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.
I hope everyone had a brilliant Christmas and has a fantastic and biking filled New Year. In addition to getting some Christmas pressies that you really wanted, hopefully you also got some that you gladly want to give away !!!! WHY ? ....... because the Wakefield MAG Post Christmas Auction is rapidly approaching (See below for details).
CONTENTS
1) Wakefield & District MAG 13th Annual General Meeting
2) Post Christmas Auction
3) Fred Hill Memorial Run
4) MAG is for Everyone
5) Police and Government want more Bikers on the Road!
6) MAG AGC
7) Christmas Do Report
8) Wakefield Hospice 10K
9) Forthcoming Events (for January and beyond)
1) Wakefield & District MAG 13th Annual General Meeting
Our 13th branch AGM will be held in the Grey Horse, on Wednesday 14th January, starting at 8:00pm (prompt). All members are invited to attend this special meeting, so please try to attend if you can. At this meeting there will be a review of the year, elections for the branch committee and the prize giving for our branch heroes. As this meeting is effectively a MAG political meeting, it carries with it a whopping 75 branch points for everyone who attends (a normal branch meeting only carries 5 points). As all the points are tallied at year end and go towards the branch heroes presentation, points really do mean prizes !!!! What better boost to your branch heroes tally for the new year !!!
The Annual Wakefield MAG mailshot was emailed, posted or hand delivered to all eligible Members, i.e. all current MAG members with a WF postcode, in early December to formally place notice for the meeting. The AGM is also advertised in The Road magazine and on the MAG (UK) website, together with our own Wakefield MAG website.
The previous AGM minutes are posted on the branch website (Here) and a few copies will be available at the AGM itself. If you want your own copy, please let me know and I'll send one on.
The AGM is your opportunity to have your say in the way your branch is run. It is also the ideal opportunity to take a more active role in running the branch - it's certainly true that the more you put into MAG, the more you will get out of it !!!!
Hope to see you at the AGM, and don't forget your membership card to vote !!!
The deadline for motions is the week before i.e. Wednesday 7th January.
Our 11th Post Christmas Auction will be held on Wednesday 28th January, at 20:00, at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, and if previous years events are anything to go by, an event not to be missed.
The idea is that you bring along all your unwanted Christmas presents, together with other stuff you no longer want, or have the room for, donate them to the branch, and we auction them off to the highest bidder.
Proceeds from the auction will again be split with 2/3 to the MAG Fighting Fund and 1/3 to a charitable cause(s). The 2014 auction raised £300 for the MAG fighting fund, with £150 for charity. That was pretty staggering, especially as the bidding on a lot of items started at 50p. Of course, we want to beat that for 2015.
We know times are hard at the moment, but that's all the more reason to come down to the auction, grab a top bargain, and save yourselves considerable amounts of money. We already have had lots of stuff donated (and we still have nearly another month to collect even more auction donations !!!!).
The Wakefield MAG auctions are always hugely entertaining and there are always some real quality items donated, and hence, some real bargains to be had.
Already, we have lots of people keen to attend. Be there early to guarantee a seat, with viewing from 07:00 onwards, and the auction itself starting at 08:00 prompt (and don't forget to bring your unwanted Christmas pressies !!!).
All welcome and I hope to see you there.
Leeds MAG are again hosting the annual Fred Hill Memorial Run for Yorkshire MAG. Meeting on Sunday 15th February from 10.30am (to leave at 11.30 prompt) at Squires Cafe, Newthorpe Lane, Sherburn in Elmet, LS25 5LX. The run will take us through the fabulous North Yorkshire countryside ending at The Sun Inn, Brame Lane, Norwood HG3 1SZ. www.thesun-inn.com
If you don't know who Fred Hill was, or why MAG holds him in such high esteem, check out his obituary Here. Although Fred's protest was against the mandatory helmet law, introduced in 1973, it must be remembered that the helmet law in itself is NOT the issue. The issue was, and still is, the individuals right to freedom of choice. MAG's central ethos of Let the Rider Decide is as relevant now as it ever was, especially considering the current EU meddling!
Please note these runs are very subject to the weather, and may be cancelled at short notice (for very sensible safety reasons). It is advised to check the Leeds MAG Facebook Page www.facebook.com/groups/306110975566 before setting off.
As we go into 2015, here's a little reminder of what MAG has achieved over the past 40 or so years:
These minor miracles are only possible with a strong membership base. If you are reading this and aren't a MAG member, or have recently lapsed, you can join / re-join MAG at:
Membership fees are: Single Membership - £27.00*; Joint Membership (two adults) - £40.50*; Family Membership - either single or joint adult membership with children added to the membership at £5.00 per child. New members between the ages of 16 and 25 years old receive a £5 discount on first year of MAG membership.
5) Police and Government want more Bikers on the Road!
www.morebikes.co.uk/police-government-want-more-bikers-on-the-road
Download the AGC flyer: www.mag-uk.org/files/AGC2015-Poster.pdf
The 2015 MAG AGC is to be hosted by MAG's South West Region. The meeting will start at 12:30pm on the 11th April 2015 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.
We will let you know whether Yorkshire MAG are laying on transport as we have in previous years where the AGC has been a considerable distance from God's own County. Watch this space for details. Some Wakefield MAG members are already planning the weekend camping, so they can also attend the post AGC party (Flyer here: www.mag-uk.org/files/AGC2015-After_show_party_poster.pdf).
Check out the event report Here
The 2015 Wakefield Hospice 10k race is being held on Sunday 29th March 2015, and takes the same route as previous years (starting from Clarence Park, it's a straight out and back road route along Horbury Road). Wakefield MAG have helped to marshal this popular event for more years than we care to remember, and our role is as mobile race marshals, looking after those competitors at the tail end of the race. The roads will only be closed for an hour maximum, and although the bulk of runners will be finished whilst the road is still closed, a good number of runners (walkers !!!) will still be on the course, hence the requirement for mobile marshals (that's us !!) to ensure their safety, once the road is re-opened to traffic. We are generally the last 'officials' remaining on the course.
It is great to be able to support our local charity in a non-monetary way, and in a way which is so very useful to them. We will be asking for volunteer marshals in the next month or so, so if you would like to help, do let me know.
The 2015 Wakefield Hospice 10k race is the 20th annual 10K the Hospice has organised and 2015 is also very significant for Wakefield Hospice as it is their 25th Anniversary supporting patients and their families in Wakefield.
More details of the event here: www.wakefieldhospice.org/Events/Wakefield-10k-2014
9) Forthcoming Events (for January and beyond)
Wednesday 7th January - 1st branch meeting of 2015 !!!
The 1st branch meeting of 2015 and also the deadline for motions to be considered for our AGM the following week.
Wednesday 14th January - Wakefield MAG Annual General Meeting
As Detailed Above. 7:30pm for a prompt 8:00pm start at the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield
Sunday 18th January - Yorkshire Region / MAP Meeting
The next Yorkshire MAG Region meeting takes place on Sunday 18th January 2015 at The Breighton Ferry, Breighton, Bubwith, Selby YO8 6DH and starts at 11.00, finishing no later than 13:00, with the MAP (Magic Action Promotions) meeting starting at 13:00. MAP, is the events arm of Yorkshire MAG, which hosts the ITV, FYP & YPR bike rallies, which contribute so enormously to the MAG fighting fund - this will be the first of the planning meetings for the 2015 rallies. Every MAG member is more than welcome to attend the meeting and see how the MAP events are run, it's more the merrier and MAP welcome you taking more of an interest or active role. Complimentary tea and coffee will be available and food can be purchased at the pub as well.
Wednesday 28th January - Wakefield MAG 11th Post Christmas Auction
As Detailed Above.
Sunday 8th February - Leeds MAG Bargain Hunt
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.
Sunday 15th February - Leeds MAG Fred Hill Run
As Detailed Above.
Please note these runs are very subject to the weather, and may be cancelled at short notice (for very sensible safety reasons). It is advised to check the Leeds MAG Facebook Page www.facebook.com/groups/306110975566 before setting off.
See the events page for further details and more !!!
That's all for this month, hope 2015 turns out to be a great biking year, 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.