Paisley to be base for rocket men, women and children

DOUBTLESS there will be spates of phone calls made to the authorities in the coming week, with Paisley locals reporting sighting of UFOs in the night sky.

But those flashing images won’t be a sign of visiting aliens. Extra terrestrials may in fact have descended on Paisley in the past (as a former schoolboy in the town the visual evidence was overwhelming) but this week the objects in the sky are entirely Earth made. Lapwing Lodge Outdoor Centre, located on Gleniffer Braes, is now the base camp of the Paisley Rocketeers’ Society (formed in 1936).

And now the call has gone out for, as they put it: “The rocketeers of the world to unite. And come to Paisley where professionals and amateurs can build, fly, watch or simply learn all there is to know about flying rockets into the sky.”

Sounds fun. But what can rocket lovers expect in the week ahead?

Organisers promise eight days of “very eclectic open, experimental research, competition rocket building and flying and a chance for beginners to learn from veteran rocketeers”.

They add: “This is very much a rocket village, with rocket clubs, families, and individuals participating.”

The idea of staging a fun festival featuring little flying missiles to delight kids from six to 60 isn’t rocket science (sorry).

Well, actually it is. “We offer a rocket society as well as rocket science,” say the organisers.

And it seems Paisley is the perfect place from which to create a rocket village, catering for model and amateur rocketeers, and rocketry followers of all ages, individuals, club members, groups or families.

The town is apparently recognised as one of the UK’s best and most scenic launch sites, where rockets can be launched to an altitude of 16,000ft above sea level.

“We always have fun,” say the IRW organisers.

Still not sure if the idea of rocketeering sends your mind soaring?

Then check out the pictures and video from some previous IRWs, at scottishrocketry.smugmug.com (great name).

l International Rocket Week 2014, Paisley, August 18-25.