UK Rocket clubs

[DavRedf]

Or lack of them.
I have been looking for a local rocket club for quite a while and have had no luck. There seems to be a few around but none local (SE London).
I tried to get the local aeromodelling club interested but they looked at me as if I were mad, (ok so I am ,so what)and did'nt want to know.
Anyway the result is that I am thinking of starting a club up and would value the input of anyone who runs or has started a club.
I have a line on a possible launch site and the local pubs are only to glad to let me have a room for meetings. So anything you can tell me is of use. I want it to be friendly but not too big and have room for all not just the experienced rocketeer.
David

 

[arthur dent]

If you check out the groups on the UNITED KINGDOM ROCKETRY ASSOCIATION(UKRA) website there's one or two clubs in the south.I think starting up you'r own club is a great idea and ill be trying to do the same next year.I think the main trick is to keep it fun and simple and let new people to rocketry progress at there own pace.model rocketry is still quite new to the U.K. and a lot of people just don't know anything about it.I also get funny looks from R/C flyers i think there to set in there ways in this country.

 

[Gillard]

i know this tread is a bit old, but nothink has changed, there still aren't enough clubs in the UK:cry: ithink its down to all the rules that stop us from flying.

 

[init 6]

What particular rules are preventing people from flying?

Clubs are essentially a group of people who want to fly rockets. If not enough people want to fly in your area, you might have to travel a bit further.

I don't suppose we'll ever manage to make it compulsory

 

[hokkyokusei]

Where in the UK do you live? Why not start a club of your own?

It's just time that prevents me from flying more, not rules.

 

[adrian]

Judging by his profile, Gillard lives in Worksop.

Which means Black Knights or Midland Rocketry might be suitable.

Otherwise, Gillard, look at the UK Clubs page of the UKRA website, https://www.ukra.org.uk/

 

[hokkyokusei]

Doh.

 

[Gillard]

i do run my own club in worksop, have you ever tired to get the council to let you use land for flying?
i'm now thinking about joining a bigger club and traveling further afield to fly bigger rockets, esp as i can finally use mid power motors

 

[North Star]

i do run my own club in worksop, have you ever tired to get the council to let you use land for flying?
i'm now thinking about joining a bigger club and traveling further afield to fly bigger rockets, esp as i can finally use mid power motors

When I first started flying model rockets in the early 90s I had a 500 mile round trip from East of Leeds to Hampshire and Wiltshire. At least now there are active groups within a couple of hours drive of your area. We had an active group up here in West Yorkshire and we flew from public land, but only on model power. We are in Hibernation at the moment due to personal job/family/various commitments but some of us do travel to fly with other groups.

I did enquire about flying in one of the Leeds parks and was only required to submit a covering letter and insurance details. Some parks do prohibit all 'pyrotechnic devices' it's a matter of reading the bye laws posted in the park or at the council offices.

The biggest hurdle to flying at that particular park was the proximity of thieves and vagabonds. It was a race to recover your rocket before someone nicked it, then a race back to save your launch gear.

There's no way round it - flying sites are the key. If you find one they will come

 

[phil]

When I wanted to start a club in South Wales I had the same problem - no site. I found a suitable area, then leafletted all the farms through a freind who's a postman. Two weeks later we had a farm to launch on, and we've been there ever since. It costs us a bottle of whisky every Christmas.

Ialso put posters in local hobby shops, asked them to give a leaflet to anyone who bought rocket kits or motors, created a website, and put a link on the town wiki. We now have a steady membership and a nice site. The icing on the cake is the village pub two minutes from the launch site.

As the man said, if you start it they will come. It sometimes takes a bit of effort to kickstart a club, but when you have launch days like last Sunday it's all worthwhile.