The Bike and Brew Passport is a fun charity event that gets riders exploring biker-friendly cafés across the UK while raising money for local charities.
In its first year, the Bike and Brew Passport challenge has raised nearly £30,000 for community causes, with about 3,000 motorcyclists already involved and more signing up every day. Kicking off in March 2025, the newly established charity Make Your Mark rolled out an initiative inviting riders to visit as many of the 90 biker-friendly cafés as possible, collecting physical stamps in a printed passport along the way.
The goal is threefold: to support independent businesses, promote rider wellbeing, and raise money for local charities.
The event runs until October 31, with registration requiring a £10 donation. Visiting destinations earns stamps that unlock entry into a prize draw, with more stamps boosting the chances of winning. Thanks to its huge success, this year’s raffle features two bikes supplied at a discounted rate by M&P Motorcycles, Swansea – a Kawasaki Z900RS SE for first place and a Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 for second. Both prizes also include Litelok security to make the deal even better.
“We’ve got prizes worth over £20,000,” said founder Paul Sims. “But that’s not the main reason most bikers take part. For most, it’s about the experience – getting inspired, discovering new roads, and finding cafés they might never have come across otherwise.”
“It’s all about the NHS five steps to wellbeing. The fundamental basis of this is getting people to feel like they’re part of a community.
“The cafes fund the [challenge], and every penny from the £10 donation that each biker makes when purchasing a passport goes back out the door again. No expenses, no fees – we don’t take a penny,” Sims said. “We want it absolutely clear. That money is going into community good causes.”
From the fundraising pot, there have been several grants already issued.
“The first grant was £2,500 for a ride-on lawnmower for a veterans’ retreat in the Brecon Beacons,” Sims said. “They host veterans with prosthetic limbs or in wheelchairs, so accessibility is key. Their old mower had broken down, and with a full season ahead, it was vital to keep the grounds safe and fully available for all the services they provide to veterans.”
A further £1800 has gone to Rhondda-based mental health initiative Shift Together, and the project has also supported the installation of seven defibrillators in Welsh biker cafés.
A new partnership with community-owned Barry Town United FC will also see a mental wellbeing hub open in August. Further collaborations are due to be announced later this year – including additional backing for veterans’ centres.
Bike and Brew has big plans for 2026, aiming to more than double its presence with about 250 cafés set to join across the UK. Exciting new spots are already in progress in Cornwall, Dorset, East Anglia, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, and beyond.
