Dear Wakefield MAG Member,
Welcome to the Wakefield MAG e-newsletter. If you can't attend our Tuesday meetings regularly, it's the next best thing to keep you up to date with what we are up to.
CONTENTS
1) No Meeting Tuesday 5th March
2) Wakefield MAG May Day Bike Show
3) Wakefield Hospice 10K Race Marshalling
4) Rally Tickets
5) Call to Action - Contact your Conservative MP
6) Farewell Julie
7) New Meeting Venue
8) Job Opportunity
9) Easter Egg Collection (in aid of Wakefield based Charity Kidzaware)
10) MAP Meeting
11) ITV Marshals Registration
12) Forthcoming Events (for March and beyond)
1) No Meeting Tuesday 5th March
Please note that there will be no Wakefield MAG meeting on Tuesday 5th March as the Thatched House is shut for a brief period of 2 days whilst the new landlady settles in (reopens on Wednesday 6th so meeting as per normal on Tuesday 12th). We are still on the look-out too for a new meeting venue (See Below).
2) Wakefield MAG May Day Bike Show
Our popular bike show, hosted at the Wakefield Gala at Clarence Park Arena, on May Day Bank Holiday Monday (6th May), is rapidly approaching. Fettle up your pride and joy and enter it into the show .... for FREE. All types of Bike, Scooter, Moped, Combination and Trike are welcomed and there are six winning categories plus an overall Best in Show up for grabs. We will also be hosting the Wakefield MAG stand and running a tombola (with some great prizes to win). Lots of other attractions at the gala (including a motorcycle stunt show) to entertain you whilst you wait to see if your bike has won, and it's a great family day out.
Location: Clarence Park, Wakefield. Show to be judged at 14:30, Entry into show from 09:30 onwards (Gala officially opens at 10:00).
Hope to see you there. Did we mention it was FREE !!!
3) Wakefield Hospice 10K Race Marshalling
The Wakefield 10k Road Race is organised for and by Wakefield Hospice, with the aim to raise as much as possible for patients and their families living with an end of life diagnosis. Wakefield Hospice annually needs to raise £4 million. They would not be able to achieve this without the help of local people going out of their way to raise funds through taking part in events like the Wakefield 10k.
This years event will be the 27th annual Wakefield 10k and during that time runners have raised close to a million pounds for those who need specialist care at a very difficult time in their lives.
The 27th Wakefield Hospice 10k race is being held on Sunday 24th March 2024, and takes a similar route to 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, both during the bulk of the run but also importantly looking after those competitors at the tail end of the race. The road will only be closed for two hours, 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, and hence play a vital role.
This year we will be strategically located at several junctions where cars trying to enter the closed road caused problems last year. We'll be added to an event WhatsApp Group so we can receive calls for assistance from the event organisers, as required. In previous years, some cars have been allowed onto the closed road where it was clear of runners but it has transpired that this breaks the road traffic (temporary restrictions) order, and could invalidate the event insurance, so, this year, No Excuses, cars are NOT allowed onto the road whilst it is still subject to the temporary closure order. To complicate matters, it's also Palm Sunday and there are a few churches on the route. It could be interesting / entertaining this year ;-)
We generally need around 6 marshals, although the more the merrier.
If you would like to volunteer, please let me know. P.S. you'll be home for lunchtime !!!
On the day, meet at 08:15 on Lawfield Lane to be issued with your marshalls Hi-Viz vest and receive any last minute instructions.
N.B. Please ensure your own bike insurance does not have an exclusion relating to marshalling non-motorsport events i.e. runners on a partially closed road route - MAG's preferred insurer, Bikesure, does not in it's standard insurance cover exclusions.
We now have tickets for the Yorkshire MAG 2024 Rallies for sale at our weekly meetings.
Ticket prices and dates are:
Remember, if you buy your tickets directly from us, you save on the on-line booking fee (which are per ticket not per transaction !!!) and postage .... more money in your pocket = more beer money .... what more of an incentive could you possibly want !!!
See the Yorkshire MAG Events site for more details of these 3 fantastic rallies: www.mapevents.co.uk
New for the 2024 rally season - BRING A (NON-BIKING) BUDDY
(Into the Valley and Farmyard Party only)
We all have friends, partners or relatives who are intrigued by tales of our (legendary, fabled, lauded) rally weekend adventures, and have on occasion enquired as to whether they can attend to see what we are always 'rambling on about'. But, to date, unless they want to ride as pillion (not everyone wants to, or indeed can), our rules have meant this has not been an option ..... UNTIL NOW
For the 2024 season, we are trialling a 'bring a buddy' option, allowing one bike riding attendee to purchase a ticket and a car pass for their friend, partner or relative (plus their partners if required), and share a weekend of music, comedy, and the odd drink or 2 with them and show them what biking is really about. We hope this might even persuade a few of them to take up 2 wheels.
Whilst this is a deviation from our rules of the last 30+ years, we are trying to do all we can to protect the long term viability of our rallies, and in turn ensure secure our continued contribution/ donation to The Motorcycle Action Group, enabling us to maintain the lifestyle we love and fight so hard for.
The harsh reality is, if we don't adapt and diversify to grow our audience, it WILL result in one or all of our rallies having to drastically change their format or ultimately, be removed from the calendar altogether. This is not what we have all spent 35 years building! Failure is not an option!
Any changes we make are with the sole focus on enabling us to run our rallies in their current format for the next 10 years and beyond, allowing us to continue to donate 10's of thousands of pounds to MAG every year, to keep our motorcycles and our lifestyle alive as we know and want it. The alternative is we do nothing and end up sitting in an empty field scratching our heads in 5 years time, wondering what happened.
For the naysayers - We have no intention of 'opening the floodgates', 'becoming a festival', 'profiteering', 'start of a slippery slope', 'blah, blah, blah' or any other derisory, negative comments that have been levelled at us in the past, we are simply looking, as we always do, to secure a way forward and protect the events that we all know, and love to attend. We are running a business after all, albeit it's a not for profit one. And our business is to protect biking!
So, whether you are a first timer, an old hand, or dipping your toes back in the water, now is the time to show your support and join us at 1, 2 or all 3 of our events this year, oh, AND BRING A BUDDY!!! They'll love it. We are and will forever remain, very much for bikers, by bikers and categorically in aid of biking!
For further details on all of our events visit www.mapevents.co.uk. To book a ticket and vehicle pass for a buddy or for further details call 0800 988 3199. This is strictly limited to one eligible buddy(+1) and car pass option per rider, all wristbands and passes MUST be pre-booked.
Freedom isn't Free !!!
5) Call to Action - Contact your Conservative MP
At a Ministerial meeting on 17th Jan MAG were informed that the announcement of the outcome for the consultation on ending the sale of new non zero tailpipe emission motorcycles is imminent. This almost certainly means that the decision is going through final approval at cabinet level. Unsurprisingly they are not giving any indication at this point of what the decision will be.
We are in an election year and MAG are seeking to make this policy decision a key election issue. If you are a constituent of a Tory MP we are asking you to contact your MP and let him/her know what a grave mistake they will be making by doing anything other than scrapping the proposals.
Motorcycle manufacturers are clear that battery electric is not the best solution for the majority of motorcycle uses due to a combination of cost and range. All manufacturers are happy to develop other technologies that they believe will meet Net Zero goals but only if the Government policy allows continued sale of these alternative technologies. For cars/vans the Government proposals will not allow any technology other than battery electric, and it is feared that this same policy will be applied to motorcycles. The EU have relaxed their ICE ban to allow synthetic fuels which is emminently sensible and the UK Govt must adopt the same position.
MAG are not seeking a delay, we are simply asking the Government to refrain with interfering with the natural progression of the motorcycle industry which has every intention of achieving carbon neutrality but can only do so if given the freedom to develop a range of other technologies as well as battery electric.
We are specifically asking bikers who are a Tory constituent because the final decision will be made by the Tory Cabinet. Other parties will not be given any opportunity to influence the Cabinet on this decision. Tories wanting to retain their seats should see the need for their party to avoid angering 1.4 million UK motorcyclists, all of whom are voters. Now is the key moment for co-ordinated pressure to be applied.
Thank you for your help.
Julie Sperling, MAG's Executive Officer, is moving on to pastures new. Whilst many of you may never have meet Julie in person, you may have spoken to her, over the phone, or had contact via email.
Julie started with MAG as the Accounts Administrator back in October 2010, taking on the role of Executive Officer in April 2014. After 13.33 years (Julie's wording, she does like accurate figures) her last day in the office will be Thursday the 28th of March 2024.
During her time with MAG Julie has seen many changes. She has always looked for the best options for the organisation. She will be missed by MAG's small team of employees who hold her in high regard and by MAG's wider membership.
As Wakefield MAG Rep, I've had many dealings with Julie over the years and she's always gone above and beyond. She attended the 2019 MAG AGC which Leeds, Huddersfield and Wakefield MAG hosted at Shaw Cross Rugby Club, so got to meet her in person then. Wakefield (and the wider Yorkshire) MAG wish Julie all the best for the future. She'll be missed and a tough act to follow.
If you would like to apply for the the role of MAG's Executive Officer, the opening is currently accepting applications (See Below).
As voted on at our 22nd Annual General Meeting in January, we are actively looking to secure a new meeting venue for Wakefield MAG. Steve the Thatched House Landlord is retiring on Saturday 2nd March 2024 and giving up the lease. The new publican (Karina) has agreed we can continue to meet at the venue. However, changes are planned over the coming months and there is no guarantee we will be able to keep a guaranteed private 'free' meeting room going forward depending on the new landlords plans for the pub. Therefore, irrespective of the AGM motion passed in January, we quite possibily would have needed to secure a new meeting venue in the not too distant future regardless.
A new Wakefield MAG HQ ideally needs to meet the following requirements:
We have had to dismiss some of the suggestions due to not meeting the above criteria, but we still have several others to evaluate. A request to our members: Does anyone know of a suitable meeting venue that fully meets the above criteria in the Wakefield area ? Please e-mail suggestions to us or post on our Facebook group. Better still, come along to a meeting and tell us in person.
Look forward to hearing your suggestions.
Once we have secured a new venue, we'll send out a mailshot to all our members advising them of our new HQ and meeting arrangements, plus cover this on the usual social media and web site channels.
MAG are seeking a new Executive Officer, to replace Julie Sperling who leaves the organisation after over 13 years on Thursday the 28th of March 2024 (See Above).
Traditionally, the role would have been based in Warwickshire at the MAG Central Offices. However, given MAG's Membership Officer now successfully works from home in Scotland, and with Julie leaving, there is no longer a requirement to maintain an office in Warwickshire, where office accomodation is not exactly the cheapest. So, MAG have given notice on the Central office tenancy and the new Executive Officer can be located anywhere in the UK provided that they can also submit an acceptable proposal as to where and how they would base the new operation, with an idea of approximate costings.
Interested applicants should email central-office@mag-uk.org for more details. Closing date for applications is Friday 15th March 2024.
Good luck if you choose to apply !!!
9) Easter Egg Collection (in aid of Wakefield based Charity Kidzaware)
The second MAP meeting of 2024 is being held on Sunday 3rd March in Pudsey. Magic Action Promotions (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. 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.
The meeting will assemble from 13:00 with a 13:30 start at The Royal, 30 Station Street, Pudsey, Leeds, LS28 8PR. The Royal has great food and beer to buy, and MAP will be supplying free tea and coffee. Come and catch up on where we are going with the rallies this year.
The Registration Application Forms for Into The Valley 2024 are now available to fill in from the MAG Marshals website: www.magmarshals.co.uk.
The forms are available from Sunday 3rd March until Friday 19th April and the marshal rota will be compiled that weekend. Marshals will then be emailed your shifts in the week beginning Monday 22nd April.
If you have marshalled before at a rally, last year's details will be provided in the form so that you only need to update your details. If not, full details of how to register are provided on the MAG Marshals website: www.magmarshals.co.uk.
If you fill in more than one form in your household, then it may be beneficial to clear your browsing data and cookies before attempting each form as the form may hold the information from the previous attempt if you do not do this.
If you do have any problems, please email the Marshal Co-Ordinators at marshals@mapevents.co.uk who will help you.
All shifts will be 4 hours long but in one or two cases a 6-hour shift may be allocated and this will be treated as 2 shifts for the marshal's package, which is:
Also, all marshals have the use of showers and a secure marshals camping area.
Thank you for volunteering your time to marshal at the Yorkshire MAG events, as without the volunteer marshals, these events simply would not happen.
12) Forthcoming Events (for March and beyond)
Sunday 3rd March - MAP meeting
See Above.
Tuesday 26th March - Wakefield MAG March Social - Event TBC
Tuesday 26th March - Deadline for Kidzaware Easter Egg Donations
See Above.
Sunday 28th April - Wakefield Classic & American Car & Bike Show
Get polishing your classic and / or American bike, ready for the Wakefield Classic & American Car & Bike Show, in the City Centre, on Sunday 28th April
Tuesday 30th April - Wakefield MAG April Social - Event TBC
Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th May - Into the Valley (ITV) Rally
See Above. www.mapevents.co.uk
Monday 6th May - Wakefield MAG May Day Bike Show
See Above. Our popular bike show, hosted at the Wakefield Gala at Clarence Park Arena, on May Day Bank Holiday Monday (6th May). Fettle up your pride and joy and enter it into the show .... for FREE. All types of Bike, Scooter, Moped, Combination and Trike are welcomed and there are six winning categories plus an overall Best in Show up for grabs. We will also be hosting the Wakefield MAG stand and running a tombola (with some great prizes to win). Lots of other attractions at the gala to entertain you whilst you wait to see if your bike has won, and it's a great family day out. Location: Clarence Park, Wakefield. Show to be judged at 14:30, Entry into show from 09:30 onwards (Gala officially opens at 10:00).
Tuesday 28th May - Wakefield MAG May Social - Event TBC
Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd June - Farmyard Party (FYP) Rally
See Above. www.mapevents.co.uk
Tuesday 25th June - Wakefield MAG June Social - Event TBC
Tuesday 30th July - Wakefield MAG July Social - Event TBC
Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th August - Yorkshire Pudding Rally (YPR)
See Above. www.mapevents.co.uk
Tuesday 27th August - Wakefield MAG August Social - Event TBC
See the events page for further details and more !!!
That's all for this month, hope to see you all soon.
Ride Safe .. Ride Free
Steve Travis
Chairman
Wakefield MAG
0772 078 4734
Wakefield MAG meet (for the time being) at the Thatched House, Stanley, Wakefield at 8:00pm every Tuesday. New (and Old) faces are always welcome.