MAG UK and Affiliated Club Events List
Chair of MAG
Who is Jane Chisholm?
It was around the age of three when my family noticed that I was behaving strangely, differently from the others. Not just because I would sit for hours plonking and wailing away at my Godmothers piano, never having had a lesson in my life, but also because I had a compulsion to sit on anything with two wheels, even if the vehicle at the time was already being ridden.[If anybody had taken the time to be perceptive they would not have been surprised how my life panned out.]
There was a brief diversion when I had ambitions to become a vet but hey I went to the same school as my dad and as he bluntly pointed out………….
“you’ll need three A grades at A Level and your forecast is B’s think of something else or you’ll end up teaching Science in a Secondary School.’ I can still remember jumping on the back of my boyfriend’s motorbike shouting “just ride and don’t stop.”
Yes in our household it wasn’t the taking part that was important it was the winning!!! [Apologies to Secondary Science Teachers but it wasn’t my thing].
So yes at that crucial time, in my formative years, the crossroad was crossed and I headed off for a degree in Music at Huddersfield School of Music with an attitude that the world was my oyster, that I could and would make a difference and with an insatiable thirst for bikes.
My career took all kinds of turns, Professional Cellist in London, [I still have a passion for Opera], Peripatetic Cello Teacher, Professional Keyboard player in a band in South Africa, Clerical worker for the Gas and Electricity Supply Industry. It was at this point that I discovered that I had a passion for representing and defending the rights of others when I acted as Staff Representative at West Burton Power Station and worked closely with the Unions in the years following the Miners Strike. After that I became a Primary School Teacher and latterly moved on to teaching young adolescent boys who have statements for physical violence. [Yes I’m good marshalling in a beer tent late at night at a rally].
Throughout most of this time the constant theme was bikes, as much as I could get, but it took me ages of jumping on the back of bikes shouting “just ride and don’t stop” before the penny dropped and I decided to ride for myself………because people just didn’t ride long enough.
I’ve always had to learn the hard way and riding my first bikes was no exception. My first bike, given, was a DT 125, unfortunately it didn’t have any brakes, and to this day I see braking as an unnecessary evil that wastes fuel. After passing my test I was given another bike, Hoorah!! A CBX 750……..I fell of it three times in two days because I couldn’t get my feet on the ground. Then it was a top heavy GPX 600, a purring, singing twin GPZ 500 before I found my bike of character a Harley Sportster 883. After that there was no stopping me and I’ve toured and toured and toured around the British Isles and Europe.[I’ve never been to Ireland so if anyone wants to invite me next summer hols I’ll come.]
Having done so much globe trotting I found myself living in West Yorkshire and joined the Barnsley Bikers MCC where I helped run and organize the original Yorkshire Pudding Rally. This lead on to me becoming an affiliate member of MAG, a full time member and I took up the position of Yorkshire Regional Rep in September 2002. I joined the Board of MAG UK, became Vice Rep and was elected as Chair in April 2006.
I believe MAG and the MAG Foundation is undoubtedly the most successful and effective organization in protecting and defending bikers rights and I am immensely proud to play a part in it.
I have met some very talented individuals and have made some very good friends, who come from all different walks of life but who are united by their love of riding motorcycles.
Freedom of Choice. Long may it continue.
Jane Chisholm
Chair MAG UK
