by Gareth Herincx | Jan 30, 2025 | Driving Day, From the Chair
This year’s Western Group of Motoring Writers’ Driving Day is now confirmed for Wednesday, May 21, at the Haynes Motor Museum at Sparkford, Somerset. One of the highlights of the automotive calendar, it gives PRs a rare opportunity to get behind the wheel...
by Gareth Herincx | Jan 30, 2025 | Driving Day, From the Chair
A message from our ChairmanHello again – hope you are all well. I just want to give you a quick update on this year’s Driving Day.John Kendall, Simon Perry and I had a meeting at Haynes Motor Museum this week and Wednesday, May 21 is now confirmed for...
by Gareth Herincx | Jan 30, 2025 | Features, From the Chair, News
Did you know that two of our members are judges in two of the most prestigious awards panels? Last week I was honoured to be invited to join the judging panel of the UK Car of the Year Awards. A little bit of recognition in your chosen profession is always welcome....
by Gareth Herincx | Jan 15, 2025 | Features, From the Chair
A group of us met up for a post-Christmas bash at Stanton Manor Hotel near Chippenham on Sunday, January 12. It’s always lovely to get together – especially when partners are invited too. Our annual Driving Day may be the big event of the year for the...
by Gareth Herincx | Oct 11, 2024 | Electric Cars, From the Chair
It’s fair to say that the current global automotive outlook is unpredictable at best. A whole range of factors are conspiring, and at times, it seems like we’re in the midst of a perfect storm. The urgent need to cut damaging CO2 emissions is at the heart of...
by Gareth Herincx | Jun 10, 2024 | Features, From the Chair, News
A big thanks to the Kia UK PR team for putting on a drive day for the Group at the Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa in Warminster on June 5. The event gave members a chance to get up to speed with most of the Kia range, including the EV6 and EV6 GT, EV9, Sportage, Stonic and...
by Gareth Herincx | Jun 10, 2024 | Driving Day, From the Chair, News
In all, 38 cars from 25 brands were available to drive at the event – a unique date in the automotive calendar. This year’s Driving Day was the third and most successful at our new venue – the wonderful Haynes Motor Museum in Somerset.In all, 38 cars...
by Gareth Herincx | Feb 5, 2024 | Electric Cars, From the Chair, News
This time next year the world could be a very different place. Donald Trump might well have just been inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, while Sir Keir Starmer could still be enjoying a honeymoon period as our new Prime Minister. However, as 2023...
by John Kendall | Jun 30, 2023 | Driving Day, Features, From the Chair, News
The Group began its 40th anniversary celebrations with the 2023 Driving Day held at the Haynes Motor Museum, in the heart of Western Group territory on 15th June. With cars from BMW, Ford, Genesis, Honda, Kia, Mazda, MINI, Suzuki, VW and Volvo, there was plenty to...
by John Kendall | Oct 5, 2022 | Driving Day, From the Chair, News
We certainly didn’t have it easy trying to run the Western Group Driving Day for the first time since before the pandemic… But by all measures, I think we can claim a success. Not only did we need to revive an event that has been valued by our PR colleagues for...
by John Kendall | Sep 12, 2022 | Driving Day, From the Chair, News
The Western Group of Motoring Writers Driving Day will continue as planned on Wednesday 14th September. The unexpected death of Her Majesty the Queen last Thursday caused us to discuss whether it was appropriate to continue with the arrangements, given that the date...
by John Kendall | Jul 21, 2022 | Driving Day, From the Chair, News
After the Western Group had to make the decision to abandon our annual Driving Day, a blow to us all as it would have been the first to be staged since 2019, I’m pleased to say that we have been able to re-schedule the event this year. The 1 June date fell victim to...
by John Kendall | May 23, 2022 | From the Chair, News
Unfortunately, our plans to hold the first WGMW PR Driving Day since 2019, have hit a hiccup. We were due to hold the event at Castle Combe Circuit, where the event has been held since it began over 30 years ago. Now that events are up and running again at...
by Kieron Fennelly | May 1, 2022 | From the Chair, News
Leigh Robinson 1948-2022 The Western Group lost a stalwart when Leigh died suddenly at the beginning of April. Leigh was a ‘proper’ journalist as many will know, working his way up through the local press in Northern England before coming south in the 1990s and after...
by Kieron Fennelly | Mar 1, 2022 | From the Chair, News
Whither Geneva? The first week of March has since time immemorial been the date of the Geneva Show, the event which always seemed to herald the new motoring year. But once again and for the third year in succession, the Show has been cancelled. The organisers blamed...
by John Kendall | Feb 1, 2022 | From the Chair, News
I recently carried out an interview with the Chief Technology Officer of the Volvo Group – not the car manufacturer but the truck, bus and off-road equipment manufacturer. In the course of the discussion, the subject of autonomous vehicles came up. I was quite...
