Welcome to Issue 76 – February 2023.
The mention of Larry the Downing Street cat seemed to go down well in the last issue. It is thought that he has just (in January) celebrated his sixteenth birthday, so he’s not done too badly so far. I’m told that the age of 16 for a cat is the human equivalent of age 80 – a little old, I suggest, for chasing mice!
Have you booked yet for the MG Centenary event on 27th May at The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire?
The advertisement for it can be found on page 8 of this issue.
The dedicated website for the centenary is www.mgcentenary.co.uk where you can book your tickets, via the British Motor museum. You can also buy from this website, a centenary window sticker, badge, mug, cap, polo shirt, grille badge, rally plate, and book a place at the centenary dinner in the evening of the 27th. If you want to sell your car at the event, you can book a pitch; if you are an autojumbler you can also book a pitch.
There are three organized road runs (and one still to be organized). The three organized are:
The Abingdon Road Run (starting from Abingdon)
The Arkell’s Road Run (starting from Arkell’s Brewery, Swindon)
The Octagon Road Run (starting from Broughton Astley, Leicestershire)
The run still to be organized is The Longbridge Road Run.
The entry fee for each run is £20; this is based on two persons in a car, with additional passengers charged at £10 per person. This entitles you to a welcome breakfast roll and hot drink at the start point, a route book with limited edition rally board, and priority parking on arrival at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon.
There is a limit of 100 cars for each start point and it is stressed that there is no competitive element attached to any of the road runs.
I have been asked to point out that you must book your event tickets before booking for any of the road runs.
The event is being held in support of:
Air Ambulance UK
Prostate Cancer UK
Sporting Bears Motor Club
The Sporting Bears, or the “Bears” as they are affectionately known, are a dedicated group of classic and sports car enthusiasts whose primary aim is to raise money for children’s charities.
Brian Keywood of the Midget and Sprite Club has contacted me with an invitation for ‘T-Typers’ to join MASC members on 21st May at The British Motor Museum, Gaydon to celebrate 40 years of the Club. The Club missed out on the Midget 60 Years due to Covid, so are making up for it this year with a series of events from all the regions throughout the year with Kent Region deciding on Gaydon.
At the time of writing (14th January), the event is not listed on the Club’s website events page: https://www.midgetandspriteclub.com/events/
Tom Wilson has been in touch regarding the upcoming MG GOF Central gathering in June at South Bend, Indiana. This is one of the major “kick-off” celebrations of the MG 100 year anniversary in the USA. You can read all about it at https://www.gof2023.com/ and also view a nicely made video. The poster advertising the event is reproduced on page 23 of this issue.
As I advance in years, and currently am 76 ‘not out’ I am constantly reminded of man’s mortality and ‘there but for the grace of God go I’. This was brought home to me yesterday when I was with a very dear terminally ill friend to see his treasured M.G. picked up by a new owner.
A further reminder, if one were needed, is the number of deceased entries I have come across in the MGCC Triple-M membership list whilst looking for likely cars for the Timeline of 100 MGs at the MG Centenary event.
I was privileged to know Len Goff, who sadly died at his home in Pury End, Northamptonshire, on 11th December 2022. Len was a self-taught cabinet maker, also excelling in drawing, painting, poetry, music writing and sculpture in wood. A keen cyclist and a member of the A5 Road Club in his earlier days he was a life long fan of M.G.s and owned several over the years, including a K3. He is pictured here with his TC, which he bought in 2021.
Condolences to Len’s three daughters, Kimberley, Melanie and Lindsay, and their families, R.I.P. Len.
JOHN JAMES
