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| Events from 2006 |
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| Mendips 7
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Terry & Janet organised another womderful Mendips experience, Mendips 7!! no less, on the eweekend of 12-14th May. Mendip 7 was centred on the Exmoor Country Park with some wonderful drives across Somerset.
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We all thank Simon for his work on the scenic runs, this even included the amazingly bumpy road that ran parallel to the motorway and we managed to dodge all the rain showers.
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An extremely good weekend was had by all and grateful thanks go to Terry and Janet Wilson for all their time and efforts on our behalf. Not a drop of beer was left by the end of the weekend.
Pictures by John Barry, Report ripped off from Centre Newsletter by Vanessa.
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| Pre Christmas Noggin
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The CranMog Pre-Christmas Noggin (PCN)is always a jolly meeting, and what better venue could we have than the Jolly Coopers. Christmas Carols are sung from hymn sheets provided by Philip, but most important of all is the silver ensemble, (brass band to those of us from the south) which was arranged again this year by Jim Barham. Graham still plays trombone and the five piece do us proud.
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Pictures by Heidi Collins - thanks Heidi
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| Wine & Cheese at Allon White's
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On 26th November 2006 – we held the annual Cheese & Wine at Allon White’s Sports Cars showroom in Cranfield. Sarah and Haydn Lightfoot organised enough cheese to sink a battleship and some of it probably would do - we had over 50 different cheeses, most smelly, but some very smelly and one or two down right stinking - fantastic. The event is open to all centres, and everybody, well every car that is, brings a bottle of wine and the passengers drink it. With the small charge per person we ensure everybody get plenty to eat and drink.
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Click on the thumbnail picture to enlarge
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Many thanks to Peter Cain for photos of the Cheese table, and 9 year old Lottie for photos of the cars in the car park, she has a good eye for a picture and of course, always includes our 4 seater.
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| Allon White's Barbecue
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John Bellenger organised a barbecue for the 22nd July to celebrate 40 years of trading Sports Cars at Allon White’s Garage, Cranfield Morgans were parked everywhere. Splendid BBQ with anniversary cake! Boy that was a very hot day, sun burning down, look at all the hats and shorts, but that was all soon to change, the weather that is, read on....
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Plus 5 were there of course but whilst performing the second rock & blues set a strong wind got up and blew Debbie White's marquee (which John Bellenger had borrowed for us) from over the band's heads, bending a few poles in the process. Philip shouted "come on CranMog, all hands to the marquee" and so the many helpers were able to ensure no damage was done to our valuable instruments. We carried on playing for a short while but then packed up in record time to avoid getting everything wet.
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Some people managed to storm wrap the cars before the rain hit and everybody sheltered in the workshops and carried on with the drinking on its own as the BBQ was hit too, but most of us had eaten by then. Despite the weather, John's annual barbecue was a success and many people enjoyed themselves making new acquaintances and meeting old friends.
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| Reydon 2006
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Reydon weekend, back to its usual spot at the end of October when the clocks go back so that we can get a much needed extra hour in bed on the Sunday morning. The event is held at the Randolph Hotel as usual which is always completely over-booked, so Karen has to place many of us elsewhere in the town. The event is extremely popular with CranMog Members with people comming from far and wide, well abroad at least. Cranmog Plus 5 make a regular appearance after dinner on the Friday; well with Karen as lead singer and organiser of the whole weekend event you can't get away from us. On Saturday, David does the speeches and hands out prizes for fancy dress costume etc., this year's winners were follows:
1st Mike Bedford Stradling and Jane Goodman – Don Quixote and donkey – brilliant costume!
2nd Peter Carthew – King Harold – loved the eye sticking out the back of the helmet.!
3rd Haydn and Sarah Lightfoot – Holy Grail Knights.
The prize for last in the bar had to be relinquished by Sarah Lightfoot this year and passed to the capable hands of Laurie Povey who declared his intention to outstay anyone at all in the bar!
Sarah did eventually make the Harbour Inn on the Saturday with dark glasses and a sad expression.
The prize for `My Body is Temple’ was awarded to Philip Bell for his concentrated efforts since September to stay off the beer!
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Click on the thumbnail picture to enlarge
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We have the lovely Vanessa to thank for these pictures of the fancy dress costumes on the Saturday night. Many thanks to Karen and David for all the effort they put in to the weekend - looking forward to next year.
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| Sporting Bears at Kimbolton
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On Sunday 16th July we attended the Classic Car and Country Fayre at Kimbolton Castle organised by Sporting Bears. We did the Club proud! Some 40+ cars were present in a large area. Picnic tables and rugs were spread and we partied contentedly in the shade of oak and beech, occasionally venturing into the hot sun to stare at the numerous classic cars grouped all over the large grounds of the School and to watch the events in the central ring or buy a couple of items from the many stalls. For some of us it all got too much and we had to have a little doze (see photos below)
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But we must have made an impression as halfway through the afternoon Philip Bell was requested to organise a parade of Morgans in the Display Ring as the organisers had decided that our Club epitomised the `Spirit of the Show’. We were also awarded the `Best Club in Show’ Plaque. – It will be on display at forthcoming events!
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Tea afterwards at John Bellenger’s house – John produced a delightful English Tea spread for us all to enjoy in his pretty house and gardens. Many thanks to John! – although there were rather a lot of us for him to feed!
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| Classic Le Mans 2006
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Classic le Mans this year was held between 6-9th July. A most amazing time to quote Philip! – over 500 Morgans nearly the biggest Club turnout at the event. Philip reported on behalf of all who attended that Quentin and Ann English had excelled themselves with the organisation of this event again and our thanks go to them.
The Morgan Racing Drivers were billeted at the Arbor Hotel with a lot of our Club members which made for interesting discussions. Most enjoyable event for all concerned and well worth the trip. The outstanding classic cars racing round the track were really something to see.
Whilst the men prowled around the Pits to their little heart’s content, gazing in awe at the fabulous monsters! the revealing photo opposite shows what the ladies got up to!
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| Birthday Party 2006
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Every year Judy Bell, ably assisted by Philip I'm sure, organises the CranMog Birthday party at the Dolphin Hotel in St Ives. This year the theme was 'Formal with a Touch of Red' and we had 131 people, which I believe is a record, or there abouts, anyway we certainly filled the function room so I don't expect many more people to be squashed in in the future. By tradition we start with a pub lunch on the Saturday, in recent years we've tended to all use the Golden Lion in the High Street, it serves good food and good beer, its near to the hotel and retail therapy is available on the doorstep, what else could you ask for?
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The main event starts early at 6:30pm so that we can get through a very full evening programme. We have silver service for the meal which this year comprised, smoked salmon starters, breast of duck main course and a variety of yummy puddings and cheese and biscuits etc. You'd think it was going to be very posh sedate evening, but no, we're CranMog and there were pea shooters, party poppers, hooters and all sorts of toys on the tables to make load of noise and cause mayhem - I feel sorry for the staff but they do an excellent job and the food is superb. Immediately after the meal, Plus 5 (all eight of us) played a few songs to get everybody in the mood and up on the dance floor. I must say, everybody was raring to go from the off!.
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At the end of the set there's a mad rush whilst the Crackers and Knackers get ready to perform the cabaret. We danced to Tom Jones' Delilah, see the pictures and short 2006 write-up on the 'ackers page. The Five Star Roadshow disco entertains us though to the bewitching hour, but we have a break for speeches and awards. This year, Kate presented the Alan Woodsford unsung hero award to Jane Goodman who does all the organising and choreography for the Crackers and Knackers dance routine; she certainly deserves recognition for the 23 years she's dedicated to it since 1983 - read all about the history of the Crackers and Knackers on the 'ackers page. We didn't have anybody to award the Imbiber's trophy to, it seems everybody has been sober and well behaved all year - I can't quite believe that, can you?
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After the disco ends, we move to the lounge bar for the raffle draw. All evening Sarah Lightfoot and Vanessa Barham had been exhorting money out of us for raffle tickets - we normally make about £600 which is used to pay for next year's 'free' beer and wine, so its all in a good cause. This year Judy re-organised things to speed up the raffle draw, we all brought a bottle instead of unwanted Christmas presents and these were bundled up in supermarket bags into about 12 prises. Laurie, who was calling the raffle still managed to make a good show of it and Malcolm and Avril McArthur won first prise of a dozen bottles, most of which he generously handed around, thanks Malcolm, I've always said you are a great guitarist
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The morning after we were all invited to John and Sandra Barry's lovely big house in Brampton for coffee and biscuits. Normally we go to Philip & Judy's house but its nice to see someone else helping out and making us all feel welcome - well done John & Sandra. After coffee, we went to the River Mill Tavern at Eaton Socon for lunch and a couple of beers. And that's it, a very busy weekend for most of us especially Judy and Philip Bell, thank you both and all the helpers very much.
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2006 AGM
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First item in the CranMog calendar is always the Annual General Meeting which this year was held on 11th January at the new venue for our Open Meetings, The Jolly Coopers in Wardhedges, Nr Flitton which is a much nicer pub than the Royal Oak we have been using. A few people have kindly given us a view of this, our first official meeting at the pub and a roundup of the AGM, hopefully it reflects a general consensus of opinion. You'll be please to know that I don't intend to report every Open Meeting we have, but this first one was a bit special.
On arrival, beware the grassy end of the car park which is rather muddy and full of puddles, the smart money is on getting there a bit early to avoid the the locals who seem to abandon their vehicles near the front door in an 'informal' manner. We have a no-smoking meeting room just off one of the bars. It's a decent size oblong room, larger than we are used to and much more suited to meetings than was the lounge at the Royal Oak, but we pretty well filled it with an unusually high turnout for an AGM, probably due to people wanting to see the new venue, certainly not because of good weather! Most people in the meeting said that they though it was much better than the Royal Oak and they could actually hear what was being said, that may help Philip as he doesn't have to strain his voice to be heard anymore. A few members reported that the place lacked atmosphere, but that was probably due to there being no hecklers in attendance, sorry folks, Judith had to go out and I was left baby sitting the little darlings. The beer is Greene King, well what do you expect in Bedfordshire, Adnams? Apparently there is normally a guest beer but unfortunately not this time. The bar in the meeting room was stocked only with fizzy drinks, OK for drivers but not so good for beer swilling CranMoggers. The sandwiches were very nice, so nice in fact that they all went and so in future we may have to ask for larger portions so that JC can take a doggy bag home as he used to.
On to the main business of the evening. Philip usually takes about an hour to recount the activities of the past year and this was no exception. Where would we be without Philip, well in a year's time we may find out because as most of you already know, Philip is threatening not to stand for election as Chairman of the Premier Centre in 2007, so make the most of the next 12 months folks. Sadly, due to ill health JC did not stand this year for Secretary, but he is recovering well from his stroke and can turn up to meetings now.
The following persons were elected for 2006...
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President - John Donovan
Chairman - Philip Bell
Treasurer - Anita Jordan
Secretary - Vanessa Barham
Vice Chairman - Haydn Lightfoot
Vice Secretary - Vacant
Regalia Officer - Vacant
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Alison Holmes has now retired from the Regalia Officer role, and as we didn't have any nominations to take over the job, Philip will run down the stocks, unless anybody wants to volunteer. Initially there will be a sale at the Birthday party, following that any remaining stock will be listed on the web site Regalia page. We will still be able to order direct through Jancraft's catalogue, or have the logo embroidered on our own garments, but its a great shame that nobody wants to continue with the dedicated work undertaken by various members in the past. Talking of great works, JD and Philip presented JC with commemorative framed certificate and a Television in recognition of the 28 years he has served CranMog as Secretary.
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I remember visiting John at CranMog Cottage one time and was surprised to see a black and white TV in the corner. John explained that it was actually a colour set with the colour knob turned right down so that he only needed a black and white licence! No such excuses anymore now JC. Open meetings will of course be held from now on at The Jolly Coopers on every second Wednesday of the month starting at 8:00 p.m., as usual.
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