The Fairford Classic Car Club

Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of the FCCC and many of you have supported and enjoyed the club for a large number of these years. However, time changes many things (don’t we just know it!) but, also, many things change over time. Therefore, at two recent committee meetings, the FCCC events calendar and communications, have been major topics of discussion.

In the past the committee has regularly asked the question of what members want from their club e.g. at the AGMs and even through questionnaires, but the response has largely been ‘you're doing a good job, just get on with it’. Whilst this is very flattering it could lead to complacency and result in our growing out of touch with what you, the members, really want. Based on the numbers of people attending, the most popular events appear to be the mid-week and weekend lunch runs (we must remember that not everybody can make mid-week events), which include a visit to a stately home, gardens, classic motoring event etc. Also popular are the FCCC designated ‘static’ events e.g. Fairford Walnut Tree, Churchill Show, Kemble etc and also visits to restorers and other relevant venues on the winter evenings. Other ‘static’ events/shows have proved to be less popular and this may be due to the growing number of smaller regional ‘classic car’ shows and the village fetes, which want us to attend as a local attraction. Whilst we want to support good local causes, FCCC attendances have dropped off at these events, even though the FCCC organiser has spent a lot of time organising our presence at the event. We cannot go to all the events we are asked to, but we have felt that by promoting these events, in our calendar i.e. where FCCC does not have a ‘formal’ presence, we feel that it enables individual members to attend if they so wish.

Is this what you want? The committee would welcome your help and direction in this matter and I hope that this will be discussed at the AGM in April. We also want to hear from recently joined members who may be able to bring a ‘new dimension’ to the clubs activities.

At the last committee meeting the subject of communication was discussed at some length and in particular the growing use of e-mail, not just within the club, but also by those contacting the club over events etc. From articles and letters in the press, concerning other clubs, it is evident that FCCC is typical in having to find a way to accommodate ALL forms of communication in the future. At the committee meeting it was stressed that whilst we need to recognise this increased use in e-mails and use them where they can improve or reduce the costs of communications, we will ensure that members have a choice as to how they receive club notices etc in the future. Yes, e-mails can save money and certainly it is quick and easy to send out multiple e-mails, but this does NOT mean that FCCC is taking this route exclusively, especially as many members do not have e-mail facilities. Over the next month or so we will be asking all members how they wish to receive the ‘monthly’ updates on events i.e. by post or e-mail (or both) and we will be setting up an internal system to ensure that the secretary and other committee members can effectively implement these wishes. However, I must stress that we agreed that all members will continue to receive copies of the quarterly FCCC journal through the post. People are increasingly referring to the website, both members and event organisers, and we recognise that we have to improve this facility and update it regularly.

It is amazing how the world has changed over the past 25 years and if we are to continue to provide you, the members, with the events and service you deserve, the committee has to explore all options but most importantly, we also need your comments, advice and active participation. We are listening – so lets hear from you!

Malcolm Cutler – March 2011