One of the most iconic names in scootering history, Paddy Smith, passed away in hospital earlier this week after a short illness. Paddy, 65, spent much of the 1980s producing the rally patches that came to symbolise the scooter rallies. Sewn-on and collected in their thousands his screen printed designs are still worn on the flight jackets of many scooterists.

Paddy emigrated to the Bordeaux region of France where he lived with wife, Annie and family on their farm in the countryside. In recent years Paddy and the family have put on their low-key, ’boutique’ Sun Run scooter rally in the pretty little village of Allemans de Droit. Paddy and Annie have recently spent a few weeks touring France and the UK in their camper van, during the trip they celebrated a friend’s wedding in Lancaster and another’s 50th Birthday in Bristol.

On behalf of ScooterLab and the thousands of scooterists who knew him, we’d like to raise a glass to Paddy Smith and wish the family all the best at this difficult time.

Iggy