Not the Chair’s Chatter

Recently, I was asked by a high scoring Associate who was close to test, “Please can you remind me of the benefits of continued membership?”.

Their membership was about expire and they were considering whether or not to renew it, take the test and become a Full Member.

There are obvious, tangible, benefits for Full Members and these sprung to my mind, in no particular order.

• - A £150 Post Advanced Test Training Allowance, PATTA, while it lasts to go towards any motorcycle training.  I spent mine on a day with Total Advanced Motorcycle Training in the company of another LAMkin.  Brilliant and recommended.  Other training providers are available!
•  - LAM Membership subscription reduces to £20.
• - A Post Test Ride, PTR, is available for all Full Members.  An ‘In House’ health check on your riding.  The first one each year is free and after that they are £20.  So, that’s your membership fee back straight away.
• - Join rides exclusively for Full Members.
• - Organise and lead rides for Full Members.
• - Support two charities, LAM and the IAM, as you need to be a member of the IAM to be a member of LAM.  This gives you access to all of the ‘benefits’ that the IAM offer!
• - Preferential insurance rates – dependent on individual circumstances.
• - Discounts at Helmet City.
• - Train to be an Observer if you have the necessary attributes.  That means convincing the Training Team of your potential!
• - Receive our monthly magazine, ‘Progress’.
• - Join LAM Weekends away as a Full Member.

However, for me, it's more than all of that.  It's what I get out of being a Full Member of a Group that is passionate about all things to do with motorcycling and motorcycle riding.  That’s harder to put into words.  Sometimes it’s just a warm glow or a broad grin!  It’s something I can’t put a value to as, for me, it’s priceless.

Sadly, the Associate decided not to renew their membership.  On the bright side, in their year with us they went from a rider who had not undertaken any Advanced Training to a more confident and safer rider knocking on the door of being test ready.  Fingers crossed they may come back in the future.

So, if you are one of our Full Members, you know all of that already as we have many long-standing Full Members that renew year in, year out.  If you are an Associate, crack on with your training, take your test and get your ‘Green Badge’.  It lets you into the world of being a Full Member.

Trevor Ambrose.

Group Secretary.