So, the dust has settled on the field — although Sunday’s weather might have helped with that! The site is now cleared, the kit packed away, and the gates closed for another year.
Saturday was a fantastic day all round. The weather was kind, and with damper conditions forecast for Sunday, many of our supporters chose Saturday to visit us. Our friend Glenn James from Sleap Airfield had hoped to give us a flyover, and on Saturday we were lucky enough to see — and definitely hear — his Yak-11 in action.
Visitor numbers continue to grow year on year, and this, our 50th rally, saw over 30% more supporters through the gates. At one stage, the car park was almost full to capacity!
Of course, the rally simply wouldn’t happen without our amazing volunteers, who put in long hours before, during, and — importantly — after the event. From setting up and breaking down to ensuring the safety of everyone on site, they make it all possible. To each and every one of you, a very big thank you.
This year was extra special, and we were lucky to have one of the club’s founder members, Chris Whitehurst, create a superb souvenir programme. Featuring colour photographs from decades past and a brief history of the rally, it made for a truly unique keepsake.
And last, but by no means least, a huge thank you to our exhibitors. Many travel long distances to spend the weekend with us, catching up with friends and sharing their passion, and it’s always much appreciated. Exhibitor numbers were also up this year across all sections, which added to the fantastic atmosphere.
On a more practical note, we did have some trouble with Royal Mail this year, with lost entry forms, passes, and other documents. To avoid similar issues in future, we’re considering a dual system next year. This would be similar to our online tickets, where single use passes could be printed off or used on a smartphone. If they go astray, they can simply be reissued with the exhibitor’s own unique bar code. Or, for those who prefer paper, the current system would also be available. It needs thought and discussion, but we’ll see….
This would work much like our online tickets, allowing exhibitors to either print their passes at home or store them on a smartphone, using a unique barcode that can be reissued if needed, or, if preferred,Stick with the current paper-based system if preferred.
This idea still needs discussion, but we’ll keep you updated.
As a reminder, we’re a not-for-profit club, and the rally is our main fundraising event. The money raised helps us host our monthly member meetings, including guest speakers at the Bickerton Poacher. That said, we do have to keep a close eye on expenditure to make sure we can cover the ever-increasing costs of staging the rally. If you’d like an idea of just how much it costs to run the event, just ask a committee member — you might be surprised!
Finally, from all of us on the committee:
To our supporters — thank you, and we look forward to seeing you next year.
To our exhibitors — have a great winter restoring, tinkering, and preparing for the next rally!