Hope for Shrewsbury Toy Run?
Wednesday 5th October 2011, 11:18AM BST.
Organisers of the Shrewsbury Toy Run are to meet police to see if this year’s charity ride can be saved.
A meeting is to take place next week between police chiefs and officials from MCC Rainbringers, who organise the event.
Earlier this week organisers revealed they had been forced to axe the December run because police could no longer provide marshalling due to budget cuts.
The charity ride, which has taken place in the town for more than two decades, sees hundreds of riders delivering presents to children at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, as well as to those at Severndale School for children with learning difficulties and Bradbury House, a residential care home for children with learning difficulties.
Organisers also split money between the three organisations, raising an average £800 per year.
Yesterday organisers said they had been ‘overwhelmed’ by the public response to the news that the event had been scrapped.
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And so the kids now feel the impact of Tory cuts.
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At least the hospital is still there, would have closed that down if they continued with labours borrowing policies
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The children’s wards are closing.
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This day is a fine example of Caamerons big socity,a ray of sunshine in the middle of winter,enjoyed by all (just look at the faces of the shoppers)
It cannot stop,many retired motorcyclists like myself with nearly 70 years experience of living in Shrewsbury will help with any jobs including marshalling,come on lets see it happen.
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In Austin Texas, every year they have ‘Blue Santa, organized by the police!
There is a parade and open trucks, people bring a toy and put it in the trucks. Also of course there was a police officer dressed in a blue santa suit on a sleigh.
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Bloody typical. they can spend 360,000 policing the stupid EDF, but can,t marshal these guys, who are NO threat to the public at all, and are only out to help others less fortunate.
I hope these lads say, sod the police, we’re doing it anyway.
The police should have a re-think on this.
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Never a better point put..
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Amazing isnt it? The police never seem to have a budget to do anything these days. However, theyre never short of money to put hundreds of officers on the street when there is a football match in town!!
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CW
I think you will find that officers have their leave and rest days cancelled to cover football matches, not paid overtime as the myth is flouted.
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Agree, lets cut the amount of police at the football, and lets have the motorbike run, it’s a fantastic thing they do and should be encouraged. It would a shame to loose it after all these years.
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do it without the police???
simples
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From what I’ve seen at similar events at Telford, Police marshals are unnecessary. The bikers who give their own time and money to participate in charity runs seem quite capable of marshalling themselves.
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The Telford Run has had a police marshal to lead it. Without their presence any motorcyclist that goes through a red light could be prosecuted if a member of the public reports them.
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Unfortunately i am unaware of the route the bikers take but surely if speeds are reduced and people start at staggered times couldnt this go ahead with the help of volunteers? Maybe the bikers themselves who know the ins and out of the route could marshall it? Seems such a shame for this charity event to be scrapped.
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Elfin Safety. Init?
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NO!
Money ain’t it
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Is this a case of the police demand they have a paid for presence ?? as with many public events however a little shocked that it is cancelled how much did the police and others demand??
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This is digusting, get Owen Patterson to stick a rocket up the person in charge and tell them that it goes ahead. We pay enough Council Tax to pay for this and if the EDF can march the bikers can ride !!!!!!!!
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Big society ????
Shame on all authorities concerned.
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I was saddened to read this, I have been taking part in this run for several years, an event I really look forward to.
It was a great pleasure to take part in, so many people lined the streets to wave us through, not just in the town either.
I can’t remember a police escort on previous runs, the marshalling has always been done by the members.
This is going to be a great disappointment to the riders and to the children who benefited from the run. There must be some way round this, please don’t let this worthwhile event become history.
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The police are asked to marshal many charitable events and do their best with the limited funding now available to them. M.C.C. Rainbringers members marshal the Toy Run but need a police presence to block junctions and enable the run to go through red traffic lights. The police are meeting with us sometime in the next few days to try and find a solution. The outcome will be published on our website.
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Why do the police not use the pcso who are not police officers ie cheaper or and parking wardens? you do not need a police officer to block junctions etc surely.
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Why does it need police presence to go ahead?? Surely there are enough people out there who marshall football matches, flower show etc who could help out?
The saddest thing about this is that the children will miss out. I hope something can be done to keep this long running tradition going.
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I for one would be happy to volunteer as a marshall-I have lots of biker friends who get involved with these runs, and I know many other people who would gladly give up their time to help. Don’t let the kids miss out over something as daft as this!
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The Toy Run has always been marshalled by The Members and Guests safely,profesionaly and without any incident to third parties.But,in order to marshall the event you have to have the authority to stop the traffic at given locations along the intended route,this authority is given by a POLICE OFFICER(vehicle escort) who indicates to the lead marshall/s that they may stop the traffic.Without the presence of the police we cannot legally stop the traffic without repercussions to the rider if an accident occurs or the police receive a complaint made by a member of public.
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so all it takes is one officer off the law for this event to go ahead shame on you west mercia constabluary
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I agree. Bikers get a bad press generally but how often do you see car drivers queueing up to do these charity runs?
I guess the bikers will go ahead anyway on a ‘private’ basis. I can imagine the shouts of anger if the Police try to stop it – but if they can turn out to stop the event, they could turn out to assist it!
I’ve been on such charity runs in Telford and the organising club’s marshals have been most efficient in managing a flow of bikers through traffic lights and junctions, roundabouts etc. Other road users have been extremely tolerant of this as they realise it’s all for charitable causes, and there is always a positive reaction from those watching from the roadside.
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This is dreadful news. The run is one of the highlights of Shrewsbury’s Christmas calendar and it must be saved. I’ll volunteer to be a marshall if that’s what it takes.
I know there are a lot of them, but the bikers move very slowly through town so they are just mass traffic. I guess the police have to marshall the crowds, who are always well behaved and love watching the bikes go by.
Get onto the MP.
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Just get Prince Charles to come for the day,there will be Police everywhere. Problem solved.
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Digusted with the police response to this, typical public sector wont work unless they get over time, they should come in on the weekend voluntary to marshall the event in the spirit of the ‘big society’
who do they think they are to cancel christmas for these kiddies
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H
Have you read reply 3??
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get all the pen pushing police out of the offices and those too scared to patrol the streets, to help with this event or go ahead with out them.
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Maybe you could help out Jeffrey or are you a scared to help keyboard warrior??
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I was an operational fire officer for 30 years and there is not many things I am scared of get the police off their a***s and do the job we pay them to do.
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Strange how the government can find £250 million for weekly bin collection that we dont need.
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a complete joke if i remember rightly last years event was marshalled by the Rainbringers and the scooter club i dont remember seeing any police escort
the event went without a hitch the route was full of happy waving residents and car drivers beeping there horns and waving to us showing appreciation for what we were doing its been going for 25 years which in its self tells you something and brings a smile to a child who is in a lot less fortunate position than most of us at christmas time nevermind the small minded paper shufflers who are trying to stop it
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Hmm!
That’s a lot of bikes and not many bags of toys when all said and done.
You could always deliver the toys in a van or use the police motorcycle outreach vehicle which I have seen at motorcycle events around Shropshire.
That way, bikes get publicity, kids get the toys, less pollution, the police are still involved and the extra money saved on biker fuel could also be donated to the cause… more efficient for all.
Gary
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Ref gary
what!!!!!! and then the bikers won’t get all nice publicity!!! thats why they do it, ‘arent i a nice hairy biker’ the toys and sick kids are just a publicity stunt. This is commonly known as a self patting on the back and feelgood factor.
Shame on them
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No ‘Confused.com’, shame on you. This isn’t a publicity stunt for the bikers, neither is supporting sick children. The annual event is enjoyed by the bikers themselves, all of different ages and origins, and not the stereotypical ‘hairy biker’ that you put across. It’s for a good cause, the public (myself included) love it, children and their parents stand outside their houses every year, waiting to see the several hundred bikes, and it raises the Christmas spirit for all.
To deem this as a ‘publicity stunt’ is just plain ignorant. It’s a non-profit event.
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Your pseudonym is very apt. IF you really believe that, may I suggest therapy?
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this charity event is organised by a small MCC based in shrewsbury.
the majority of the bikers on the toy-run are joe public wanting to put a smile on some poorly and sad kids faces at christmas time.
WE DONT DO IT FOR
PUBLICITY OR SELF GRATIFICATION
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reply to 19 – 20
“BAH HUMBUG”
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This event cannot just stop,it is a prime example of David Cameron’s big society.
Many retired motorcyclists like myself would help in any way to ensure it went ahead.
It is a ray of sunshine in the middle of an english winter,everyone love’s the run, even the shoppers, an event that makes you proud to be from Shrewsbury
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“confused.com” makes as much sense as his patronymic, and equally useless, web site.
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Call me a cynic (and I think this is a fantastic tradition and must go ahead), but this story and its previous more dramatic “Toy Run Scrapped” version, smack of sensational journalism, aimed at whipping up/playing upon public anger against the cuts. The publicity hasn’t done the profile of this event any harm either. £10 says it goes ahead.
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Thank you for your words of support.The Toy Run has become a ‘tradition’..but it saddens me, that it has come to ‘sensational journalism’ the senseless rantings of a ‘confused.com’ and the negotiations of red tape too continue with what started as a genuine gesture of goodwill, to the children who have found themselves in a less fortunate position at this festive time of year….’IF’ it goes ahead,and i sincerely hope it will..i’ll see you in the Shrewsbury Square, with your £10…..
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Typical Police, trying to blame the Government for their uncharitable behaviour.
No shortage of money for plush cars and new offices when needed.
Why cant a small number of officers give just a few hours of their time for FREE. After all it is for sick children. Or are they only thinking of themselves and scrapping the run to get more attention for their desire for a larger budget?
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