With the AGM taking place at the forthcoming club night, it is time to have a look back at the Clubs activities over the past year, (11 months really). You will remember that at the last AGM it was decided to move the AGM date to November to ensure the MSUK and Association publications we are in, are furnished with the correct information for the coming year in time for printing, etc. Therefore, we find ourselves in early November having the Club AGM.
Looking back over the previous year the Club and its members have once again been active in a number of areas of motorsport.
We started in January through to April with the first half of the yearly 12 Car Championship, the second half running September to Decembe,r so still currently happening.
The Club once again had its annual awards dinner /presentation in early February at the Cumberwell Park Golf Club, a great night was enjoyed by all that attended but numbers were a little disappointing. In view of the low attendance by club members there will be a change of format / venue for this coming year.
I have to thank in particular Amy Fletcher, Andrew and Carolynn Purnell for the huge amount of work they all put into organising and running the event. The Club was delighted to welcome two members of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Trust to join us on the night and to receive a donation cheque from the Club for £2400 (plus an extra £375 which was raised on the night).
We ran our now traditional March Autosolo at Kemble on the 12th with a full entry of 52 which included an entry from Mazda UK running an MX5 on sustainable plant-based fuel for an article that appeared in Auto Express magazine later in the year and also in the Club magazine.
Our second Autosolo ran, as usual, in September, also at Kemble, and again had a good entry of 45 (slightly down in numbers but still producing a good event). The September event was a surprise to most that attended as the weather was the hottest I think we have experienced there and a lot of us went home with a suntan. Again, I have to thank all of the members who helped in any way on both of the Autosolos – without you these events would not run.
We had the usual Scatter Championship running through the summer months and it was good to see some new participants and indeed the Scatter Navigator’s Championship was won by Emily Freeth in her first year of competing. Emily also this year organised her first 12 Car event with assistance from dad Paul, and a very good event it was.
Our Classic Tour has been run very successfully for a number of years by David and Janice Bardwell but this year they stepped down and we had a new organiser, Derek Harden, take up the reigns for the event.
Derek organised a different route for the day with new coffee and lunch stops at the Flying Monk Brewery and the Attwell Motor Museum, but still retaining the great start / finish venue at Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club. The event was well received by the entrants and the feedback received after the event suggested that all those that took part had a good day. So many thanks to Derek for taking up the challenge of running his first Classic Tour!
The Club were also, once again, involved with the running of the Three Shires Closed Road Stage Rally in the Ledbury area. The Club were asked to run the Shaw Common Stage which repeated three times during the day. The team was again led by Keith Edwards as Stage Commander and we had a large number of members marshalling on the event on the Sunday, we also had a group of Club members there on the Saturday setting up the Stage. It has since been announced that next year the event will be part of a national championship and I am fairly sure that Keith will be getting a call to ask if the Club will be involved again. This is a reflection on all the members that took part that the Club can be relied on to operate an event in a professional and safe manner.
Although people often don’t mention what they have been doing I know club members have been competing/marshalling on a range of events throughout the year and it is good to know that club members get out and about representing DDMC. I’m sure Dave Iles, the Magazine Editor, would love to receive more reports!
In the run up to the end of the year we have a couple more 12 Cars to complete the year and we also, of course, have our Driveshaft 20/20 Road Rally in early December.
So, in summing up the Club has again had a busy year with many members taking part in various events around the country and ensuring the Club name is well represented.
Plans are already being made for events next year and some ideas for following years are in the pipeline.
Till Later,
Chris Foxley