Hello Everyone,
Hopefully this newsletter finds you all well.
Past Events
Sunday 1st October 2023 – Monthly Meeting – The Fox, Matching Tye.
Attendance at our regular monthly meeting again was very disappointing only 8 members attended, those who did, enjoyed a pleasant afternoon in the garden catching up with fellow members and club matters..
Wednesday 18th October 2023 – Mid-month Meal – The Green Man, Harlow
At this time of the year we would start our Sunday lunchtime meals. We have found it increasingly difficult to find venues who are prepared to reserve tables for an unknown number of people. We decided to try a mid-week lunchtime meal, unfortunately due to a lack of interest this meal was cancelled, thanks to Dennis Northcott for trying to organise this event.
Saturday 21st October 2023 – 40’s Evening – Village Hall, Matching Tye
25 members & guests spent a very enjoyable evening dancing to the very talented singer, Miss Jones, some of us needing the dance tuition, kindly offered by Joe & Angela Wells, more than others. The village hall looked like a VE celebration decked out head to toe in bunting and posters. Many of the attendees were dressed in period attire, anyone stumbling in from the bad weather outside would have thought they had stepped back in time. The evening was rounded off with a last night of the proms style rendition of Jerusalem, Rule Britania and Land of Hope and Glory.
Thanks to Joe & Angela for organising a brilliant evening and to everyone who helped set up and clear up the hall.
Sunday 5th November 2023 – Monthly Meeting – The Fox, Matching Tye
It was very encouraging to see so many members attend our monthly meeting, 19 members attended for a very social chat and catch up on club matters.
Events coming up
Wednesday 15th November 2023 – Mid-Day Mid-Month Meal – 1:00pm Plume of Feathers, Pye Corner, Harlow CM20 2RD
We have decided to run another mid-week lunchtime meal to see if it proves more popular than last months. If you would like to attend please contact Wendy Way, wendy_way4@hotmail.com asap.
Friday 10th – Sunday 12th November 2023, Lancaster Classic Motor Show, Birmingham NEC.
The UK’s biggest classic car show, The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, which brings together a great array of classic car and motorcycle clubs along with their iconic classic and vintage cars and motorbikes, is an event not to be missed. No matter what you’re looking for, this is the ultimate season finale for any classic car/bike owner, collector, enthusiast, club member, or simply anyone with a passion for classic vehicles. But it’s not just about the classics on display. As well as admiring these amazing vehicles, you can shop for those elusive pieces in the autojumble, or source parts and tools for your maintenance and restoration needs from the many specialist traders.
Sunday 3rd December 2023 – Monthly Meeting - The Fox, Matching Tye 3:00pm Our normal monthly meeting, catch up with friends and club news.
Sunday 10th December – River Trip, River Stort
We have hired two specially adapted broad-beam boats that cater for people of all ages and levels of mobility. Every one who wants to will be encouraged to have a go at steering and helping at locks. Leaving the mooring at 10:00am cruising either upstream or downstream for 4½ hours followed by a meal at The Fox, Matching Tye at 3:30. The boat that draws the short straw will have me as a member of the crew. This event is now fully booked but if there is enough interest we can organise another next year.
If anyone would just like to attend the meal at The Fox, please let me know ian.s.robinson1@gmail.com
Friday 8th March 2024 – AGM – Village Hall, Matching Tye
This is your chance to let the committee know your thoughts on how the club runs, what you like and what you don't like. What you want the club to be doing in the future. A review of past events and possible future events. There will also be an update on the clubs finances. We would also welcome any members, who would like to help in the running of the club, to join the committee. If you intend to come along can you let Wendy Way or Ian Robinson know so we have an idea of numbers for catering.
Update from the Committee
It is the time of year when the Club’s Committee review the year’s events and plan the next year.
The number of members attending 2023’s event was highly variable.
Weekends away are always popular and in 2024 we are planning 2 weekends.
Drive it day was well attended on a day when there are many other events open to members and will be held again.
We tried several new ideas for events with mixed success. The canal boats have proved very popular while a couple of events did not go ahead due to lack of interest. We plan to continue with new ideas accepting that the occasional failure is possible.
The mid-month meals attracted a range of attendees from a maximum of 22 to fewer than 6. It is difficult to predict numbers although the further the venue from Matching the lower the attendance becomes. While we try to reflect the geographical spread of the membership it appears the far flung members are willing to travel to the Matching area so we will keep events within 30 minutes or so drive of Matching.
Moving the mid-month meal to lunchtime did not work but we are not sure why as the majority of members are retired; we will give it another try.
Changes at The Fox have caused uncertainty which has resulted in low attendance. We have lost the use of the field beside the pub where we used to park for the summer meetings and Car of the Month competition.
While winter meetings will continue at The Fox we need to find a new permanent home for summer meetings. We have looked at all the pubs/restaurants/hotels in the area but it has proved difficult to find somewhere that will give us an exclusive area to park our cars. Fortunately a solution has emerged.
Matching Green Cricket Club have offered the use of their pavilion – shared when they have a match, exclusive when they don’t. The pavilion has kitchen, toilets and a bar and shelter in inclement weather. The Green has space to establish our own parking area. This will be summer use only as vehicle access in winter is not allowed and the pavilion has no heating.
The Committee encourage your comments on future events. Website, Email, Facebook and WhatsApp are available or, at the next AGM (March 2024) join the Committee.
Communications
Just a reminder that we now have several online platforms for you to get information and communicate with other members.
Website – WWW.MGCSC.CLUB
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/MGCSCC
WhatsApp – please let me know if you would like to be added to our group.
I will be adding a regalia order form onto the website this week, if you are in need of a new polo shirt, fleece or even a beanie for the cooler months please check it out. Any feedback would be most appreciated, good or bad.
To assist the people who are organising events you must email them and confirm that you would like to attend. Please do not just click attending on the facebook event and assume that this will be picked up, thank you.
If anybody who has attended one of our recent events who has taken any pictures that they wouldn’t mind being published to our website and Facebook page can you please email them to me ian.s.robinson1@gmail.com. Thank you.
Club members who are also members of the website can now see the minutes of our committee meetings so check this section out and see what happens to make the club work.
There is a classified section on the website, if you have anything for sale or are looking for that elusive part let me know and I will put this on for you.
FBHVC News
The club is a member of the FBHVC, issue 4 - 2023 of their magazine is available to download from their website, a link to this is on our website. There is also a vast quantity of information relating to all aspects of vintage & classic car matters. If anyone has any problems with access to areas of this site please let me know.
Hope to see you at an event soon
Safe motoring
Chairman - Ian
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