IT'S a hobby which allows people to be creative, take pride in their projects and have some good fun when testing them too.

Formed in 1972, Cwmbran Modelling Society was set up by a group of modellers that used Cwmbran Boating Lake for their individual model sailors.

And their aim has remained the same ever since - to promote the hobby of model boat building and sailing.

The currently secretary of the society, Ralph Davies, 67, explained that it is a hobby for all ages.

He joined the society in 1992, but had been modelling since childhood.

Mr Davies said: “My father was a whittler and created carvings of animals and the like, and my grandfather was a carpenter, so I guess being creative and making things runs in the family.”

He recalls that he had a three foot RAF craft tender model for a Christmas present when he was 11-years-old, and it was built by the summer.

“Different projects take different amounts of time to complete, my pilot cutter took three years as it was so complex,” he explained.

Over the years, he ran his own club for youngsters in the Ebbw Vale area and in the 1970s he moved onto making model aeroplanes with a wing span of up to six foot and was a member of a club in Raglan.

When he moved to Ponthir from Caerleon, this is when he joined the Cwmbran society as it was closer.

He now owns around 20 boats that are ready to go and picks whichever takes his fancy to the society.

He has patrol boats, submarines, a yacht, a life boat, battle cruisers and a DUKW - that can go on land and water.

Due to the wildlife at Cwmbran Boating Lake, the group tend to save their faster boats for trips to other lakes and open water.

Often joining Mr Davies at the boating lake is his 12-year-old grandson, Ben Davies.

Mr Davies said: “He joins me when he can as he likes to put his own boat on the lake and to sail it and he likes to see the other boats that are sailing.”

He explained that the hobby captures the interest of all ages and even his five-year-old granddaughter has her own boat and sails it.

The club, which has around 55 members, is open to men and woman of all ages and doesn’t have many rules about the types of boats that people can sail - other than it cannot have an internal combustion engine.

“We have steam engines and imitation ones. We also have sailing boats that use the wind to progress and electric powered boats,” he said.

The society members enjoy a number of visits to other lakes during the year and attend model shows.

They also take their time to speak to interested members of the public about their hobby and give them any information and help on getting started.

The society also has two boats that people wanting to try out the hobby can use for free.

In return the society asks for a donation, with the funds collected given to Sparkle - a charity that supports children and young people with a disabilities living in Newport, South Monmouthshire and South Torfaen and their families.

Fellow society member, Graham Jelley, 68, from Penperlleni near Goytre, explained that he has been a member of the society for six years since retirement, but has been involved in boat modelling since he was 10.

His father was a carpenter and made him a model boat and from then on he has always been involved in it.

He now owns 12 boats, but now tends to work on restoring ones rather than starting from scratch, due to the length of time it takes to build them.

He said: “You can take great pride in seeing something that you have built on the water and sailing it.”

He recommends that anyone wanting to start should speak to a member of the society and look at the types of boats that there are.

He explained that some people are interested in having a flashier looking boat to show off, while others are interested in ones that glide across the water at speed.

Mr Jelley said: “It does not matter if you come every weekend or once every two months.

“It’s a friendly group of people who get together to share a common interest.”

He said that although there aren’t as many younger people getting involved as when he was a youngster, once they have a go at it, they really enjoy it.

He added: “It teaches discipline and hand eye coordination.”

Proving that the hobby is not just for those who are retired is Owen Gomersall, 50, from Goytre.

He works 10 hour shifts as an RAC patrol man, but says it’s nice to come home and add a bit more to a boat that you have been building.

He added: “Sometimes I can’t make meet ups due to my shifts but it doesn’t matter, I just do it when I can.”

He has a keen interest in lifeboats and has now built 17 of them.

“I would recommend it to everyone as it really is for the whole family, as my wife, son and daughter and even my grandson who is two and a half join in,” he added.

Now running for over 40 years the club has had a varied history.

The society expanded its interests in model making by having flying and car sections.

But the flying section lost the use of the council park it was using due to several of the flyers in the society causing a nuisance to the local residents by flying over a nearby housing estate with noisy aircraft.

The car section seems to have lost its membership and by the 1990s it was only the boating section left.

The society in the late 90s decided to change its format with the introduction of a new logo and ideas to promote the prime reason for the society existence now, that of model boating.

The society also became a member of the federation of Model Boat Clubs Wales.

Since its change of direction, the society has been blessed with an increase in membership - a membership that every member, if he wishes, can influence the forward direction of the society by attending its club nights, where future activities of the group are usually aired.

The society also started holding an annual open sailing event, held in September to promote it to the people of Torfaen and to invite like-minded people interested in model boating to the group.

In 2010, the society joined the SWAMBC, South West Association of Model Boat Clubs, so that if members required they could enter into competitions or other organised events as a club activity.

In 2012, the society started an open day competition in memory of one of its long serving members, Peter Sulley. The society purchased several trophies to extend the chairman competition to involve more of the club members with excellent results.

The society aims today are to support like-minded people, irrespective of their own capabilities, to enjoy a fascinating pass time as a spectator or active member.

Ypu can join the society at its next open fun day at Cwmbran Boating Lake off Llanyrafon Way on September 13, 10am to 4pm.

For more information visit www.webster.uk.net/cwmbranmodellingsociety