You can download a Word version of this press release by clicking here To download our previous press release click here To view an article about the show in the Western Gazette click here Hobbies make a comeback The South West Model Engineering, Model Making and Hobbies Exhibition saw 6,000 visitors attend Royal Bath & West Showground over the weekend – proving that the South West is hungry for such an event!
Taking place in the middle of the two week half term break provided a great solution for parents to keep their children entertained for free. The diversity of the event meant there really was; 'something for everyone' enabling entire families to attend from grandparents through to grandchildren!
The flying display took place twice, both days with Steve Carr’s 1/2 scale plane winning the 'best model as voted by visitor' competition. He let off plumes of coloured smoke and performed aerobatics in time to dramatic music! The Team Extreme from London performed synchronised routines with many daring moves wowing the crowd. Not to mention the host of other pilots flying their various models over the two days. If there were any queries over the difficulty of the skill these pilots displayed in the air, the free flight simulator indoors soon proved otherwise!
The boating lake at the other end of the showground was a more sedate affair with a range of boats taking the plunge, including warships, lifeboats, sailing boats, hovercrafts and even a solar boat race.
The first ever ride all the way around the lake bridged the gap, as the East Somerset Model and Experimental Engineers completed the railway track and ran non-stop train rides throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Additional outdoor attractions included children’s amusements and bouncy castles, traction engines, life-sized steamboats, petrol car racing buggies, a flight simulator and a series of tank/hovercraft displays. Not to mention the occasional dalek you may have happened across!
Glorious weather aside, the indoor attractions were equally as exciting as outdoors but with added charm. With 30 plus clubs displaying their painstaking hobbies of both modern and antique models it was a fantastic experience inspiring others to take up such a hobby.
Besides the great talent on display it was the sense of community within all of the clubs that really inspired as they sat and chatted to everyone that passed and amongst themselves any moment they had spare!
The competition winners were The Steam Boat Association of Great Britain for the ‘Best static model’ this was awarded for both their indoor and outdoor display. The ‘Best moving model’ was awarded to the Buckinghamshire Garden Railway Society for a wonderful large scale model railway that had many an onlooker entranced.
Games Workshop featured on the balcony and introduced the hobby of ‘wargaming’ to many children with a display of goods for sale to support this hobby. In fact fifty plus traders were on site to ensure that all ‘hobby-ers’ went home fully equipped.
The display area indoors was another crowd puller playing host to WORM – Western Off Road Models, show sponsor Armortek and their fleet of tanks and Collective Pitch’s array of model helicopters.
The ‘Best Trade Stand’ was awarded to Prince August in a closely fought battle. They came out on top due to the interactive workshop and the great feedback from the kids who had a go at painting the toy soldiers they moulded themselves. And for those too shy to paint, hennalicious was at hand to paint them, in any guise they chose!
A resounding success The South West Model Engineering, Model Making and Hobbies Exhibition is set to become a firm fixture in the South West diary, returning to The Royal Bath and West Showground in 2009 on the 18th and 19th April. We look forward to seeing you there!
To see a video from the two days and for further information please visit www.swmee.co.uk.
ENDS
For any enquiries please contact:
Hannah Langfield
Nationwide Publishing
Tel: 0117 907 1000
Hannah@nwe.co.uk
|
