We run a number of model railway shows throughout the year with The London Theatre and part of the proceeds of these shows allows us to operate as a club with free membership with the aim to promote this hobby. We also take layouts to community and charity events to help those events with a nice attraction and to promote model railways to bring people into this exciting hobby. We have small shows with free entry up to massive two day exhibitions with 25 layouts and lots of traders.
The model railway shows organised are in partnership with the London Theatre and commercially run shows which means we get full use of the marketing, booking options and catering at these shows and extensive promotion.
Our motto is 'If one person attending our shows gets into model railways, then that show was a success'
In 2018 so far, we have been able to promote model railways as a pastime in a special one day workshop aimed at the transgender community which saw 14 people attend the free event and we discovered that many in that community want to join Model Railway Clubs but were unsure if they would fit in, so have started getting some of the group operating layouts at our shows and so giving them a chance to meet members from clubs.
We have undertaken 12 visits to community centres and Care homes and dranks lots of tea and had lots of great chat
We have been asked to attend a big local community festival with two of the layouts and again this should attract a number of new people to the past time.
We have been invited to a local branch of the charity 'SHEDS' which promotes woodworking workshops for people who have lost partners and feel isolated to look at the aspect of those in that group building their own layout and have donated some track and rolling stock and unopened card buildings to the project.
We have been asked to visit the Chelsea Pensioners as they are going to be building their own layout.
We are overseeing a donated layout go from London to its new home at a Slot car youth club in Cardiff, as they want to expand into model railways.