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Chairman's Report November 2009

Over the last year, the committee have continued the task of developing the club to service the needs of members in an appropriate manner. Last year I gave an undertaking to ensure a reasonable level of reserves be retained, given the economic climate that was by then evident. Now you have the accounts I hope you agree that we achieved satisfactory outcomes, having considered the events we wished to run, the relatively low membership fee, and the positive movement on reserves.

I am grateful to all the committee members for their efforts throughout the last year, and in fact as I step down, to committee members over previous years prior to our incorporation. I pass on my thanks to them all for a great team effort.

I must also thank my wife Bridget for her support, not least for keeping us all adequately fed and watered at our monthly meetings.

Lastly, I would like to thank Barbara and her excellent team at the Langton Arms, a great venue which I was unaware of prior to joining the club some eight years ago.

It has been a privilege to be chairman.

With kind regards
Richard Price
Chairman

AGM Report

The following awards were presented at the AGM held on Tuesday 10 November

Attendance Cup - Lin Hammerton presented to John Cobb and Richard Jolly for the best meetings attendance over the year.

Golden Quill - Presented by Joy Payne to Richard Jolly for eight articles submitted to the newsletter.

Golden Pen Award - David Tofts presented this award to Dave Pedder for his numerous articles submitted to the newsletter.

Chairman's Cup - Richard Price presented this to Steve Brown for his unassuming help at all times for the good of the club over the past year.

Burlen Fuel Systems Limited

John Burnett who is the chairman of Burlen Fuel Systems Limited who manufactures SU and AMAL carburettors gave a very interesting talk at the club night on the 13 October. A web link to his companies can be found on the downloads page.

The 5th Classics at the Holme Bush Sunday May 3

The 5th Classics at the Holme Bush was blessed with good weather (a relief after the heavy rain last year), and by the comments of owners on leaving, seems to have been adjudged a success.

Three fields to the rear of the pub were stacked full with a great mix of classic cars, bikes and commercial vehicles. Owners and many visitors took a relaxed amble around the exhibits, chatting to those who had brought a picnic and sat by their vehicles. Others joined the inevitable queues in the garden for the pig roast or barbeque, whilst being entertained by our singer for the afternoon, "Sophie".

A great big "thank you" is owed to the committee members who all worked extremely hard organising and running the day, and to landlords Terry and Jill, and their staff who, like the committee, were just too busy to look around and enjoy it!

Judging of the entries was, as ever, a close run thing. Everybody deserves credit for bringing along their vehicles to put on a great display, but after much head scratching from the judges, the following were awards were presented: -

 

Rallye Sunseeker - 27 and 28 February

The Rallye Sunseeker started on Friday in Bournemouth, taking in stages in the lower gardens and sea front. Saturday has the majority of stages, around the Wareham forest and Ringwood areas, with stages 6 and 11 being run through Somerley Park, where we had been invited to have a stand within the motorfair. Our display had six vehicles with ten people getting to enjoy a great day.

85 cars entered, with older rally cars included a '72 Porsche 911 which was the event safety car, Saab 99, Mk1 and II Escorts and Metro 6R4s. It doesn't seem it but it is 25 years since the Metro 6R4 was built by Rover with input from the Williams Grand Prix team. To celebrate this, two 6R4s, including an ex Tony Pond car completed the full rally, and a further sixteen put on a great display speeding through the Somerley stage in the time between the actual rally passing through.

The weather was kind to us with a dry day and afternoon sunshine. The grounds had been well prepared with short cut grass and no mud in sight. For those not brave enough to sample a passenger ride with a professional driver in a modern rally car there were lots of other attractions at the motorfair to keep us all happy. It has to be said though, the most popular did seem to be the excellent live cooking demonstration by Phil & Lisa who brought their VW camper onto the stand & kept us very well supplied with bacon & sausage rolls! Thanks must also go to the organisers & sponsors of the event, as well as Lord Normanton for allowing us to play in his garden for the day.

The majority of those that attended were not diehard rally fans, but you don't need to be to enjoy something a little different now and again.