This month, we catch up with self-confessed motorsport addict Callum, who handily enough, has recently moved to a village with a rather famous hill climb track… Prescott. In the early weeks of the 2024 season, Callum would ‘drag his family up the road’, in between showers, to watch the action both on the hill and in the Paddock.

Eventually, Callum’s family grew a bit tired of this routine and he was encouraged to exploring how to get involved. Then aged 15, Callum was stunned to find out that he was more than old enough to get involved as a volunteer. Even more of a surprise, was both Callum and his dad being signed up for a taster day through Prescott chief marshal Sue.

Callum comments, “Now, here’s the thing – when you are a teenager, you do need to find a parent willing to support you in your volunteering; they’ve got to be there to sign you on and keep an eye on you. Thankfully my dad was willing, and his view was that if he had to be there, he might as well volunteer as well…”

Callum was hooked within minutes, not only as he was now in the midst of the action but also because of the special reception from the marshals community, where he was treated like a valued part of the team from the start.

“And when I say everyone, I truly mean it – fellow marshals, Prescott staff, clerks of the course and, still more surprising to me, competitors.”

The paddock had always been Callum’s favourite place, but now, in his PROBAN overalls he was helping the drivers, chatting with them during breaks about racing and their cars, learning from fellow marshals and helping members of the public.

“The skills required are broad, and the experience it gives you – there’s no room for being shy in the paddock – is incredible. I feel like the practical skills – arranging cars, keeping track of timing, you name it – have helped me at school and at home in innumerable ways: I’m more confident and more decisive and I know that comes from being a marshal: people are looking to you to make a judgement call many times a day.”

Just weeks away from the start of the 2025 season at Prescott and Callum has turned 16 over the winter break, seeing him step up from cadet to accredited marshal.

“Last week during pre-season training at Prescott everyone was coming up to me to see how I was and see that I was ready for my new responsibilities and opportunities – they all remembered that I had turned 16 and it seemed as much an event for them as it was for me”

“When I look forward to the 2025 season, I know that being a volunteer marshal is going to continue to help me in my personal development. It’s going to push me to come further out of my shell; to push me to work with others; to push me, even, now that I’m a bit more ‘grown up’, to help encourage the younger, cadet, marshals along their path. If you’re a teenager like me with a love of motorsport, I saw jump in – volunteer and see where it can take you.”

Find out more about volunteering here