Rob, I phrased it badly. What I should have said is that young people tend to be put off clubs which they perceive as being full of old people, and perhaps hidebound by rules. I agree that if you can break down those barriers ,and especially if you show the young people that they will be treated with respect, then they will often participate fully.

Climbing clubs are exactly what I had in mind, based on my own club's experience and comments on UKClimbing. For my generation, clubs were a natural way to meet other climbers and arrange activities, for many young people now they are irrelevant.

In folk music, the older and younger generations are both organising music events but are advertising them in ways which, intentionally or not, excludes the other.