Thrills! Spills! Crashes! Successes!

This is the second year that the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower have run the Billericay Soapbox Derby, after we could no longer muster the manpower needed to organise and run such a major event.  
Fortunately for Billericay, it enthusiastically took it over.  And what a success it is making of it with thousands of enthusiastic spectators and participants turning out on a sunny April 30 to enjoy a spectacular day out.
With four years of successful Soapbox Derbies behind us in the “pre-covid” years, club members were delighted to help out with any requested advice, and with “hands on” help before and on the day.

Preparation

Patrick Rothon provided the venue for the technical scrutineering of the soapboxes on Tuesday April 25, making sure that access was restricted to soapbox teams by “manning” the site from approx.. 4 p.m..  The scrutineering itself was lead and organised, as in previous years, by Malcolm Acors, ensuring that soapboxes would not be a risk to spectators on the day and providing advice on completing unfinished soapboxes or remedying any problems.
Roger Kettle formed the team which installed the scrims and trackside banners on the day.
Peter Greene asked the photographers from 2022 to support the event, and decided who would photograph which parts of the event.

An Early Start

On Soapbox Derby day, the early shift lead by Roger Kettle turned up at 7.00 a.m., long before any spectators, to erect the “Start and Finish” Rotary Security Scrims and install the Sponsors’ Banners along the track before the first race.  
Roger commented “Many thanks to all our team, Mike Sinclair, Patrick and Carol Rothon, David Holroyd and granddaughter Hannah, Stephen King and Brian Wellman and a friend, David Watkins, plus two other helpers.  
Pleased to say that although there were one or two hiccups, all was completed well before the gates opened to the public and most of the team enjoyed well earned coffee and bacon sandwiches.”
Of vital importance, Rotary banners were to be placed by the track jumps to try to ensure that all key photographs of soapboxes taking off over the jumps featured Rotary in the background, ensuring maximum publicity for Rotary.
Unfortunately, it appears that some sponsors had bought positions at the jumps, and then other members outside Roger’s banner team, overrode the positioning and prevented Rotary achieving its desired publicity.
Les Sheppard adjusted the trackside to create the three Marshal positions before meeting up with the Marshals and holding the Marshals’ Briefing.  Once again the Youth Town Councillors had been lined up for this task and some of them had done the job previously so they knew the ropes (or rather the flags – red for ‘wait’, green for ‘go’).

Race Day

Les and his trusty binoculars managed the marshals and periodically walked the course to ensure that children did not sit on the fencing or had limbs on the wrong side of the barriers.  Some parents again seemed to be oblivious of the danger presented to their children as soapboxes hurtled down the course, should a soapbox crash into the barriers or fences.  Only when the track was clear, and all safety provisions in place were all the marshals’ green flags raised and Les raised his green flag to allow each Soapbox to start its “run”.
Peter Greene organised the photographers for the day, with he and Mark Viner staying all day, and Pete Mitchelmore doing the morning stint – Pete left at midday to prepare the photos of the morning ready for use as publicity that day.  All the remaining photographs were edited and provided to Mayflower by end Tuesday, only 48 hours later.
Finally, Peter Strong was on hand to help with the gates but Mayflower was oversubscribed with volunteers, so he was told he was free to stay or go as he pleased!

What a Success

Peter Greene summed it all up: “Congratulations to Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower for the spectacular and highly successful Billericay Soapbox Derby held on April 30.  We are delighted that its members were willing to take over this event, and have such a huge success in 2023.   A tremendously enjoyable day and a great event enjoyed by thousands of spectators. Imaginative costumes! Great Performances! Wacky Soapboxes! Enthusiastic Teams! Thrills! Spills! Crashes! Successes!  We are delighted to help.

Soapbox Bonus

The event was also very successfully financially with, we understand, profits of close to £19,000.  Not bad from just one event after all costs had been taken into consideration.

We were especially delighted when we received the news that, in response to the help that we provided, the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower had voted to donate £750 to our benevolent fund to help us support our charities in the coming year.
Thank you very much, Mayflower!