Up to now, we have been circulating over 500 people with the Association’s Newsletters. But it has been decided, due to the cost of postage, that after this issue we will only being sending information out to members only. Our Membership is now over 200 but there is always room for more. If you haven’t already joined I would you urge you to do so now. Please send your membership application form, along with a cheque for the one-off Registration fee of £20 to Treasurer, Alan B. Carlaw, “Anworth”, 15 Rozelle Drive, Newton Mearns, Glasgow, G77 6YU. If you have misplaced your form get in touch with me or Alan, (Tel:†0141-616-4143 or alan.carlaw@virgin.net) and a form will be sent to you. Just to remind you – membership of the Association is open to anyone “…….who had an active involvement with any branch of Motorsport held in Scotland 25 years prior to the current year. This would include competitors, organisers, officials and those involved in vehicle maintenance”.
Missing People – May I thank those who gave me some of the missing addresses in the last Newsletter. Regrettably, I still get a number of Newsletters returned to me “addressee unknown”. Below is the up-to-date list of names and their last known addresses – if you know of any of their present whereabouts, could you please let me know.
Alan Ainslie, 4 Ashloaning, Denholm Nr. Hawick Bob Barnett, 30 Inchkeith Av, Broughty Ferry
Tommy Dickson, Dickson’s of Perth, Perth Tom Haley, 26 Reid Street, Hamilton
Ian H. Hawthorn, 68 Neilson Rd Uplawmoor George Marshall, 3 Lochend, Tweedbank, Galashiels
John McCallum, 91 Bothwell Rd, Hamilton Douglas JS Miller, 24a Murrayfield Rd, Edinburgh
Ian Thomson, Red Car Sales, E. King St, Helensburgh
Reunion Saturday 27th October, 2007 – Hopefully this one will be even better than the 2005 event. The format will be similar to the last one with lots of time for members to get together and reminisce. Members will find enclosed an Entry Form for this year’s reunion. May I remind members that they will only be eligible to purchase two tickets and that entries will be accepted on a “first come, first served” basis! If you intend staying the night, after the event, we have arranged concessionary rates with the Glynhill Hotel. Please quote the reference code (on the Entry Form) when you are making a reservation.
Annual General Meeting, 27th October, 2007 – Our first AGM will be held prior to the Reunion in the Glynhill Hotel at 6.00 p.m. The official notice of the AGM along with the Agenda will be sent to members in September.
Knockhill Classic Speedfair 2007, July 20/21/22 – The format will be similar to 2006. However, Knockhill promises that it will be “bigger and better”. Unlike last year both Saturday and Sunday will be exclusively devoted to Classic events. There will be a full race programme featuring around 60 Formula Fords; Tin Top Touring Cars; an Invitation Sports Car Race; Morgans; Scottish Sports and Saloons; Classic Rally; motorcycle displays and demonstrations; an aero display by a starduster by-plane; approximately 400 show cars, lorries and buses. Special exhibits will include Ecurie Ecosse, a guest appearance by Sir Stirling Moss driving a Vanwall; F40 celebration; children’s fun fair and many other period exhibits.
Graham Cowie, a VSMA member, is running the Classic & Thoroughbred Hillclimb stand at the Classic Speedfair so hopefully, some Association members will go along and give him a visit. After all, if he can still compete, then maybe some of our members could still compete and relive their lost youth!!!
The event really kicks off on the night of Friday 20th with a “Drivers Dinner” at the nearby Forrester Park Golf and Leisure Resort (a lovely venue). However, the dinner is open to anyone and tickets are available from Gemma Baird at Knockhill for only £40. She can be contacted at the Knockhill Racing Circuit. Tel:01383-723-337 or Fax:01383-620-167 or by Email: gemma@knockhill.co.uk. For full details, it would probably be easier to call Sasha, Gemma or Stuart Gray.
The VSMA involvement will start on Saturday morning right through to Sunday evening. As before we will be manning a tea/coffee meeting place next to the “Media Centre” in the paddock – just follow the signs. Members are being given access to a car park immediately behind the paddock but you will require the enclosed Car Park Pass to get in.
Admission will be at a much-reduced rate for our members and their guests, on the production of their membership card at the gate or they can apply in advance to Knockhill at an even lower rate (contact Emma)!
All in all, it promises to be a great couple days of nostalgia. If you didn’t manage along last year, I would strongly recommend that you do try and get along this year. You wont be disappointed.
Motorsport Scotland – You may or may not have heard of this organisation which has come about since the demise of the RSAC. The following is their first “communication”, which you may find of interest, which was recently sent to me:-
“Background
In early 2004 the Motorsport Industry Association, as a host of Brian Cameron, visited Knockhill to meet with some Scottish based businesses to review the motorsport industry in Scotland. The findings of that review showed, amongst other things that the motorsport industry in Scotland is fragmented and ill-defined with no coherent or strategic development in the sport, facilities, industry or competitors. The lack of strategy has meant little government interest or investment.
At the same time, a group of folk, who had been trying hard to find ways to help develop the sporting side from grassroots up, had come to the same conclusions about the state of the sport itself. This group included Jimmy McRae, Bruce Lyle, Gordon Hastie, Gavin Miller, Robert Reid, Stuart Gray(Knockhill) and Dave Kennedy (Bells College). To make any kind of sense of it, a radical rethink was required, and the opportunity which then presented itself to bring together all of the stakeholders from the sport, the industry, and the educators, to work together towards one common purpose, was too good to turn down. It was soon apparent, however, that to bring everyone together in the most effective way, was not as easy as it first appeared. We will only get one chance at this, so we have to get it right first time.
Key Research – In spring of last year the Scottish Executive through its Scottish Development International organisation commissioned some research into the automotive sector in Scotland and, in particular, the motorsport sector. The key findings of the report, which identified over 200 motorsport related companies from F1 suppliers to small race and rally teams, were finalised in May of last year and concluded the further needs to be a strategic plan for growth of motorsport in Scotland
A project agreement with DTI
A mapping of education and university R&D
Further research be conducted to establish current capabilities in comparison with other regions of excellence, labour force.
That the sport engage with Scottish industry and encourage cluster forming
In Stirling in November 2006 a group of over one hundred people from Scottish companies, individuals from the sport and some representatives from colleges and universities that offer motorsport related courses met at the UK launch of the Motorsport Academy. Also at that event a vision of what Motorsport Scotland could be in the future was explored and the start of a tangible process to create a meaningful set of objectives for Motorsport Scotland was started ≠ rooted firmly in the belief that, whatever Motorsport Scotland should be it must not be an `exclusive club’ but an `inclusive venture’ whose membership only requires the belief and will to bring to reality a strong commercial future for the business of motorsport in Scotland.
The term `Motorsport Scotland’ has, up till now, been loosely used to mean a body formed to create and deliver a vision for motorsport in Scotland. Now we have something tangible ≠ the structure of a plan that brings together the motorsport industry, education and our sport for the benefit of all. The UK first.
The Purpose of Motorsport Scotland is very simple. It is to make Scotland a World Class motorsport destination ≠ and to do that by 2012. A huge task and one that will require the coordinated effort and input from every Scot who has motorsport in their business, their leisure or their blood. It will involve bringing together commerce as well as the sport for it is only through sound business projects that bring value to Scotland that funding, critical to the development of the sport, can be obtained.
Objectives – To deliver this future we have developed five key objectives for Motorsport Scotland.
- 1. To develop a secure future for motorsport in Scotland with government and legislators
We will create a motorsport strategy for Scotland that encompasses tomorrow’s as well as today’s issues. We have to consider motorsport as a leader in `green’ issues ≠ alternative fuels etc, a problem solver and not a creator for social issues and we need to build on Scotland’s assets of technology (R&D) and environment (tourism).
We also need to be the managers of an open and regular dialogue with the plethora of governmental bodies in addition to the legislators and regulators of the sport. - 2. To create a greater awareness of motorsport within and outside Scotland
We shall seek alignment and market Scotland with the Motorsport Foundation to maximise fundraising from events such as National Motorsport Week. We should endeavour to find new Scottish events with an international profile. We should also maintain an excellent Centre of Communication ≠ with open and easy access. This would ultimately be the focus for any sport-related question, from how to get into the sport, either as a marshal, competitor, or apprentice, to when, and what kind of events are being run. - 3. To support initiatives that bring new people, talent and business into motorsport in Scotland
We will promote Scotland internationally as a motorsport destination for sport, business and education and promote inward and outward trade business opportunities through affiliation with the MIA. We will also provide a process through which new (and old) sporting disciplines can be embraced, provide support to Motor Clubs, and other organisations such as Volunteers in Motorsport to assist with marshals, rescue crews etc and work with Colleges and Universities to bring them together with our sport
4. To provide a platform for creating alignment in Scotland’s motorsport community
We have already started to engage the most senior members of the Scottish motorsport community and will continue to build this network. We will create a working party/forum on sporting initiatives and issue resolution and be the focal point for coordination of motorsport in industry and education as well as adopting a co-ordination role within the sport to ensure the sharing of best practice. - 5. To run Motorsport Scotland as an efficient and self-sustaining organisation
We shall seek funding from public bodies wherever possible through alignment to high-level government objectives. We shall also promote and manage fundraising events and work towards longterm sustained, committed commercial funding secured from the industry, government and, through charitable means, support from key individuals and trusts.
Structure
`Motorsport Scotland’ shall be a `not-for-profit’ organisation. At the outset it will be incorporated as a limited company however it will explore charitable status in the future for some, or all, of its operating activities.
It shall be a promoter, rather than an organiser, of activities which meet its operating objectives which, cumulatively, promote the brand of `Motorsport Scotland’. It will engage in operational partnerships for each of its core processes of developing the sport, the industry and the education sectors where they extend into motorsport. Partners in these sectors shall include, but not be limited to:
Sport: The Scottish Regional Associations and the governing bodies
Industry: The Motorsport Industry Association
Education: The Motorsport Academy
The Motorsport Foundation is also a key partner with common National objectives and similar operating processes. Initially, the prime focus will be on four-wheeled motorsport however an open dialogue will actively pursue all motorsports activities so that maximum leverage for common objectives can be had.
Governance and Operations
Motorsport Scotland will be governed by an operating executive team. Also, patronage shall be sought from key motorsporting Scots and established figures from the target development sectors of sport, industry and education. The inaugural operating executive team shall be fixed for the initial period whilst the operating processes are established and thereafter a system of ordered change will be used to maintain a balanced and representative `executive. The `executive shall give their time freely to Motorsport Scotland.
It is not envisaged that Motorsport Scotland shall have a permanent staff, however, Motorsport Scotland shall create arrangements with its partners to provide the facilities and resources for core administrative functions. It is envisaged that to deliver objectives, it may be required to enter contractual arrangements for specific projects with third parties ≠ this will be at the discretion of the operating executive.
For further information contact:
Industry & Education: Brian Cameron +44 (0) 1340 810436 e-mail bcameron@tbxltd.com
Sporting: Bruce Lyle +44 (0) 7771 717517 e-mail brucelyle@bigfoot.com ”
Obviously, the aims of this organisation are very commendable. I’m sure, like me, you would wish them well, and would wish to support them in their endeavours.
That’s all folks.