FAMILY and friends are to do a challenging walk in memory of a motorcyclist.

Popular Graham Chaplin died in the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield after a motorcycle accident at Snake Pass, near Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire on May 25 last year.

Now his father, Stuart Chaplin, and stepmother Denise have organised a Three Peaks challenge in the Yorkshire Dales to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which flew Graham from the crash scene to hospital.

The incident was later featured on BBC series Helicopter Heroes, featuring Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond profiling the vital work done by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

About 30 of Graham’s family and friends will stay overnight at a bunkhouse at The Station Inn at Ribblehead before tackling Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent on June 21.

Graham, 30, lived in Golcar with Stuart and Denise and the summer walk is fast becoming a community fundraising effort.

Golcar butcher Michael Thewlis has given his special Golcar Lily sausages for the walkers, which the Vicar of Golcar, the Rev Martyn Crompton, will cook for them before they set off.

Mr Crompton will have tackled Whernside the day before for the same cause.

Denise said: “We were amazed to learn that the Yorkshire Air Ambulance relies totally on donations and fundraising to keep flying.

“It was there for Graham and flew him to the hospital in just 10 minutes, which gave him the very best chance.

“It is a comfort it is there for other people and can get them to hospitals throughout West Yorkshire so quickly.’’

Graham died a short time after arriving at the hospital.

He was a highly experienced motorcyclist and never went out riding without wearing his full leathers and other specialist protective gear.

He even bought gloves and boots from America as he thought they gave the best protection.

He had been on several track days at Donington Park race circuit in Nottinghamshire which gives motorcyclists the chance to ride on a racing circuit.

He also attended sessions organised by the Honda Ron Haslam Race School of Excellence.

They are assessed on their riding and assessor Brendan Marchesi wrote on Graham’s report: “Your style looked excellent. You improved throughout the sessions and were eventually spot on by the end.’’

Graham was also a fearless BMX rider and could often be seen performing tricks at the Greenhead Park BMX track.

He was educated at Beech Junior and Infant School in Golcar, Colne Valley High School and Greenhead College.

He then gained a BA honours degree in fine art at Lincolnshire and Humberside University in Hull.

He graduated in 2000 and went on to do a master’s degree in interactive multimedia production at Huddersfield University in 2004.

For his master’s dissertation he created an acclaimed computerised ‘fly-through’ model of the Queensgate Market Hall in Huddersfield which was exhibited in public and featured in the Examiner.

For more information about helping the fundraisers go to www.justgiving.com/stuartdenisechaplin or www.justgiving.com/emmasykes3peaks