Call-out from classic and vintage car club
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IT could be the end of the road for a long-established far north motoring club unless it can generate enough support to form a new committee.
Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club is putting a call-out to the community after running for more than 50 years.
"We have more than 40 members in the club but we hope to get a new committee up and going who are computer literate and can take it forward," chairman Bert Macleod said.
Members of the present committee admit things have been "falling away a bit" in recent times and hope to bring in new members or motivate existing ones to help reinvigorate the club.
At a meeting last month it was hoped a new chairperson, secretary and treasurer could be appointed but no-one came forward for any of the positions. The meeting closed without any progress being made on this front.
"Younger people might have better ideas about how to move the club ahead," committee member Les Bremner said.
The general view at a meeting of committee members last Friday evening was that though the club was in a "solid financial state" it was struggling in other ways and would benefit from new blood.
"They might bring in new ideas and organise more runs," Les said.
Annual membership is £15 and this includes a newsletter and regular meetings.
"We used to get free talks at the meetings but that all seems to have fallen through as nobody seems to be interested," treasurer David Green said.
The present committee says that interest in club activities – such as the annual John O'Groats vintage rally – is at an all-time high but help is needed to take the club forward.
"If the club folded there would be no rally at John O'Groats," Les said. "The event is self-financing but we need to put out entry forms and promote it."
Club safety officer Bert Cooper pointed out: "There might even be another existing club that could take us under their wing and run it like that."
If anyone would like to come on board to help the club, the present committee members promise that they can show them the ropes and will "shadow" them for a suitable period.
"The rally at John O'Groats is the biggest rally of its kind in Caithness so it would be a shame to see it go," Les said.
Anyone interested in taking up the positions of chairman, treasurer or secretary can contact Caithness and Sutherland Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club through its Facebook page or call chairman Bert Macleod on 07876 155492 or treasurer David Green on 01955 611316.
The present committee members stress that knowledge of vintage and classic vehicles is not a prerequisite of being a committee member but having organisational abilities would be a great advantage.
The club celebrated its half-century with a bumper turnout at the 2019 John O’Groats rally in June. There were almost 200 entries and a crowd estimated at around 2000.
