How it all started....
In June 2017, my wife, Jane, and I took part in a two thousand mile round Britain tour organised by the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts’ Club. The tour lasted for a fortnight and fifty cars (about a hundred people) took part.
In advance of the trip, at my request, the Salopian Club office very kindly sent emails to members of the Club resident within a few miles of each of the places we were staying each night, inviting anyone interested in classic cars to come and meet us.
In all about forty-five people turned up - in some places only one would appear and in others several.
It was great fun meeting these people and we kept a note of who they were.
Following our return to London, it occurred to me that it might be an idea to start a drivers’ club under the Salopian Club umbrella. I decided to have a go and that the best place to hold an inaugural meeting would be at School over the weekend of the Salopian Day weekend.
I emailed all those who had come to see us during the tour, inviting them to come to the inaugural meeting of a possible drivers club.
To my delight about thirty-five people came to the meeting in October 2018 and we agreed to start the club. The Salopian Drivers Club was born.
Since then, the Club has grown steadily, with a current membership of about a hundred and twenty.
To become a member, you have to be either a member of the Salopian Club or the parent of a Salopian and a classic or otherwise interesting car and/or motorbike enthusiast. You don’t have to own a vehicle yourself. Our focus is on the members and not whether they own a car or motorbike.
Over the years since we were founded, a shape to our year has evolved. There are three keystone elements to this. In February, we hold a club dinner, in the late spring we organise several short tours in different parts of the country and in the autumn we have our AGM and a large gathering at the Old Salopian Day weekend at Shrewsbury.
In addition to these three core elements, we try to find other ways to get members together each year.
As with all successful clubs, participation by members in events, rather than just reading communications received from the organisation, is important so if you become a member you are encouraged to join in.
Miles Preston
Chairman, Salopian Drivers Club
