MARSHALS & VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer with the MCC
Our volunteers play a crucial role in helping our three famous trials run safely.
The Exeter, Land’s End and Edinburgh Trials usually have up to 400 competitors and 300 volunteers working across a wide range of roles.
Most roles are on the day and involve marshalling or observing.
Key voluntary roles
• Chief Marshal - each event has a Chief Marshal who is the main point of contact for all volunteers prior to the event.
• Section Chief – this is the person in charge at each location. They are the responsible person on site and distribute all the information and equipment to marshals and observers.
• Observers - watch the performance of each competitor and record what they see as each one passes.
• Marshals - do all the instructing, directing and keeping everyone safe.
How to volunteer
Anyone can volunteer, whether you’re an MCC member or not – we welcome everyone.
The Chief Marshal usually starts recruiting for volunteers 12 weeks before each event, in the club’s weekly newsletter.
Having registered your interest with the Chief Marshal, approximately 14 days before the trial the Section Chief will contact you.
You’ll be given all the information you need, including what your role will be, your location, timings and who to contact on arrival.
What the roles involve
This video gives you an overview of what working on a section involves…
You should consider:
• what time of day you can offer help
• your preferred location
• which role (observer/ marshal) you’d prefer You won’t be on your own, as each section has between 4 and 18 other volunteers on site as well as radio operators and recovery teams at some locations.
Volunteers normally offer between five and eight hours of their time.
Our trials usually start at 6pm, running through the night and day until approximately 6pm the following day. The trial normally takes between four and six hours to pass through a section.
Marshals helping on Simms, a famously tricky but popular section in the Exeter Trial.
Be prepared to shove!
What to bring
• warm comfortable clothing is essential, as you’ll be outdoors for your entire shift
• stout waterproof footwear, it’s likely you’ll be stood on uneven, unsurfaced ground
• something to eat and drink
• a change of clothes for the journey home
All other equipment needed is available on site, managed by the Section Chief.
On the day
Car parking is usually available close to sections, though this may require parking on a field or access via a farm track.
The first action when you arrive on site to volunteer is to find the Section Chief and sign on, unless you have done so electronically beforehand. This is important, so the club knows who is where and when, and you’ll be covered by insurance.
Read more detail about what to do when the trial begins…