EvoDevo trips: what we need from you (media & comms)

If you’ve been selected for an EvoDevo racing trip, there are a number of things we need from you and your supporters.

• Communication

• Media

• Attitude

• Feedback

Communication

You must provide mobile phone numbers for each rider and at least one adult accompanying them. We will use these to set up a WhatsApp group for each trip. The group will be set up in the week before the trip, and all logistical information will be posted there. It’s also a place where you can ask questions of us or other participants. Riders are strongly encouraged to keep track of the group and ask questions for themselves. One of the aims of the trips is to help riders develop the ability to take responsibility for their own racing, as a natural part of progressing to adulthood and a potential professional career.

Media

We always need photos. Because we are busy as mechanics and pit crew, we rarely get the chance to take photos and video. However, media is incredibly important for securing future funding for our trips.

For every trip we will set up a media group on WhatsApp. Please please please take photos and video clips and upload them to this group. (In doing so we will assume your permission to use them on behalf of EvoDevo.) We’ll use them on Instagram, in news updates on the blog, alongside a summary of each rider’s results in the alumni gallery, to generate sponsorship and for general illustration as required.) Please also post about your trip on social media. Tag us and any trip sponsors in your posts. And in particular, please cooperate with any sponsor requests. Most often this means a photo wearing a branded hat.

Kev Brewer captured Ride for Charlie's support for the 2024-25 Kerstperiode trip

Attitude

Please try and stay calm and have a positive attitude throughout the trip. It really helps get the best out of the riders. For riders, we won’t stand for bad behaviour or abuse, but we do understand frustration. We’ve all raced too. For parents, if you can be calm, your rider is more likely to stay calm and focused. If you get stressed, riders can feed off those negative emotions. In return, we’ll stay calm for you. It’s one of the most frequent bits of feedback we get - that we create a calm environment that helps everyone else.

Feedback

We really value feedback - especially comments from the riders. Just a single comment helps. Feedback and publicity really helps us persuade sponsors to keep on funding us (and you). Sometimes it’s a requirement of a trip sponsor that we get a comment from each rider. We’ll share feedback with current and potential sponsors, use it on our website, and may feature riders' comments alongside their image on the alumni gallery.

If you’ve found this helpful, please consider donating here to support the work we do with young riders. We are not-for-profit and entirely reliant on donations.