Model steam road vehicle society
Here are words of wisdom from our Chairman John Kidley.
Well, we find ourselves at the beginning of a new year. I hope you all have survived another Christmas and new year celebration without too much damage. My family and I had a very enjoyable time with my close family coming to visit over the festive period.
Looking forward to another steam season I guess we are all looking at our diaries’ and trying to decide what shows you would like to attend and which ones you can get in.
I am told we have picked up a few new members over the new year period which is always good. Looking forward to our two steam events we are putting on this year I hope you have included both dates in your diary. We will invite the Steam Apprentice Club members to both events and hope we get a few of their members to attend.
We intend to advertise both of our events locally in an attempt to get the general public to come along and see live miniature steam in all its glory, this hopefully will raise our profile with the general public and perhaps attract a few new members. We are not going to charge any admission fee and will run the events along similar lines to we have previously.
If any member has any ideas will enhance the events, please contact us.
Happy new year to all,
John Kidley
We have just had our second event this year at Tewkesbury Rugby Club. It was reasonably well attended with many club members and invited guests. The weather was kind to us on both days and a good time was had by all.
On the Saturday we had the usual run around the Caravan Park which was appreciated by the campers and enjoyed by all the engine teams. We also had a run to a local pub which included a run around the town.
The day was finished with a good-natured game of nine pin bowling in the club house.
The Sunday started the same as the Saturday although most had a bit of a lie in on Sunday morning. About ten engines also took part in a road run around the town which included both large and small engines. We went to the weir for a photo opportunity then moved on to have another run around the town which was enjoyed by the engine teams and the passers-by.
This was our second event of the year with the event earlier this year which was held at Blue LIas. This also went well from the point of view of all who attended. I would like to try to expand this event to try to tempt some new members to our club and have some ideas around this matter. I have had a brief discussion with Chris regarding this and will have a meeting with him to try and put a firm proposal together which we can then put to the club committee for approval.
I fear we are very close to a tipping point which the membership may not recover from which will herald the ultimate demise of the club, I feel we owe it to the club founders and ourselves to make every effort to turn this around. I have spoken to other similar clubs and all I fear will end up with the same fate. We must attempt to change this.
John Kidley.
Chairman.