Volunteers in Motorsport Newsletter

[sss]

I have just received my first copy of the newsletter.

Not a bad idea, and has some nice potential for an interesting read.

[gachjoel]

do you have to sign up to get a copy ?

[sss]

Welcome to this first Volunteers in Motorsport e-newsletter, which we are sending to MSA Clubs and Associations as well as all those on the MSA National Marshals Register, as a way to keep you informed of the current and continuing work of the Volunteers in Motorsport (ViM) project – an MSA initiative supported by Motorsport Development UK.



The content of the newsletter is free of copyright, so please feel free to copy and reproduce in club or other magazines or to forward it to others who may be interested in the content. If you become aware of someone who wants to subscribe to receiving free copies of future editions please send their details to me, at the details as below.





To open in Adobe Acrobat click here:

http://www.volunteersinmotorsport.co...-September.pdf





To open in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat from the archive here:

http://www.volunteersinmotorsport.co.uk/newsletters.php

[Justin Moran]

Good publication, and informative but I feel it needs more in the way of explaining the marshalling structure and progression, clairity of information is good and will be the right medium to pass this vital and informative information along to the guys and gals on the bank. Its good to know we are getting support!

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by C9/89

Good publication, and informative but I feel it needs more in the way of explaining the marshalling structure and progression,

In fairness, it's a Newsletter - such matters, unless there has been a recent change, are not news, & information on structure, grading, etc. is freely available from such sources as the ViM & BMMC websites

[JimW]

Originally Posted by C9/89

Good publication, and informative but I feel it needs more in the way of explaining the marshalling structure and progression, clarity of information is good and will be the right medium to pass this vital and informative information along to the guys and gals on the bank.

Can I disagree with you on this one?

I think we tend to spend far too much time and energy agonising about our structures and grading and progression. It may be necessary and deliver things useful to those who have to organise the meetings. It also allows those who want to, to have a public, tangible recognition of their experience and standing.

But grading etc. have little or nothing to do with why most of us stand on the bank (or assume any of the other positions ) and that's because we enjoy ourselves.

Publicity material needs to stress the WHY, not the mechanisms. Remember this newsletter is not really aimed at marshals, but at those who we might encourage to become marshals.

Regards

Jim

(And if it had not taken me so long to draft this, I might have got in before Dave who is making much the same points!)

[Justin Moran]

I was only suggesting as a publication to marshals such as my self and the other thousand or so new marshals where we stood on the grading scheme as this is a publicated newsletter I fell this would be news worthy and could be linked in the future to perhaps naming newly graded marshals? Whilst I appreciate it would not necessarily be read by all, it would be good to give information on numbers at grades etc. Or does the BMMC/MSA already post this information?
Just my opinion mind and I know I'm a minority of 1!

[Nadine J Lewis]

How come not everyone got an e-mail? I've been on the register a while now and my other half got one but not me! I'd be interested to know which list is being used!

[Justin Moran]

Too late to edit my previous post!

I appreciate also this is supposed to go out to non marshalling types but shouldn't we be patting those on the back who have made the effort and there by encouraging them to bring more to join? Or are we to cry despair and hope for the pity/sympathy vote??

[Nadine J Lewis]

Originally Posted by C9/89

I was only suggesting as a publication to marshals such as my self and the other thousand or so new marshals where we stood on the grading scheme as this is a publicated newsletter I fell this would be news worthy and could be linked in the future to perhaps naming newly graded marshals? Whilst I appreciate it would not necessarily be read by all, it would be good to give information on numbers at grades etc. Or does the BMMC/MSA already post this information?
Just my opinion mind and I know I'm a minority of 1!

I do agree this should be published somewhere - however clubs do tend to publish this information. BMMC North (when given the information) do publish this information in their monthly newsletter. Details of numbers at each grade may be an interesting statistic but not sure if VIM have this information

[JimW]

Originally Posted by C9/89

Too late to edit my previous post!

I appreciate also this is supposed to go out to non marshalling types but shouldn't we be patting those on the back who have made the effort and there by encouraging them to bring more to join? Or are we to cry despair and hope for the pity/sympathy vote??

Of course we should be encouraging/recognising those who are already on-board. I'm just suggesting that this newsletter may not be the right medium.

Communication is best when targeted at the intended recipients. If you have to wade through pages of stuff which does not apply to you, then the message for you may be lost or diluted.

I would hope that you see things in your club's newsletters etc. which apply to you as a marshal. Includes grading etc. etc. (But that's still pretty dull stuff. )

And the MSF (which works closely with the MSA) sends out The Marshal to everyone on the MSA register. (This should be all marshals by now but I wonder if all trainees have been included yet?)

Regards

Jim

[Justin Moran]

Thanks Jim, just naive I guess, this being my first year and all! No excuses though. I do think more information about how to start is always a good thing (I struggled to find the required info and that was only this time last year!) and I see your point about the clubs doing the grading stuff.

Cheers.

[Eric Ridler]

Originally Posted by MarshalGirl

How come not everyone got an e-mail? I've been on the register a while now and my other half got one but not me! I'd be interested to know which list is being used!

Snap! Which list are they using? If I did not know of this website, how would I know of this newsletters existance?
Too often things appear on here which should be in the public domain as well. (2008 GP!)

[Dean Watson]

Originally Posted by JimW

And the MSF (which works closely with the MSA) sends out The Marshal to everyone on the MSA register. (This should be all marshals by now but I wonder if all trainees have been included yet?)

Regards

Jim

Unfortunately not yet, my 14 year old daughter joined in January this year & now has all bar her second training signature for paddock, still is not recognised by the MSA.

But back on topic.
I have had a look at the newsletter and I think it is very good and full of information. There is only so much that can put in a newsletter and as has been said before the the grading scheme is far to involved to included, as long as those who need to know do so then why should we all worry ourselves?

Statistics only really look good to an accountant so showing the numbers at each grade again in my opinion is a waste of time.

what does need including in these sort of newsletters is the information that we as marshals need, such as, what improvements are to made to the marshals environment, what advances are being made in recruitment Team Wilson are doing a fantastic job but could more be done by others aswell?
Also any changes to regulations or definitions/understandings of flag use.

Congratulations to VIM it has taken a while for them and the MSA to get things moving properly and now it looks as though they have so lets make the right noises and try and let them know what marshals really want to be included in future newsletters.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Eric Ridler

Snap! Which list are they using?

Neither of us has had an email.......maybe the list they are using is licensed officials, or possibly the database they are using doesn't have a full list of marshals' email addresses - mine's there in my profile on the MSA website.

.....and, of course, not every marshal has internet access!

[gachjoel]

After having a quick read,its to the point and informative.
A brief word on the rescue unit and a personal story to go with it.
As this is the 1st copy,it does the job intended and it can only go from strength to strength in its publication.

Well Done Chaps & Chapess

[Dave Brand]

Don't panic - I've just got mine, sent at 17:08 today.

[JIMGOD]

got mine today, trainee. good read for 1st.well done and looking forward to more.

[gravel_monkey]

this maybe a seperate topic if so apologies.
especially at oulton over the previous few months we have seen a lot of new marshals which is fantastic, but at the training day last feb a quick show of hands found that the new guys were turning up due to speaking to other marshals. i dont know if iam on my own on this but i honestly dont know what the vim team are doing apart from stands at race events(which i loved being on talking to the public). is word of mouth the best way and can someone enlighten me a little???

[Matthews Dad]

Got mine yesterday, not yet read it so cont comment on content

Wonder if the emails are being sent out to small numbers of people at a time to avoid getting caught in spam filters mine looks as if it was sent individually to my email addresss

Dont know which list they are using as I am a trainee in terms of race but am also on the rally marshals register so get most of the publications such as the MSK of and motorsport now that way