Hi Everybody

Just back from our tour “Up North”  We had a wonderful Rally at Pontefract hosted by Tom and June on their farm in East Hardwick ably assisted by John and Sheila. The Hog Roast Evening was certainly different but you will have to join the club to find out more! A full report will appear in our next Newsletter. Then on to Twinwood at Bedford for a relaxing weekend of swing, jazz & jive! Our Hosts Phil and Pauline treated us to a wartime street party complete with spam and jam sandwiches and a sing-along to wartime music. We also enjoyed some entertaining flypasts by wartime aircraft. We did not get to Chester but from all accounts everyone had a good time.

  I have now put together a few dates and ideas for 2009 but I am still looking for offers from members willing to marshal a rally. If you can help or have any ideas to add to the ones listed below please contact me. The Rallies in Bold are confirmed Dates and have organisers/marshals.

Jan	8-12	Shepton Show
	12-16	Devizes (informal)
Mar	16-22	Cirencester
	22-27	Malmesbury
April	19-23	St Neots needs marshals (informal)
	23 -27	Peterborough Show
May	1-6	Stratford AGM
	7-11	Newbury Show
	31- 7	Sandwich
France informal 3 centre Loire Valley more details later
June	17-22	Milford-On-Sea
July	16-20	Slimbridge rally field booked needs marshals
	20-24	Cardiff City Site Booked but needs marshals
	24-31	St Davids Rugby Club (Wales)
August	21-26	Newark or similar for a pre IWA rally needs organiser
Sept	10-14	Shepton Show needs Rally marshal
GERMANY dates and venue to be confirmed  Rhine in Lights (Koblenz) & Black Forest
October	13-18	Coventry (NEC) Hollyfast Campsite booked needs marshals.
December	3-7	Banham

 

 The Rallies marked in BOLD are those that have organisers/marshals. All the others need volunteer marshals. Please let me know a.s.a.p. if you would like to marshal one of these events.

I look forward to hearing from you!

 Jenny

Barnstaple Rally

Barnstaple Rugby Club again proved to be in a convenient location close to the town centre and alongside the Tarka Trail. Jenny and Arthur had arranged for a local guide to show members around the town and this proved very interesting as the enthustic guide wearing a green fez explained the local history.

The programme included a coach trip, the "Barnstaple Olympics", and a number of quizes. We had to leave the Rally on Tuesday but from the photographs that I have been sent its seems that the weather stayed fine and that a good time was had by all. 

Thank you Arthur and Jenny for all the hard work that you put into organising this rally

Exmouth Rally

The Exmouth Rugby Club proved to be in an excellent location close to the town centre, bus station and railway station. and only 5 minutes walk fron the beach. Ken and Jean welcomed us with an excellent Cream Tea which they had baked.

The club house proved useful for members to get together for a fish and chip supper  and a game of skittles. Members made good use of the local transport using their bus passes for trips to Exeter and surrounding towns while others took to the railway for the scenic coastal ride to Torquay.

An evening boat trip along the estuary which provided another opportunity to sample Ken and Jeans home baking was also greatly enjoyed by members.

Many thanks to Ken and Jean for a most enjoyable Rally.

Ireland Coast to Coast Rally

A large change in the value of the Euro and some typical Irish weather gave the organisers John and Trudy some additional worries to contend with. These problems, however, were soon brushed aside and in true Pilote fashion the full programme of events was modified to suit the conditions. The first site at Dublin was very convenient for visiting the city and most members made one or two visits. The second site at Lough Derg was  in a very scenic location although some of the pitches were too short for the longer vans. A fine evening gave an opportunity for a get together to play some outdoor games. A coach trip to Galway which included a boat trip on the Corrib Princess  was greatly enjoyed by members. Our final campsite was at Doolin where we had fine views over the sea to the Aran Islands. One evening was deemed sufficiently fine for the bar-b-que to take place and to catch up with the programme was immediately followed by Cocktails and finally the raffle.

We all enjoyed our visit to Ireland although the lack of stopping places when travelling did create some difficulties along with some very rough road surfaces.

Many thanks to John and Trudy for organising such an interesting and enjoyable rally

The Stratford-on-Avon Rally 

Organising the AGM Rally at a new location is stressful enough but when you have organised a dinner dance and find the dance floor has vanished you might be tempted to panic. Jenny and Arthur, however, took it all in their stride and Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse proved to be an excellent venue to celebrate the 21^st Anniversary  of the Association.

The site had good facilities and was within walking distance of the interesting town of Stratford-on-Avon.  Members enjoyed a sherry reception and welcome party on the Friday evening. On the Saturday evening members assembled for the dinner dance with Paula Hayes as the guest of honour. The room was nicely decorated and an excellent size for our party. After the meal our favorite band Eclipse played as David Elson started the dancing by escorting Paula around the floor.  The floor was soon crowded as members enjoyed the music stopping only for some of Phils "Norfolk Squit".

On Sunday we assembled for coffee and Sheila's grand raffle before the AGM at which Allan Milham took over the role of Chaiirman. 

A most enjoyable rally was rounded of with a Fish and Chip supper and quiz on Monday.

Congratulations to Jenny and Arthur for finding such an excellent venue for our AGM and to all the others who helped in various ways at the rally.

The Full Official Rally Reports will be published in the Newsletter as usual.

Photographs

If you have photographs from Rallies that you would like to share with other members please send them to me and I will put them on the website.

Just e-mail your photo as an attachment using the webmaster link on this page. 

Thanks Peter