After many years of stalwart service taking the NOC’s high-top long wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter van to England’s premiere classic bike events from which to run the Norton Owners Club’s presence, Nipper Harris has finally handed the van-keys back to considerable applause – many thanks Nipper, you performed noble services to the NOC, and we’re very grateful for the long hours and many miles you put into the role.
Now, though, we’re on the look-out for a new Events Manager – this role primarily focuses on public-events, though a presence is sometimes maintained at closed-to member events, such as the Annual Rally, or closed-to-Norton events like Norton Day. Our typical events-involvements are the Stafford International Classic Bike Show, the Mallory Park Festival of a Thousand Bikes, the Banbury Run, Goodwood Classic, and maybe the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club’s Donington Park event. Other events we’ve supported in the past include the Brackley Festival of Motorcycling, Brooklands Festival etc.
The Events Van services these meetings with its contents of display-panels etc, tables, chairs, tea-urn (of course!!), selection of merchandise, club regalia etc, and usually a couple of display bikes.
The role requires the Events Manager to agree NOC participation at appropriate events with the club’s Board, to negotiate our presence at them, including haggling over any fees required, and to then organise our team of experienced events workers to help with stand-build, manning and break-down. Suitable graphics may need producing, and display bikes need to be located, collected and returned safely to their loaning-owners. At times, negotiations with collections’ owners may be required to ‘spring’ a special machine for a specific occasion, including from the National Motorcycle Museum etc.
The Events Manager gets to all the prime English bike-events, and participates ‘from the inside’. There’s a great sense of satisfaction, especially when picking up organisers’ prizes, that the NOC has acquired quite a habit of doing over the years.
Now’s a great time to come on-board, with our participation at the Stafford International Classics Show (03/04Jul21) being put together right now, so learning on-the-job as the team is already swinging into action – there’s a really useful ‘understudy’ role needing to be performed under the guidance of old hands, before fully taking over the role for 2022.
If this sounds up your alley, please contact the NOC Vice-Chairman, Peter Scatchard, (peter.scatchard@nortonownersclub.org, txt / call 07775 631 044) for a without-obligation discussion.
