ThamesMog
Secretary's Report July 2007

While you read this Centre report, a party of us will hopefully be touring Ireland in our trusted Morgans, ultimately visiting fellow enthusiasts in the Wicklow and South Dublin area. We shall tell you all about it on our return.

I have recently had a computer failure at home, which I suspect you will be sorry to hear. This has meant that in the intervening time my email account has accumulated a colossal amount of spam – unwanted, unsolicited electronic post. Amongst this overloading of my computer I fear that I may have lost some important messages. I know I have lost some mail concerning volunteers to act as marshals at the MOG 2007 gymkhana. Please can you resend your messages so that I can get back to you? My computer is now working again and of course as to volunteers for the gymkhana we are very pleased to receive them indeed.

Please note, so as to avoid a clash with the Uxbridge Car show, that many of us will be attending, we have moved the Hampden Arms noggin to the second Sunday, for this month only. The noggin therefore will be held on Sunday 8th July from twelve noon onwards. I hope this change will not inconvenience anyone.

During our negotiations for the trip to the Canal boat show near Pangbourne last month with Tom Smith, I learnt that Tom will be immigrating to Scotland. Over the years Tom has contributed a lot to the Centre, including organising with Geoff Giles one of our earliest charity scenic runs, with great success. On behalf of the Centre, I would like to thank Tom very much for all his hard work and we of course wish him well with his family and their new life some four hundred feet up a mountain near to Aberdeen. I look forward to seeing you in Scotland Tom for MOG 2010, if not before.

I would like to thank of those of you that braved the inclement conditions on our walk based around Leatherhead back in May. It didn’t rain as much as we had expected. The fifteenth Century pub, the Running Horse, at the end of our trek was excellent. As has been our experience to date, our walking pubs have served a superb draught pint of Old Speckled Hen – long may it continue. We are thinking of emphasising this point on future rambles.

As we have mentioned before, for the gymkhana for MOG 007, to be held at Goodwood on Sunday 12th August, we are still looking for volunteers to act as marshals. A good number of people have come forward but we still need more. If you would like to get involved please contact Gerry Burkitt as soon as you can. Gerry is coordinating the time slots for the marshals during the day. Clearly, we would like to even out the work load during the running of the gymkhana.

With June and July being very busy months our Tri-centre walks with Brighton Centre, Hopmog and ourselves will be on hold until late August, as described below. As this walk is being held during a holiday weekend, we plan to visit the Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum on the Saturday, so why not come down and make a weekend of it. The following link gives some details: http://www.bentley.org.uk/, a good campsite nearby can be found at the following link: http://www.buckle-camping.ukti.co.uk/.

Take care & see you all soon