BikeSense 2013

It’s that time of year again when we get the bike out, dust it down and blow off the cobwebs ready for the spring. We may have spent all winter just waiting for the nice sunny days to return not riding at all or we may have continued riding all year long through good and bad.

Either way, you might feel a bit rusty and in need of a little training to keep you safe on the road, or just to improve your skills and make you a better rider.

BikeSense Rider Development provided by Staffordshire County Council is just for you, because you can never get enough training, and our subsidised scheme means you only pay £30 for a full day with suitably qualified trainers. We operate the scheme from Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford throughout the summer starting in April and going through to October. You will receive excellent tuition on a 2:1 basis meeting at 9.30am, with your debrief finishing at approximately 4pm.

If you complete the BikeSense day you can also take advantage of the £50 cash back with Devitt Insurance (new business only, no renewals) and £40 off the Institute of Advanced Motorists ‘Skill for Life’ Advanced Course (must complete the test). What’s more, if you want to attain the ‘Enhanced Rider Scheme’ standard, you can do that too, whereas any training undertaken with BikeSense will go towards it (subject to availability of ERS trainer); if you meet the required standard whilst partaking in BikeSense you will receive the certificate at the end of the day.

So what you waiting for? All you need to do is contact the team on 0300 111 8012 to book your day and you’ll be looking forward to being a better and safer rider. The dates are shown below:-

BikeSense 2013 dates

• Sunday 14th April  -Stafford
• Sunday 21st April – Stoke
• Saturday 27th April – Stafford
• Sunday 12th May – Stoke
• Sunday 19th May – Stafford
• Sunday 2nd June  -Stoke
• Sunday 9th June – Stafford
• Saturday 15th June – Stoke
• Sunday 23rd June – Stafford
• Sunday 30th June – Stoke
• Sunday 7th July – Stafford
• Sunday 21st July – Stoke
• Saturday 27th July – Stafford
• Sunday 4th August – Stoke
• Sunday 11th August – Stafford
• Sunday 18th August – Stoke
• Sunday 1st September  - Stafford
• Saturday 7th September – Stoke
• Sunday 15th September – Stafford
• Sunday 22nd September – Stoke
• Sunday 29th September – Stafford
• Sunday 6th October – Stoke

If you have any queries please email bikers@staffordshire.gov.uk.

Silencing the critics.

Recently i’ve been scoping the various bike related forums for the last few weeks as i usually do during this time of year & already on one forum (i won’t say which) it seems egg runs are coming under fire yet again, due to participants saying “why do i have to pay a fee & bring an easter egg, why not one or the other.” – it happens most years, so here if you want to know why, is a little something i wrote a while back on our forum to explain why - http://www.stokebikeruns.co.uk/html/forums/viewtopic.php?pid=14231#p14231

Any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us before stating your disapproval on the various forums.

Also we see many people hiding trying to duck out of paying & sneaking into the parade later en-route,  by all means feel free to do this, but i hope you can sleep well at night as you are only robbing the charity by doing so & you may as well just walk into a charity shop & help yourself to the collection tin as it amounts to pretty much the same thing, plus if you avoid paying you are not within our legal responsibility should something happen to you.

If however you disagree with the paying & bringing a gift donation as part of your entry to participate in the Egg run (or the Toy run), please consider the following cost of other popular bike events (correct at the time of writing) just to get you past the gate.

• British MotoGP tickets – General admission from £70
• Motorcycle Live – adult entry price for 2013 from £19
• Stoke Speedway – Adult ticket price £12
• British SGP (Cardiff) – from £29 for category 8 entry
• Stafford Classic bike show – adult admission £10
• BSB (British superbikes) – Adult entry from £25 per race day
• World superbikes – Adult entry for Sunday from £40

So, do you still think £2 & the cost of an Easter egg is expensive or unreasonable entry for an event such as ours?

Low cost Toys & Easter eggs can easily be obtained from local supermarkets & pound shops so you can do the event for around £3 if funds are really tight, however it does seem daft  that people who ride round on thousands of £’s worth of bike complain at the cost, yet when you get a chance to ride & take part in one of the UK’s biggest motorcycling events, see thousands of bikes, socialise with thousands of bikers & you also get access to loads of other things that are all waiting for you. Where else can you get all that for a couple of quid, or the price of a pint or the cost of a bag of chips?

Or if you are still complaining about the cost, why not volunteer to marshal?

Marshals Meeting (Egg Run 35)

The Marshals meeting dates have now been confirmed - The Marshals meeting for anyone who has come forward already & expressed interest, or wishes to volunteer as a marshal for the 35th Egg Run is now announced.

Marshalls Meeting Thursday 14th March at The Freebird, Liverpool Road, Newcastle ST5 2AX. 8.30pm.
Could any one who wants to volunteer their services, or those who have already volunteered and wants to bag a spot or if you just want to find out what’s involved please attend.

Just to confirm

• Thursday 14th March 2013
  8.30pm, the Freebird, Liverpool Road Newcastle, Staffs
  http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/46785/

If you are down for marshaling or wish to volunteer, please attend to be briefed & allocated a marshal point.

If you have marshalled one of our runs in the past, there will be a quick briefing prior to the start of the run, but please let us know if you are available so a suitable point can be pre selected.

Further details can be found on the page - http://www.stokebikeruns.co.uk/about/information-for-marshals/

Podcast Episode 1

Welcome to the Star Bikers Podcast Episode 1.  NOW ONLINE
This is the 1st ever Star Bikers podcast, our own exclusive online downloadable radio show to play on your MP3 player, Mobile phone or any MP3 compatible device to listen to on the go, which if it proves successful, we will be bringing to you each month & best is, it’s completely FREE to download.

Hosted by Ian Maddock, Chris Kilford & guest Pauline Gale.  In this episode, which is a prequel to all future podcasts, Ian, Chris & Pauline talk a little about the history of the Star Bikers, fundraising & what the Podcasts are all about.

With an Egg run coming up soon, we ask, “what is an Egg Run?” & explain a little about them.

Chris explains how he & “Growler” got into doing charity work & why he thinks involvement is important for the Star Bikers future.

We also highlight how we want YOUR input on how future Podcasts are created.

If you want to you can text us on
07426 182860
(Note: this is a texline only for Podcast purposes & not enquiries or phone calls) 
Feel free to text us your questions or any discussion topics you want us to talk about which we will use in the next Podcast & answer any questions put to us, which will also shape the way the Podcast is produced.  We also welcome texts for run day in the Kings Hall.

If anyone has any comments or suggestions about the podcast, such as things to raise on future podcasts or topics to talk about, please feel free to get in touch by email or text.  you can email  podcast@stokebikeruns.co.uk

Special Guest Pauline explains her new role in the charity as coordinator of outside events, giving her ideas on how she wants the Star Bikers to get out & about taking part in local community activities & talks about her plans for the coming Staffs Bike show & gives details how you can get in touch with your ideas, which she will put to the charity committee for consideration & explains why if anyone is planning a fundraising event how we could help you if you are choosing to support the Star Bikers as part of your planned event.

This Podcast is very much an experiment to us & we’ve never tried this before, so feedback is very much welcomed & we certainly hope you enjoy it.

You can download our 1st ever podcast by clicking here

 Easily download the mp3 file and transfer to any mp3 player or Mobile phone with MP3 capability.
Simply right click the download link (Mac users should “Control click”). Then, in the menu that appears, simply select ”Save Link As” and choose where you’d like to save the file onto your computer. Then, transfer the files to your mp3 player or mobile phone via bluetooth (if compatible) or the USB connection that came with your device.
Or if you prefer you can navigate your mobile phone internet browser to download directly to your memory card.

Egg Run Band announced

The band for the 34th Egg run will be..

VaVoom.

We have had VaVoom, play at a run a couple of years back in 2009 at the Egg run & they were probably one of the most requested bands to have back & after they finished playing last time they expressed they wanted to do it again, so we’re bringing them back for the 34th Egg Run.

They are a Trio playing Rockabilly styled covers of popular songs & of course some of the classics.  You may remember the band for their zealous double bass player who has created a style of his own & for a party piece climbs on top of the instrument to play it on occasion.

You can read more about the band at http://www.vavoom.altpro.net/home

or see them in action VaVoom Live (YouTube video clip)

Street entertainers & Stalls wanted

Can you help us expand our “Family fun day” activities?

If you can spare a few hours or know someone who can, the Star Bikers are looking for any individuals or organisation who can volunteer their services as a street entertainer or provide a suitable activity for the day of the runs to extend the sadly lacking “Fun day” entertainment, or of course to help on outside fund raisers.

We would consider the following.

• Jugglers
• Body / Face painters
• Street magicians
• Dancers
• Puppeteers
• Clowns
• Balloon Modellers
• Buskers
• Marching bands
• Street artists / cartoonists
• Bouncy Castles
• Cheer leaders

For the inside of the hall we could always welcome a few more exhibits or stalls, for which we would consider.

• Road safety advisers
• Product demonstrators (bike related preferable)
• Volunteer services (e.g. organ/blood donor, First aid, care centres etc)
• Art & Craft or modelling exhibitors
• Pottery exhibits / crafting
• Play groups & Junior clubs or community groups
• Collectors / memorabilia stalls

If you are a trader / exhibit stall we would simply ask for a small donation from any profits you may make on the day as a good will gesture.

Sadly, we are not able to allow the sale of food, beverages or any outside catering due to restrictions set out by the local authority.

If you can offer such a service or would be willing to take part, please contact us via Phone or email to pass on your details, to ask for more information or to make arrangements.

Chairmans Letter.

Letter as published in the Stoke Sentinel.. 02/04/2010

As chairman of the Star Bikers Charity Committee I would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s 32nd Egg Run, held on March 21, a great day out.

Thanks to the rest of my newly–formed committee for its hard work in helping at this year’s event.

The committee would also like to thank Staffordshire Police motorcyclists and car drivers and our own volunteer marshals. They kept everyone safe and moving between the start at Britannia Stadium and end at King’s Hall. Thank-you to both these venues for their continued support. To the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent who I know had a great time leading the run. Special thanks must again go to the local motorcycle shops for their generosity when donating prizes for our free draw. These were Bassetts, Bikerz, BS Bikes, D H Autos, Foley Motorcycles, K2, Norman and Birch, and Websters. Thanks to Andy’s Motorcycles and Trent Trophies. Thank-you once again to the Sentinel for its support.This year we also had some support from Sainsbury’s stores at Stoke, Newcastle and Hanley which had collection points for people to donate Easter eggs. We have also had some donations from people that have organised collection points at their place of work. If anyone would like to do the same for future events if you contact the Star Bikers Charity at www.stokebikeruns.co.uk we can let you have some posters.

Another good point on the day was the number of people who came to stand at the side of the road to give their support. It would be fantastic if we could see each and everyone of you for this year’s 33rd Toy Run. Watch out in the Sentinel closer to December or check our website www.stokebikeruns.co.uk.

ANTONY MIDDLETON

Sainsbury’s & the Star Bikers

This Easter, the Star Bikers are once again
teaming up with our friends at Sainsbury’s.

The stores in Stoke, Newcastle & Hanley are once again holding a collection for the Star Bikers charity, so if you wish you can also now donate an Easter Egg to the appeal by placing it into the collection hopper located in the store.

Sainsbury’s will be holding collections until 28th March 2010.

On the 28th February The Star Bikers held a charity bag-packing at Sainsbury’s in Stoke between 10am-4pm, to help raise funds for the Egg run Appeal, this helped The Star Bikers charity raise nearly £500 on the day.

We are also looking for anyone that is willing to attend to help out the bikers with the bag-packing  & fundraising duties in the future, if you can offer your assistance or wish to help on the day, please let us know.

Participating stores are located at.

Sainsbury’s Stoke on Trent
Minton House
London Road
Stoke on Trent
ST4 7QD
Telephone: 01782 747090

Sainsbury’s Newcastle Under Lyme
10-16 Liverpool Road
Newcastle
Staffs
ST5 2AP
Telephone: 01782 623663

If you wish you can also visit the Sainsbury’s website, however buying your shopping online will not go towards the appeal.

Big thanks also go to Sainsbury’s for their assistance with the Toy run appeal & the participating stores that helped with collections.