General

• Although a majority of members may be attracted to a club by the thought of competing, a strong social programme can play a key part in keeping a club strong and lively.
• The annual dinner dance is likely to be so important in a club's calendar that it deserves a Guideline to itself (see Guideline 14) but whatever the social function the key - as with competitive events of course - is to plan and pay attention to detail.
• When organising social activities, remember that the way a function is run "says" something about a club and if you invite, say, sponsors (or potential sponsors) or possible new members and an event is a shambles they will hardly be encouraged to support or join you in the future.
• If a club has a healthy social programme with, say, a table top rally (see Guideline 15), quiz, scalextric and kart evenings, it is worth considering a Social Championship which helps to link the events together and build momentum.  One club for instance runs a Social Championship which covers quizzes and table top rallies and also embraces simple driving tests and navigational rallies.

 

 
 
 
 
 

For each event points are scored as follows:
1^st: 20 points, 2^nd: 10pts, 3^rd: 8pts, 4^th: 6 pts

All other entrants: 5pts

Organiser: 20pts

Helpers: 5pts

   The Championship is open to paid up members only, it runs over 12 months and points are announced every month in the club magazine.  The award is presented at the annual dinner and the winner receives just as much applause as the other champions!
 

• Encourage members to invite friends who are potential new members to a few functions.  The chairman or other official should warmly welcome them and in a (brief speech outline what the club has to offer.  Have application forms available!
• Clubs should remember the promotional opportunities of social events and involve the media where possible.  It has been known for a club to get sponsorship for a quiz simply by persuading a local radio station to take an interest in it.

Quizzes

• Keep it simple!
• Make sure your question setters are experts.  Do they know more than the contestants?
• Don't make questions too difficult otherwise people will "switch off" and become disinterested.
• Make sure individuals or teams know therules before the event begins so that there will be no arguments.
• Don't get into arguments on stage.
• Always have ample questions available.
• If there is any question of a tie-break, make sure that the question-master and the contestants understand it.
• Make sure the question-master is a strong character who can keep control.  Make sure he knows his stuff and at least understands all the questions (even if he doesn't know the answers!).
• The question-master needs an assistant to keep score; have a brief rehearsal in advance.
• If you have video or audio questions, double check on technical facilities well before the start.
• An ideal format for a social evening is to show a film or video, then have a quiz followed by a break while entry forms are collected.  After the break another film or video will allow more time for marking before winners are announced - in reverse order - at the end of the evening.

Film/video shows

• Videos are almost universal these days films are included because members may have old ones featuring the club, although ideally these should be transferred onto video.
• If showing privately-owned videos, be sure about the copyright situation.
• If borrowing/hiring videos from commercial concerns, allow plenty of time for hiring/ delivery/collection.
• If possible, borrow or hire a large screen video system.  If using ordinary TV screens, make sure no-one has to sit more than 10 yards away, or they will lose detail.
• If the audience is going to be large, arrange to have more than one screen.
• Before the evening, fix the location of screen/ recorder/player and seats.
• Check availability of power sockets.
• Know where all the fuses are.
• Before the evening, check the ability to black-out the room.
• Once equipment is installed, run a film or a video, to set the focus and check the sound levels.
• Before the evening starts, check, check again, then re-check all the equipment.
• Make sure your operator knows all about the equipment.  Make sure he rehearses its use, especially in the half-dark.
• Detail someone else to be in charge of main ('house') lights.
• Don't show videos non-stop.  After 30 minutes, say, break for a few minutes.

Forums and celebrity interviews

Before the day

• Find out who your members would like to listen to - engineer, rally driver, racing driver tycoon, journalist, TV personality, or whoever?
• If going for competition drivers, ask their employers for a contact address/phone number.
• Having chosen personalities, approach them with a choice of dates - give a lot of notice and be realistic about who you are likely to be able to get.
• After fixing a date, agree with them on format - lecture, informal chat, slide presentations, videos to accompany, etc.
• Agree on expenses, fees (if any) in advance and not on the night.
• Find out if overnight accommodation is required.  In any case, arrange to have him/her met, and provide clear instructions on 'how to find'.
• Check and double check that your participants have agreed the time, date and place.  If possible have at least one 'reserve' to cover dramas.
• Limit participants to 3 or (maximim) 4 for a forum.  Any more is difficult to handle in a 'show business' manner.
• Agree on length of function in advance.  How many intervals, will the bar be open, when/ where, will any videos/films be shown?

On the day

• Have a pre-event briefing with participants will you introduce them on stage, bring them up individually for one-to-one chats, introduce them individually then chat all together, etc?
• If possible, chat to celebrities beforehand, to agree on the form of the interview, and sketch out questions/subjects.
• Decide whether or not you will take questions from the audience.
• Does a celebrity want any questions to be ,planted' in the audience?  Does he want to be fed any particular questions or theme?  Find out in advance.
• Don't embarrass the subject - agree on subjects not to be mentioned, like divorces, crashes, cock-ups - before you go "on air".
• If you are using P.A. equipment, check it, check it again, then re-check it.
• If conducting an interview with a celebrity, ask short, simple questions - don't make debating points and don't interrupt his/her answers.
• If you are to have a 'Vote of Thanks' or presentation to the personalities (or bouquet of flowers if a lady), make sure the presenter knows when/where/how in advance.
• If you have any club celebrities like rally or racing championship winners, arrange for them to be present to have pictures taken with panel celebrities.

Timing

Draft Timetable
 
 

N.B. Note the emphasis on closing the bar at intervals.  The disruption of members clattering in and out with drinks while people are on stage will irritate and should be avoided.