Ormskirk MotorFest 2013 event confirmed for August 25

PLANS to bring hundreds of cars and bikes to West Lancashire for a motorsport spectacular have got into gear after a 2013 Ormskirk MotorFest was confirmed this week.

Aintree Circuit Club and West Lancashire Borough Council have both confirmed that following the success of the motoring event in bringing thousands of people into the market town a 2013 event will take place in the town centre and at Coronation Park on Sunday, August 25.

Mike Ashcroft, chairman of Aintree Circuit Club, told Life On Cars: "We're delighted that we've been able to get the council to ratify next year's event and to agree the date, which means we've got a head start on making the 2013 MotorFest a big success.

"The extra months of preparation we've got will help to make it an even better event than the first two MotorFests, because we can improve on what we offer visitors and we can attract an even higher quality of entries, and get some great racing cars and bikes onto the streets of Ormskirk."

The 2011 and 2012 MotorFest events helped to give Ormskirk its two best ever trading days, with this year's event bringing 15,000 people into the town centre to see more than 300 classic cars and bikes and to witness the spectacle of F1 cars taking to the town's one-way system as part of a series of parades around the town.

West Lancashire Borough Council also confirmed to Life On Cars that a date had been given the green light, and that it was keen to make the 2013 event a success.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: "The council is delighted to confirm that we will be working with Aintree Circuit Club on MotorFest 2013. The event will be held on Sunday, 25 August.

"The first two Motorfests were hugely successful and more than 15,000 people visited Ormskirk. We are confident the 2013 event will also be a fantastic event. We are talking to the Circuit Club about exciting plans for MotorFest 2013 but at this stage it is too early to talk about the details."

The council also said it is seeking sponsorship to help make the 2013 MotorFest a success. Any organisations, companies or individuals who are interested in sponsoring the Motorfest should contact the Council’s Technibal Services Manager Colin Brady on 01695 585125.

Honda GoldWing riders take to the streets of Southport

ALTHOUGH I'm still grinning from ear to ear about my adventures in North Wales, my trip meant missing a great event in Southport last weekend when a parade of brightly-lit motorbikes took to the resort's streets to help raise hundreds of pounds for charity.

Members of GoldWings North West brought their brightly-decorated Honda GoldWing motorbikes into the resort for the Light Parade event last Saturday, which not only gave residents a chance to see the strobe lighting and the unusual colours of the machines but also helped to raise money for Queenscourt Hospice.

Club member Peter Rodgers told Life On Cars: “The event was a huge success, and it was great to see the public turn out in their droves to see all the GoldWings taking part in the parade and in the static displays.

"The weather was absolutely perfect for us, Queenscourt Hospice were delighted with the response the event had, and we were really pleased to see that everywhere we stopped we were swamped by members of the public keen to see more of these unusual bikes. It really was a brilliant occasion."

Members of the public were treated not only to a static display, in which riders showed nff the bikes on Chapel Street last Saturday (September 22) but also to a night-time display when the bikes were decorated with strobe lighting and the riders donned fancy dress costumes for the event.

Although collections from the event are still being counted, the club said that it has raised over £500 to help Queenscourt Hospice. GoldWings North West is now discussing whether a similar event can be held in the resort next year.

For more information about GoldWings North West and their Light Parade events, visit the club's website at www.goldwingsnorthwest.co.uk.