My introduction to motor racing was through my dad when I was a child (writes Guild member Peter Burgess). We used to drive up to Silverstone as a family in his Cortina GT, park up, picnic on the banking and try to not notice how horrible the toilets were. It turned into a lifetime pilgrimage.
Things improved over time, with real grandstand seats, the good Pit Stop Café and, thankfully, the toilets. I even dabbled a bit in racing.
The British Racing Drivers’ Club is the one we must thank for turning dusty old Silverstone into a venue that competes with the world’s best. The British Grand Prix has always been a drivers’ favourite, while the Silverstone Festival, over the August Bank Holiday, draws in crowds of enthusiasts for classic racing and classic car clubs.
Through the Guild’s arrangement with the BRDC, I was fortunate to gain access on the Saturday of the Festival – infield parking, special hospitality buses around the circuit and entrance to the BRDC Clubhouse overlooking what I still think of as just Woodcote corner.
Even though it rained, then rained some more, the spectacle was unsurpassed. The BRDC pass is a special privilege to Guild members, which I’d encourage all members to take advantage of. Email Tim Beavis for more details.
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/9b6c70fd-2931-1879-b3ef-564dddb5977f.jpg7601200Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2024-09-21 09:49:472024-09-21 09:49:49BRDC Silverstone passes – a real benefit
The Guild of Motoring Writers Big Day Out makes its return to Castle Combe circuit in April (writes Simon Harris), and entries are now open for members to spend a day on track.
Entries for the event on Wednesday 17th April will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and are primarily for Guild members. Any guest drivers they wish to nominate will be placed on a reserve list to fill places left vacant by member-drivers – although it is more than likely that we will be able to accommodate and welcome a number of guest drivers.
Entry forms can be obtained from committee member and organiser John Griffiths and must be completed and returned by 5th April (although the sooner the better!). The entry fee for Guild drivers on this strictly non-profit event is £50, guest drivers £75 and passengers £15.
The event is sponsored once again by Suzuki GB, and we are grateful to Alun Parry for his continued support. A number of Suzuki cars will be available for testing on the roads in the area in downtime between drivers’ circuit slots.
Genesis Motor will also bring some test cars, and another car manufacturer has also expressed a strong interest in attending.
A voucher can be obtained free of charge when signing in at race control, entitling the holder to breakfast in the circuit cafe. At the end of the event, all participants are invited to tea at nearby Middlewick, home of Guild president Nick Mason.
As press cars will be available for driving independently of circuit sessions, it is also possible to accommodate Guild members wishing to attend solely to review the test vehicles. You must register to do this, although an attendance fee is not payable.
Indemnity forms will be signed on the day at Race Control. Only those who have completed disclaimers, whether drivers or passengers, will receive wristbands allowing them on track.
The total number of drivers allowed on the track throughout the day will be 60, split into a number of 15-minute driving slots, with up to 12 participants on the circuit at any one time.
It is likely that some entrants may wish to make changes/substitutions as the day itself draws near. The admin team will do their utmost to accommodate, as in the past, but we do request they be minimised. Entrants may also enter more than one car, subject to spaces being available.
Final instructions will be issued immediately after the close of entries. They will cover timings, noise testing (under 100dB), the mandatory safety briefing, refreshment arrangements and other relevant details.
Please note that the circuit paddock will close at 6pm on the evening before the event and motorhomes/trailers are welcome to occupy it overnight, as per a normal pre-race meeting evening. At 6pm, however, the circuit gates will be locked, no ifs or buts.
Be advised that four hotels are within easy or relatively easy reach of the circuit: a Travelodge at the M5 services and Premier Inn, in Chippenham are both modestly priced. The Castle Hotel and Manor House Hotel, both in Castle Combe itself are more credit card-melting.
Please give an indication when returning your entry form if you are staying nearby and wish to meet other participants for dinner – we will try to put you in touch with each other nearer the time. We look forward to seeing many of you at this extremely popular annual event.
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Picture-1.jpg578904Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2024-02-07 09:16:532024-02-07 09:17:55Sign up for Guild Big Day Out 2024
Guild member Charlotte Vowden is hosting her first event as part of International Women’s Day on Saturday 9th March.
Charlotte, who in July made her TV debut on new classic car show Repair Lot, will be hosting the latest ‘Hagerty Hangout’ gathering, between 3pm and 7pm at the insurer’s Bicester Heritage clubhouse.
A varied programme is on offer including a chat with the world’s first female tetraplegic racing driver Nathalie McGloin, practical advice from classic car trimmer Freya Read, fine art from classic car fan Lily Crabtree and car-themed treats by artisan baker IcedMaiden.
The event will also include the chance to weigh up the pros and cons of classic cars turned into electric vehicles, with examples on show, and a chance to test drive vehicles from The Little Car Company.
“This is the first time I’ve organised an event for International Women’s Day,” Charlotte said. “It will be a safe space for all; everyone is welcome to come – if I know you, I can’t wait to see you again, and if we’ve never met, I look forward to saying hello!”
Tickets cost £10 with £5 from each going to the Spinal Track charity – they can be ordered here.
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/a118a2f5-b5b6-3740-4009-3390b7f890e1.jpg8001200Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2024-02-03 10:09:412024-02-03 10:10:47Charlotte Vowden to host Women’s Day gathering
Guild of Motoring Writers members, their colleagues in automotive PR and prominent figures from the motoring and motorsport industry gathered at the RAC Club in Pall Mall, London on the evening of 7th December for the long-established tradition of the Guild’s annual Dinner and Awards.
As ever the event honoured excellence in automotive journalism and photography with winners across a host of categories receiving their awards and prizes on the night. But it was also an excellent social evening with guests catching up with old friends in a champagne reception generously sponsored by Genesis Motor UK, before moving on to dinner.
In his speech to the gathering, Guild Chair Simon Harris delighted in the fact that there were more awards to present to journalists this year than last, thanks to new sponsors coming on board, and he offered the Guild’s grateful thanks to all the award sponsors. He was particularly pleased to see the return of the young writer’s award, adding that it was particularly important to highlight the work of the latest generation of writers; “They are our future.”
Responding on behalf of the guests, Oliver Rowe, Chair of MICA, the Motor Industry Communicators Association, reflected on the changed world in which both PRs and journalists now work, and notably the challenges, and in some ways drawbacks, that online conferencing has brought with it.
Master of Ceremonies Ben Edwards then took the microphone to reveal the award winners.
Guild/MICA Young PR Professional of the Year, sponsored by Meridian Audio
In this award, open to those aged 30 and under, judges were looking for the best examples of performance, professionalism and practice in automotive PR. The award was presented by Guild Chair Simon Harris, MICA Managing Director Richard Gotch and from award sponsors Meridian Audio, Director of Marketing Katy Bradshaw, to Auto Trader Senior Communications Manager Bryony Snelling.
The judges felt that, by successfully extending the role of communications into specialist reports and campaigning, Bryony has generated high-quality coverage for Auto Trader that would be impossible to achieve with a more conventional, or a less rigorous, approach.
Highly Commended: Sam Buckingham (Genesis Motor UK), Anastasia Vader (Audi)
AA Campaigning for Motoring Award
From road safety to electric vehicles, or roads maintenance to environmental issues, the judges of this award wanted to see examples of how entrants have built and delivered their case to improve the lives of all road users. AA Campaigns Manager Lorna Lee presented the award to Ray Massey.
The judges thought Ray, a previous winner of the award in 2017, had written clearly, emotively and informatively. His article Everything’s Gone to Pot highlights the urgent need for greater investment in our roads, not only to safeguard road users, particularly those on two wheels, but also to protect the budgets of families.
Highly Commended: Jack Carfrae, Andrew Charman
BCA Feature Writer of the Year
This hotly-contested award is in its 29th year and continues to attract a large number of submissions – it is awarded to the writer judged to have made the most outstanding contribution in automotive feature writing. Unfortunately BCA Head of Public Relations Tim Naylor could not attend the event so award judge and Guild Vice-President Ray Hutton presented the award on his behalf to James Taylor.
The judges felt James presented a really ambitious feature that combines an adventure with a road test of a new car while managing to include a report on electric vehicles, evidence of global warming and a visit to the Global seed bank which preserves plant species from extinction – well-planned, well-written and beautifully presented.
Highly Commended: Jack Carfrae, Claire Evans
Bentley Motors Editor of the Year
The Bentley Motors Editor of the Year award rewards the editor who can demonstrate they are capable of making critical decisions that make a real difference to the success of their publication. Unfortunately Bentley Motors Head of Corporate Communications Matthew Read was unable to attend so award judge and Guild Vice-President Matthew Carter presented the award to Mark Bursa of Professional Drivermagazine.
The judges recognised that Mark knows his audience and regularly delivers exactly what they want, his title delivering its verdict in a thoughtful, well-argued manner. As a magazine Professional Driver provides an excellent balance of news and comment backed by analytical articles and well thought-out features.
Highly Commended: Richard Aucock (Auto Retail Profit), Tom Geggus (Autovista24)
Footman James Classic Writer of the Year
Once again the award for writers on classic vehicles proved strongly contested, attracting the most entries. Harry Metcalfe, Brand Ambassador for sponsor Footman James, presented the award to Simon Hucknall.
The judges felt that Simon’s well-executed work, on the restoration of an AEC Regent bus, delved into a little-reported area of the classic sector and he produced a well-written and absorbing feature that could be appreciated by all motoring enthusiasts.
Highly Commended: David Burgess-Wise, Trinity Francis
Genesis Award for Automotive Technology Journalism
Recognising work including engineering excellence for technical audiences, while proving easily accessible to non-specialists, this award was presented by Genesis Motor UK’s Head of PR and Communications Simon Branney to James Taylor, who earned his second accolade of the evening.
James’ ability to make his writing accessible to both the technically orientated and the layman impressed the judges, telling a complex story really easily.
Highly Commended: Alex Grant, Ray Massey
IVECO Commercial Vehicle Writer of the Year
If recent Guild recruit Trinity Francis felt any disappointment at missing out on the Classic Writer award it did not last long as she was named Commercial Vehicle Writer of the Year, the award presented to her on behalf of sponsor IVECO by Richard Gadaselli.
The judges were impressed with the fresh, interesting and engaging entries presented by Trinity, a first-time finalist and making a stand-out achievement against the strong opposition of a previous winner and a three-time winner.
Highly Commended: Jack Carfrae, Louise Cole
Lexus Photographer of the Year
The Guild’s Photographic Awards have always been strongly contested and this year welcomed a new sponsor in Lexus UK. The judges select each category’s finalists on the strength of their submission portfolio, so a consistent level of quality is a must for all entrants. The quality of entries reached a new level this year, with the shortlisted candidates in both categories proving very difficult to separate.
Unfortunately General Award winner Jonathan Fleetwood was unable to be present at the event. Lexus Senior Press Officer David Crouch presented the Motorsport Award to Jakob Ebrey.
The general category was almost too close to call – the judges decided that Jonathan should win a third successive award for his portfolio that, while wide-ranging, showed consistent top quality while completely meeting the brief. And Jakob, also a previous winner, emerged just in front of his rivals, the judges praising the visual excellence of his submission but particularly highlighting the personality and emotion that was very evident.
Highly Commended: General – Jayson Fong, Matt Howell Highly Commended:Motorsport – Will Broadhead, Drew Gibson
MG Motor Young Writer of the Year
The support of new sponsor MG Motor enabled a welcome return of the Young Writer of the Year award, providing both Guild and non-Guild members under the age of 30 with an opportunity to showcase their work. The judges looked for articles that exhibit a combination of thorough research and well-crafted journalism.
MG’s Head of Product, David Allison, presented the award to Yousuf Ashraf of Evo magazine. Yousuf’s pieces were exceptional for someone of 23 years old, the judges feeling that he managed to transport the reader to living the experiences he was writing about with some truly riveting features.
Highly Commended: Dino Buratti, Charlie Martin
Prodrive Motorsport Cup
This award recognises an outstanding achievement by a Guild member reporting on motorsport at any level, and was presented by Prodrive Motorsport’s Business Development Manager, Richard Taylor, to Maurice Hamilton.
The judges gave top marks to Maurice, twice a previous winner of this award, for his brilliantly-written, cautionary and timely analysis of Ford as the brand prepares to step back into F1 racing.
Highly Commended: Indira Flack, Guy Loveridge
Prova PR Business Writer of the Year
In this award, still supported by its founding sponsor in Prova PR, the judges look for a clarity of writing and well-researched articles, both of which this year’s robust entry list provided.
Prova PR founder Richard Postins presented the award to Jonathan Manning – the judges thought the pieces in Jonathan’s submission provided valuable takeaways for the reader, especially his piece on cyber attacks.
Highly Commended: Tom Geggus, Tim Wallace
RAC EV Journalist of the Year
Presented for the most outstanding example of EV journalism by a Guild member, the judges of this award were looking for a single article specifically related to the use of EVs that was informative, innovative and entertaining.
RAC Senior Press Officer Rod Dennis presented the award to Alex Grant, who entered an exemplary piece of detailed journalism – his feature on how major delivery fleets such as those of Royal Mail and DPD are transitioning to electric vehicles was comprehensive, incredibly well-researched and engagingly written.
Highly Commended: Paul Horrell, Lucy Radley
Suzuki Award for the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy
The Suzuki Award for the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy has long been considered one of the Guild’s blue-riband awards. Open to both Guild members and non-Guild members alike, the award caters exclusively for books and the entry list reflected an interesting and eclectic mix of submissions.
The first, second and third placed finalists all received their awards from the CEO of the National Motor Museum Trust, Dr Jon Murden, and Suzuki Head of Press and PR Alun Parry, and taking the top accolade was Jon Saltinstall, author of Jacky Ickx – His Authorised Competition History. Judges described this as an incredibly well-researched book with a huge amount of time invested in it – the book details 565 races with more than 850 images, many of which are previously unpublished.
Second in the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy was Richard Jenkins for Tyrrell: The Story of the Tyrrell Racing Organisation – the judges felt Richard had packed a lot into a wonderful record of a much-loved racing team, fondly remembered long after their demise.
Third place was taken by Andy Saunders, his book The Automotive Alchemist covering 60 of his wonderful creations in both words and pictures and representing a celebration of his creative joy and design genius.
Sue Baker Journalist of the Year – sponsored by loop
This award recognises the crème de la crème – the journalists who have gone that extra mile to show their professionalism and their skills worthy of being named Sue Baker Journalist of the Year. The judging panel carefully assessed the winning entries in this year’s other award categories looking for submissions with a particular emphasis being placed on initiative and endeavour.
Guild Chair Simon Harris and loop Head of Agency Tim Bowdler presented the award to a visibly surprised Simon Hucknall. The judges found that among a fine collection of winners, Simon’s diverse portfolio was a stand-out example of well-written and absorbing features in a style accessible to all readers.
Special Contribution to Motoring Award – sponsored by Kia UK
The evening’s presentations then moved on to those honours bestowed by the Guild on individuals or organisations which have made a notable impact on the automotive world during the past 12 months. Sponsored by Kia UK, the Guild’s Special Contribution to Motoring award is presented for an outstanding contribution to motoring and Kia UK’s Jonathan Musk and Guild Chair Simon Harris presented this year’s award to Sally Boazman, or as she is best known, ‘Sally Traffic’.
Following a brief foray into acting, Sally entered the world of broadcasting working in the current affairs department of LWT. Her next job placed her in a role for which we know her best, working as a traffic news announcer for The AA and she went on to present traffic reports for a number of radio stations becoming best known on BBC Radio 2 as the network’s first official travel news presenter, delivering travel updates alongside such names as Johnnie Walker, Chris Evans, Simon Mayo, Steve Wright and Jeremy Vine.
Away from the radio, Sally has produced her own books and narrated a CD for the Highways Agency, while TomTom navigation has her voice available for its GPS units, the proceeds from which go to BBC Children in Need.
She’s cycled across 250 miles of Kenya’s Rift Valley to support charity Transaid, has won the Truck & DriverDriver’s Choice award for Best Traffic Information, been described by Autotrader UK as the “sexiest voice on the radio” and a national treasure who changed the way traffic reporting is done.
During a chat with Ben Edwards, Sally regaled the audience with some of the highlights from a career in which her voice has become well known to millions.
Guild Young Rider of the Year
The Guild’s award recognising rising talent in motorcycle sport went this year to Kyle Ryde, who unfortunately was unable to join us at the event. Kyle spent his early years contesting the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup during which time he became the youngest ever British 125cc Champion. He then won the British National Superstock 600 Championship and his progress up the ranks saw him make his debut in British Superbikes (BSB) in 2017.
Following a short career break he returned to BSB under the Buildbase Suzuki banner, achieving his first two BSB race wins in 2019. A switch to OMG Racing saw him climbing the ranks in this the premier national championship and in 2023 he took six wins on his way to third overall in the championship behind the dominant works Ducati team.
Guild Young Driver of the Year
Our Young Driver of the Year was also unable to be with us on the night, for the very good reason that he was required at the FIA Awards in Baku, Azerbaijan, to collect his maiden World Champion award in the all-electric Formula E single-seater series.
Like so many of his contemporaries’ Jake Dennis began his racing career in karting at the age of eight, competing in the Cadet British Championship. He went on to win multiple British Karting Championships and the U18 World Karting Championship before moving into single-seaters.
His debut season in the Formula Renault Northern European Cup saw him win the title along with a McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, before further progress into the FIA Formula 3 European Championship brought several race victories. A successful move into GT Racing was followed by a factory drive in the DTM and then Formula E in 2022. Driving for the Avalanche Andretti team, he was the stand-out rookie, winning two races and only just missing out on becoming the first Formula E World Champion that year. Remaining with the team for the 2022-23 season, a string of podium places, including two wins, saw him taking the World Championship 30 points clear of his nearest rival. He finished the year driving a Red Bull F1 car in the first practice session for the season-finale Abu Dhabi GP.
Jake’s award was accepted by his race engineer, Sean McGill, who in a chat with Ben Edwards described his driver as a major talent with many more wins ahead of him.
Guild Outstanding Achievement in Motorsport
The FIA Awards in Baku also claimed the recipient of the Guild’s Outstanding Achievement in Motorsport Award this year, as Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Elfyn Evans was picking up his award for finishing second in the World Rally Championship (WRC), for the third time in four years.
Son of former British Rally Champion Gwyndaf, Elfyn began rallying in 2006 and in the following year started his professional career in the Group N production-car class while also appearing in a WRC car on his home turf, competing in the Wales Rally GB. In 2010 he won both the British Junior Rally Championship, the UK Ford Fiesta Trophy series and the Pirelli Star Driver Shoot-out which included a fully-funded season in a Group N Subaru Impreza.
In 2012, he secured the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) Academy title, the R2 British Rally Championship (BRC) and the UK Fiesta Sport Trophy. In the following year he won the WRC2 class in Wales Rally GB, and in 2016 he took second in the WRC2 title race. Since 2017 he was competed in WRC, winning the Wales Rally GB in that year. He joined Toyota Gazoo Racing in 2020 and teamed up with his current co-driver Scott Martin, in what has proven to be a highly successful pairing. He has three times in four years taken second in the championship and signed off 2023 with victory in Rally Japan, leading a Toyota podium lock-out.
Elfyn’s award was collected by former F1 GP winner John Watson who, reunited with his long-time commentating partner Ben Edwards, discussed the influence of top family dynasties in motorsport.
Guild President’s Trophy
The final award of the evening was the President’s Trophy, the recipient being chosen by our President Nick Mason in consultation with the committee and awarded for an outstanding achievement in the field of International Automobilism.
This year the Trophy honours one of the UK’s best-known and most sought-after international transportation designers, Peter Stevens. He has been responsible for so many iconic vehicles, the best-known road and race designs including the McLaren F1 road car, the 1999 Le Mans-winning BMW, the Lotus Elan and Esprit, Jaguar’s XJR-15, the Subaru Impreza P1 road car as well as the world rally championship-winning Subaru Imprezas.
During his career, Peter has worked with many of the world’s leading automotive companies and has also worked on railway projects across the world. He is committed to the idea that designers must work creatively with technology.
Among many fascinating points raised during an engaging chat with Ben Edwards, Peter admitted that he designs race and rally cars alongside his road creations because he is impatient; “With road cars you wait three years to see if you are successful and whether the sales people grumble. With a race car you know whether it’s successful in 1 minute 45 seconds.”
The weekend saw a unique event at Silverstone, a first literary and art festival dedicated to the automotive sector, writes Guild member Ian Wagstaff. The man behind the venture was Guild member Philip Porter who, with his team at Porter Press International, put together a most professional and impressive happening.
The Guild was an Event Partner with a number of other members involved in the running of the weekend including John Brooks, Mark Cole, Ben Edwards, Andrew Marriott, Andrew Noakes, James Page, Martin Port, Steve Rendle and Ian Wagstaff.
A wide variety of publishers and artists took stands in Silverstone’s Wing complex with an array of cars – including, thanks to Girado & Co, the 1963 and 1964 Le Mans winning Ferrari 275P/250P – downstairs in the pit garages.
Three ‘theatres’ hosted a regular stream of talks featuring such as Gary Anderson, Ian Callum, Peter Stevens, Lord Hesketh, Tony Southgate, Mike Pilbeam and former Grand Prix drivers Jackie Oliver, Howden Ganley, John Watson and Karun Chandhok.
Andrew Noakes’ automotive journalism students from Coventry University also assisted in the management of the talks.
As Philip says, there are many literary festivals out there but this was the first dedicated to the world of motoring. The feedback from visitors the following day was particularly positive, one commenting on the damage done to their credit card by the number of books on sale [including Ian’s own title, ‘Formula 1’s Unsung Pioneers’, pictured here – Ed].
There was also much meeting of old and new contacts, not always the most obvious. Where else was one likely to see Donald Campbell’s grandson Don Wales in conversation with such as artist, and Guild member, Michael Turner or with Formula 1 designer Pat Symonds.?
Perhaps the best way to sum up the weekend would be to quote Roger Spurr’s comment on Facebook: ‘Brilliant day after digging my car out of the snow in Derbyshire!
‘The GT40 and BRM talks were fresh and educating. Stallholders and artists very chatty and a nice selection of metal on the ground floor to take up any spare minutes. Not that many fanatics attended and those that dithered over spending a few quid missed a treat and should make it a diary date for next year.
‘Well done Porter Press, hope to see you in 2024.’
The Guild is pleased to confirm it has been named an official partner of the Motoring Literary & Art Festival, which will be held at The Wing, Silverstone Circuit on 2nd-3rd December.
The Guild will help promote the Festival, organised by Guild member Philip Porter, and keep members updated with the latest news and opportunities at the event, which is the first of its kind.
Devoted to motoring books, magazines, art and automobilia, the event follows grand literary festival tradition built around a programme of interesting and entertaining panel discussions and talks.
There will also be an exhibition of specialists and a selection of star cars.
A host of personalities have been signed up to appear in the three theatres at the Festival, including 10 top racing drivers, six designers, 14 authors, five leading industry figures and an exhibitor list already numbering over 40.
So far, seven Guild members are directly involved in the event, with several more potentially joining the line-up.
The Guild will be there too, and members are welcome to come and join us on either or both days, or follow us on social media for more.
For more information on the Motoring Literary & Art Festival 2023, go to the Festival’s website.
Photo above shows Lord Hesketh, a guest at the Festival, in conversation with Philip Porter. Photo by Gary Harman
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/LordHeskethinconversationwithPhilipPorter.PhotocreditGaryHarman.jpg7171500Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2023-11-30 14:28:002023-11-30 14:28:54Guild partners with Motoring Literary & Art Festival
This week (writes Guild Committee member Jim McGill) I should have completed Mazda’s latest annual Epic Drive, this year travelling 1100kms in 36 hours through the Atlas Mountains. Not surprisingly, the devastating earthquake in Morocco at 11.11pm last Friday meant the event was swiftly cancelled on Saturday morning.
While, however, we all read the news and watched the images as the death toll rose dramatically, from 290 early on Saturday morning to close to 3,000 as I write this, Mazda UK PR Director Graeme Fudge and the rest of the Mazda events crew were doing what they could to help those in need in the villages devastated by the earthquake.
I spoke with Graeme on Monday (11th Sept) after he had returned to the Mazda base in Marrakech following two days in the mountains. Here he describes first-hand the moment the earthquake hit, followed by the work the team found themselves doing helping the impacted areas and some of the scenes he witnessed.
“I’m a bit knackered after the past two days. On Friday night we were in a restaurant on the third floor of a building in Marrakech. It was around ten past 11, and it just felt like a large steamroller was going past the building – everything started shaking; everything on the table was bouncing up and down. Everybody in the restaurant just legged it and at that point we realised it was probably something more than a steamroller.
All of us then evacuated the restaurant and stood out in the street with everyone else for about half-an-hour until we realised “okay, the building’s not going to fall down”. So I went in and paid the bill — which they were very grateful for — and then quite literally we went back to the hotel, which was still standing, and went to bed.
On the way back to the hotel, we did see some damage. There was a mosque on which the minaret had come down at the entrance to the souk and a bit of damage inside the souk. On the main mosque, in the square, there was quite a bit of rubble where obviously a wall had collapsed. But to be honest, the damage in Marrakech was absolutely minimal compared to what we then witnessed in other places we visited over the next two days.
It wasn’t until the next morning when we saw the headlines and realised what hadn’t actually felt a particularly bad quake the night before — it lasted for exactly 44 seconds — had already killed at least 290 people. We also then knew that a couple of the towns in the mountains were deep under rubble, with people trapped and desperately in need of help.
We decided that, as we had a paramedic with us and many of the towns and villages which had been impacted didn’t have any emergency services and were in desperate need of water, we would go up into the mountains and offer what assistance we could.
The paramedic and I jumped in a car at around 9am, and with Keith, Mark, Daz and Steve in other cars we headed up to the first village, Ouirgane. When we got there it was very obvious that the things they needed were medical aid, water and food. We had a load of water with us, but unfortunately not food.
So we started handing out water — we had 380 bottles in the back of the car — and that went really quickly; probably in around five minutes. There was somebody from the town who was obviously co-ordinating efforts from a villager point of view. He started pointing us in the right direction to where the water was needed most urgently.
The paramedic, also named Graeme, made himself known to the villager and within minutes he was being asked to help people.
Paramedic Graeme at work helping injured villagers
The scale of the tragedy was demonstrated by the first person Graeme assisted; he had a suspected fractured skull and was advised to go to hospital, but was refusing as his family were still under the rubble and he did not want to leave them. Sadly they did not survive.
The guy in the village then took us to multiple locations where people needed help and Graeme did what he could. Mostly it was walking wounded – there were some really nasty lacerations, a guy with a badly damaged foot, while another’s arm had opened up where he’d been hit by falling debris. Another had chest wounds and there were a lot of head wounds, things like that.
Realising there was a massive need for water, we sent Keith and the guys back into town to bring more water up and hand it out. By this point the villagers had started to co-ordinate themselves into something resembling managed chaos and we started to get the water to people who needed it as opposed to those who were just being opportunistic in getting water for free. We were up there until probably seven on the Saturday evening just doing what we could – we’d been on-site since about 10am.
Having come back down, we then decided that actually more help was required. I texted Jeremy (Thomson, Mazda UK MD) to say “look, tomorrow I’m going to spend a load of money to buy water and food to take to the stricken villages in the mountains”.
He got hold of Martijan (ten Brink), our European President, to ask “is this okay?”, and was told, “definitely; spend what you need, within reason, and take it up there”.
Paramedic Graeme at work helping injured villagers
I think we spent £1000 on water the following day. We filled up three CX-5s, two pick-ups and a Land Cruiser and headed back up to the village we’d been in the day before. When we arrived, the same guy who had been co-ordinating with us on the Saturday jumped into one of the CX-5s just to make sure the water was going to the right people.
Then we were asked if we could get the rest of the water in the two pick-ups and the Land Cruiser up to a helicopter supply point in the mountains. We were sent off to this village called Talat N’Yaaqoub, which had been cut off the day before.
They had managed to open up the road — this was, in fact, the route we were going to use on the Epic Drive but was now very different to what it had been a few days previous when we last drove it. There had been massive landslides along its length.
It was only a single-track road for most of it, so we ended up getting stuck when other vehicles were coming in the opposite direction.
The sides of the mountains were still unstable – when we were stopped and looked up you could still see rocks and scree coming down. In one location they had cut through what had been an avalanche/rockfall, but they’d essentially left a wall of the avalanche: it was probably 15 feet high. That’s when I thought, “I really don’t want to be sitting here”.
There was a Mercedes MPV which had been taken out by a rockslide just about half-an-hour before we got there. Thankfully the occupants had got out safely. There was also a Dacia Duster which had been completely pulverised under the avalanche.
This Dacia Duster stood no chance under tons of falling rock
We finally got up to this village, which was right at the epicentre of the quake and was completely flat – there’s no other way to describe it. There wasn’t a single building left standing. People’s homes, businesses and livelihoods had been taken from them in 44 seconds. It was a really lovely village, and standing on the hill as you approached it had been a 200 to 300-year-old fort. That had completely gone.
Once we got to the village, we were trying to locate the helicopter supply point, but we couldn’t find it. So we started giving out water to people who obviously needed it, particularly the rescuers. There were a lot of people still looking for bodies and survivors in the rubble.
Two- and three-storey buildings were now less than a storey high. We could see mattresses sticking out from the side of what had been bedrooms where the flat roof had just collapsed downwards.
Rescue teams from Turkey, France and the Moroccan army had by now arrived in the town and the townspeople were getting the help and support they needed. They had running water in the village, but it was just one single standpipe. So they were actually quite grateful for bottled water to be able to give to the people working, and then they could refill the bottles themselves.
Then a guy came along and said he was going up to a couple of the villages which were inaccessible by car and asked if he could take some of the water. So we gave him half the water we had to take to the even more remote villages. We gave the kids some sweets and crisps, and then I thought that us staying here now was just getting in the way, so we decided to head back.
Returning to Marrakech was an adventure in itself. This road now being open, every man and his dog were trying to drive along it. At one point I was sitting underneath an overhanging rock which didn’t look particularly stable, with two large army trucks rumbling past very slowly and a drop of about 500ft next to me. I was thinking, “maybe my judgement is a little questionable here”.
Worrying moments meeting heavy trucks on a narrow, unstable road
We made it back, the whole round trip on the Sunday having taken about 11 hours. The first bit of it to the first village had taken an hour, the last 35kms out to the second village, and 35 back, nearer 10 hours.
It was pure devastation and very sad to see. We did what we could, however small that contribution was.”
(Mazda UK PR Director Graeme Fudge was speaking to Jim McGill)
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/c4d6905c-8d6b-a828-4f19-3883092e0886.jpg8911600Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2023-09-18 13:18:562023-09-19 10:43:30From drive event to disaster relief
Entries are now open for the 2023 Guild of Motoring Writers Awards, with the winners set to be presented with their awards during a black-tie dinner held at the Royal Automobile Club in December.
The period for submitting entries will last until midnight on Friday 30th September and, following judging, finalists will be announced in November. Work published between 1st October 2022 and 30th September 2023 will be eligible for consideration.
The awards presentation will be held at its traditional home of the Royal Automobile Club on 7th December, during the Guild’s Annual Dinner, which always features leading figures in automotive journalism and the industry.
With the exception of the RAC EV Journalist of the Year, Guild judges will select from up to three submissions per entry, with the best single piece of work from three entrants selected to make up the finalists of each category. Please note RAC EV Journalist of the Year entrants are limited to just one submission.
Books only are eligible to be entered into the Suzuki Award for the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy. The closing date for entries is Monday, 2nd October 2023. An individual piece of material (such as a story or feature) can only be submitted into one category.
The awards are listed in detail below – regular entrants will notice that this list does not currently include the Photographic Awards or the Business Publication Award, for which sponsorship is still being sought. Guild Chair Simon Harris commented; “We are extremely appreciative of all the companies that have sponsored our 2023 awards, and it’s gratifying that they recognise the importance of these prestigious accolades as high points in the careers of the winners.
“Sadly, it is not possible for awards to run without sponsorship, and we are working tirelessly to ensure we can secure backing for the Photographic Awards and Business Publication Award in 2023.
“There is a huge breadth of talent among automotive photographers, and the judges are presented with an extremely difficult task each year in selecting the winners. Likewise, business publications contain some of the highest quality automotive journalism, with unrivalled knowledge and expertise in the various elements of the car industry that support manufacturers in their quests for sales.
“We hope to secure sponsorship for these awards very soon, as it’s vital that the best in these sectors are also allowed their chance to shine.”
Full details on all the award categories, prize money and an entry form are on the Guild Awards page of the website.
Candidates are advised to read the online instructions carefully before entering. If you have any questions about the entry procedure contact Honorary Secretary, Richard Netherwood.
The awards categories and criteria are as follows:
This award merges the AA’s previous Campaigning Journalism and Safety awards. The scope of this category is wide and entries should focus on how their writing advances campaigns that impact motorists.
From road safety to electric vehicles, or roads maintenance to environmental issues, we want to see examples of how entrants have built and delivered their case to improve the lives of all road users. The judges will be looking for a piece of writing that provokes, challenges or encourages real change among authorities, car makers and road-users in general.
Judges are also looking for writing that shows depth of passion and commitment to improve the roads for all regardless of whether they are inside or outside a vehicle.
For the best general feature (not regular column) dealing with any aspect of the motoring scene by a Guild member. The judges are looking for a feature that takes a fresh or novel approach to a topic and one which demonstrates well-researched material that is both entertaining and informative. Candidates are required to enter just one feature for consideration.
First presented in 2010 this award goes to the editor who demonstrates they have balanced the demands of publishers and readers while nurturing journalistic talent and successfully making the critical decisions that turn a good publication into a great one.
The judges are looking for strong leadership, innovations in the approach to editing and a keen understanding of the target audience and their requirements as well as supporting the development of their staff.
Presented to the journalist offering the best example of an article or feature (but not books) reporting on the world of classic vehicles of any age. Entries should demonstrate an extensive knowledge of the subject and an interest in promoting the cause of classic motoring, whether it be cars, motorcycles or commercial vehicles.
The judges will be looking for material which shows a genuine enthusiasm for the subject and that is both engaging and informative for the reader.
Recognising engineering excellence for technical audiences, the judges are looking for an ability to write features that are valued by specialists in the subject, yet which are also interesting and easily accessible to non-specialists.
This award is presented for features that best represent the world of commercial vehicles. These can either be on the latest innovations in vehicle technology or innovative use of commercial vehicles in day-to-day business. The judges are looking for a fresh and interesting approach to the subject.
This flagship award is supported by loop, a specialist automotive PR and communications agency. In 2019 a new format was introduced making this an award for the ‘best of the best’ – the judging panel reviews the entries of all the category winners to select the most outstanding performer.
The award recognises an outstanding achievement by a Guild member in the world of motorsport either writing about or competing in motorsport at any level.
This award recognises excellence among Guild members who work in business media, both print and online. Judges will be looking for clarity of writing and well-researched articles that help readers understand the complexities of the business side of the UK auto industry from a retail, fleet or manufacturing perspective.
For the most outstanding example of electric vehicle (EV) journalism by a Guild member. Entrants are asked to submit just one article for this award. The judges will be looking for an informative, innovative and entertaining article related to the use of EVs.
We classify an EV as a vehicle where power to the wheels is provided by one or more electric motors, using electricity generated on or off the vehicle.
Suzuki Award for the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy Open to Guild members and non-members 1st £500 and two years’ free Guild membership 2nd £200 and one year’s free Guild membership 3rd £100 and one year’s free Guild membership
This award, open to Guild and non-Guild members, is presented to the person judged to have made the greatest contribution to recording, in the English language, the history of motoring or motorcycling in books.
Open to those under 30, the award looks for the best examples of performance, professionalism and practice in automotive PR.
As well as the above awards there will also be presentations for the Driver of the Year, Rider of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Motorsport, The Guild of Motoring Writers’ Special Commendation sponsored by Kia, the Pemberton Trophy and the President’s Trophy.
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-Guild-Award-Winners.jpg17072560Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2023-09-05 05:51:042023-09-05 06:08:20Entries open for 2023 Guild Awards
Microcars and the story of British vehicles will be the theme for this year’s Guild Bring Your Own Vehicle Day, which will be held on Saturday 7th October.
The annual event, which sees members using their own cars to stop off at sites of automotive interest and enjoying a scenic drive in between, will start at the Bubblecar Museum, near Boston, Lincolnshire, and, following a tour, drive to the Great British Car Journey in Derbyshire.
The plan is to arrive at the Great British Car Journey in time for lunch, while members will also hear from Richard Usher, the museum’s CEO.
Members interested in attending are asked to save the date, and request a booking form from Guild ChairSimon Harris.
Estimated price is £20 per person, with exact details to be confirmed soon.
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/3fad9c56-342e-0d73-639b-7014750d0854.jpg7191200Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2023-09-04 07:54:142023-09-04 07:54:36Save the date for Bring Your Own Vehicle Day 2023
When Guild General Secretary Melissa Chadderton forwarded to News Briefs editor Andrew Charmana letter from Thomas O’Connor, seeking help tracing the provenance of a badge in his possession, both of us thought it looked oddly familiar but couldn’t recall where we’d seen it before.
Where became obvious as soon as we published the story in the 5th August edition of News Briefs – it adorns the front of the Guild’s Driver of the Year trophy!
The badge can clearly be seen in the picture above from the 2018 awards, recipient Billy Monger with then Guild Chair Richard Aucock and the late Paddy Hopkirk.
However the mystery of where the badge originally came from remains unsolved. While we can’t be sure how long it has been on the Guild trophy it goes back a long way – committee member Andrew Noakes forwarded a link to a picture of Juan-Manuel Fangio receiving the same trophy in 1957 together with a theory that perhaps the winner was once given a medallion in the same style to keep.
Immediately after the presentation evening the original trophy goes straight back into its display cabinet, today housed at the National Motor Museum.
Adding credence to this theory is the Guild’s former Hon Secretary Chris Adamson, who recalled that a batch of replicas of the large trophy using the badge design were made for the Guild, he thinks by Bentley, and presented to the Driver of the Year to keep each year until we ran out of them.
“(I have) no idea where the original design for the trophy came from, it was well before my time and if smaller versions were made, it could be the smaller badge was the inspiration for the main trophy,” Chris added. So the mystery continues…
https://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/7cc5477a-a1f6-f267-869d-cc2124cc3d5f.jpg9941600Richard Aucockhttps://www.gomw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Guild_Logo-300x300.jpegRichard Aucock2023-08-20 16:17:492023-08-20 16:19:41Guild link but badge mystery remains
