Moves to try and save steam event

RALLY: Talks are to be held to try to save a popular steam rally, which attracts thousands of visitors to an East Yorkshire market town, from the axe.

The East Riding Engine Club, which has organised the August Driffield Steam and Vintage Rally since 1990, made the decision to end the event at its November annual general meeting.

TALKS ARE to be held to try to save a popular steam rally, which attracts thousands of visitors to an East Yorkshire market town, from the axe.

The East Riding Engine Club, which has organised the August Driffield Steam and Vintage Rally since 1990, formally made the decision to end the event at its November annual general meeting.

One of the biggest events in the area’s social calendar, the rally held at Driffield Showground attracts thousands of people from across the UK and Europe.

The road run on the Saturday night can see 15,000 spectators line Driffield’s streets, as up to 250 vehicles including 25 steam engines, lorries, cars and motorbikes head through the town.

Explaining its decision, the club said a lack of new volunteers and an ageing membership had seen the workload – often a yearround commitment – falling on an ever-smaller number of people. Significant rises in the costs of organising the event and meeting increased safety and security needs had led to the rally making a loss in recent years.

However, East Riding and town councillor Matt Rogers, who owns a couple of garden tractors dating from the 1940s and 1950s, said talks would be held to see if the event could be kept going.

Coun Rogers said it would be “devastating” to lose the rally, which brings in a large amount of trade to the town.

He said: “If all the businesses who do well put £500 into the pot, there wouldn’t be an issue in running it for the next few years.

That’s what needs to happen – businesses need to pull together to support this.”

Coun Rogers stressed huge numbers of extra volunteers were not needed, with a “bit of funding and perhaps half a dozen people” required to take over from the outgoing chairman and vice-chairman.

He added: “We will work hard to try and keep it going one way or another – if it doesn’t run for a year it will never run again.

“The road run brings a carnival feel into Driffield – it brings everyone together and there’s a sense of community and fun. There’s a mass movement out there of people who travel round all these events and Driffield is huge.”

Town clerk Claire Binnington claimed losing the event would be a “great gap” in the calendar, and said: “I have every sympathy because finding volunteers for our own events in Driffield is extremely difficult.”

She added: “I can’t see that it would be something the town council would get heavily involved in – we just haven’t got the capacity. But we are meeting with them to see what the situation is.”

In a statement, the club said members “felt it was time to go out on a high”. The non-profit organisation has raised large amounts for charity including a record £3,300 last year from a street collection in aid of Yorkshire Cancer Research.

We will work hard to try and keep it going one way or another.

East Riding and Driffield town councillor Matt Rogers.