May Club news

Chair’s Chat 
I hope all our circuit-based marshals are now enjoying the 2026 season. Like many animals coming out of hibernation it takes time to get back up to full speed with the brain fully engaged. Checking your kit before the first event is always entertaining especially if that pesky vapour that seems to inhabit so many wardrobes has had its shrinking effect on your overalls! Re-waterproofing the boots, checking the wet weather gear, ensuring hot and cold drinks flasks are clean and bug free, finding that hat that disappeared a few months ago together with the gloves and sundry other activities, all need completing before that first early morning alarm call wakes you ready for the journey to the meeting.
My season started at the beginning of March with a kart meeting at Forest Edge for which I was the MSUK steward.  As is typical for a kart meeting it was a non-stop day with quick fire practise and qualifying rounds before the finals. Unlike at circuit race meetings the competitors are not allowed to appeal the Clerk of the Course decisions except in the finals, which means that I have a much more relaxed day and can enjoy watching the racing. It is good to see more of our members marshalling at kart meetings, bringing their expertise to what can be an extremely active day. With many of the competitors eager to show that they could be the next Lewis Hamilton incidents are frequent and the number of reports to the clerk of the course far more than at a car race meeting.
One interesting aspect of karting is the introduction of light panels to a replace the flag signals used previously. An aspect of these boards and their operation that I really liked was the fact that the control panels are small pads that that communicate wirelessly with the panels and can be hung round the marshals’ neck, meaning that the marshal can move at the same time as operating the lights.
March saw the first National Council meeting of the Year via Zoom where all the regional chairs, national offices and coordinators meet to discuss all the matters required to manage the club. I think few of our members understand and appreciate just how much work goes on behind the scenes to manage this club. Our seven regions and BRMC all have their own hard-working committees managing all aspects of the local areas. The chairs of each of these committees are then tasked with ensuring that anything that affects the club nationally is discussed and agreed at Council. Working alongside these committees are the national coordinators looking after training membership, grading, regalia, volunteering, and the IT that is required to keep the club running. All of them give their time and effort freely and we should be grateful to them for the amount that this encroaches on their private lives.
If you have anything that you want clarified, or anything that you would like explained or raised at a national level then please talk to any of your regional committee members or our national officers so that we can work on your behalf. Summaries of the council meetings can be viewed in the members area of our website.
This month saw us hold the EGM required to accept the changes to the Articles of Association for the club. As explained in the email sent to all members before the EGM the rules have already been changed and agreed by the directors but the approval of the BMMC membership of the Articles was required before the advertising and subsequent appoint a new Chair and Vice Chair to the club. This is essential for the future of our club and I am glad to report that a Quorum was achieved for the EGM and you voted to support the proposed changes. We will run the national election for these posts and will be communicating with you all. I hope you will all review the volunteers whose names come forward and cast your vote for the person you feel most fits the requirements.
Easter saw the real start of the season for most disciplines of the sport and I am sure many of you will be enjoying your involvement in whatever aspect of marshalling you volunteer.  The May Bank Holiday weekend sees a plethora of events around the country – I will be at Brands Hatch for the GT World Challenge event as national races MSUK Steward.  Hopefully it will be a quieter weekend than last, where I was at Whilton Mill for a round of their championship – 327 entries and I ran some 150 judicials over the two days!
One of the main reasons I have been a member of the club for so many years is the way in which marshalling brings such a diverse set of people together in a common hobby. I hope that this season you will have fun, entertainment and enjoyment with your fellow marshals. Stay safe, work together as a team and please remember that all your regional and national offices are here to help and serve you.
Secretary’s Noggin
Just back from 2 extremely long but highly exciting days at the 83^rd Goodwood Members Meeting, the weather was glorious. Thank you to everyone on Post 12, St Mary’s for a great weekend and to the drivers who decided to visit our Post over the 2 days. 3 Bugattis, Alfa Romeo, AC Cobra, Allard and a Suzuki. Saturday was an extremely busy day with non-stop action, so much so, I did not take on board sufficient fluids and food that midway through the afternoon became more than a little dizzy, seeing black spots and not cars. 25 minutes downtime, taking on fluids and eating and I was back in action again. Dehydration does creep up on you and by the time you realise, it is too late. So please, especially when it is hot and sunny look after yourself and your partner. My thanks to Pam and Steve Green, Timothy Kempster, Simon Chalk, John Gunner, Keith Wright, Peter Broclebank and Paul Kingston for all your help concern and then banter. 
The answer to the April Trivia Question, what is the name of the circuit shown below and when did it close?

The circuit was Boreham in Essex. Boreham was developed as a USAF airfield in 1943, but had a very short operational life as it was closed in 1945. Motor Racing arrived in 1949 with a driving test stage of the Chelmsford Rally. Motorcycle racing commenced in 1950, with the 1^st car meeting held in April 1951 followed by another 3 that year. The circuit was very active in 1952 with Mike Hawthorn, Stirling Moss, Reg Parnell, Tony Rolt and someone called Bernie Ecclestone racing there.  The last meeting was held at Boreham on 20^th February 1953 with the circuit closing due to huge financial losses by the organising club, The West Essex Car Club. The site was acquired by the Ford Motor Company in 1955 with Ford Motorsport moving there in 1963.  The circuit was ripped up for the sale of the aggregate. However, in early 1997 the sound of a Formula 1 Engine once again rang out across the Essex countryside when Ruben Barrichello gave the new Stewart Grand Prix car its initial shakedown. 
In it short racing career the Boreham Circuit became known as “Britains Fastest Circuit” 
This month’s teaser, name this circuit? 

EGM 
Many thanks to the BMMC members who attended via ZOOM or submitted Proxy voting forms for the EGM held on Tuesday 21^st April 2026 to vote on the acceptance to changes to the BMMC Articles of Association. The main change was for the election of a Vice Chair work to alongside the Chair.  The vote was of the members was 92% favour of acceptance with 2 members abstaining. The acceptance of the changes to the Articles of Association now allows for the opening of applications from interested parties for the positions of BMMC Chair and Vice Chair.  
Job descriptions and how to apply shall be issued under a separate communication to all BMMC members 
Training 
Volunteer Opportunity – BRMC Training Coordinator – Help Shape the Future of Motorsport Marshals
Recogonised as one of the leading rally marshal training providers, the BRMC is seeking an enthusiastic Training Coordinator to support the delivery of our highly regarded training programme. This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference within the club by coordinating training activities and giving motorsport marshals access to development opportunities.
What You’ll Be Doing

1. Organising and promoting training opportunities for marshals
2. Liaising with trainers and instructors
3.  Identifying future training needs and development opportunities
4. Helping marshals build confidence, skills and experience

 If you have strong organisational and communication skills, previous training experience and an enthusiasm for learning and development, please get in touch.
Why Volunteer With BRMC?

1. Join a respected organisation with an excellent reputation
2. Help maintain and grow a leading training programme
3. Gain valuable coordination and leadership experience
4. Support the development of motorsport marshals

 If you’d like to use your skills to support one of the best marshal training organisations in motorsport, please contact Tracey Smith, British Rally Marshals Club Secretary on secretary@brmc.org.uk by the 31^st May 2026 
National Volunteer
Krazy races are back with some new venues in 2026, anyone wishing to volunteer please contact Nat.volunteering@marshals.co.uk.  More info here https://www.krazyraces.co.uk/
Dates are 

1. Crewe – 24 May 2026
2. Sheffield – 21 June 2026
3. Telford – 12 July 2026
4. Newbury – 26 July 2026
5. Stockport – 9 August 2026

Draw Winners

Membership The current BMMC membership stands at 2915 as of 29.04.2026. This means there has been 590 non-renewals of membership for 2026. BMMC Membership is from 1^st January to the 31^st March each year with no renewals deactivated from the membership database on the 31^st March.    

New Members 
A very warm welcome to the following new marshals. I hope you have a long and enjoyable marshalling experience and remember everyone is willing to help you along the way.

Marshal Upgrades
The following Marshal upgrades the month of April 2026 are: – 

Regional Reports
North West 
The season in the NW region has now begun. Our first meeting, the BRSCC NW Season Opener had a whopping 216 volunteer marshals and officials and welcomed 18 new marshals for their first day on the bank. On April 18th Dave Fitzsimon and Nadine Lewis ran the first of our six taster days for this season. With another to follow in early May we’re hoping lots of people will catch the marshalling bug this year.
 We have some great racing to look forward to in the next few weeks including Touring Car Rewind: North and the British GT & GB4 Championships. A number of NW marshals will also be volunteering at a new event called ShedFest. Shedfest has been running since 2023 and is heading to Bolesworth Castle in Cheshire, for its first trip to the North. The event on 2nd May promises a celebration of project cars, classic cars, retro icons and race cars, the show will also include a sprint course for the first time, so we’re looking forward to supporting this new event in our region.
South East 
It was a sunny Sunday morning (you can tell the shorts and sunnies are on!!!) that as SE Chair, I ventured to Brands Hatch to present our final trophy the Hastings 1066 trainee trophy to our deserving marshal Matilda Moody. A small gathering of marshals and taster day people were on hand to witness Matilda receive her trophy.
Of all the nominees for this year Matilda has demonstrated a keen eye for working in the pit lane and is often praised by her colleagues for the work she does. 
On behalf of the committee and marshals well done to all our deserving winners this year.

The South East Region (BMMC SE) is launching a new volunteer engagement initiative in response to the rapid growth in female interest and viewership across motorsport.On Sunday 7 June 2026, BMMC SE will deliver a Celebration of Female Volunteers event, featuring an all‑female Marshal Taster Day, at Brands Hatch alongside the high‑profile American SpeedFest weekend.The rapidly evolving motorsport fanbaseFemale motorsport audiences have increased significantly in recent seasons, with more women attending events, following championships, and engaging with the sport socially and digitally. Latest figures indicate that 42% of F1 viewership is female, compare that to our club demographic and there is a clear disparity currently.The South East Region sees this as a timely opportunity to ensure the volunteer community better reflects the modern motorsport audience.The initiative focuses on converting interest into involvement, targeting women who already enjoy motorsport and offering a welcoming and supportive first step into volunteering.Taster DayThe Marshal Taster Day is all‑female by design, providing a supportive and confidence‑building environment for women considering volunteering for the first time.Running alongside American SpeedFest allows participants to experience the atmosphere of a major race weekend while discovering how they can become part of the sport. As part of the day, there will also be an information hub and recruitment stand, manned by marshals and representatives from a range of motorsport organisations. This space is designed to stimulate conversation, answer questions, and provide insight into both volunteering pathways and wider motorsport career opportunities, helping attendees explore where their interest in motorsport could lead.The event will emphasise:

• Visibility of female role models within volunteering and motorsport
• Clear entry and progression routes
• How involvement can fit alongside work, study, and family life
• The community, networking, and social benefits of getting involved

• C1 24 Hour Race – 15th, 16th & 17th May
• Ferrari Challenge – 23rd & 24th May
• BARC – 3rd & 4th October
• Equipe – 3rd October
• BRSCC / HSCC – 10th & 11th October

1. The Association of Eastern Motor Clubs (AEMC) have organised a number of local events and need marshals:

1. The JDS Machinery Ceredigion Rally needs a small army of marshals to assist in the safe and smooth running of this event on 4^th to 6^th September 2026. The marshal registration is now open with positions both on and off stages across the entire rally weekend. To register go to https://app.stagemode.io/stagemodeapp.eb?ebd=0&ebz=1_177729436786