Preserving the classic car community for future generations

Spending in the UK's historic vehicle sector was estimated by the most recent National Historic Vehicle Survey to be over £7 billion. Furthermore, the industry employs thousands of people across engineering, sales, finance, media, insurance and much more. Clearly, ours is an industry important to so many people both in the UK and abroad, which is why many of us are concerned about how we can continue to preserve it for future generations.

 

One of the main areas of concern is how we encourage younger people to learn restoration skills that can be used to maintain the classic vehicles we cherish. The prices of classic cars are increasing, making owning and restoring your own classic difficult for younger people who on average earn a lot less. The Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance notes the average age of a classic car owner is 54, which has fallen in recent years down from 58, but is still reflective of the fact that younger people perhaps don’t find our industry accessible enough.

 

This is paired with the challenges of providing affordable car insurance to younger people due to increased risk, which many insurers and brokers face. So, how as an industry can we support young people in realising their ambitions when it comes to being a part of this fantastic community? One way is through providing the opportunity for younger people to spend time with industry experts and learn about classic car restoration, or other areas of the industry they might be interested in such as engineering or media.

 

We launched our Bright Young Sparks scheme in July 2022, with an aim to celebrate and encourage the young industry enthusiasts who are now buying, restoring and enjoying classic vehicles for themselves. Since then, we have featured twelve finalists in partnership with Practical Classics magazine and crowned two overall winners annually at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration show.

 

Rosie Hodgson-Jones was crowned the overall 2024 Bright Young Sparks winner at the show in March this year with her Ford Model T. Her passion for classics has been fuelled by learning how to restore her own car, which highlights how important it is that younger enthusiasts have the opportunity to learn these skills and preserve them for generations to come.

 

Rosie’s current restoration project started when she went to a Model T Ford Register autojumble sale and bid on a 1926 tourer body. Her grandad provided an engine he had at the back of his garage and she began to totally restore the car with support from her dad, including rebuilding the front and rear axles and shot blasting and welding the body.

 

Rosie was just sixteen years old when our panel of judges including Danny Hopkins from Practical Classics, Karl Carter from the Federation Skills Trust and our very own Senior Operations Manager Andrew Evanson, chose her as one of their finalists as part of the scheme.

A key reason why Rosie has been able to access the support and advice she needs to pursue her passion for classics is due to her membership of a car club. The topic of how to engage younger members has been top of the agenda for many clubs in recent years. Especially since a survey run by The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) in 2021, indicated that over the next five years, 43% of classic vehicle clubs expect the average age of their members to increase and 32% predict that their membership numbers will decrease.

Clubs are such an important source of support, advice, opportunities and of course friendships, and play a pivotal role when it comes to ensuring that younger people can wholly participate in the industry. Many clubs have embraced the challenges by creating Young Member branches, with more affordable membership fees.

 

Courtney Ward, who was recognised as a Bright Young Sparks finalist in March this year, is the proud owner of an MX-5 and a member of the MX-5 Owners Club. She is passionate about helping create a platform for the Club’s future and hopes to start offering workshops teamed with local businesses for Club members.

 

Courtney’s love for cars has become her way of life. Her grandfather was a brilliant mechanic and her dad followed suit with a passion for cars and detailing; so like fellow finalist Rosie, she has grown up around classics. Courtney has recently welcomed one of her dream cars to her collection, a Mk1 Berkeley, and along with her plans to restore another MX-5 in the future, classics seem to be a firm fixture for years to come.

Stories like those of Courtney and Rosie show how important it is that we continue to make our community as accessible to young people as possible. The ability to learn and develop skills, whether from family members, experts or through car clubs, is key to both engaging people in the joys of restoring and maintaining your own classic car, and making sure that this knowledge is retained and able to be passed on again in the future.

 

Our Senior Operations Manager Andrew Evanson, comments: “It’s fantastic to see the next generation of enthusiasts coming to the forefront and we’re proud to be supporting and introducing them to the community. People like Courtney, Rosie and our other finalists are so important in keeping our hobby alive and our initiative, alongside Practical Classics, celebrates all the great things they are doing.”

 

We’re currently looking for our next Bright Young Sparks finalists – do you know someone who is leading the way for the next generation of enthusiasts? The scheme is open to 16 – 25-year-olds who are passionate about classics. Whether it’s aspiring to work in classic car maintenance or restoration, raising awareness for a club or simply writing and sharing your love of classic cars then we want to hear from you. For more information and to submit an entry, visit:

https://www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk/competitions/bright-young-sparks/

 

We will also be promoting our Bright Young Sparks scheme at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show on 8-10 November, so make sure to visit our stand in Hall 1 to talk to one of our team and find out more.

 

 

Lancaster Insurance Services has been proudly arranging classic car insurance since 1984

Specialising in arranging cover for your cherished vehicle, our comprehensive classic car insurance policies are designed to protect your investment.

We work with carefully selected underwriters to offer insurance solutions developed with our customers in mind. We are the insurance broker of choice for classic car owners providing cover for over 85,000 classic vehicles across the UK.

Using our wealth of experience and knowledge of the industry, we are able to quote for virtually every classic car available. To speak to a member of our specialist customer service team call 01480 484826 or click here to get a quote online.

Our benefits at a glance:

·         Car Club member discounts

·         Static show cover

·         Historic rally cover

·         Choice of repairer

·         Salvage retention

·         Free EU cover up to 90 days

·         Agreed Valuation (available for £18)

·         Laid up cover

·         24-hour claims helpline

·         Limited mileage discounts

Discounts, benefits and features offered may vary between insurance policies and are subject to underwriting criteria.