Matt Tomkins on the pre-war dilemma…
‘Has the time to ‘act now’ passed?’
Adecade has passed since I first spoke at the FBHVC’S annual Club Expo. With co-founding members of the Morris Minor Owners Club’s Young Members Register Matt Coles and
Andy Wilson, we outlined the importance of encouraging young blood into classic clubs, or risk facing extinction. Progress was encouraging, and many clubs now have successful youth initiatives and a social media presence. Yet, read of the warning given by the very same Matt Coles on this news page and, you guessed it: ‘If we don’t act now, clubs face extinction’. Words spoken by Matt at the 2024 Club Expo, this time with a particular focus on the plight of pre-war clubs.
Some thrive, but many, particularly those clubs that do not have the VSCC to engage with, do not.
The inevitable decline, without a nostalgic pull, is reflected in the prices these cars are now commanding and the slow decline of many of the clubs that serve them.
This was also a reminder that many of the people occupying committee positions are the same hard working heroes, now 10 years older, as when we first started banging the drum. These heroes are still valiantly in charge, but the story is stagnant and the problem remains. We are, still, creeping ever closer to the final page. Maybe the time to ‘act now’ has passed despite what we say, as the years roll by and the generational time bomb ticks – particularly in clubs that serve older classics.
We need action right now. Don’t wait for the same, slightly older, faces to roll out the same old presentation. Get out there, inspire, and engage. Create nostalgia by-proxy; build memories for younger members; give your car a future by engaging youngsters now.