Thanks to Hazel Grange, Tom Stockill, Jeff Francis, Toby Boyes and David Schubert who have all already volunteered or offered to volunteer to help marshal at the King of Speed time trials I’m organising. I’m still struggling for enough help, though. By way of rewarding anyone who does help, I’m going to give away some of the free stuff that gets sent to me in my job as a bike journo. It’s either ex-test stuff, was sent to me on spec and isn’t needed back, or is stuff I’ve accumulated. I can’t sell it but I can give it away. So if you turn up to help, you get a free gift. Simple.

This is the gift list so far (below). If none of this appeals, I’m happy to dig around the attic to see what I can find. Whatever it is will be in good nick but dusty. Obviously I don’t have things like bikes to give away, or carbon wheels or suspension forks. I do have stuff like tyres, and odds and ends like mitts. Once it’s gone it’s gone.

The free list

Four kids’ cycle helmets (all brand new - I was sent eight and so have duplicates). They are: Giro Rascal (child sized), Bell Dart (child sized), Giro Spree (toddler sized), Bell Splash (toddler sized)

Books (Vive Le Tour - Amazing Tales of the Tour de France; Laurent Fignon - We were young and carefree; Beryl Burton - Personal Best; Tour de France - Graeme Fife; Road Bike Maintenance; The Cyclists’ Training Manual; and more)

Hazel, Jeff, Tom, Toby and David - let me know what you want and it’s yours.

If you haven’t volunteered yet but are thinking about it, here’s a list of the remaining races with timekeepers so far. (Tom and Hazel have offered to fill in too, but I’d like to spread the volunteer burden wider if possible.)

24th May, 25-mile TT: Dan Joyce, David Schubert

7th June, 5-mile TT: Tom Stockill? plus a.n.other

14th June, 10-mile TT: Toby Boyes, a.n.other x 2

21st June, 25-mile TT: Toby Boyes, a.n.other

28th June, 5-mile TT: a.nother x2

5th July: 10-mile TT: Jeff Francis, a.n.other x2

12th July: a.n.other x2

The 5 and 25-mile events need a minimum of two volunteers to take place - a timekeeper and a time keeper’s assistant. The 10-mile really needs three volunteers.

Volunteering just means means turning up on a Monday evening for an hour or two and wearing a bright yellow bib that says ‘marshall’. You’ll either be looking at a stopwatch, calling out rider numbers as they come in, or holding out one arm to direct riders. One volunteer at each race will hold up riders at the start (i.e. hold their bike as they wait stationary, feet clipped in). All of these jobs are very easy. What’s more, all of the events are LOCAL. You won’t need to travel more than five or six miles from the centre of Scarborough, so you could cycle out.

Volunteers will need to be there from about 6.45 (at the very latest) up until the race finishes - which will vary from around 7.45 or so for the 5-mile races up to about 8.30-8.45 for the 25s. If you’ve never done any kind of timekeeping or marshalling before, instruction will take about five minutes. As I say, it’s easy. And I will be at every race.

Drop me a line if you’re interested.

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Thanks, Keith (and Kathy). Monday 24th is the only remaining event where I do have enough helpers, but you're welcome to come along all the same if you want to see what goes on. And Kathy could maybe get some pictures of riders? That's always useful for a press report.

We'll be meeting at about 6.45pm at the layby at Irton on the Ayton/Seamer road, just north of the Irton/Seamer roundabout.

cheers