Events Co-ordinator - Alan Jones

Hi! My name is Alan Jones, and I am the Events Co-ordinator on the MYAM committee.

I have always loved driving and riding, and started out by passing my motorbike test in 1967. Following that, I took my car driving test (at Heckmondwike) in 1969, and, again, passed first time!

Sometime later, in 1980, I took my PSV (Public Service Vehicle) test, and started working as a driver for a local coach company. I also worked part time for Wallace Arnold, and these jobs took me all over the U.K. and onto the Continent.

In 1987, I took my HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) test and started driving for British Gas delivering LPG in a tanker. This work also took me all over the U.K. until I was forced to retire in 2007 owing to ill health.

Early in my driving career, I had heard about the IAM and had always wanted to take the test. But I was unable to find anything about it. (There were no computers in those days.)

Then, in September 2003, whilst working as an HGV driver, I was shopping in Wakefield one Saturday. As I walked round a corner, I saw a caravan with “IAM” painted on the side. It was owned by Wakefield Advanced Motorists, so I went and asked about joining and signed up to do the course straightaway. I had twelve lessons with an Observer, and passed my test first time on the 4th January, 2004.

When I went to tell the Wakefield Group Membership Secretary, Derek Duffield, that I had passed my test, he replied: “Oh, good! You can be an Observer, and there’s your new Associate”! I was really thrown in at the deep end! I remained an Observer until 2023, when I retired.

Shortly after passing the test, I joined the committee of the Wakefield Group and became the Observer/Associate Liaison. My job was to allocate Associates to the Observers.

I remained on the Group committee when MYAM was formed, and I am now the Events Co-ordinator. My job is to liaise and co-ordinate with the various car shows we attend during the summer months. As I also keep the attendance book and ensure that everyone signs in at the meetings, I am one of the first people you see when you arrive.