There are hundreds of important prizes at stake for us in the May local elections.

Wards where we are standing our first candidate in years. Wards where winning would give us our first breakthrough in an area. Wards where winning would make us the main opposition on the council. Wards where winning could give us leadership of the council for the first time. Wards where winning would cement our record in power locally.

But perhaps the biggest prize at stake for the Liberal Democrats is one that has never been on offer before: the new Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority Mayor.

It brings together two areas with impressive local Liberal Democrat teams: the Hull team that took power from Labour even while the Conservatives were in power in Downing Street, and the East Riding team that has ridden an impressive run of by-election wins to be a growing political force locally.

There is important political power at stake to improve the lives of residents in the area.

For the party more widely too there is the chance to show our relevance in northern England, to get a new Liberal Democrat in important local and regional media markets and to show how we can win against Labour.

Mike Ross, who many activists will know from being Chief Steward at our Federal Conferences as well as from being leader of Hull Council, is a great candidate. He would be a fantastic Mayor.

But it is a big challenge. We have never won a first past the post election across such a larger area before.

It is an area where Reform are talking up their chances – so our message about how it is a two horse race (or even a two car race) is all the more important.

Which is why it is an election that we will only win if it is a full team effort from the party.

You can volunteer to help in person on the ground or over the phone.Or you can donate. (Or all three!)

If you are able to, please do.

And who wouldn’t want to say they have been part of such a historic win?

* Mark Pack is Party President and is the editor of Liberal Democrat Newswire.