December 2011
- Details
- Roger Bluff
It is amazing to think that we are now in December, with the end of the year fast approaching. Don’t forget that we are taking bookings for our two Christmas Dinners: please contact Contact: Andy Doughty (Sorry no contact details available) and Contact: Mike Aldrich, for the Harte and Magpie and Bird In Hand respectively. These celebrations are always popular so please make contact as soon as you can – bookings are being taken on a first come first served basis. I hope you can make it.
Our events’ meeting last October has generated some interesting projects for the future. Geoff Giles is busy investigating a long weekend in East Sussex over one of the bank holidays next May – it is more complex than normal because of the extra holidays next year. The trip could include Hastings, Eastbourne and surrounding area. Please contact Geoff if you are interested as he is currently gauging the potential level of interest for the trip. While we are thinking about East Sussex, we shall be doing a walk with Brighton Centre, starting and ending at Saltdean Lido on New Year’s Day. The world famous Lido is still under threat, so it will go to support the campaign. The walk should be quite dramatic as we cross the downs looking out over the Channel. There is also a wonderful cafe en route, on the beach, with homemade cakes, a favourite spot. I hope you can make it.
Alternatively, there is the perennial New Year’s classic car meet up which is well worth a visit at the Phoenix near Hartley Wintney. As Steve Bridge has reported there are some interesting vehicles to see there over and above the veterans.
Looking forward, there are two super events confirmed for 2012. On Sunday May 13th we are booked in for a visit to Hinton Ampner National Trust property near Alresford in Hampshire. Lyn Sandford is coordinating the visit for us and she can arrange for up to twenty Morgan sports cars to park in front of the house. If we get more Lyn may plan to put the oldest in front of the house with the more virile in a safe area away from public parking. We appear in the National Trust programme of events for next year courtesy of Lyn. We will be able to look round the house and Lyn will take bookings for lunch and there are some nice tea rooms for the afternoon. It should be a great day out so please put this date in your diary now. I would like to thank Lyn and David Sandford again very much for setting this visit up for us. And the second major event is being organised by Terry Tedman and will see our welcome return to Fawley for a visit to the ultimate train set which will be another wonderful day out for the Centre. The date for this visit is June 3rd and is days before an important milestone birthday for Terry. We are very fortunate to be going back to see this collection. On behalf of the Centre I would like to thank you Terry very much indeed and of course happy birthday in advance.
Incidentally, Ann Miller has put together a nice calendar of Thames Valley events over the past twelve months or so. It looks good and would make a nice present – thank you Ann.
So it looks like 2012 is shaping up nicely. As this is the December edition of miscellany, I would like to wish all my readers of this column a very happy Christmas and prosperous New Year with above all good health. I look forward to seeing you all in 2012.
Take care, see you all soon: Merry Christmas - Roger.
