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) Christmas Do Report
2) New Years Resolutions
3) Consultation on the Driving Test et al
4) Driving Resources
5) Post Christmas Auction
6) Wakefield MAG Annual General Meeting
7) Fred Hill Memorial Run
8) Wakefield Hospice 10K Race
9) MAG AGC
10) Forthcoming Events (for January and beyond)
Check out the event report Here
Hands up how many people have made a New Years Resolution or two? Give up the fags .. drink less .. exercise more .. lose weight .. get out on the bike more, whatever the weather? How many can honestly say that they will be able to keep it up for the whole year .... probably not many.
Want a New Years Resolution that is easy to keep, will make you feel better about yourself, and your contribution to others, will save you money & make the world a better place? Sounds too good to be true? Almost, but not quite ....
One of the best NY resolutions you can possibly make is to join a non-member to MAG this year (or join yourself if you are not a member, rejoin if you have recently lapsed, or ensure you maintain your own membership throughout the year if you are already a member !!!).
This resolution is dead easy to keep (just £27 will guarantee that), you will be positively contributing to the on-going maintenance of your chosen lifestyle, both for you and everyone who rides a bike, you are joining a union of 10,000 like minded souls, and best of all, you will be able to save money by taking advantage of the many benefits and deals only available to MAG members.
You can join MAG at:
Join (or renew) by Direct Debit, then you'll never again have to remember to renew as it will be done automatically for you: http://www.mag-uk.org/files/Renewal_DD-1_page.pdf.
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.
Make this one New Years Resolution you will honestly say you have been able to keep ... Don't put it off ... Join (or rejoin) MAG now !!!
3) Consultation on the Driving Test et al
The Government wants to hear your views on how to improve the services offered by DVSA and DVLA. The Department for Transport (DfT) have launched proposals for improving the driving test. This forms part of a wider review of motoring services in Great Britain. The consultation sets out a number of other proposals to improve road safety and increase efficiency in government agencies, including:
This will form part of the government's ongoing work to streamline public services and save the taxpayer money. Links to the consultation:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-driving-test-fit-for-the-21st-century
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/motoring-services-strategy-a-strategic-direction-2016-to-2020
N.B. the consultation ends on 8th January so if you want to add your input, best do it now !!!
The DVSA are releasing lots of helpful information under the 'Safe Driving for Life' banner. Check them out via their Website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube links (details below):
https://www.safedrivingforlife.info/
https://www.facebook.com/safedrivinglife?_rdr=p
https://twitter.com/safedrivinglife
Our 13th Post Christmas Auction will be held on Wednesday 27th January 2016, 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.
The 2015 auction raised (with a little help from the raffle) £450. This allowed us to split the proceeds nicely into 1/3's, with 2/3 (£300) being donated to the MAG Fighting Fund, with the remaining 1/3 (£150) charity donation being split between the following 3 worthy causes:
That was pretty staggering, especially as the bidding on a lot of items started at 50p. Of course, we want to try to beat that for 2016 !!. 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 are already accumulating auction items and we still have 2 months to collect even more !!!!.
The auctions are always hugely entertaining and there are always some real quality items donated, and hence, some real bargains to be had.
Proceeds from the auction will again be split (2/3 to the MAG Fighting Fund, 1/3 to a charitable cause(s).
I hope to see you there. Be there early, with viewing from 07:00 onwards, and the auction starting at 08:00 prompt (and don't forget to bring your unwanted Christmas pressies !!!).
6) Wakefield MAG Annual General Meeting
The Wakefield & District Motorcycle Action Group Branch AGM will be held in the Grey Horse, on Wednesday 13th January 2016, 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 !!!
In order to save costs (given the huge hike in postal charges), the Annual Wakefield MAG mailshot was emailed to all eligible Members, i.e. current or recently expired MAG members with a WF postcode, to formally place notice for the meeting. Those members for whom we don't have valid email addresses, were posted the letter. The meeting is also advertised in the events section on the main MAG website (http://www.mag-uk.org), on our own website, and in the latest edition of The Road magazine.
Last years AGM minutes are available Here.
N.B. Motions for the AGM should be submitted the week before the AGM (Wednesday 6th January 2016).
Leeds MAG are again hosting the annual Fred Hill Memorial Run for Yorkshire MAG. Meeting on Sunday 21st 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.
The 21st Wakefield Hospice 10k race is being held on Sunday 3rd April 2016, and takes the same route as previous years (starting from Clarence Park, it's a linear route straight out and back 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 annual Wakefield Hospice 10k race is their biggest fund raising event of the year. Wakefield Hospice needs to raise 4 million pounds per year to cover it's care and operating costs. The 10K race in 2015 raised more than £55,000, enough to fund the entire hospice for a week!
More details of the event here: www.wakefield10k.org.uk
This year's MAG National Annual General Conference is being hosted by BADMAG, in nearby Barnsley, on Saturday 9th April (so no marathon trek down south to get there). MAG's Annual Group Conference is the ideal opportunity for members from all corners of the country to come together to discuss the organisation's successes, the way forward, and to vote on matters such as Motions that have been brought to the Conference, along with some of the posts that will be up for election. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge MAG groups and individuals for outstanding service. Although MAG is obliged, by law, to hold an annual conference and certain due processes must be observed, it is by no means a dry and dusty event; there is plenty of lively discussion and exchange of ideas and a chance, in the evening, for some downtime to catch up with friends old and new and to celebrate the country's leading riders' rights organisation. Location: Shaw Lane Rugby Club, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 6HZ.
10) Forthcoming Events (for January and beyond)
Wednesday 13th January 2016 - Wakefield MAG AGM
See Above.
Review of 2015, Officers Reports, Election of Branch Officers for 2016, plans for the forthcoming year & Presentation to our Branch Heroes of 2015. Current MAG Membership Card required to vote. 19:30 for a prompt 20:00 start in the Grey Horse, Kirkgate, Wakefield, WF1 4EJ.
Wednesday 27th January 2016 - Wakefield MAG 13th Post Christmas Auction
See Above.
Our 13th Post Christmas Auction will be held on Wednesday 27th January 2016, 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. The auctions are always hugely entertaining and there are always some real quality items donated, and hence, some real bargains to be had. Proceeds from the auction will again be split (2/3 to the MAG Fighting Fund, 1/3 to a charitable cause(s). Be there early, with viewing from 19:00 onwards, and the auction starting at 20:00 prompt (and don't forget to bring your unwanted Christmas pressies !!!).
Sunday 21st February 2016 - Fred Hill Memorial Run
See Above.
Sunday 3rd April 2016 - Wakefield Hospice 10K Race
See Above. www.wakefield10k.org.uk
Saturday 9th April 2016 - MAG AGC
See Above.
Friday 29th April - Sunday 1st May 2016 - Into the Valley (ITV) Rally
Friday 17th June - Sunday 19th June 2016 - Farmyard Party (FYP) Rally
Friday 5th August - Sunday 7th August 2016 - Yorkshire Pudding Rally (YPR)
www.yorkshirepuddingrally.co.uk
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.