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Celebrating 20 years of the club

This year’s BBQ was held at Rich and Seb Bolwell's house in Westbury.

We had warm fine weather and congregated in a very pleasant garden.

There was a good turn out even though there were a few people that unfortunately had to cry off at the last minute.

Seb laid on lots of lovely food, there was even a separate BBQ for vegetarians and vegetarian snacks.

Rich made a good chef as Seb ensured that our glasses remained full.

One of the Six-Ex founder members, Andy Down, graced us with his presence with his family.  He confirmed that the club was formed 20 years ago so next year we will 21.

Many thanks to Rich and Seb for being our host and hostess for this year’s celebration.

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I awoke to a technology disaster, my phone had a moment, I did what the usual IT response is ‘switch it off and on again’, when I switched it back on I was unable to unlock my sim card.  After a number of calls to Vodafone with no luck unlocking the sim card and I was told it was corrupt and I needed a new one (either have one posted out or visit a Vodafone store).

Now running late I visited the club website to enable me to get Nicks phone number to tell him I was running late.  Nick had slept through two alarms and two calls from me and was also running late.  Finally I arrived at the meeting point where Nick and Dawn were waiting, we made a plan to stop in Salisbury to try and find a Vodafone store and we set off.

We arrived in Salisbury, Nick managed to locate 2 stores, one opening at 10am, result.  When they finally opened in I went and less than 10 minutes later I had a new sim card and my phone back in working order.  It is terrible how much we rely on them these days; it’s like having a limb removed!!!

We departed Salisbury and trundled our way to Beaulieu losing Dawn twice on route.  On route I received a phone call from an ex club member who was on the Mendip Minis club stand for the day asking us if we would like to join them, as we did not have a club stand booked, which was very kind of them and we were very grateful.

We pitched up much later than expecting, the sun was shining and it was very warm.  So it was first things first, out came the BBQ and stove, followed by the bacon, rolls, tea and coffee and within 15 minutes we were fed and watered (so to speak).

Then off to look around the show and the museum.  I have not been to this show for a few years and it was noticeable that there were not as many traders as I have seen in previous years but beside that Nick did manage to spend some money and get the few bits that he needed.  There were a number of club stands and plenty of minis in the ‘mini only’ parking area as well as the Show ‘N’ Shiners displaying their cars in the main arena.

The museum had changed a bit since my last visit, a slightly new layout, a few new cars, an additional wing to the Top Gear tent featuring more of their weird and wonderful inventions from their challenges and different cars in the ‘On Screen Cars’ display with the infamous flying car from Harry Potter, the anti-pesto van from Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were Rabbit and of course the Mr Bean mini to name but a few.

Then back to the tent to find Nick scoffing more bacon butties!!  So I gave him a list of jobs that needed doing on my car and off he went to carry out the mission!! I did help him out where I could and I made him his fix of coffee.  But these little jobs became more of a hassle, as we have all experienced, and it created more of a shopping list.

Once the jobs were completed we sat down and chatted for a bit and chilled enjoying the sunshine.  Then Mendip Minis packed up and went on their onward journey home and Nick and I went for another wander around the show to see if we could find the bits for my car that had been added to the shopping list

By now a lot of people and traders had left, we fired up the BBQ and had homemade burgers which were lovely but I think just as much went into the BBQ than went in to the rolls. Then we packed up and headed our way home.  It was a good day and much better that the sun was shining as opposed to the forecasted rain.

Rachel

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As this show was the following day to the Rowdeford School event the number of club members in attendance was down due to other commitments.  Dawn and I had our cars on the club stand and we were visited by other club members during the day with Karen, Richard, Seb and Reuben in attendance.

This was the fourth year that Chippenham Lions have staged this event at Allington Farm and this year well over 200 classic vehicles were in attendance as well as a good variety of trade and charity stalls, a fair ground and arena displays owning the day.

Nick

We were invited to join the classic cars at the Rowdeford School fete for a family fun day out.

The weather was fantastic which gave people plenty of time to enjoy all the many classic cars which were on show, from classic American muscle to our Mini’s.

Within the walled garden of the school there were plenty of stalls and classic fete games for the children and adults to spend their pocket money on.

We were also allowed to walk around the grounds of the school, there was an area where they grew their own herbs, fruit and veg; there were animals (pigs, chickens, etc.) that the children looked after and some lovely gardens to see.

Also there was a competition for the children, around the school site were Muppet scarecrows for them to find and identify.

Rowdeford School fete was a fun day out and we look forward to supporting them again next year.

Simon and Jen