Association Publicity Officer

[Malcolm Parker]

The Pre-war Austin 7 Club have a thriving Yorkshire Group who have regular meetings in our area.  They also organise runs that are based at Masham and Leyburn, not so far away at all.   Membership of the Club is a bargain when you receive a good quality monthly magazine and the four quarterly Grey Magazines.   The subscription is about the same as a pub lunch for two.

Thanks Malcolm, is that the group that meets over at Morley, the far side of Leeds?

Yes, they do have a regular meeting at Morley but they are ringing the changes and have recently met at Pool in Wharfedale, also Dick Hudson's near Keighley.  Meetings have also been held at Yeadon.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

[/quote]


I have always found this confusing. Above you mention the 'Grey Mag' and in italics the A7CA mention the 'Grey Books'. 
Then we have the Pre-war austin seven Clubs association, which has local Groups, and one of those groups listed is the Pre-war Austin seven club. It also seems to have Groups. For many of us there is no group nearby, but joining the  Pre-war austin seven club, costs £42 per year. I guess there are many like me who don't belong to any club.
[/quote]

The Grey Mag is a label I have never really warmed to, mainly because it has not been grey for the majority of it's production run and the contents is anything but.   

The Association Magazine was originally designed to emulate the styling of the Longbridge produced Handbooks, the current colour and look (with rounded corners) is perhaps the closest attempt at that so far.

The Austin Seven Clubs' Association (that belonging apostrophe after the S is very important and oft misunderstood), is just that.  An Association of Austin Seven Clubs. 

Each full member Club forms one member of the Committee, working together the Clubs make decisions about how the Association spends it's money and what tasks it should undertake/support. 

The Clubs elect Officers to carry out tasks on their behalf and it is important to understand that although officers attend Committee Meetings they are not part of the Committee and don't have the power to vote (the exception being the Chair should a tie occur), or make proposals for votes - that is left solely to the Clubs.

If you hear, or read, someone asking "what is the Association doing about..."?  Make sure they Understand that the Association is the Clubs, not a group of people.  Those asking must communicate their feeling to their own Club Committee, otherwise their voice will never be heard.

The organisation of the Association is unusual but it has run so, for well over half a century now. It's main achievements lie in the Magazine, the Archive, the Insurance schemes and the Rallies - all of which are very much ongoing tasks.

[andrew34ruby]

Ruairidh, I appreciate your help with this. Can you just clarify a couple of things please?

Do we have Grey Books as well as the Grey Mag, or are these one and the same thing?

I understand the Austin Seven Clubs' Association and it's various groups, but is there also the Pre war Austin Seven Club? And does it also have local groups?

[Mike Costigan]

The grey mag and the grey book (I've never heard it referred to as that) are one and the same.

The Pre War Austin Seven Club has several local area groups; from memory something like a dozen area groups covering much of England, the Austin Seven Owners Club has a similar number but is more localised to the Home Counties.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I suspect that both are actually referencing The Association Magazine. The terms are unhelpful, in my opinion, to those who are new to A7 world.

The Association Committee is made up of Clubs, not groups.

The Pre War Austin Seven Club is one of those Clubs and it has a number of local groups within it.

[Tony Press]

Ruairidh, I appreciate your help with this. Can you just clarify a couple of things please?

Do we have Grey Books as well as the Grey Mag, or are these one and the same thing?

I understand the Austin Seven Clubs' Association and it's various groups, but is there also the Pre war Austin Seven Club? And does it also have local groups?

Where have you seen 'The Grey Books' mentioned ?

[andrew34ruby]

Thank you for the emails! Especially the videos from Mike Costigan. Please keep them coming!

A couple of responders are unsure about the relationship between their local club and the Association or even whether they are in the Association. The excerpt below is taken from the Association website and should help especially for non club members as they will have never seen the 'Grey Mag'.

The Austin Seven Clubs Association ( A7CA ) exists to promote the pre-war Austin Seven car through its umbrella of Austin Seven Clubs. The Association was formed in 1969, with the view of bringing together the various Austin Seven clubs that then existed. Now just about every Austin Seven club worldwide is a member or associate member.
The Association produces a high quality quarterly magazine, in the style of the Austin Seven handbooks, which are available through the member clubs of the Association. These are now known as the ‘Grey Books’ amongst the Seven enthusiasts.
The Association is run by a committee which is made up of members from the various clubs.

https://a7ca.org

I hope to meet some of you tomorrow at Beaulieu. I will be the one holding a Go Pro Camera wearing a white baseball cap. Please come and say hello.

Steve.

Grey mag and grey book are both mentioned in the above.

[Bob Olive]

Thank you for the emails! Especially the videos from Mike Costigan. Please keep them coming!

A couple of responders are unsure about the relationship between their local club and the Association or even whether they are in the Association. The excerpt below is taken from the Association website and should help especially for non club members as they will have never seen the 'Grey Mag'.

The Austin Seven Clubs Association ( A7CA ) exists to promote the pre-war Austin Seven car through its umbrella of Austin Seven Clubs. The Association was formed in 1969, with the view of bringing together the various Austin Seven clubs that then existed. Now just about every Austin Seven club worldwide is a member or associate member.
The Association produces a high quality quarterly magazine, in the style of the Austin Seven handbooks, which are available through the member clubs of the Association. These are now known as the ‘Grey Books’ amongst the Seven enthusiasts.
The Association is run by a committee which is made up of members from the various clubs.

https://a7ca.org

I hope to meet some of you tomorrow at Beaulieu. I will be the one holding a Go Pro Camera wearing a white baseball cap. Please come and say hello.

Steve.

Grey mag and grey book are both mentioned in the above.

During the eighteen years or so on the Association committee as Secretary (12 years)and Magazine distributor (18 years) I never heard the Association magazine referred to as a/the Grey Book" and only occasionally as the "Grey Mag", so I am with Ruairidh on this one. It IS the Association Magazine, and that's that!

[Tony Press]

Agree- in my recent (15 year) history I have never heard anyone call the A7CA magazine  'Grey Book'

 
These are now known as the ‘Grey Books’ amongst the Seven enthusiasts.

Get rid of this incorrect comment !

[Howard Wright]

Hi All

This has now been corrected.

Ruairidh is correct in that the official title of the quarterly magazine is ‘The Association Magazine’, however it has affectionately been referred to as ‘The Grey Mag’ and it is a publication that I am very proud to be editor of. Articles, letters and other submissions always welcome!

Just one further thought.  I believe that the existence of this forum, although not officially connected to the Association, was formed and is run by Association officers and supporters.  Without the Association I doubt that this forum would exist!

Cheers

Howard