Duties for Bed Race Marshals

Marshal Briefing Meeting

7.00 to 8.00 pm, 17 May 2023

Knaresborough Working Men’s Club

Marshals are busy folk on Bed Race day, keeping the course clear and helping to keep safe runners, paraders and spectators. They must be aware of their surroundings and able to help anyone in distress by calling this to attention of first aiders, ambulance service, lost children specialists, police, other professionals and the organisers as needed.

Their role is to keep clear the route of the Parade , which starts at 1.00 pm, and then, even more importantly to ensure that spectators keep off the course of the Race and behind crowd barriers where they are in place. A hurtling bed can hurt, not just to spectators by runners and passengers too.

As required, they may need to assist with road closures and to ensure that traffic is kept away until the event is over and crowds have dispersed.

On Bed Race day, 10 June, marshals are asked to register from 11 am at the Castle. This allows them to be in their designated location by midday. Road closures are in place from 12.30.

Each group of marshals has a Lead Marshal, who has a radio or other means of communications with first aid and emergency services, and the event control managers of the organisers. At key points around the town Raynet volunteers are placed with special fail-safe communications systems.

It is all about getting out fast any message relating to people needing help or the event to be halted or suspended.

The Lead Marshals will manage their teams of volunteer marshals, arranging breaks and ensuring they are supported.

All marshals are volunteers and either represent the teams as part of their entry, or are from local community groups and individuals. They wear hi-viz tabards on Bed race Day, which they cannot be missed.

Please give them every support.