Rally organisers are needed HERE!

Emmit

Emmit

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Jan.2014
Hi all,

I've thought long and hard before posting this. However it's got to be said.

Motorhomefun is in dire need of Funsters to put their heads above the parapet and organise rallies for their fellow Funsters.

Yesterday we opened the book on Ashbourne Heights Rally. We had about 35 places. I have to say that right now the Reserve List is almost 35 long. 17 Funsters tried to get on the list by posting at 7.00pm that they wanted to come but were thwarted by Funsters who just happened to have a faster connexion speed. Nobody jumped the gun. They all posted at 7.00pm so there is definitely is a massive demand for Rallies.
This year, we are doing 5 rallies. Others on here are similarly committed to running events but I have to say this year will be the last year we do five rallies.
There is a massive upside to organising and running rallies.
You get to put names to faces, you get a huge feeling of satisfaction in seeing Funsters doing likewise with peeps they have known online for years and never met.
I've never been much good at selling but as a gift I/we are more than willing to 'hold a hand' to anyone who wishes to have a go.
 
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For us that have never even thought about trying to organise one, what does it entail for the folks doing the organsing :)
 
I suspect that most rally organisers have some spare time (or it was spare until they organised a rally) being retired or at least part-time. As someone currently gainfully employed, but looking to escape the life of work, I'm more than grateful to those who have organised rallies that I have, and hope to, attend. I suspect it becomes a very time-consuming process behind the scenes looking even at the most simple of forum threads.

I would hope that if and when I do have a little more time available I can contribute to assisting in some way although I suspect for many of us who have yet to dip a toe into the water having the confidence to fully step up to the plate and organise something without having any previous experience of at least shadowing somebody could be quite daunting.
 
Ordinarily as an organiser you find a venue, go to the owner/management of the venue and fix a price. (Rule of thumb, if you would pay the price, usually others will too). You have to contact the Local Authority and tell them what you're doing and on who's behalf. Jim has the Insurance to cover Third Party liability.
The rally doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to a theme. All you need is the determination to do a job.
The venues are out there (three of them will need a rally next year because we won't be doing it.)
There are Funsters out there who will assist and guide you through the variis processes. Me included.

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Emmit

Would it be an idea to post the process?

ID a venue.
Negotiate the rally with venue
Organise insurance?
Post details
Form attendees and reserve lists
Take deposits
Keep records and amend as required
Organise marshalls
Organise events
Liaise with venues
Safety equipment?

As you can tell I have never done one but if there was a steer on how to do it some might consider (I bet there is one somewhere👍😆)

Sod it, we overlapped typing.
 
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I personally don't think theres been as many meets organised for the one year as there is for this year . So much so I'm considering cancelling Scotlands meets this year and giving myself less grief!
 
irnbru said:
I personally don't think theres been as many meets organised for the one year as there is for this year . So much so I'm considering cancelling Scotlands meets this year and giving myself less grief!
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PLEASE don’t do this, Sandra. I managed to get a place on the Millport Rally this year for the first time and I cancelled the place I had at a Rally on the same dates …….. which is now full! :unsure:
 
David and Sally said:
Emmit

Would it be an idea to post the process?

ID a venue.
Negotiate the rally with venue
Organise insurance?
Post details
Form attendees and reserve lists
Take deposits
Keep records and amend as required
Organise marshalls
Organise events
Liaise with venues
Safety equipment?

As you can tell I have never done on but if there was a steer on how to do it some might consider (I bet there is one somewhere👍😆)

Sod it, we overlapped typing.
Click to expand...
No 'Sod it' required. The only comment I make is that as an exempt organisation (MHF) we can run a rally of up to 120hrs without having to ask permission from Local Authorities. On top of that, again as a result of being under the MHF umbrella, the Insurance to cover third party risks is already in place.
 
Well put Emmit ;) yes there are huge rewards associated with running a rally, OK not financial but something much more important, just the pleasure of seeing people enjoying themselves(y) and knowing that you made it happen.

OK 5 rallies is dedication to the cause in extreme and my meagre offerings pale into insignificance.

Somebody asked for a little guide to the process but I think every rally will be different, for example we usually run rallies at Shrewsbury showground and it could not be any simpler, quite often there is an event in town or at the showground so it is dead easy to piggyback onto that meaning you don't need to organise any further entertainment, so just ask for a bit of space for X number of van, put it on the forum and the showground take the bookings and money, park people up yourself or ask for help and it will arrive.

If anybody wants to get a taste just volunteer to help at a rally you are attending and you will soon pick it up.
 
irnbru can understand your feelings, it must have been a nightmare these pandemic years, for all organisers, with rules chopping and changing and the ensuing uncertainty.
Am another who couldn’t organise a p up in the proverbial, but would be willing to assist someone else.
 
its the keeping track of the attendees which puts me off i have enough trouble keeping track of where im going let alone another 20 probably easy if in a previous life you acquired a good knowledge of spread sheets and computers but as someone whose only worked with his hands a nightmare
 
Don't knock it until you try it springs to mind. 😁

We did a few, we have very fond memories and made some great friends. 👍😎 Bob and Janie.

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I suspect that the vast majority of Funsters (not the regular forum contributors) have an expectation that having paid for 'membership that these events will be (miraculously) be organised & put on for them.
 
How about a rally to esholt in (Yorkshire) home of Emmerdale?

Just a thought they have a sports club that is used as a camp site....

It has a gypsy site one side and a sewage treatment plant (massive could be seen from space!) the other.

Just a thought....!🤣🤣🤣
 
ive alway felt a bit guilty as there are never any meets in the south east now weve had one motorhome show which was a bit of a disaster
 
when i click the marshal hand book i get zilch
1641853404714.png
 
Booking for the Thetford Bash started off well for this year but has now dropped off.. I think we have 48 vans booked in out of a possible... lets say a lot more !
Its cheap as chips, lots going on, on a good solid site, and folk seem to really enjoy it, but if things do not pick up it will soon be the end
So far we can nearly cover the ground rent ( Rugby club who say they also support Air Ambulance used to charge us a small fee to cover their X's, but this has gone up and up )

As to running a meet.. absolute doddle and there are always folk who are very happy to help out
The biggest problem is finding a site to hold it on
 
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Jaws just checked my diary, but wont be back in time for the Thetford rally, not on the list, but thought we could increase the numbers.
 
scotzsue said:
Jaws just checked my diary, but wont be back in time for the Thetford rally, not on the list, but thought we could increase the numbers.
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Thanks any way mate.. There is no list as such, all folk have to do is post om the thread and I send them all the booking details :)
Its a massive site so always plenty of room :-)
 
I would have liked to attend but it clashes with Doncaster

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Emmit said:
Ordinarily as an organiser you find a venue, go to the owner/management of the venue and fix a price. (Rule of thumb, if you would pay the price, usually others will too). You have to contact the Local Authority and tell them what you're doing and on who's behalf. Jim has the Insurance to cover Third Party liability.
The rally doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to a theme. All you need is the determination to do a job.
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Emmit Can I ask why you need to contact the Local Authority and if there are thresholds Re numbers attending, duration etc for the requirement to do so. Also the insurance requirements and especially with regards to the below scenario.

Im thinking of when it’s a proper campsite scenario when a group of friends all go for a few days and generally book the pitch direct themselves, sometimes with a group discount, but they are certainly all together & pitched together.

Ive only ever been to one rally, when we first bought our MH to try it out before heading abroad. It was with one of the big clubs on a proper non club campsite in February and no one engaged with us at all whilst everyone seemed to know each other.

As a result we never did another one but we have been a few times with friends like outlined above. Generally all pensioners from a specific pensioners membership club which may give a financial contribution to the social gathering. Wanted to know if we were doing something legally wrong really.

Cheers in advance.
 
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Us too, but unfortunately we have met a few on campsites, particularly in Spain. We generally just let them get on with it, it’s their loss 😜
 
Marty Gilly and Pup said:
Maybe a rally for training future organisers/Marshalls? Just a thought
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Not as daft as it first sounds,
I would do it to make sure that i could / want to do it
Anyone else feel the same way ??
Joe

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