This year’s Practical Classics Restoration Show at the NEC also marks the second National Car Club Awards ceremony. In last year’s inaugural awards, we were recognised for our online activities by being awarded “Outstanding use of Social Media”.
This year, the NCCA have received a huge number of nominations – up 14% on last year – so we are in tough competition against a great clubs, many much bigger than ours. Despite this, we are privileged to have been shortlisted for two award categories.
Outstanding Car Club Event (Run or Rally)
Our Club Holiday to Northern Ireland last June took us to the Kilbroney Show and through an impressive series of road runs that visited the Giants Causeway, Bushmills distillery, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and of course the spectacular Antrim Coast Road. But the best part of our P6 Holiday was meeting the Classic Rover Club Northern Ireland, without whom the holiday would not have been anywhere near as enjoyable. Classic cars bring people together, but with holidays such as these clubs can also bring other clubs together through our same shared passion.
National Car Club Unsung Hero
Without his knowledge (or consent?!), the Officers of the Committee nominated our membership secretary, Brian Humphreys, for Club Unsung Hero. It was meant to be a surprise, but he spotted his name on the shortlist!
Chairman Mick Burke feels Brian is probably the most active and talented volunteer in the global community of classic Rover clubs, a vital linchpin of our club, and true asset to the classic car community as a whole. He is the driving force behind a new wave of classic car club growth based on measurable engagement statistics and properly integrated social media strategies. His nuanced understanding of club engagement has helped The Rover P6 Club double in size, and in the last year, he has helped lay the foundations of success for many other clubs, providing club web services and freely sharing information via his new blog, Wire Wheels Webbers.
Brian is also the club’s magazine editor, having developed a structured project management tool to streamline the magazine authoring process. He also attends all of the club’s major national shows, speaking to and engaging new and current members to foster the community spirit which is the foundation of our success. In addition to all of this, Brian is a core member of the Joint Rover Clubs’ committee organising the massive Roverfest event.
A full list of the awards and the clubs shortlisted can be found on the show website