The epic relay that sees instructors and pupils driving across the UK in convoys has raised serious money for Children in Need. Theory Test Pro talks to founder, Louise Walsh, about the secret of the relay’s success, how it’s helping bring the ADI industry closer together – and how you can get involved in this year’s relay.
As regular readers of our blog will know, the idea behind the Big Learner Relay is simple, well, in theory at least – start the relay in Ireland before hopping across to the mainland, the convoy travelling the length and breadth of Britain over two weeks carrying a Children in Need top box; on each leg of the epic journey, a different set of ADIs and learners form the convoy before the relay finishes on Children in Need night.
In practise, it’s a logistical headache for the committee led by ADI Louise Walsh, mapping out each leg of the journey – 2015’s saw 197 of them in all – organising ADIs and ensuring that the whole process runs smoothly. But there’s no question that the organisation has paid off over the last two years – in 2014, the BLR raised a whopping £65,000 but in 2015, the relay surpassed that, coming in at just under £100,000.
For an event dreamt up while watching Children in Need three years ago, it’s been quite the journey for Louise and her team. But did the ADI realise at the time just how successful the relay would become?: “I don’t remember having any particular vision,” Louise reveals. “I just thought it was a good idea and wanted to know where it would take us. I certainly didn’t think it would be as big as it would be in the first year, never mind the second!”.
As well as benefiting the Children in Need charity, the event has also had a major impact on the driving instructor industry itself, which is known for being isolated; one where instructors rarely meet, talk or benefit from any genuine sense of community: “I’ve been told so many fantastic stories about how the relay has brought ADIs together,” explains Louise. “On an individual level, there are driving instructors who might have had a bit of a history – a little bit umbrage with one another – who came together for the BLR and let bygones be bygones, helping to support each other and even shaking hands for the first time in years.”
Then there are communities that have sprung up in the relay’s wake with official ADI associations being formed across Britain from the Isle of Wight to Cambridge, creating a far healthier and larger sense of community for the ADIs who have taken part in the relays. “It never fails to touch me when I see ADIs shaking hands or welcoming other instructors – there’s a feeling that this is not just a relay about the top box,” says Louise.
The Big Learner Relay is a Mexican wave of friendship that goes round the country; one that reflects support and solidarity for one another whether you’re an ADI or a pupil. We’re not particularly known for working together as an industry – but on the BLR, we do and we do it brilliantly.”
– Louise Walsh, ADI and BLR founder
This sense of community is one that has resonated strongly with Louise during both relays: “There are two extremes,” explains Louise. “There are those relay legs that are incredibly successful – for example, during the final leg in Swindon last year, we hit the town’s ‘magic roundabout’ with 53 learner cars in convoy. What was so lovely was not only the size of the convoy but the fact that ADIs who had been involved in the relay over the previous two weeks, came and joined us from across the country because they wanted to be part of the experience.”
But equally, it’s the smaller moments that have also affected BLR’s founder: “Out of the 197 legs last year, there were three that only had one ADI on them – but that was just as special because quite often, it would be in the middle of nowhere and the ADI kept the relay’s chain from breaking. Without that one person, the event couldn’t have worked.”
Just as importantly, the relay has proven to be a big hit with pupils too: “We’ve had some driving instructors who made pupils draw straws because it became so oversubscribed!” says Louise. “We’ve had pupils who’ve doubled up with one learner driving the first half of the leg and the other the second half – or simply had three pupils in the car so they could be part of the experience. We also have people who have done the relay both years; in 2015, we had someone who was a pupil during the first relay come and drive their car behind the convoy as fully licensed driver this year!”
As for why the event has caught the imaginations of ADIs and pupils alike, Louise believes it’s simply because people can relate to it – at some point during most people’s lives, they, a family member or a friend will have been taught by a driving instructor: “It’s a concept that’s instantly familiar to people – learning to drive – and creates a common bond that brings them together”.
With plans for this year’s event set to be even more ambitious (see below), Louise is at pains to point out that the relay would never have succeeded without the support she has received: “I just want to send out a massive thank you to everyone for getting involved and doing it again this year!” She says. “It’s only possible because of the industry. I really do feel well supported by ADIs and the brilliant BLR committee – this is no one-woman show.”
Louise Walsh (centre bottom) and the ADIs and students taking part in the Big Learner Relay collectively covered 2,000 miles and 120 legs in 2014 and 2,800 miles and 197 legs in 2015.
The Big Learner Relay 2016 Update
There are some big changes coming to the relay this year:
– The 2016 event will run for 15 days from the 4th November onwards with the relay finishing on 18th November, the official Children in Need day.
– The relay will again visit Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England and have 190+ legs. At last count, there are 45 places on the relay that have never been visited before.
– The relay will have a fitting finish at Donington Park (which, depending on availability, relayers will be able to drive round) before wrapping up with a celebration party and dinner at the The Hilton Hotel, East Midlands Airport. To buy tickets for the grand finale, head here.
– The official route, merchandising and famous spots that festoon the cars taking part in the relay will be available from August. Head to the official site for more details and ‘like’ the Big Learner Relay Facebook page to stay updated.
– If you are not featured on the route, you can still organise your own BLR event; Louise encourages independents and franchises to team up, ‘spot’-ify their cars and get the local press involved.
