One key session at the 2025 RSGB Convention was “How to encourage clubs to thrive” – a panel discussion aimed at clubs that may be struggling. The session was chaired by BBC Radio 4 ‘s Jim Lee G4AEH, and the panel consisted of the following clubs:
- Cray Valley Radio Society
- Bracknell Amateur Radio Club
- Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club
- Thames Amateur Radio Group
Event link: rsgb.org/main/rsgb-convention-2025/rsgb-2025-convention-livestream/
Live stream link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z-ItoClYHo
Text on the talk from the RSGB website:
Panel discussion: How to encourage clubs to thrive
The RSGB knows that there are a lot of clubs doing some great things both for their
members and as outreach. The four clubs on this panel are just a small representation of the
active and growing clubs. Each club has been invited onto the panel to talk about one
specific aspect of their club activities that are contributing to the club’s success and growth.
The session aims to use the clubs’ recent experience in media relations, building
relationships with other organisations in the community, the delivery of face-to-face training
and organising public-facing events to inspire others to try similar activities.
Panel Chair: Jim Lee, G4AEH
Panel members: Colin Ashley, M0XCA from Bracknell Amateur Radio Club; Dafydd Walters,
M0WDV from Cray Valley Radio Society; Ian Evans, GI0AZB from Mid Ulster Amateur Radio
Club; and Andy Atkinson, M0IXY from Thames Amateur Radio Group.
Bracknell Amateur Radio Club (BARC) is an established and growing club accessible to
anyone with an interest in radio and electronics. The club prides itself in its technical and
social activities with activities such as Parks on the Air and regular meetings being friendly
and social occasions as well as fun and rewarding activities. This year the club has built links
with the local Men’s Shed who are now running their own Foundation Training for their
members and have also created the Men’s Sheds on the Air event to bring Sheds across the
country together. BARC has also set-up a ‘Construction Club’ for new and experienced
members that would like to learn to build radio kits and their own equipment. The club holds
VHF, UHF Repeater and DMR Nets each week and posts regularly on Social Media and its
website as well as attending local events to extend its reach across the local community.
Cray Valley Radio Society (CVRS), established in 1946 in South East London, is one of the
largest and most active clubs in the UK. Membership has grown steadily to the current figure
of 160 members. It is particularly recognised for its comprehensive face-to-face licence
training courses. Offered at all three levels, the club achieves a high pass rate and offers
‘after sales’ support to candidates, helping to bring them into the amateur radio community
RSGB 2025 Convention lecture summaries and presenter bios – Saturday
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and into our club. The club is also committed to public outreach and has run major special
event stations, most recently for the King’s Coronation and the London Olympics. It now
focuses on smaller community-based special events, including JOTA. Its diverse and thriving
membership engages in a wide array of activities, from contesting and practical construction
projects to lively social gatherings.
The Mid Ulster Amateur Radio Club (MUARC) was founded in 1965 and is based in
Portadown, County Armagh. It is one of Northern Ireland’s longest-standing amateur radio
organizations and over the past six decades, MUARC has grown into a dynamic hub for
radio enthusiasts; fostering communication, experimentation, and community engagement.
The club operates under the call sign MN0VFW and has consistently promoted amateur
radio through education, outreach, and technical innovation. MUARC has been instrumental
in helping members achieve their Foundation, Intermediate and Full licences, offering hands
on training in HF, VHF, UHF, digital modes, and antenna design. This year the club is
celebrating its 60th anniversary with a number of field day activities and celebrations using
one of its original call signs GI3VFW.
Thames Amateur Radio Group (TARG) came together as a formal club in 2012 to serve the
amateur radio community in South Essex and to provide training for candidates and promote
the hobby with the general public. There are five missions at the heart of TARG in the post
pandemic world. These are amateur radio outreach via events at public venues, training via
courses or individual mentoring, working with youth groups and collaborating with our sister
clubs.
