Wakefield MAG March 2013 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) Charity Pet Food Run Report
2) Post Christmas Auction Donations
3) 11th Birthday Party Report
4) Wakefield MAG Bike Show
5) VJMC Japanese Bike Show
6) Rally Tickets
7) Edinburgh MAG Rally
8) MAG Bikers change the definition of the word!
9) Forthcoming Events (for March and beyond)

1) Charity Pet Food Run Report

Check out the event report Here

2) Post Christmas Auction Donations

Following our 9th Post Christmas Auction on Wednesday 30th January, we voted to round the proceeds up to £450 (by adding £25 from branch funds). 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:

We will be holding our 10th Post Christmas Auction in January next year so, being the 10th anniversary, it will be a special one !!! Hope to see you there.

3) 11th Birthday Party Report

Check out the event report Here

4) Wakefield MAG Bike Show

Our popular annual Bike Show is returning to it's former home, the Wakefield Gala at Clarence Park, Wakefield, on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May.

The show is completely Free to enter (although a donation to MAG will be most appreciated). There are multiple show categories up for grabs so come along with your bike / trike / scooter / combination / moped. There are lots of attractions at the gala so you'll have something to do whilst waiting to see if your pride and joy has won. The show / gala is being held in the Clarence Park Arena, Clarence Park, Wakefield. Entry to the show from 9:30am, the show officially starts at 10:00am and the prize giving will be at 3:00pm.

We look forward to welcoming you and your pride and joy on May Day !!!

5) VJMC Japanese Bike Show

We were literally quite gutted to hear that the hugely popular West Yorkshire VJMC Japanese Bike Show at Lotherton Hall was looking like a victim of falling volunteers and may not be on in 2013. The show was 15 years old in 2012 and over those years more than £120,000 has been raised for charity, so not only would the biking calendar be lighter to the tune of an excellent bike show, but a number of local charities would lose vital funding.

Following a plea for volunteers to help run the show, VJMC nationally are providing the much needed helpers and volunteers to run the show which means this excellent bike show is very much on again .... Woo Hoo !!!

This year's Lotherton Hall Japanese Bike Show is on Sunday 28 July 2013. Nearer the time, we we be asking for volunteers to help man the show gate, entry and exit gates and of course, our own MAG stand, but in the meantime, be sure to put the date in your diary.

6) Rally Tickets

We now have the Wakefield MAG allocation of Yorkshire MAG rally tickets, which are for sale at the weekly branch meetings.

The dates (and prices) of the main Yorkshire MAG events for 2013 are:

The Yorkshire Pudding Rally now has a new home: Estrick Estate, just off the A19 near Selby. Unfortunately, the old YPR venue, Hesley Wood Scout Camp, is no longer available to us as half the site will become an opencast shortly. We also struggled to find a suitable alternative venue in South Yorkshire. However, the Estrick Estate site is a gem of a rally site, and is much bigger (20 acres as opposed to 12½ at Hesley Wood), so you will have plenty of space to spread out.

You can buy your tickets at the weekly branch meetings and if you want some rally tickets reserving, do let me know.

7) Edinburgh MAG Rally

After a gap of a year, Wakefield MAG's much loved Edinburgh MAG Ag Ol Anns An Achadh Rally, is back on for 2013, albeit at a new site. This years Edinburgh MAG Ag Ol Anns An Achadh Rally is on Friday 14th - Sunday 16th June (weekend before the Farmyard) at Stair Arms Hotel, Pathhead, Midlothian, EH37 5TX (just off the A68, our favourite route up to Edinburgh, and about 20 miles further south too, so it will be marginally quicker to get to.

A few of us will be going so if you want tickets, let me know and we'll order them all in bulk.

Further details on the Edinburgh MAG web site: http://edinburgh.mag-uk.org

8) MAG Bikers change the definition of the word!

We are delighted to report that the Oxford University Press who publish the Oxford English Dictionary, have responded positively to the MAG activist's campaign to change their definition of a 'biker'.

Back in September 2012 MAG activists Tracy Hammond from Peterborough and Jenny Cook from Paignton among others, wrote to the University Press highlighting that those who saw themselves as bikers were a diverse group of people and not just 'long-haired and dressed in dirty denims' as their original definition stated.

After a string of correspondence lasting four months, the OED has at last acknowledged the offence caused and the inaccuracy of their entry.

The new definition, as of 22nd Feb, reads 'A motorcyclist, especially one who is a member of a gang or group'. Rather unfortunately, it's illustrative expansion is 'a biker was involved in a collision with a car' so one stereotype has been replaced with another, albeit a marginally less offensive one!

It is however, another good example of how MAG members undertake to achieve change and improve the lot of motorcycling and don't just moan. Well done all.

9) Forthcoming Events (for March and beyond)

Wednesday 27th March - Leeds MAG Easter Egg Run

Meeting at Cardigan Fields car park (behind McDonalds on Kirkstall Road) from 6pm, leaving at 6.30pm to ride to Lineham Farm Childrens Centre. Don't forget to bring an egg or two!

Saturday 13th April - MAG Annual Group Conference 2013

Registration from 10:00, with the Conference starting promptly at 12:30 and finishing at 17:00. A light lunch will be served from 11:30 until the start of business, on a first come first served basis. Camping is available from 16:00 on the Friday (12th) until 11:00 on the Sunday (14th) within the grounds. Showers & Toilets are available as is food & drink. This venue has full disabled facilities. Location: Fry Club & Conference Centre, Somerdale, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 2AU.

Free entry, but bring your MAG membership card to gain entry & vote. We are taking at least one car down so if anyone wants a lift, let me know.

Sunday 14th April - Wakefield Hospice 10K Race (Wakefield MAG providing Mobile Race Marshals)

Starting from Thornes Park. Time: 09:00 (race starts at 09:30). Marshals required, so if you would like to help our good friends at the Hospice, in a non-monetary, yet vital way, do let me know. Marshals required, so if you would like to help our good friends at the Hospice, in a non-monetary, yet vital way, do let me know.

Sunday 21st April - Wakefield MAG Monthly Rideout to Rivington Barn, Horwich

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

Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th May - Into The Valley Rally 2013

Dalton Estate, South Dalton, East Yorkshire. Ticket Price £20 Pre-Book; £25 OTG. Tickets available at branch meetings (see above)

Monday 6th May - Wakefield MAG Bike Show

See Above. Our popular annual Bike Show is returning to it's former home, the Wakefield Gala at Clarence Park, Wakefield, on May Day Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May.

Tuesday 14th May - Wakefield MAG Evening Rideout (Destination: Hollingsworth Lake)

Meet 18:30 (leaving at 19:00) at Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT

Saturday 25th May - Leeds MAG '40 Years of Action 1973-2013' Demo Run

The demo run starts at Squires Cafe, Newthorpe, LS25 5LX. Assemble at Squires from 12 noon to leave at 1pm prompt for the police escorted ride through Leeds City Centre, returning to West Leeds Sports and Social Club, where the day will continue at full pace, with a 'show us what you ride' bike show with a prize for the peoples favourite. From 7pm the evening entertainment starts with a rock disco and then the excellent Suicide Blonde. There will be the usual raffles, club price beer and food available. The cost for the evening party is £5 (tickets available at Leeds MAG meetings or on the door)

Wakefield MAG will meet at our usual location (Redbeck Cafe, 339 Doncaster Road, Crofton, Wakefield, WF4 1RT) at 11am, leaving at 11:30 for the ride over to the demo start point.

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.