With Covid thankfully fading into the memory, we were again able to enjoy a full programme of events in May. They started with a well-attended club night at the Barns where the after dinner entertainment was a game of “Play your cards right” compered by Alan Wild with his glamorous assistants June and Karen. Shouts of higher! no lower! rang round the room, mostly wrong!!!!  Welcomed to the Club were new members John and Rosie Edwards with their MGB tourer.

On the 13th 19 cars set off from the Strawberry Cabin to start The South Cotswold Wander organized by Roger and Sue Dudley. A 110 mile run took us to our base for the next three nights, The Pettifers Hotel at Crudwell. The following two days were spent enjoying scenic tulip runs and visits to the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum as well as NT Lacock and NT Dyrham. To the despair of Roger and Sue road closures played havoc with their immaculate planning and some rapid map diversions had to be found! An excellent away trip enjoyed by all. Sadly 3 members staked early claims for Breakdown of the year 2022!

Returning from the Cotswold trip 36 members met up at Brykley garden centre for one of our popular coffee mornings arranged by Brian and June Cooper. Still hungry? Then the need for food was also met with an Evening Pub Run to the Nags Head at Burntwood organized by Keith and Gill Johnson.

The month ended on a somber note when many of the members attended the funeral at Stafford Crematorium of our good friend Roger Wood. As a measure of our affection for Roger a fine line up of MG`s was at the Crematorium marking his passing. We then joined Maureen at a well-attended gathering at the Barns.

March saw SMGEC change into top gear as Covid restrictions were at last lifted. Just like pre pandemic times we enjoyed a full month of activities. It started with 39 members meeting up for Club night at the Barns on the 3rd. After an excellent meal, event’s organiser Paul Titley, took us through the very full programme of events planned for 2022. Let`s hope the price of petrol drops soon or this could be a very expensive year! Tulip runs, coffee mornings, pub nights, they are all there to be enjoyed. In view of the tragic situation in Ukraine a raffle was held for the Red Cross Ukraine Appeal which raised £130.00

The Third Thursday Coffee morning saw 22 members meeting up at a new venue, The Halfpenny Green Winery and Craft Village. A venue we will return too but I do hope some of the pot holes on the route will be repaired by then!

A chance to be out on the road was the Shakedown Run on the 20th organised by Keith and Gill Johnson. Starting from Brykley Garden centre they took 36 of us on an enjoyable 35 mile run in the spring sunshine to end at the Millers at Sibson for Sunday lunch. An excellent trip out especially as it was Keith`s  XX birthday! (Redacted to save his blushes) It was good to see an excellent turn out of MGB`s, C`s and an RV8 amongst the cars on the run.

To end the month, Chris Elliot’s tour of the Triumph motor cycle factory was a mid-week run out for the boys. Biker Brian Cooper had his cheque book out for a new Rocket 3 until the price of £23,000 was mentioned!

All in all a really good MG month, more please!

I am sorry to open this month`s report with the very sad news that Club stalwart Roger Wood has suddenly passed away. Liked by all, Roger was a man of charm and wit always ready to take full part in Club life. He, along with Maureen, organised runs, served on the committee and edited Overdrive, the Club`s magazine.  Good humour was never far away when Roger was involved even when he regularly won the Breakdown of the Year award with his yellow peril MGB. We all have special memories of our time with Roger and our thoughts and best wishes go out to Maureen.

April`s activities started with a Club Night at the Barns where Chris Elliot gave a talk on vehicle testing at BL, no MG`s but somehow Range Rovers seemed to play a major role! The ever popular third Thursday coffee morning at Café Prego attracted a good turnout of 33 members enjoying the warm weather.

Drive it day was celebrated with a run to The Tram Museum at Chrich organised by Des and Gill Barnard. Again good weather enhanced the splendid 45 mile run through rolling minor roads to the Museum where we were allowed to park on the main street outside the Pub. Rides on the trams brought back memories for the more senior members of the club. A very enjoyable day.

The Club`s website is sponsored by MG dealers, Summit Garages and so a photo call was arranged at the garage with 9 Club car ranging from a MGTD with MGA, MGB, MGC MGRV8, MGF  and MGTF   being lined up on show.

The month ended with our annual trip to the Donnington Historic Festival to enjoy the great cars in the pits walkabout and then watching some exciting racing

Writing this at the end of January dare we hope that 2022 will see a return to those carefree pre covid days of yore? Early signs are promising but we have been down this road before. In anticipation of good times to come SMGEC`s event organiser, Paul Titley, has produced another full programme of events to keep our MG wheels turning.  There is something for all interests. Keen drivers will enjoy the 9 tulip runs to venues such as Jodrell Bank and the Chirk Tramway Museum.

Those who enjoy polishing rather than driving can show off their efforts at the 6 car shows we will be attending including, in my opinion, the best show of the year at Lupin Farm. Also included are Cars in the Park and The Huddlesford Gathering. One special day to look forward to is MGB60 at Gaydon in September. Let’s hope it will be drier than MGB50 at Blenheim!

Touring has always been part of SMGEC life so we have two away trips this year. The first in May takes us on a 3 night/4 day tour of the South Cotswolds followed in September with a 2 night/3 day tour of Rutland Water. Both are based at top Hotels with excellent dining. That leads me nicely on to an all important part of Club life “food, glorious food”  SMGEC members and food are never far apart so with 12 Club nights, 12 coffee and cake mornings and 4 evening Pub runs  in the programme there should be enough to satisfy even the biggest appetite.

The planned mid-week visits to Triumph Motorcycles and the Coventry Air Museum will be of interest to the Club`s technically minded members

Like to know more about SMGEC, then why not visit our web site for membership details.

February began full of promise that Covid was at long last declining and a return to normal SMGEC life was on the cards, starting with our Club night and AGM at the Barns. Chairman Roger Dudley detailed our activities in 2021 which despite the problems showed that the Club had held together well but with a limited programme. Treasurer Des Barnard`s financial report showed our finances to be in such good order that the membership fee for 2022/3 has been reduced to £10. The present committee were re-elected unopposed which shows that they must be doing such a good job!

The mood of optimism continued with Brian and June Cooper`s excellent coffee morning at Aston Marina on Feb 17th. A great turnout of 37 members enjoyed a right good natter. Tim and Viv Hopson put us all to shame arriving in their Midget with hood down, whist other members MG`s are still in winter storage, well done. Interestingly we notice that other Clubs are also adopting these popular mid-month gatherings.

We then came back to earth with a bump or more correctly with Storm Eunice. The planned Snowdrop Run to NT Dudmaston had to be called off by organiser Paul Titley when the NT closed the estate due to high winds. Sensible but a great shame. On a brighter note we continue to attract new members and a warm SMGEC welcome goes to Trevor and Anissa Saadi, John and Jeni Beasley and Paul Clamp with Mac Brooke.

Looking ahead we have some great runs planned including Jodrell Bank which was one of the first events to be cancelled in the 2020 pandemic and of course the two away trips to the South Cotswolds and then Rutland Water.

Happy MG days to look forward too.