JLT Sport/MSA Marshal of the Year
Steve Weston, a member of the Castle Combe Racing Club, has been voted the winner of the prized JLT Sport/MSA Marshal of the Year Award 2008 by the UK's governing body of motor sport, the Motor Sports Association.
The Award recognises excellence by a volunteer marshal from any discipline of motor sport and the winner collects the prestigious trophy - as well as a cheque for £250 - at the MSA's annual Night of Champions awards evening. The ceremony is held at the Royal Automobile Club on Pall Mall in London during January and is attended each year by some of the most famous names in British motor sport.
An active marshal for nearly 20 years at Race and Speed events, Steve recently took on the role of Club Child Protection Officer at Castle Combe and has since taken an active role in the recruitment and training of young cadet marshals. He has also worked skilfully with senior officials and devised a dedicated training programme of induction for new race marshals, of which, crucially, around 40% are being retained within the sport. As evidence of his ongoing commitment to training, Steve has undergone the MSA 'Training the Trainer' course and has embarked on the MSA Modular Training Programme as a Probationary Clerk of Course.
"I'm completely shocked and surprised," said Bristol-based Steve, who runs his own heating business during the week. "I had no idea I'd even been nominated until I go the call to say I'd won, but I'm delighted, of course. I got into marshalling as a way of getting involved with motor sport without having to spend a lot of money and I have always absolutely loved it. I then got my son into it as soon as possible and now he's 17, he's off and marshalling on his own."
Allan Dean-Lewis, Head of External Affairs at the Motor Sports Association comments: "Steve stands out as an individual who really epitomises what it means to be a marshal and he is truly an ambassador for the sport. He has demonstrated great maturity and professionalism, as well as a great deal of self-motivation. Steve's commitment extends right through the sport, beyond simply his own club, and the panel considered him to be an extremely worthy winner of this award."
Previous winners:
Stephen Green (2003); Mark Johnson (2004); Plunkett Boyle (2005); Bob Wright (2006); Peter Wilson (2007)
