London get involved
Contents
Getting involved
There are lots of ways you can help to organise or promote the ride. Please contact us in the Yahoo discussion group or on FaceBook if you are able to help in any way.
Poster
A4 posters can be downloaded for printing locally.
Spread the word
Everyone can help to make the next ride even more successful than the last. Put up some posters. Print them as leaflets and distribute them at events. Invite everyone you know on FaceBook. Post about the ride on social media. Tell everyone you can. There are lots of ideas for promoting the ride at the UK Promote page.
Planning meetings
Riders are invited to any of the London ride planning meetings. The London ride organising group is a collective, and holds open meetings to make all the key decisions about the ride (and allocate responsibilities). Any rider is welcome to attend the meetings (and thus be part of the "London ride planning collective"). The meeting agenda can include route/time, negotiations with police, improving the experience for new riders, presswork, and any other matters that people bring to the meeting. Meetings are open to non-London riders who are involved in planning rides in their local area. Press are not welcome to the planning meetings.
The 2017 meetings are as follows (19:30 start for all meetings):
- Thursday 2 February 2017 19:30 at Royal Festival Hall
- Thursday 23 February 2017 19:30 at Royal Festival Hall
- Thursday 30 March 2017 19:30 at Royal Festival Hall
- Thursday 27 April 2017 19:30 at Royal Festival Hall
- Thursday 25 May 2017 19:30 at Royal Festival Hall
- Test Ride 3 June 2017 starting from planned start points at planned times converging at Westminster Bridge
- Pre-ride finalisation and radio check - 8 June 19:30 at Royal Festival Hall
Plus a post-ride review meeting (for people who participated in organising the ride)
- Saturday 22 July 2017 from 17:30 at 242 Norwood Rd, London SE27 9AW. We welcome organisers, marshals, volunteers for next year and people wanting to celebrate and provide feedback.
Meetings are usually held in the South Bank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. We should be at a table in the seating area close to the side entrance by the statue of Nelson Mandela.
For future meetings, check this page, and/or see the wnbr-London yahoo list. We try to remember to have WNBR things out so it is easier to spot the meeting. If you are in doubt, just ask "is this the bike ride meeting?"
Get in touch (or just show up at a meeting) if you want to join in the planning the next ride. london [at] wnbr.org.uk
Interviews
The press, radio and TV are fascinated by WNBR. We need riders to explain their personal perspective on the ride in interviews. If you are willing to help out with interviews, please contact londonpress [at] wnbr.org.uk and/or your local ride coordinator or call the Press Office.
On the day
We need people to pass out leaflets at the assembly point and during the ride. If you plan to pass out leaflets on the ride, you need to have a good scheme for carrying the leaflets, so they don't spill out or blow away, but so you still can reach them to pass out. We're going to try to pass out leaflets to the crowd at the assembly point and then during the ride.
Being a volunteer steward, marshal, or first aider
In order to ensure the smooth running of this year's London World Naked Bike Ride, we are asking for volunteer first aiders, stewards, and marshals to look after the welfare of riders. Last year's team did a great job, and we're looking to do even better this year (e.g. more effective, more friendly, more responsive). Everyone is welcome to ride naked, but we do ask people in these volunteer roles to wear armbands so that everyone else can recognize you.
First aiders will deal with any minor injuries and call 999 if appropriate. The main goal is to provide a rapid response and assess the situation. If you don't have an up to date first aid certificate, we are running 2 clothing optional first aid courses in West Norwood, with a £10 discount for anyone who volunteers to help with the ride. (More info at Eventbrite.)
Stewards are on duty before the ride starts (on foot). During the Assembly, the Stewards will primarily be directing riders into the ride assembly area, and helping the ride to form up for departure. Stewards will enforce the ride's photo policy through polite but firm verbal intervention.
The London Stewarding Guidelines can be read here although they need updating.
The purpose of WNBR marshals is to monitor the safety and wellbeing of riders, and to provide advice and assistance where necessary. Marshals will be a visible presence amongst riders and will help to ensure that participants are safe, that they don't get lost or separated from the main ride and that assistance is available to those who get left behind or have breakdowns.
As a marshal we would like you to:
- Register to be a marshal in advance (if you turn up on the day with an offer to help, there will be limited things you can assist with and it probably won't be an exciting job).
- Attend the test ride, following the route from the relevant start point.
- Arrive at the relevant start point by 1pm on the day of the ride for an additional Ride Briefing.
- Act as a marshal for the event from 1pm until 6pm (very busy from 2pm to 5pm).
- Wear a high-visibility armband that you borrow and return to the Lead Marshal.
Additionally, you will be expected to:
- Be a confident and proficient cyclist
- Be able to follow instructions from the Lead Marshal.
- Be reasonable, responsible and approachable.
- Maintain a courteous and friendly disposition (even under pressure).
- Bring a small rucksack in which to put useful items such as: a puncture repair kit, spare T-shirt, bottle of water, bike pump. (If you have any of these, it would be most appreciated if you could bring them along, if not, we will endeavour to provide them).
- Carry a mobile phone (for use only in emergencies).
In return, you will receive:
- Support, assistance and guidance from the Lead Marshal.
- A warm glow knowing that you’ve helped to make the London WNBR a success!
If you think you might volunteer in any of these roles, please contact the coordinator for the relevant start point:
- West Norwood: Derek [email protected] (07434 087910) or at the Facebook event
- Clapham Junction: Irwin [email protected]
- Tower Hill: Natasha [email protected] or at the Facebook event
- Kings Cross: Harvey [email protected] or at the Facebook event
- Regents Park: Kiran [email protected]
- Hyde Park: Luigi [email protected] (07762 116833)
