Wakefield MAG February 2015 Newsletter

Dear Wakefield MAG member,

Welcome to the Wakefield MAG e-newsletter. If you can't attend our Wednesday meetings regularly, it's the next best thing to keep you up to date with what we are up to.

CONTENTS

1) Wakefield & District MAG 13th Annual General Meeting
2) Post Christmas Auction Report
3) 13th Birthday Party
4) 2015 Events
5) Wakefield MAG Bingo Night
6) Black Wednesday Mega Sale
7) Date Change for YPR
8) Wakefield MAG 6th Annual Charity Pet Food Run
9) FEMA Appoints New Secretary General
10) Fred Hill Memorial Run
11) Forthcoming Events (for February and beyond)

1) Wakefield & District MAG 13th Annual General Meeting

The branch held it's 13th Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 14th January 2015 at the Grey Horse. Lots of good news to report at the AGM, which you can read all about in the official minutes Here. As usual, we had packed an awful lot of activities into the year, made a lot of money for the MAF Fighting fund, but above all, and most importantly, had an awful lot of fun along the way.

Your new branch committee for 2015 was voted in, and this is:

With virtually the same committee as last year, this bodes very well indeed for a fun filled 2015 !!!

Our branch heroes for 2014 were:

Well done to all our branch heroes. We discussed and agreed our branch activities and development plan for 2015, and we have lots planned for this year (see Below, check the events page and these newsletters for more details).

A huge thanks to everyone who attended the AGM, 75 branch points duly awarded (all towards the 2015 Branch Heroes Awards !!!!).

2) Post Christmas Auction Report

Check out the event report Here

3) 13th Birthday Party

FREE PARTY !!!!!

13th Birthday Party

We have set the date for our 13th Birthday Party, which is Friday 13th March, and it will be held at our H.Q. the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield.

This years party will be Mandatory Fancy Dress, with the outfits being something related (however tenuous) to 'M', 'A' or 'G'. Don't worry if fancy dress isn't your thing ... simply come as you are, as a motorcyclist, and you will still be keeping with the theme 'M' ... Simples !!!

As per previous years, this will be a FREE PARTY, as it's a THANK YOU to all our loyal members. Party highlights will include a Buffet (small charge may apply, or there again, that may be FREE too), Raffle, Disco, Party Games, having a great time (strictly mandatory) etc. There will be a prize for the best (and worst) Fancy Dress outfit !!!

The Wakefield MAG Branch was formed on the 9th of January 2002 and we have certainly come a long way since that inaugural meeting at the White Hart. We still have a good number of regular meeting attendees who were at those first fledgling meetings thirteen years ago (so we must be doing something right !!!).

So, come along and help us celebrate, from 7:30pm onwards - All Wakefield MAG members, fellow Yorkshire MAG Groups and friends MOST WELCOME. Good Company and lashings of Ginger Beer guaranteed !!! It's a FREE PARTY, so no excuse for not attending ... Hope to see you there !!!!

Did I mention it was a FREE PARTY !!!!! ;-)

4) 2015 Events

We have wasted no time whatsoever and we already have a packed schedule of Branch events planned for 2015. Check the events page for details of what is coming up, which includes monthly rideouts (starting Feb, right through to November), Charity Pet Food Run, Bike Show, a welcome return to the Dog Racing at Kinsley, Treasure Hunt, a 13th Birthday Party, Quiz, Bingo Night(s), mass attendance at rallies, and more social events than you have the time for ... a great year beckons ... just hope we have a good Summer !!!

5) Wakefield MAG Bingo Night

Wakefield MAG Bingo Night

Following the huge success and hilarity of our inaugural Bingo Night in October, we decided there and then to hold another one soon. So, we have set the date for Wednesday 25th February, from 8:00pm at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ.

20p per ticket, cash and prize bingo, and lot's of hilarity guaranteed. All welcome and if October's night was typical, we are going to run out of seats, so be there early !!!

All profits to the MAG Fighting Fund

6) Black Wednesday Mega Sale

We are having a Black Wednesday Mega Sale, where we are selling off (at cost price) all our remaining stock of Wakefield MAG products, to make way for new orders and new stock. The following items are all in the sale:

So hurry along a bag a bargain, as once these are gone, they are gone !!!

7) Date Change for YPR

DATE CHANGE FOR THE YOURKSHIRE PUDDING 2015.

It has been brought to our attention by the land owners of the site where we hold our rally the Yorkshire Pudding that the date of 7-8-9 of August have been double booked with a wedding on the same date.

We have been informed as soon as the mistake has been noticed by Escrick Estate and they have apologised for the oversight. We had no option but to either move site or move date as Escrick felt they could not move because of the damage it would do to their reputation as a wedding venue and the upset to the couple due to be married. So our options were keep the date and move site, but this would mean getting a new premises licence even if we found a suitable site which was hard enough with a year's notice after we left Hesley Wood, it's also very costly to licence a site. We could have moved a week later but that would have meant us getting a deviation licence because we would have been outside our licensable dates and this comes at a cost due to processing it with the council, advertising it in the classifieds of the newspaper and it going to the licence committee where it can be objected to. Both Escrick Estate and Yorkshire MAG have looked at every option open to us and unfortunately the best for everyone, but mainly the happy couple who are to be married is to bring the date a week forward to the 31st of July 1st and 2nd of August weekend.

Whilst the situation is not ideal for us and you our customers we believe this is the best option and with six months' notice we hope that it gives time for customers, marshals, traders, caterers and service suppliers to be able to change the date without too much disruption. Both Yorkshire MAG and Escrick Estate apologise if this inconveniences anyone.

With the date change to the week before it also stops the clash with the Rock and Bike at Squires Cafe Bar and also the Bulldog Bash at Avon Raceway who's organisers will also be pleased because of the stretch on attendees and also the service suppliers who work at these rallies.

I hope this does not cause you all too much of a headache and I hope those of you who planned to attend and/or marshal will still be able to by being able to juggle dates and help out as you always do.

8) Wakefield MAG 6th Annual Charity Pet Food Run

2015 Pet Food Run Poster

Our first branch rideout of 2015 will be our Annual Charity Pet Food Run, in aid of Wakefield District Dog Rescues. The run is scheduled for Sunday 22nd March. We will meet at our usual rideout start point: Redbeck Cafe, Doncaster Road, Wakefield, at 09:30, leaving at 10:00. This is later than the other rideouts in 2015 will leave, but then again, it is a lot earlier in the year.

Upon leaving at 10:00, our first port of call, will be Whitehall Dog Rescue in East Ardsley. From there, we will visit other Wakefield based rescues (TBA).

Please bring the following items for donation:

This will be our 6th Annual Pet Food Run, and if anything like last year's, a great little rideout with a most worthwhile purpose. Really hope you can make it and don't forget those doggy treats !!

N.B. This run is a little early in the year so there is still a risk of frost / ice / snow. In the event of poor / unsafe riding conditions, please feel free to come along in the car instead.

9) FEMA Appoints New Secretary General

The Directors of the Federation of European Motorcyclists' Associations (FEMA) are pleased to announce the appointment of a new General Secretary. In February 2015 Mr. Dolf Willigers will take over this position from Ms. Aline Delhaye, who has been General Secretary since September 2006. Aline Delhaye will remain as Project Coordinator of the RIDERSCAN project until its finalisation in April 2015 and will be available to FEMA until September to ensure that Mr. Willigers is fully briefed on all FEMA business.

Dolf Willigers (58), a Dutch national, has had a legal and economics education and worked for a long period as a business controller in the Netherlands. He has been a rider for many years and became involved in the Motorrijders Actie Groep (MAG) in the Netherlands in 2001. Within MAG Netherlands he held several positions before becoming a member of the Board of Directors in 2005. In 2012 he organised the campaign in the Netherlands against the imposition of a periodical technical inspection for motorcycles by Europe. After resigning from the Board in 2013 he became a FEMA delegate, a specialist on European affairs and editor of Mag-a-zine, the periodical of MAG NL.

Commenting on his appointment Mr. Willigers said: "I am very glad to be able to represent the riders at EU level and to defend their rights as General Secretary of FEMA. Whilst on a global level the use of motorcycles is becoming more important for every day travel, especially urban areas, in Europe motorcycling is under pressure. The use of motorcycles in daily traffic should instead be promoted as a smart and fast alternative for other kinds of travelling and I am looking forward to doing this."

On behalf of the Directors Anna Zee said: "We are pleased to be able to appoint Dolf, someone who has an excellent track record in supporting riders in his home country and already has considerable knowledge of European affairs. We also thank Aline for all the hard work she has put in over the last 8 years, helping to establish FEMA as the 'go-to' organisation representing motorcyclists."

The new FEMA General Secretary will make his first public appearance at the European Parliament session organised in the context of the European Motorcyclists Forum. The Debate-Session entitled Safer Motorcycling in Europe now! How can we tackle motorcycle safety challenges for the next decade? aims at discussing RIDERSCAN outcomes in the context of the European Commission's Mid-term evaluation of road safety policy orientations for 2011-2020. The long awaited OECD/ITF report on motorcycle safety will also be presented and discussed at this occasion.

10) Fred Hill Memorial Run

This is the first of the Yorkshire Region events for 2015 and will also be our first rideout of the year. The Annual Fred Hill run (hosted by Leeds MAG) is being held on Sunday 15th February and is always very well attended and is an event not to be missed. The Run will leave Squires Cafe Bar at Newthorpe (Sherburn-in-Elmet) at 11.30 prompt. The Run will proceed via Sherburn, Tadcaster, Boston Spa, Collingham, Harewood and Arthington to the Sun Inn at Norwood, Nr Otley. Wakefield MAG will meet at our usual location (Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT) at 10:00, leaving at 10:30 for the ride over to Squires, where we will meet up with other Yorkshire MAG branches and MCC's for the Fred Hill Memorial Run. N.B. This run is liable to cancellation at short notice in the event of snow and/or ice on the day (for safety reasons), therefore, check the Leeds MAG website prior to setting off.

As this run counts as a MAG Demo run, attendance at this event will earn you 75 branch points (as opposed to 10 for a normal ride-out). As points really do mean prizes, what more incentive could you possibly want to attend !!!

If you don't know who Fred Hill was, check out his Obituary

11) Forthcoming Events (for February and beyond)

Sunday 8th February - Leeds MAG Bargain Hunt

Meeting at The Bowling Green (JD Wetherspoon), 18 Bondgate, LS21 3AB Otley. The Bowling Green opens at 8am for breakfast, so plenty of time to grab a coffee / breakfast before leaving at 11.45 for the short walk to Otley Car Boot Sale (or meet Leeds MAG there at 12.00). www.otleycarbootsale.co.uk. There we all buy one item up to the value of £5 & return to the pub by 1.15 to compare purchases. All purchases will then be listed on eBay, with the money raised going to MAG. There will be a prize for the person who's item raises most money. Check out the Leeds MAG Web site for more info: leeds.mag-uk.org

Sunday 15th February - Leeds MAG Fred Hill Memorial Run

As Detailed Above.

Wednesday 25th February - Wakefield MAG Bingo Night

As Detailed Above. Eyes Down for a Fun Filled Night of Bingo !!! Cash and Prize Bingo, and lot's of hilarity guaranteed. All profits to the MAG Fighting Fund.

Wednesday 4th March - Huddersfield MAG's Pie Night (during BRITISH PIE WEEK!)

8:30pm at The Field Head, Quarmby Road, Huddersfield, HD3 4FB. www.huddersfield-mag.co.uk

Friday 13th March - Wakefield MAG's 13th Birthday Party

As Detailed Above. Come along and celebrate this most momentous occasion !!!

Saturday 21st March - Leeds MAG 'A Right Royal Spring Party'

Rock DJ, free entry, raffle, great selection of real ales. All profits go to MAG. 8pm at The Royal Hotel, Pudsey (LS28 8PR). leeds.mag-uk.org/

Sunday 22nd March - Our popular Annual Charity Pet Food Run to Whitehall Dog Rescue in East Ardsley and other local pet rescues.

See Above. Meet 09:30 (leaving at 10:00) at RedBeck Cafe, Doncaster Road, Wakefield.

Sunday 29th March - Wakefield Hospice 10K Race (Wakefield MAG providing Mobile Race Marshals)

Starting from Thornes Park. Time: 08:30 (race starts at 09:00) TBC

Saturday 11th April - MAG Annual Group Conference 2015

The meeting will start at 12:30pm at the Bridgewater & Albion Rugby Club, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4TZ. There will also be a post AGC party held at the same location from 8pm. Free, but bring your MAG membership card to gain entry & vote.

Friday 24th April - Wakefield MAG goes to the Dogs (Dog Racing Night)

Super Six Party Booking, for which you get Admission (including race programme), Pint of beer/lager, any bottle or wine or spirit, Choice of any basket meal available on the night, 2 x £1 Tokens for Tote super six jackpot (usually well into five figures ... well worth winning !!!) & a £1 token for normal tote bet. An absolute bargain and an absolute hoot (this will be the branches 5th visit !!!). Kinsley Greyhound Stadium. £12 (Deposit £5). www.kinsleydogs.co.uk

Sunday 26th April - Wakefield MAG Monthly Rideout (Destination: TBC)

Meet 8:30am (leaving at 9:00am) at RedBeck Cafe, Doncaster Road, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ

See the events page for further details and more !!!

That's all for this month, and I hope to see you all soon.

Ride Safe .. Ride Free
Steve Travis
Chairman
Wakefield MAG
0772 078 4734

Wakefield MAG meet at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield at 8:30pm every Wednesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.