IPMS is the International Plastic Modellers Society,
which was founded in Great Britain in 1963, by modellers, for the benefit of
modellers. Originally founded as the British Plastic Modellers Society,
it soon expanded into what is now a truly international body with
many Branches right across the world.
Within the UK, there are many local Branches and model
clubs affiliated to the Society, where members can meet regularly to share
their knowledge and pleasure in model building. As a result, people from all
walks of life join together in their common interest of the hobby. Many
Branches also organise their own local model shows and competitions. These
shows are also open to the general public and are great occasions to see
wonderful model displays by numerous IPMS Branches/model clubs and SIGs - and
to stock up on model kits and accessories from a wide variety of supporting
traders and model shops.
IPMS has no class, age, sex, colour or creed barriers to
overcome, nor does it lay down any minimum modelling standards. All you need to
qualify for membership is an interest in model making as a hobby. Many new or
potential members worry about the high standards some IPMS modellers reach.
Don't be put off by this, as with a little perseverance and
help from other members, you can quickly improve the quality of the models you
build also.
This is important to stress : Contrary
to popular belief, there is no "minimum standard of modelling", nor any
"modelling skills requirement" in order to join IPMS ! IPMS members
are NOT "elitest" or "professional modelmakers" - this is a myth !
We are just "ordinary people" who all enjoy the hobby of making
models to whatever standard we are capable of and/or happy with - purely for
the pleasure of it !
IPMS(UK) publishes a full colour magazine six times a
year, where all of the content is written by IPMS members. This includes a wide
variety of articles, Society events/news, reviews, product information, etc.
related to the subject of modelling - and it is free to all IPMS(UK) Members.
The Society provides other services such as the Decal and Instruction Sheet
Banks and the Technical Advisory Service (TAS), to help members get the most
from the combined knowledge of IPMS. A very important aspect of IPMS are the
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) - of which this is just one of many - for
members who have particular interests in specific modelling subjects or genres.
There are also a number of related shops/manufacturers who offer discounts to
IPMS members.
For FULL details,
CLICK HERE to visit the IPMS(UK)
website.
The highlight of the
IPMS(UK) year is
Scale
ModelWorld, the world-class event formerly known as the IPMS(UK)
National Championships and Model Show, held at the International Exhibition
Centre in Telford, Shropshire, England. Normally held around the beginning of
November and open to both IPMS (Worldwide) members and the general public, this
two-day event is now the largest plastic modelling show in the world.
Featuring the National Championships Competition, a massive and varied
model show from UK and International IPMS Branches and SIG's, etc., plus
stalls/vendors from the majority of the World's modelling trade, Scale
Modelworld is a firm fixture in the diary of many modellers, both in the UK and
all around the World too !
Just take a look at the
Scale
ModelWorld website to get some idea of the enormity of the event, the huge
attendance by modellers from all over the world - and the great, informal
social occasion that it is ! |
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Scale
ModelWorld |