
scooterssoonfilledthecarpark.Inthe
meantime,whilsttheride-outhadbeen
takingplaceMickandElainefromthe
club,who’ddonatedtheart-decofunction
roomforfree,hadallowedDJRobtofire
upthemusicandgettheatmosphere
goinginside.
Withthemusicandatmosphereup
andrunning,betweennoonand 4 pm
Anthony collects donations
Jo and Prin’s
brother,Dylan
56 |SCOOTERING|AUGUST2019