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Hearty Happenings
Issue 3
A Message from the Editor
Welcome to the third Hearty Happenings. We hope to be able to keep you up to date with what’s on, happening or happened. If you have anything you would like included please get in touch by e-mail at maggieathofe@waitrose.com, by telephone or to my home address, both of which are in your rally folder.
Some items to look out for in this issue are details of the Chinese New Year rally and booking for the holiday rally to Gower.
The next publication will be March, so items to me by the end of February please
Margaret
Chairman’s Note
Writing this just after returning from the November “Early Christmas” rally reminds me that we have nearly completed our first Heart of England season. This time last year we were planning the programme for this season and now we can reflect back on what has been achieved. From my perspective, the first thing that strikes me about the first season is the tremendous support and encouragement we have received from so many members. Thank you very much for this support but most importantly for turning out to so many of our rallies. The club will only succeed if you want to attend the programme so, as always, please do let us know what you would like to do.
Our 2008 rally programme is nearly complete and I am very grateful to the members who have volunteered to find and marshal a good number of the rallies next year. Our holiday rally to Port Eynon on the Gower coast of Wales is also now firmly in the programme. We are also planning to run a rally without caravans and tents, in other words, a weekend in a hotel in sunny (well we hope it will be) Bournemouth. This will be a turkey and tinsel weekend at the start of December 2008. More details of some of the 2008 programme later in Hearty Happenings.
We have already started work on the 2009 rally programme, with nearly half the weekends already planned or booked. If you have any ideas of good rally fields or would like to arrange or Marshal a rally please do let one of the Founder Members know. Our first holiday rally to Europe will also be in 2009. Sue and Merv are arranging a rally on the Rhine and Mosel area of Germany during the last two weeks in June 2009. More details are to be found later in Hearty Happenings.
Please remember to keep an eye on the club web site as we will publish all the latest news and updates there.
The web site address can be found at www.heartofenglandccclub.org.uk
Margaret and I are looking forward to the first Heart of England Christmas Dinner and then it will be all hands to the 2008 season ready for the Chinese New Year rally at Diamond Farm in February.
Margaret and I wish you all the very best for the festive season and a very healthy and happy new year.
I look forward to seeing you on a rally soon.
Steve
Rally Happenings – Copt Oak - By Sue Stephenson
We arrived on a mild Friday afternoon and were greeted by Allun & Molly and a nice cup of tea. Merv was already there on hand to give Allun help and support. Despite trying to contact the key holder of the hall from 9am Friday, he had not turned up by the evening. Being resourceful, Molly set about boiling kettles instead so we did not miss out on our hot drinks. One front went into the awning to help keep out the cold of an October evening, but it was so mild we all sat outside the awning and we were still there at midnight with just the light from two gas lamps. The temperature was so mild, more like an early summer evening, apart from the dark descending early.
Saturday morning was a little overcast but they said the sun would shine. It did try during the day but rarely did it succeed for more than a few minutes. Depending where you visited on Saturday some saw more sunshine than cloud.
Saturday evening saw 21 of us trudging down the road to the Copt Oak public house where a meal had been booked for us all. Paula and Eileen joined us, as they were here to take Rochelle home. I think everyone enjoyed their meal it was piping hot and they did try to serve us all together and generally they succeeded. We then walked back to the caravans to catch the end of the England Rugby semi final and a nightcap with friends.
Sunday was a little colder to start with but during flag the sun came out and was burning if you were sitting in the right place. There were three winners in the quiz so the cards were drawn and Julie & Iain won the prize. We sat with Allun & Molly while the ralliers packed up and said goodbye. Thanks to Allun & Molly for a great rally after what was a difficult week for the whole family.
Rally Happenings – Early Christmas at Fillongley by Margaret Williams
With the superb Heart of England markers to help us locate the rally field we arrived at Fillongley just as dusk was setting in. Our pitch was marked with a flashing beacon and Merv soon helped us to get parked.
We gathered in the hall on Friday evening and enjoyed mulled wine or mulled apple juice and mince pies. It was nice just to have a chat and catch up with the news from the Copt Oak rally.
Saturday saw some head out in search of bargains at Jackson’s and others out walking the pretty area around the village.
Sue and Merv, assisted by Steve and myself decorated the hall for Christmas with flashing lights and trees. It looked lovely and festive.
Saturday evening saw us back in the hall for an evening of fun and frivolity. With some dressed up as Santa Claus’, Ms Santa and an Elf we were soon in the mood to party. Che stole the show in his Santa babygro and hat. He looked gorgeous, as did Rochelle.
The Marshals had devised all sorts of games and quizzes that kept us all amused. We were in teams of four and a person from each team had to perform a task.
The first one was drawing a Christmas Tree, easy perhaps, but not when you had to hold the paper on your head and draw without looking!
Next was making an origami Christmas tree out of tissue paper but had to be done behind your back. Mine was rubbish but I think Graham has done this before!
The guys had to wrap a Christmas present, a sieve, surprisingly they all made a reasonable job of it, so well that they all gained a point!
We then had a pair of tights and had to make Rudolph out of them with the help of balloons. That was very funny, and Lesley you looked a treat. Oops, sorry, nobody was supposed to know who you were!
We ate tasty, hot turkey or chicken cobs with stuffing and cranberry sauce followed by either Christmas Pudding or Apple Pie.
I lost track of who had won the games but the overall winners were team E consisting of Graham, Sheila, Jaki and Rob. Well done!
With some caravans also decorated for Christmas it really looked festive. Keith and Diane won the best-decorated van.
Yours truly won the quiz.
Thanks Sue and Merv for a smashing weekend.
Rally Happenings - Balloon Festival by Margaret Williams
As it was the middle of summer we decided to have a bit of a Caribbean theme as well as the opportunity to visit the Balloon Festival in Northampton.
The weather was more like Blackpool in the winter, if only we had a bus shelter to huddle in.
We gathered in our awning for refreshments of the liquid variety plus some Caribbean chicken and garlic bread to warm us up on Friday evening.
We had Captain Jack, alias Allun, and Lady Molly on hand to lead a treasure hunt with the children who had all dressed up in pirate gear. What a spectacular sight they made. By the time we said “go” for the hunt for the treasure it was pouring down but undaunted by this they all set off. They had to solve clues and identify objects, which eventually led them to the chest of treasure, which was actually at the Caribbean (Allun and Molly’s caravan). Lady Molly rewarded the Pirates with a bag of gold coins each. It was declared a success by all. Thanks to Wally, Meg, Sue, Merv, Paula, Joan & Danny who braved the elements to join in, also for their help in setting the treasure hunt up. They were rewarded with rum punch. Thanks to Geoff who supplied a lot of the decorations.
We abandoned the Saturday evening party, as everyone just wanted to stay in the warm.
Sunday was fine enough to be outside for coffee where the children enjoyed limbo dancing under the pole and were given their reward of a bag containing “pirate” goodies and chocolates.
A Caribbean quiz was set and won by Diane & Keith, out on their first rally with Heart of England.
Some ralliers left us on Sunday but those that stayed behind went out for dinner to the local pub, in cars, as it was too wet to walk.
It was great to see Judith and Ken at coffee morning. Good Luck with your treatment, Ken and hope we’ll see you out with the ‘van soon
Rally Happenings - Heathcote Lakes by Margaret Williams
10 caravans, a motor home and a tent descended on this beautiful site near Leamington Spa. As Gordon promised, the weather was beautiful.
It was lovely to sit out on Saturday and enjoy the sunshine while some went shopping.
After a friendly angler provided them with his catch on Saturday afternoon, Joan & Danny fed the whole of the ralliers with trout. Joan gutted and descaled it and Danny cooked it on the barbie. It was delicious and enjoyed by everybody, (except Steve who hates fish!).
We had a barbecue in the evening and sat out until quite late drinking and eating plus a good gossip and chuckle. Ask Iain to tell you the one about the tropical island and the ostrich!
All too soon it was time for coffee and time to wend our way home. Jean had a birthday cake given to her and Margaret won the quiz (I’m good at guessing, honestly).
Many thanks to Jean and Gordon for running the rally after what had been a difficult time for them. Whoever oganised the good weather, many thanks.
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Future Happenings - Holiday Rally June 2009
The current plan is to stay at Camping Burg Lahneck in Lahnstein, near Koblenz , Germany for 12 nights and 2 nights at Chateau Du Gandspette near St Omer on the way back to break the journey before the ferry.
The site is located just south of Koblenz and it sits on top of one of the escarpments overlooking the river Rhine just outside Lahnstein. This means that there are fantastic views and stunning scenery as the site overlooks the beautiful Rhine and the Castle Burg Lahneck. The views are excellent and at night the vista just gets better. Being located near the river means that riverboats can be used instead of buses and cars. Everything we need is on or next to the site. The facilities on site are spotless. There is a short climb up to the site on a very good road from the river and the area is convenient for visiting all the little towns along the river e.g. Rudesheim, St Goer, Boppard to name a few, whilst getting to know more about this wine-growing area. Castle Burg Lahneck is open to visitors.
We would like to organise a wine tasting, restaurant meals and maybe a river trip down the Rhine or Moselle, depending on what you are interested in. It has also been suggested we could have a champagne breakfast one morning.
To express interest or get more information please contact Sue and Merv.
Our Next Rally
The next Heart of England Rally will be the Chinese New Year rally at Diamond Farm. We have limited availability on this rally, so pre-booking is essential. Please let Steve & Margaret know by 10th January if you would like to attend, enclosing a £10 deposit.
Please see the rally sheet for further details.
A booking form is attached at the end of this copy of Hearty Happenings.
As a gentle reminder, we are only able to accept bookings from those who have membership for 2008.
Future Happenings – Gower Holiday Rally - June 2008
The rally will be held at Port Eynon, one of the most picturesque beaches on the beautiful Gower Peninsula and it will run from 20 to 29 June
Carreglwyd Camping and Caravan Park is located just behind the beach, protected from the west by Port Eynon Point. Port Eynon is located on the southern shores of the Gower Peninsula about 20 miles west of Swansea and with easy access to all of the wonderful Gower beaches, the castles and the spectacular coastal scenery.
It is hard to imagine a more picturesque location, tucked away at the end of the road with the headland and the beaches surrounding three sides of the camp site. All of the Gower beaches are within about 30 minutes drive from the site and the pretty Mumbles village, which is well worth a visit with its castle, shopping, pier and lighthouse are also about 30 minutes away.
The price will depend upon the number of units attending the rally but is expected to be in the order of £15 per unit per night. Booking forms are available from Steve and Margaret and bookings will have to close on Sunday 17th February 2008.
Full details of the proposed programme will be available later this year, but the emphasis will be on a relaxing holiday and an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery. We are looking at a couple of half day coach trips and a boat trip to view the scenery and wild life of the National Trust coast around Worms Head.
Finally…………
Five tips for a woman....
1. It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job.
2. It is important that a man makes you laugh.
3. It is important to find a man you can count on and doesn't lie to you.
4. It is important that a man loves you and spoils you.
5. It is important that these four men don't know each other.
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