Regular as Glockwork

8:46am Friday 16th May 2008

Amateur racer Graham Ashbridge spotted a gap in the market when he couldnt find any greeting cards for bikers

THE trouble with so many greetings cards is that are just a bit, well, girly. Not surprising, as 80 per cent of cards are brought by women.

Even buying a card for a bloke can be a bit of a challenge, with not much between the vintage car or fishing rod or the incredibly rude. Or the sort of jolly jokey ones that your gran likes.

So when motorbike mad Graham Ashbridge couldnt find anything, particularly for bikers, he decided to draw his own. And now Glockwork cards are roaring in C and out C of many shops in the region.

For more than 20 years Graham C known since childhood as Glock C worked in the technical drawing office in Darlington Council. After a spell with Northumbrian Water he took voluntary redundancy a few years ago, ostensibly to establish his card business, but really to have a final go at motorbike racing before I got too old.

His passion is an Aprilia 1000, with which he finished fourth in last years North East Clubs Sounds of Thunder Championships. So far this year, his fortunes have been slightly mixed...

The cards, however, are going well.

I always used to do drawings for leaving presents and things like that when I was in work and that led to people asking me do drawings specially for them, especially the bikers.

Ive done commissions for weddings, birthdays and businesses. Sometimes its all based on a bit of a private joke, which can make them very specific, but often I can adapt them to a general range of cards.

I like to include a twist of humour because theres nothing better than hearing someone laugh at something youve done. A lot of people do that when I go racing...

HE calls his drawings doodles which seems a bit unfair with the incredibly careful detail that goes into them. I love details. I like there to be lots of things for people to see in them, he says.

Most detail, of course, is reserved for the motorbikes, which are undoubtedly the stars of the cards. I cant just leave a grey area as anyone else might do, I have to put in every tiny detail.

For a while Graham had a shop in Hawes, but as a one-man band C drawing, folding the cards, packing them, delivering, restocking, as well as doing all those commissions C he found the more successful he was, the less time he was there, so swapped it for a small warehouse unit instead.

When shops told him that people were buying the cards to put into frames, Graham started producing framed prints as well. And its not just motorbikes.

Sometimes, he drags his attention away from them to do designs involving country life C sheep (tups on strike for longer working hours), walkers and dogs, especially Ellie, his border collie and reluctant artists model.

Hes invented an unusual history of Richmond especially for the Coast to Coasters calling in the town and also done some wonderfully detailed drawings of churches, which show all the makings of another range.

I can see that my drawing grows out of the technical drawing really. Lots of lines lots of details, very accurate.

It can take three days to complete a drawing, working in pencil before finishing in drawing pens.

Breaking into the greetings card market is always tricky. Like everything else, the business is dominated by huge international companies who prefer to play safe.

But hes got himself some posh display stands and by selling well in local shops now has a track record.

The other good news is that the market is changing. More men are getting in touch with their feminine side and are now more likely to go out and buy greetings cards, he says.

And as long as that feminine side retains a passion for motorbikes, Graham and Glockwork should be headed for success.

* Glockwork cards are available from a number of local shops including The Art Shop, Darlington; Barkers, Northallerton; Bedale News, Bedale; Bee Lyne, Hawes; Mals Motorcycles, Newcastle; Hartside Top, Alston; Phoenix Arts, Richmond C the only one to have the Coast to Coast print.

www.glockwork.co.uk

Bouquets of the Week

Marvellous attitude

Dear Sharon,

AFTER coming home to Northallerton after a trip to Redcar, I realised I had lost my purse. I had my key, but that was all. In a panic I rang and cancelled my cards and rang the bus company, Abbotts of Leeming, where Bernadette and Mavis in the office were very kind and helpful.

Then the bus driver came round to see me C bringing my purse. He had spotted it on the floor after I had got off and brought it round as soon as he could. Im afraid I dont know his name C I was much too flustered to think of asking.

But when I tried to offer him something for his honesty and kindness he refused point blank, saying he couldnt accept anything because he was only doing what was right and that was the way he was brought up.

It was so marvellous to find someone who still had that attitude that I really would like you to thank him and the staff of Abbotts.

Joan Crellen, Northallerton.

ö Better than that, for all their kindness and honesty, were sending Bernadette, Mavis and the driver a box of chocs.

MANY thanks to Sally Daniels of Darlington for all her kindness to neighbour Bessie Marshall in recent months. She has been a pillar of strength, helping with my shopping and cleaning, but above all she is always smiling and cheerful, a real tonic.

Pearl Grieves and her husband Pete had a function at Spennymoor Town Hall recently. It was brilliant from start to finish. The friendliness of the staff in the office, the caretaker and Graham Taylor the caterer and his smiley staff were all superb. The meal was excellent.

George and the Little Big Band were on top form. We danced our socks off until midnight and went home very happy.

Marjorie Cook from Bishop Auckland is eternally grateful to Chris and Stacey who stopped when she had a road accident on the Evenwood to Cockfield road on April 27.

They contacted the police, ambulance and a friend for me and stayed with me until I was taken to hospital.

Thanks also to medics Jeff, Alan and Steve and PC Hurst and colleagues for their concern and care. They were so reassuring and helpful.

* Were glad to hear that Marjorie is now much improved and hope she will soon be completely recovered.

* If you want to say a public thank you for good service or to a helpful neighbour, kind stranger or efficient business, then just write with all the details to Sharon Griffiths, Bouquet of the Week, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF. Or email sjgriff111@aol.com. Each week the person nominated in our main letter gets a real bouquet of flowers or a box of posh chocs.

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