FOCUSING ON...
Blythe-based charity members support each other
With our cars, as in life, we often need a helping hand. That’s why, this month, we’re turning our attentions to this long-standing classic car co-operative. It exists to allow petrolheads access to facilities many of them can only dream of at home – and also allows them to support each other, both mentally and with their respective projects.
The North East Restoration Club (NERC) was formed in 1971 and pre-dates the modern trend for ‘Men’s Shed’-type charities, allowing enthusiasts to work together and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with finding support among kindred spirits.
NERC moved to its current premises in 1973; the buildings and land it now occupies are what remains of the old Blythe Brickworks, established in 1898. The grounds were subsequently purchased by the club and are now wholly owned by it.
The facility has its own buildings, with 28 work bays divided between five-year, one-year and eight-week restoration bays for members to lease. It also has a well-equipped machine shop, paint booth, blast shed and other equipment available for members to use during their restoration projects. It has over 200 members of varying ages, offering a location for like-minded people to meet and share their interest in supporting one another in the restoration and maintenance of their vehicles. It provides an environment for more mature members to maintain and improve their physical and mental capabilities while helping younger members and those new to engineering to learn new skills.
NERC holds two open days each year – in May and September – with evening gatherings on the first Wednesdays of each month from April to September. At these, members and non-members can socialise, bring their vehicles and exchange knowledge and information. This year the club has also been running its own autojumbles on the fourth Sunday of each month from April to September, in an effort to raise funds for the replacement of the 100-year-old roof.
The club also supports other groups and charities in the local area, providing a venue for their events and supporting them with practical help.
To find more information on NERC, contact club secretary Dr Andrew Billington at secretary@northeast restorationclub.org. uk – you’re guaranteed a warm welcome.
Charity HEROES
Craig Cheetham on the glue that binds us together…
As an unashamed fan of rock legend Bruce Springsteen, I make no apology at all for using one of his song titles as the theme for this month’s introduction: We Take Care of Our Own.
And nowhere is that more apparent than in the Practical Classics Charity Heroes pages, where cars are the glue the binds us together, whether it’s finishing o
