People not helping out causes concern, says Nick
‘The movement is dependent on clubs’
On behalf of the committeeeeeeee!’. At one time a familiar catchphrase from Granada Television’s once well-known programme The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club. This gentle piece of Seventies humour starred self-effacing ‘comedian’ Bernard Manning and many others introducing turns (acts) in a pre-northern Powerhouse working men’s… er, sorry, person’s club setting.
It was really a television studio (oh no, sorry, someone had to tell you), but captured the atmosphere of real establishments run with an iron fist by committees. ‘Entertainment’ could be patchy, but clientele were often oblivious, having gulped their way through eleven pints of bargain price Federation Ale prior to attempting to drive their Reliant Regal the three miles home backwards. However, these cigarette smoke-infused sweat pits provided a harsh but fine training for some of Britain’s greatest comedians.
Things have changed. Just as Millennials would never set foot in such an establishment, even forsaking the bingo and (honestly) meat auctions, they would be equally unlikely to serve on a committee. I’ve been talking to classic car clubs and many are finding it difficult to fill committee positions with people of any age, never mind young dynamic folk.
What does the future hold?
Some clubs fear for their future, and wonder whether mergers with organisations catering for similar cars is the only answer. Many committee members have been in the role successfully since The Wheeltappers and Shunters was essential viewing. Crumbs! I’ve just discovered you can buy a 12 DVD set and Roy Orbison appeared on the programme!
I digress. As Bob Wilkinson of the Ford Y&C Register said: ‘We have to do something to stop young people thinking committees are geriatric gatherings! Why has this situation occurred? The general consensus is that younger people, and in fact just about everyone else has less leisure time and a far greater choice of things to do during it.
Many would apparently rather go on their computers rather than trot out with their Ian Allan Car Spotters Guide or get up at 6am and travel 145 miles on a Sunday morning for a committee meeting at a chain hotel in Dunstable.
The classic car movement is totally dependent on clubs and those clubs rely on their committees. There must be someone to look after the pennies, a membership secretary and a chairperson. Then there’s the thorny issue of producing the club magazine, which can be an incredible amount of work. Targeting social media and other platforms was one answer, added Bob.
Moving with the times
Indeed. One massive change of the lockdown period has been the use of Skype and Zoom Meetings, the latter, sadly nothing to do with people getting together to consume the Sixties ice-lolly of the same name. Did you know that Zooms came with a carefully kept dry collectors card and there was a series on cars that featured such contrasting machinery and Bluebird.
Zoom, the video conference sharing platform, sadly not the classic iced treat, has probably had a greater effect on our ways of working than anything else. People may be in front of a screen, but they can see each other, giggle at POST-COVID haircuts and hope something will happen such as someone’s naked relative wandering into the background.
Many clubs have been using this platform to great effect – and they can be employed for committee meetings. The AGM could be, regulations allowing, fully face-to-face, but interim discussions can be online.
Truly revolutionary! All some of you have to do now is buy a computer!