With 2021 drawing to a close SMGEC activities began to slow down with only two events in November.

Club Night at the Barns on the 4th was our Annual Awards evening when members are either applauded for their efforts or commiserated with (mocked!) for their failures. After enjoying an excellent meal 43 members voted on the proposed runners and riders which produced the following results,

Driver of the Year – Paul Titley

Co – Driver of the Year – Gillian Johnson

Services to SMGEC – Phil Wellstead

Chairman`s Award – Charles Jarman

Breakdown of the Year – Alan Wild

Special Breakdown Award – Paul Titley.

Congratulations to the well-deserved winners, but special mention must be made of Alan Wilds MGB breakdown in the New Forest which set a new standard in expensive disasters with Alan and Karen coming home on the train and the car arriving a week later on the lorry!

The final run of the year was a planned coffee morning at Bishton Hall on the 18th. 21 cars arrived to be greeted by organisers Brian and June Cooper with news that the tea room had been closed that morning because of a positive covid test by a staff member. However thanks to great efforts by the Bishton staff the day was saved. Complimentary tea, coffee and cake was served in the Orangery then followed by a talk on the history of the House and a guided tour of the gardens. What could have been a disaster turned out to be an excellent morning out made all the more enjoyable by the autumn sunshine.

Planning for 2022 events is well in hand with our South Cotswold trip in May fully booked and a proposed Shropshire trip in September being planned. Let`s hope that 2022 will see us back on the roads enjoying MG motoring again.

SMGEC`s surge of post lockdown activity continued into October. Our Club night at the Barns was a special occasion when founder member Peter Wallis gave an illustrated presentation of the 20 years activities since SMGEC was first started. Many great photos and memories emerged much to the enjoyment of the 48 members present.  

15 members took up the invitation to join South Staffs and North Birmingham`s picnic at the BARC meeting at Mallory Park on the 17th. Thanks to organisers Nigel and Liz Preston we enjoyed some exciting racing and driving the parade laps round the circuit despite the wet weather.

The ever present appetite for coffee and cake was sated when 20 cars met up at the Strawberry Cabin at Hints on the 21st to enjoy the company and a good natter.

The final run of the year was a trip to Fletchers Garden Centre and the Gentleshaw Wild life Centre. Starting from Brykley Garden Centre, organiser Paul Titley led 19 cars on a 30 mile run through Staffordshire lanes to reach our destination. John and Shirley Northwood arrived in their Austin Healey 3000, but hey, we all have to slum it sometimes! Lunch and some retail therapy was followed by visiting the Wild life centre which is home to all types of rescued birds and other animals. The highlight of the day was a flying display by 2 beautiful hawks and a barn owl, absolutely stunning!

Our plans for 2022 are well advanced. Already arranged is an away trip in May. The “South Cotswold Wander” will be a 3 night / 4 day tour organised by Roger and Sue Dudley and based at The Pettifers Free House Hotel at Malmesbury in Wiltshire. The trip is already fully booked up with 20 cars and crews signed on. Can`t wait!

September was the busiest month for SMGEC since March 2020. Opening with Club Night at the Barns where 37 members enjoyed the meal and natter with Glyn John briefing us on the New Forest Trip later in the month.

The planned Posh Picnic at Charles and Patsie Jarman`s home on the 5th was sadly cancelled when Charles was taken ill at the last minute. Fortunately nearby Bishton Hall provided a replacement venue so our 19 cars parked outside the Hall in splendid sunshine to enjoy our picnic with very posh trimmings.

Cars in the Park at Lichfield was held on the 12th after it`s late cancellation in July. Sadly it now clashed with the New Forest Trip so our attendance dropped from 20 to 7 cars.

Highlight of the month was our long delayed New Forest Trip organised by Glyn and Ann along with Renton and Helen. 33 members in 17 cars travelled down on the 12th to the Forest Park Hotel in Brockenhurst for a 3 night stay. A day at the Beaulieu Motor Museum was greatly enjoyed despite Tour leader Glyn missing the entrance with all 17 cars having to make a convoy “u” turn in a narrow road !!!  A visit to the historic Buckler`s Hard with parking on the Green was next along with a river boat trip. The Tour included some scenic driving runs through the Forest returning to the hotel in late afternoon for a well-earned drink or two in the gardens before superb evening meals in our own dining room. A great trip, made all the more enjoyable by the late summer sunny weather.

The hectic month ended with a Cafe` Prego coffee morning and then 9 cars attending a very good Ragley Hall Car Show despite the petrol shortage! 

As the lockdown thankfully eased, Club life returned to near normal in August. On the 1st Paul Titley organised 11 cars on a 29 mile run to view the MGCC sprint at Curborough followed surprise, surprise, by afternoon tea at Mabel`s Tea Room at Curborough Craft Centre.

After a long 16 months absence our Club Night finally returned to the Barns on the 5th. What a change from Zoom, all smartly dressed and sitting down at tables instead of reclining on the settee in track suit pants with a bottle or two of Merlot hidden from the camera!!! Hosted by Roger and Maureen Wood 23 members enjoyed the meal and the company. Welcomed to the Club were new members Stephen Brown along with Bob and Irene Stone. To celebrate our 20th Anniversary we have commissioned some memorabilia items, mugs, coasters and windscreen stickers to mark the occasion which will be celebrated in style at the October Club Night.

Des and Gill Barnard organised our next event, a visit to the Gaydon Motor Museum on the 8th. Following our normal format the members met up at Coppice Garden Centre before setting off on a 50mile Tulip route to arrive at the Museum for a picnic lunch and a tour of the cars on show.

No SMGEC month would off course be complete without members tucking in to coffee and cakes. This time Brian and June Cooper took us to Byrkley Garden Centre with 28 members and 16 cars attending. This enabled a rare photo opportunity. Arranged in the car park was a line-up of MG`s spanning 89 years! Starting with a 1931 MG PA followed by 1974 MGB and ending with a 2020 MG ZS EV all electric model. Few makes could boast such a heritage.

Happy MG motoring.

The continuing saga of Covid restrictions made July a relatively quiet month with no runs to enjoy, however we still managed to keep the Club active. For our Zoom Club Night on the 1st the main feature was a splendid presentation by Phill Wellstead of the Norfolk Weekend Away that he and Cathy organised in September 2019. Quite how they managed to fit in so much in such a short time was amazing!

As the popular Lichfield CITP was sadly cancelled an impromptu run out to Bishton Hall Tea shop was arranged by Peter Wallis, a very pleasant venue which I`m sure we will revisit as a starting point for a Club run.

Yet more coffee and cake were consumed when we met up at Café Prego at Shenstone for our regular 3rd Thursday coffee morning. Organised by Brian and June Cooper, we had 16 cars and 30 members attending.

On the 18th 15 crews attended a new event for us, The Chillington Hall Car Show at Codsall Wood organised by the Brewood Rotary Club. Organiser Paul arrived in his new car, a very smart MGF. With the temperature topping 30c we were very fortunate to be parked by a stand of trees giving us much needed shade! The Hall was open for tours which also provided a respite from the heat. A good turnout of entrants included several other local MG Clubs. This is an event that can only grow in popularity. We also managed to attract 4 potential new members so all in all a very successful day.

As 2021 is our 20th Anniversary we have events coming up to celebrate including a “Posh Picnic” and a Special Anniversary October Club night at the Barns when founder member Peter Wallis will be compering the show. Happy MG motoring.