Border Counties Vintage Club

The club was formed in 1975, by a group of like-minded enthusiasts, who felt there was a need for a vintage club in the area. 

Following a meeting it was decided to call the club the "Border Counties Vintage Club" as the formation took place at Symonds Yat - on the borders of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire & Monmouthshire.

The club started with an opening membership of 15 (it now averages 150 year on year) some of which have remained members throughout the year`s including the club`s first chairman Derek Williams.

The aims of the club, then, as now, "ARE TO FOSTER INTEREST, DISPLAY & PRESERVE ALL ITEMS WHICH COME UNDER THE HEADING VINTAGE", and the membership is open to anyone who owns or is interested in vintage machinery & vehicles of all types.

Meetings are held the first FRIDAY of the month at the Old Court Hotel Whitchurch, with scheduled talks and outings throughout the year. Please have a look at our events page to find out the dates for your diaries!

The first club rally took place on 5th October 1975, which were known as “Working Rallies”, normally taking place in the autumn after the farmer’s had completed their harvest, exhibitors with tractors, machinery & often horses gave ploughing demonstrations. Owing to the autumn weather being very unreliable, we started having rallies in the spring. For the first 13 years rallies were held courtesy of the Gee & Beaumont families at Old Court Farm, Symonds Yat, until the site was outgrown & we moved to Speech House, in the Forest of Dean where we stayed from 1988 - 2003.

Ironically perhaps, that over the years shows have been held in each of the 3 “Border Counties” Our monthly meetings take place at the Old Court Hotel, Symonds Yat, at 8pm on the first FRIDAY in the month, where speakers come and different presentations are shown. It is the aims of the club, that following each show, a proportion of the profits are donated to LOCAL charities or individuals who perhaps find it difficult to get financial assistance from elsewhere. Over the years well over £40,000 has been donated to many worthy causes. For 2004, needing yet more space, we moved to our present site, at Vauxhall Fields, Monmouth, where our annual show continues to grow, culminating into a “2 DAY SHOW” in 2008.