A Stevenage motorcycle club that provided meals for the community during the COVID-19 pandemic feature in this year’s Marks & Spencer Christmas advert.

The Kaotic Angels is made up of serving and former military personnel, first responders and police officers, with the group providing much-needed support for people in the town.

During the pandemic, they provided 200,000 meals for the community, and effort that has continued through a partnership with Neighbourly.

It was through the award-winning giving platform that M&S reached out to the Angels, as national president Grant ‘Spectre’ Prest explained.

The Comet: The Angels were the only Hertfordshire-based community group selected.The Angels were the only Hertfordshire-based community group selected. (Image: Kaotic Angels)

“We have a charity called the Kaotic Angel Foundation, and we joined Neighbourly, which is a platform that allows charities and businesses to combine their efforts and get surplus food from M&S to give out to the community,” he said.

“It was through this that M&S got in touch and asked us if we wanted to be part of their advert. They selected 10 groups to be in the advert and we were the only ones from Hertfordshire.

“We were on our bikes in the advert and you can see us in the background. M&S were absolutely amazing the whole time we were there and really looked after us.

“M&S invited us to a screening of the advert at a theatre in London. The advert is brilliant and they really have put in a lot of work with it. You can see us which is really good for us, but they’ve pushed us on their social media as well, which is fantastic for us as a group.”

The Comet: The Angels and their bikes can be seen in the background of the advert. The Angels and their bikes can be seen in the background of the advert. (Image: Kaotic Angels)

Grant insisted that the group’s advert appearance is not about recognition for their work, but instead as part of breaking the motorcycle club stigma and raising awareness for the community.

“Being in the advert isn’t recognition for our work, we want it to be awareness that we are doing it,” he added.

“As a motorcycle club, there is a lot of negative connotations that goes with it, and we are trying to break that stereotype of motorcycle clubs being bad.

“We do a lot of work in schools and give talks on road safety and knife crime, we look after the elderly too. We are trying to break the stigma and raise awareness for our work.”