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I must apologise for this issue of Open House being two weeks late. Things have been so busy lately that I had to put the magazine on hold while we got a number of more pressing things sorted out. They do say that the older you get the faster the days seem to pass, in which case I must be the same age as Stone Henge cause the last couple of months have shot by me like an R1 with a nitrous kit fitted. Hopefully I will get the chance to catch up and get the next issue out on time (anyway it will give me an excuse to completely ignore Christmas again).Right, let's get down to business............
GWOCGB: One advantage of this issue of Open house being two weeks late is that I get the chance to include this fantastic piece of late news. Today (Sunday 23rd of October) I attended the Annual General Meeting of the Goldwing Owners Club of Great Britain (GWOCGB) for a very special purpose. Four years ago the GWOCGB made a donation of almost £10,000.00 to the NABD which was the culmination of two years fundraising by the GWOCGB members for the NABD as their nominated charity (which they pick every two years. This was by far the largest single donation ever made to the NABD. Two years ago they adopted us one again as their nominated charity and today I went to receive a presentation of the donation they have raised.I am very pleased to announce that the GWOCGB have broken the previous record with a staggering donation to the NABD of £12,000.00 which, as with their previous donation, will be used solely to fund adaption grants for disabled riders. Congratulations to the GWOCGB for their outstanding effort. And the icing on the cake?.... They have also voted to adopt the NABD as their nominated charity for the next two years!
NABD at the NEC: As you probably know the NABD are very strict about what we will spend money on. We never pay for stall space at events (as we are a unique charity specific to motorcycling we believe that motorcycle event organisers should provide the NABD free space as a service to their customers). It may surprise you to learn (then again it may not) that MCI Exhibitions who run the NEC Motorcycle Show don't see it that way. Though we have managed to get free space at the NEC show in the past this has been rare, very sporadic and thus extremely difficult to plan for. I am pleased to announce that this problem has now been solved, not by any change of heart by MCI I hasten to add, but by the good graces of that lovely lady Carole Nash of Carole Nash Insurance. Carole has been a supporter of the NABD ever since our inception in 1991 and once again she has stepped up to be counted, and Carole Nash Insurance Services now sponsor a 'double' stand for the NABD at the NEC Motorcycle Show.
Another Milestone for the NABD:By the time you read this, the NABD will have achieved another milestone in its history. Mark Mayo (Membership Secretary) informs me that membership number 5,000 should be issued in the next few weeks. Mark and John Lysons (Public Relations) have lately been seen huddled together planning something special to mark the event, which will no doubt be reported on in the next issue of Open House magazine.
Committee Changes: Billy (Bigbeard) Leath has decided to retire after five years service as Adaptions Co-ordinator. It would be impossible for me to adequately describe the impact that Billy has had on the NABD over the past five years. In addition to many other changes Billy has introduced, he has single-handedly revolutionised the way in which NABD adaption grants are administered. Even the formula we use for agreeing the amount of financial grant given to applicants is one devised by Billy. Whilst doing all of this sterling work with the adaptions system he also made time to carry out a lot of building improvements at the old office and put in a huge amount of work to help kit out the new premises. In addition he has been a veritable superman with his work at the You've been Nabbed and Autumn Nabd'ness rallies. As if this wasn't enough Billy has also helped raise considerable amounts of money for the NABD through auctions and e-bay. Billy has now decided to retire and claim back what used to be his private life. He leaves the adaption grant system in the best shape it has ever been in for whoever is to take up the post. (Of course being the type of bloke he is, he wouldn't just leave the job in mid air, he is going to continue to administer the grants until he has been able to train up his replacement). He also leaves some very heavy hearts at his retirement but takes with him the well-earned respect of us all. Billy has asked me to pass on his heartfelt thanks to all of the members, Rep's and committee members for their support over the past five years. I'm sure all of you will join me in saluting Billy and offering him our thanks for his efforts in making the NABD an association to be so very proud of. You will be sorely missed BillyBigBeard.
As the saying goes "as one door closes another one opens". The post of Club Liaison Officer has been vacant for some time, and although Shirley in the office has done a very good job of keeping in touch with the affiliated clubs it has been sorely in need of somebody to take on the post and develop it. Bob Cowan (Cheshire Rep) has stepped into the firing line and taken on the post. I feel sure we will see a marked improvement in the liaison between the NABD and its supporting clubs (not to mention an increase in the amount of clubs affiliated to the NABD). If you are a member of a club not yet affiliated to the NABD why not get in touch with Bob via the office or directly by e-mail clubliaison[AT]thenabd.org.uk
Rep's Changes: There have been a number of changes to the rep's list of late, Jacky Cowan has taken on the post of Cheshire Rep to allow Bob Cowan to concentrate his full attention on the Club Liaison post. Sean Edwards has retired from his post as Essex Rep due to ill health, the post of Essex Rep is now held by Steven Maynard. Sean Edwards will remain an accredited volunteer, doing whatever his health will allow. Other new Rep's include Colin Hawkins (Berkshire), Bernard McPhillips (South East Scotland), Carl Trenter (Suffolk), and Richard Carratt (Mid/West Wales). All are bid welcome to the fray.Graham Bull has retired from the post of Thames Valley Rep after many years of dedicated service to the NABD due to the pressure of other commitments. Graham has earned the thanks of all NABD members for his efforts on our behalf (as has his long-suffering other-half Heather). Also Richie Fay has stepped down from the post of Rep for North Wales due to health problems. Richie has been an NABD Rep for a good many years and has carried on working for disabled riders despite his health problems. I offer him the earnest thanks of the NABD and wish him, Graham Bull and Sean Edwards all the best for the future.
Training Forums for Rep's and Volunteers: In early October we ran a training weekend for NABD Representatives and Accredited Volunteers. A lot of work went into setting up a range of short seminars on a wide range of subjects including; Financial Matters, Communications, Adaptions, IT, Publicity, Licensing, Administration and much more. The weekend was a great success with even long standing Rep's finding a lot of useful new information. Armed with a much broader understanding of the work of the NABD Rep's and Volunteers should be better able to carry out their posts and help in the continued improvement of the NABD as a whole.Approximately half of the current Rep's and a number of accredited Volunteers were in attendance and we expect the other half to be attending a similar weekend in the spring of 2006. We place such importance on this training that it has now become part of the criteria for holding a Rep's post that each Rep attend at least one Forum in every twelve month period The NABD year being July to June with the AGM being the start of our year). The next of these Forums will be in March 2006.
Hunting for a Christmas gift? If you are looking for Christmas gift ideas don't forget we have some lovely NABD merchandise including T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Camisoles, Vests, Caps, Badges, Jackets etc. You can purchase merchandise by credit card via the web site shop, or phone the office. Or you can send a cheque or postal order to the office.
If you are looking for something in a more literary vein I can recommend two books written by that very clever man Ian Mutch of the Motorcycle action Group (MAG). Ian's latest book is an excellent modern pictorial history of motorcycling in Britain entitled 'Motorcycles Forever', which is more concerned with bikers than with motorcycle manufacturers or 'roundy-roundy' racing. Motorcycles Forever is available at £12.99 plus £2.00 p&p (and of course the NABD are in it). His previous is a journal of his trip across the USA entitled 'Looking for America' which you can pick up for a mere snip at £6.99 plus £1.50 p&p. Cheques should be made payable to Ian Mutch and sent to: 99a Leslie Road, London, E11 4HF.Ian's next book 'Riding with the Beast' is due to be published very soon and I will let you have details in a future issue of Open House.
Autumn Nabd'ness: The Autumn NABD rally at Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire was once again a great success. Due to the late arrival of photographs from the event I will not be able to feature a report on the event in this issue of Open House but rest assured it will be fully featured in issue 54.
Farmyard Tsunami Rally: In my 'Chairman's Chunk' of the last issue of Open House I told you about the flood which had swept through the valley site of East Yorkshire MAG's Farmyard Party only a few hours after almost 10,000 bikers had left following a fantastic weekend event. Though the vast majority of people had left the site before the flood many of the marshals and volunteers were still there as were their bikes and personal belongings. The flood scoured the site and generally what it didn't wash away it destroyed. When all the figures were done the personal losses to those involved added up to a staggering £20,000.00.An appeal was launched via the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) web site and the MAG's Streetbiker magazine and a fundraising event 'The Tsunami Rally' was planned for September. Amongst the bands who gave up their time for free were NABD favourites 'T-Bone' and 'The Beer Monsters' and I had the singular honour of being the compere for the weekend. Although the event had a limit of 450 people a magnificent £7,000.00 was raised on the weekend. This, together with the monies raised by the appeal, has now reached the target total of £20,000.00 and the appeal has been closed.I know many of you have contributed in one form or another and it does the heart good to see how quickly bikers will rally round to help our brothers and sisters when it is needed. Of course it doesn't exactly come as a shock after fifteen years of the exact same attitude making the NABD what it is today.
Kids Competition: As reported on page 26 of the last issue of Open House, we are running a competition for under 16's to design a cover for the You've Been Nabbed 15 rally program. Entries should be sent to the office to arrive no later than January 30th 2006. There will be a special prize for the winning entry and two 'runner up' prizes. Don't worry too much about artistic talent we will get the winning design redone professionally. What we are looking for is good design ideas with a sense of fun.
Right, that's my lot for now. I'm off to selotape some peanuts to the inside of my kitchen window; it drives the Blue Tits mental......
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