Shrewsbury Toy Run back on
Wednesday 19th October 2011, 1:50PM BST.
The Shrewsbury Toy Run will be taking place this year, organisers have confirmed.
Andy Evans, a spokesman for MCC Rainbringers, said that following talks with Shropshire Council’s highways department, the charity event will be getting the go-ahead.
The toy run sees hundreds of bikers delivering toys to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Severndale School and children’s residential care home Bradbury House.
The event was scrapped by organisers earlier this month over concerns about whether police were needed to marshal the event.
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This is good news. I’m pleased that common sense has prevailed.
Wish I could be there to see it. Well done you guys.
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Nearly 23years ago a small club of motorcyclists, Breakers MRC, decided to hold a ‘toy run’ to the local hospital, the Shrewsbury Childrens Ward. This ran from the Boars Head, Coleham, the intention was to deliver presents to those less fortunate at the festive time of the year. For 13years MCC Rainbringers have continued this tradition, now including Severndale School and Bradbury House, but, the small group of 23 motorcycles has grown to 400+. Unfortunately in these times of progress there are now regulatory bodies that require notification and forms filled, T’s crossed and i’s dotted, liability and ownership of such events is now required. It is with regret that on the 11th hour MCC Rainbringers is unable to commit to such demands and is not willing to risk the safety and welfare of ALL taking part, but, we do strive to achieve what the founders set out to do, collect and deliver presents and donations for the children.
On Sunday 11th December 2011, we would like to invite motorcyclists to join us in The Square, Shrewsbury, 10am onwards to meet and give generously to a very worthwhile cause, Stiff Witness will play for the crowds and bring to The Square the festive feel and close community spirit that the Shrewsbury Toy Run has become renowned for. It is with regret that the cavalcade of motorcycles will not be able to leave The Square on mass, as in previous years, because of restrictions. However, we would encourage groups to ride the route safely, adhering to traffic regulations. Please NO motorcyclists at the hospital.
At approx. 2pm we would invite those attending the event to leave The Square of their own free will (un-marshalled) and join us at The Red Barn, Longden Road for refreshments, charity raffle and auction.
This event cannot take place without YOUR presence, thank you for your support.
MCC. RAINBRINGERS
Due to the above event taking place the party on December 10th at the Cock Inn, Hanwood is cancelled.
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Presumably this means that the police force is not needed to perform a marshalling function. So, it’ll be interesting to know how the marshalling will operate in practice.
How, for example, will road users know that a person attempting to prevent them proceeding on a green light while allowing others through on a red one has some sort of official sanction?
My belief is that I am obliged to stop when signalled to do so by a police officer in uniform (and in a couple of other ‘uniform’ cases). I don’t have to stop or remain stationary for anyone else.
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There’s always one, and Sam has nominated himself.
I’ve no doubt that the marshaling will be carried out without a problem, and most people will have no problem with losing a few minutes from their journey for such a cause.
If you don’t want to stop Sam, then keep away from the route, I’m sure nobody will miss you.
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My concern, Colin, is that unless the authority of the marshalls to control traffic is made clear to those they are attempting to control there may be unnecessary confrontations.
So, I really am interested to know how this aspect will be managed.
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If you see 100 or so Santa Claus’s riding through Shrewsbury on motorbikes don’t drive through them.
Just out of interest if a police officer ( or a couple of other uniform cases ) told you to jump off a cliff, would you..
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Charity begins and ends at home for you does it Sam?
Why not go the whole hog and throw humbugs at the riders as you kindly mow them over!
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Yosemite Sam I take it you will betaking your presents in the car or you will be walking round with them. you really are a little jobsworth depriving the children of their presents at Christmas. How spiteful and low can some people go!
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I do not know the answer to that one Sam, but I would imagine the installation of a few official police signs saying, “traffic control ahead”, would be sufficient. Anyone seeing such a sign, then being flagged down by someone, would surely be able to connect the two.
Maybe the Police will come up with a couple of volunteers for the day. Wouldn’t that be a welcome gesture.
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it works quite easily a bike with hazardlights flashing lights on and a rider with a high visability vest with the words marshall printed on it parks across the junctions its simple effective and takes only a couple of minutes for the convoy to pass job done no commotion no problem
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What peculiar interpretations have been put on my comments.
I struggle to infer an “anti-Toy Run” aspects.
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What do you want? A full risk assessment and method statement?
Alternatively, just assume it *will* be managed and that those actually involved are capable of working out the details.
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As I remember the Toy Run has been taking place for 25 years & was marshalled ok for years before the present club took the running over, so it can be self marshalled
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correct..the toy run can be’self marshalled’ ..but,this is 2011 and we live in a ‘where there is blame there’s a claim ‘society..u look deeper into the legalities of organising a public event such as this.. liability,accountability…marshals required,but,r u willing to risk your licence?…hats off to the ‘present club’for keeping this worthwhile event running
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The Toy Run has been taking place for 25 years, it was self marshalled with no problems well before the current club took over the running, so I don’t see a problem
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23 bikes on the first run..23yrs on u now have 450+!!! and red-tape,any club/body wishing to take over ‘the running’ ….
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As a guess I would imagine that the Highways Council department would be assisting?
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YES…………………………………………..
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I imagine the marshals will be the ones in hi-viz. Now when the E.U. get there way, it will be confusing since were all be in hi-viz. Anyway fantastic news, I’m sure the majority of motorists will be supportive, since its a very good cause.
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Well surely it is the actual meaning of this event & the good it is doing for those little children, don’t you think? Ok,so we all have busy lives but what a poor show that you are bothered about yourself & can’t think of sparing this event by a bit of a delay to your day. Shame on you!!!
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Is a scooterist who has been to this event for many years, we come from Oswestry to Shrewsbury in freezing weather (last year) to support this great event. If some narrow minded poeple can’t wait for a couple of minutes for us to ride together then STAY IN BED FOR A EXTRA HOUR or take a detour to any of the sites we visit to see the kids face’s once we’ve been there!!!
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My experience of such events is that even when junctions, whether traffic-light cntrolled or not, are ‘held’ by hi-vis jacketed marshals, other drivers are cheerfully compliant in allowing the cavalcade to proceed unhindered.
On Christmas and Easter charity runs, the reason for the large numbers of motorcyclists is very evident and a good-nature atmosphere prevails, even amongst Rabbits, who would doubtless prefer some biker casulaties, safe in the knowledge that such would increase the number of body organs available for donation.
However the bottom line in such multi-bike events is that every rider makes up his/her own mind as to whether or not to ignore red lights and proceed with the flow. In such circumstances, to stop and wait for ‘green’ would probably cause problems.
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I think that Sam is a real pessimist, why do you need to worry is it your problem?let the police do that. I agree with what Colin said and also it made me smile about one of his comments.
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Great news …. looking forward to it !!!
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Great news!
Can we have details of how to donate to this?
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easy, turn up to the square on the 11th dec between 10am and 12pm and depending on what you bring it either goes in a bucket or on the back of the pick up.
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For those of you expecting the convoy of motorcycles through Shrewsbury this Christmas, prepare to be disappointed, we can meet in the Square no probs but we are not allowed to leave en mass, we can leave in small groups and do the route but must observe all traffic signals, and at the request of the hospital, no motorcycles. This now spells disaster for a tradition that has lasted nearly 25 years, please come to The Square in Shrewsbury on December 11th and support us for what is likely to be the last mass gathering of motorcycles and their riders.
So very disappointed.
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Nearly 23years ago a small club of motorcyclists, Breakers MRC,
decided to hold a ‘toy run’ to the local hospital, the Shrewsbury
Childrens Ward. This ran from the Boars Head, Coleham, the intention
was to deliver presents to those less fortunate at the festive time of
the year. For 13years MCC Rainbringers have continued this tradition,
now including Severndale School and Bradbury House, but, the small
group of 23 motorcycles has grown to 400+. Unfortunately in these
times of progress there are now regulatory bodies that require
notification and forms filled, T’s crossed and i’s dotted, liability
and ownership of such events is now required. It is with regret that
on the 11th hour MCC Rainbringers is unable to commit to such demands
and is not willing to risk the safety and welfare of ALL taking part,
but, we do strive to achieve what the founders set out to do, collect
and deliver presents and donations for the children.
On Sunday 11th December 2011, we would like to invite motorcyclists to
join us in The Square, Shrewsbury, 10am onwards to meet and give
generously to a very worthwhile cause, Stiff Witness will play for the
crowds and bring to The Square the festive feel and close community
spirit that the Shrewsbury Toy Run has become renowned for. It is with
regret that the cavalcade of motorcycles will not be able to leave The
Square on mass, as in previous years, because of restrictions.
However, we would encourage groups to ride the route safely, adhering
to traffic regulations. Please NO motorcyclists at the hospital.
At approx. 2pm we would invite those attending the event to leave The
Square of their own free will (un-marshalled) and join us at The Red
Barn, Longden Road for refreshments, charity raffle and auction.
This event cannot take place without YOUR presence, thank you
for your support.
MCC.
RAINBRINGERS
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Rainbringers, do you want to plug your event any more?
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This is’nt OUR event…this is EVERYONES event,everyone being ALL bikers\public out there that want to meet and give presents or donations to KIDS,we’re just the organisers(took on coz no one else would)…ANYONE\CLUB\ORGANIZATION that wants to take this on,feel free to…STEP FORWARD!! P.S ‘TO PLUG AN EVENT’ is too gain peoples attention,which is what you’ve done by your negative comments,cheers 4wheels>2
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Given the amount of motorbikers, the number of toys is very small.
Looks like it’s more of a self-congratulatory event than a real effort to help kids.
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Yeah, congratulating themselves on bringing smiles to kids’ faces. I mean, does it get any more “me me me” than this?
/sarcasm
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You are touchy!
The point is that the bikers don’t seem to make strenouos efforts to get toys – otherwise there’d be smiles on more kids’ faces…
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How narrow minded can u get..this is’nt about the ‘Rainbringers’,this is’nt about egotistical arnt we nice hairy bikers,this is about people making the effort to give their time,to give a little,which is twice as much as nothing…… for what i have seen,there has been too many presents to go around Severndale,Bradbury and the hospital,WELL DONE TOO ALL THAT HAVE GIVEN OVER THE YEARS..and i hope next year the Rainbringers can organize it so the ride around town can take place.Until then i’ll be there to do give what i can
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