BREAKFAST SOCIAL
PETER & MAUREENWEST
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25TH
After a slow take up for this event we eventually had thirteen people arriving for breakfast at Hawthorne Farm near Leeds/Bradford airport. The weather was fresh but fine and at least four couples turned up in MX5s. John Street came in his 5 but Carol, his wife came in her own. It was nice to see Tony and Catherine Clark again and also Ken and Carol who made the eight and a half mile round trip, our venue being on their doorstep.
The staff had reserved us an area but we had to add chairs to the tables as we were joined by new members Steve and Kirsty Basset who came over from York in their newly acquired Mk 1.
The help yourself buffet breakfast with tea or coffee was excellent value and was replenished frequently by the staff.
After eating and drinking to our fill we chatted for quite some time before Jonathan Rhodes started getting itchy throttle feet and wanted to be off. John Street and Tony and Catherine also got their tops down and set off on what the MX5 is designed for.
Thanks to all who attended and it was nice to welcome new faces.
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AGM, ROCKINGHAM ARMS, TOWTON
PETER & MAUREEN WEST
SATURDAY MARCH 9TH
This year’s AGM was held at a new venue, The Rockingham Arms at Towton near Tadcaster as it was a place suitably central for most of the active members. We were given exclusive use of the conservatory from 5pm and food was served from 6pm after the business was completed.
The committee was approved again and events and lack of volunteers were discussed with feelings that it was a common problem with many clubs and organisations. It was decided that it was not practical to have runs in January and February as many members SORN their cars during winter
Awards were presented to Darrell and Alison Storey for Run of the Year and to Dave Morford as Person of the Year for his great photography work enabling us to have a gallery on our website. There was also an award for Keith Coutts as a thank you for his work within Yorkshire Ridings now that he has moved on to the National Committee.
The food was excellent and the service exemplary and I received no negative comments, in fact they were all glowing and we will use the venue again next year all being well and probably for other social events.
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HOWARDIAN HILLS RUN
JULIE & DAVID SHILLITO
SUNDAY MARCH 24TH
What can I say? Julie and David must be the Gods of weather. We put our roof down at 7.45am as we left home and apart from when the car was unattended didn’t raise it until we got home at around 8.00pm.
We arrived at Clifton Moor Retail Park and went into Costa for tea and toast and could see lots more MX5s entering the car park by KFC. When we came out there was a sea of fives with twenty-eight cars for the run and Bob Sterrett and Clive Burns there to meet us and wave us off.
After the briefing by David, we split up into two groups for manageability with David and Julie leading the first group and Peter and Maureen leading the second, ten minutes later.
We headed out onto the A1237 then left at the first roundabout for Helmsley. Some lovely roads through pretty villages such as Sutton-on-the-Forest, Stillington, Sherriff Hutton, Hovingham, Coxwold and Ampleforth, passing Byland Abbey en route. David had chosen the larger car park behind the castle and there was ample room for us all to park.
We all split up and found various refreshment establishments but Maureen and I took a picnic in true (tight) Yorkshire style. After lunch we had a stroll round Helmsley in very pleasant weather before heading back to the cars.
There seemed to be some sort of game going on in the top corner of the car park with what looked like children throwing sticks up into the tree for non-existent conkers. It transpired that a drone had become lodged in the tree and attempts were being made to liberate it. It would be unfair to name the failed pilot but I’m not a fair person, it was Mike Brownlow!
We left Helmsley, again in two groups, and headed out to Kirby Moorside and out towards Hutton-le Hole. It was here that things got interesting as we turned left for Castleton too early and went the wrong way along Blakey Ridge. A quick twenty-point turn and we all headed back the right way down into Hutton le-Hole before heading out to Rosedale and the infamous chimney. THEN we turned left for Castleton!!, along Blakey Ridge the right way and back into Hutton-le-Hole (which was intentional).
The route then took us through Barugh and Amotherby to Castle Howard for a well-deserved cuppa and goodbyes.
Big thanks to Julie and David and a warm welcome to several newcomers on the run, Karl Peacock, Alistair Brown, Rob Greaves, David Stupple and Stefan Oakes and their respective co-pilots.