With you not being for a while sosidge maybe I can clarify where Jarrow really are at. The last days of Oxclose, last few months, there was many weeks only 2 drivers turned up. Currently most weeks (apart from when the tables needed putting out/away) we have usually at least 10 racing, last week I think it was about 12. I am very proud of what the club have achieved as Oxclose was nearly dead when it was handed over to the committee. We have 3 members totally new to the sport recently joined who come most weeks but not others which we don't mind, we have another 2 who joined but due to work commitments haven't been for 2 months almost but they have kept in touch and do plan to return. A big credit must go to our very supportive regulars who help these new people through the early teething stages, we really appreciate the effort put in being approachable and helpful. Between us he managed to get a young guy racing for the first time who arrived with basically half of what he needed a few weeks ago. It's been quieter since the weather improved, wet Tuesdays are busier than dry ones, but being an indoor venue we expected that. I haven't known numbers to fall below 8 apart from the 'tables' weeks.
I think we're the only club planning on doing some promotional work outside the scene, we've been looking for inspiration but so far haven't seen much being done. Once we have the DADLG group set up we'll be looking at going into the schools and youth clubs. We have some very supportive members who are willing to support this, I think they're noticing aswell as we have the lack of new people coming into racing. We aren't saying as a club our current members don't matter, they are extremely important to us but for the club to continue and grow, we need to focus our attention on increasing new members. I hope we don't end up fighting a loosing battle, as a family and a club we're investing a lot of time, money and effort into trying to promote the sport (passing on those who can't make a Tuesday to NERCRs Sunday's aswell as trying to go and support them when we can) but I think we'll have failed if we don't at least try.
I understand completely about costs, travel and other commitments, I have a family aswell. When we moved house last year one of the reasons we moved here was to be a bit closer to the club, we still do 25 miles or so.
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