York Rally Newsletter: 5th June 2016

Dear fellow cyclists,

Many thanks for joining this mailing list about the York Rally!  If you're receiving this in error, apologies and there's an unsubscribe link at the end of this email.

I've tried adding pictures this time... if they don't show up, it's worth trying the link at the top of this email titled: "Display problems? View this newsletter in your browser."

With under two weeks to go until the 2016 Rally, this may be our last newsletter before the event! We had our final on-site committee meeting on Saturday (4th June) - everything's on course, and the Knavesmire was looking in good condition too.

As you will (I hope) see in the picture above, we've completed the show programme and it will be off to print on Monday (6th June). Huge thanks to all of the traders whose advertising in the programme helps offset the print cost. And it's looking good...

Just about everything is now coming together. We have:

• A full rides list!

• A packed trade show.

• Auction (Saturday) and Saddlebag Sale (cycle jumble, Sunday)

• Masses of racing and sport, especially for under 16s! If you have kids into racing we will able to keep them busy: we have Go-Ride coaches on site giving free skills training to U16s (all day Sat, plus Sunday PM), plus youth categories in Grasstrack (Saturday) and Cyclo-cross (Sunday).

• A talks programme (still being finalised, but will we hope include touring talks, specialist club talks, and Q&A sessions on electric bikes and recumbent trikes)

• Performers ready to go! As well as the Foresters folk bank playing live on Saturday evening, The Pretend Stage will be back with their eclectic act! And Bo Clown will be entertaining with his bicycle-borne Punch and Judy, too.

• We have a bar selling craft beer from Cwrw Ial Community Brewing Company in Wales - under cover in a large seating area so we hope it'll be popular.

• We've been working on many improvements after last year. So expect more and better signs, a bigger Rally HQ area with much less cramped displays, new bunting for the Arena, and much more!

• Plus we have a new Volunteer Co-ordinator - do drop by HQ to offer just an hour or so of your time if you can, or sign up online.

And in other news:

As you will hopefully see illustrated in the picture above, we are delighted to confirm that the lovely team at the Methodist Chapel in Riccall will once again be offering a wonderful array of food on Saturday morning - many of our rides head that way, and any passing cyclist is also welcome! 2015 photo by Dave Dodwell.

And as mentioned in our last newsletter, we will have beer from Cwrw Ial Community Brewing Company in Wales for the bar! They were Rate Beer's "Best New Brewer Wales 2015". Not exactly sure exactly which of their range they will have with them but I am told that the prices will be much more reasonable than last year - £3 a pint has been mentioned. Please do give them your support!

Meet the new York Rally fire engine! With space for fire extinguishers in the basket each side of the fire bucket, it's our new rapid response vehicle, here being modelled expertly by Paul at our final planning meeting.

We are also delighted that The Pretend Stage will be back to rock the 2016 Rally with their set-up all transported by bicycle trailers! Photo from 2015 by John Jackson.

On the subject of pictures, all of the images sent in after the 2015 Rally for the Photo Competition have been enormously helpful - for the website, for the show programme and for promoting the Rally in general. So we're running it again in 2016 - if you take pictures at the Rally, please do feel free to just send us the lot! Details will be in the show programme, page 23. Many thanks in advance.

Finally for now, there's still time to book a pitch, if you haven't already. Advance campsite bookings close 11th June! It's cheaper than on the day, quicker to get in, and you can be sited with friends or club-mates. Book at: http://yorkrally.org/visitor-information/campsite-bookings/

Many thanks again for your interest in the York Rally. As we run up towards the 2016 event we might manage to squeeze in one more newsletter, but if not, we hope to see you on the Knavesmire in June! 

With our best wishes for happy cycling,

The York Rally Committee
info@yorkrally.org

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Sent for the York Rally by
Peter Eland, Publicity Officer, York Rally
E-mail publicity@yorkrally.org
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