Just as we were starting to get some events going again, the latest government restrictions relating to meeting in groups where the maximum number in a group cannot now exceed 6 has effectively put all this on hold for the foreseeable future. As and when these restrictions are relaxed we will again be able to resume our organised events, but in the meantime we are continuing with our monthly Club Night meetings on Zoom and individual members are continuing to make their own arrangements to meet up in smaller groups of up to 6 to comply with the current regulations.

June brought the sad news that one of our members, Steve Smith, had passed away after a long illness. Although unable to attend the funeral service, Club members lined the entrance road to the Crematorium with 16 MG cars as a mark of respect, with Steve`s own MGB LE being driven by a family friend. This was much appreciated by Linda and family and our thoughts go out to them.

SMGEC have been a long-time supporter of Donna Louise, a hospice charity which does marvellous work with sick children and their families. The profits from our Club night raffles, charity runs and sales of bacon butties at events all going into our Charity fund. Although all our events have been cancelled since March, Club Treasurer Des Barnard, has been very successful in encouraging the members to keep their donations coming in. A sponsored 26 mile garden marathon by Charles Jarman being one of the more adventurous money raising schemes! Despite the lock down we have already raised £738 this year and so Des was able to send a £650 donation to Donna Louise in May, with a further donation to follow in July. In these difficult times all charities require our support more than ever, so well done everybody!

As we move slowly out of lockdown the Committee has started to look at plans for an early re start of events when allowed. Club nights and coffee mornings still seem a long way off but planned runs ending in a picnic at an open air venue would look to be a possibility. It will be great to fire up our MG`s and again be able to enjoy both the open road, the company of Club members and especially the deeply missed coffee and cakes!

It can`t happen soon enough.

Sitting at the keyboard to write this month`s report took me back to my school days. Boys, for English homework write a 300 word essay entitled “What I did in May 2020”. Slight problem since SMGEC activities for May 200 have been precisely zilch! So time for some lateral thinking. Yes, why not take a trip down memory lane and see what the Club was enjoying in May 2010.

Delving into back copies of Overdrive, our Club magazine so ably edited by Roger and Maureen Wood, soon revealed that it was a very busy month with a wide range of activities. It opened with 13 members taking a 7 day trip to Brittany to enjoy the scenery, not to mention plenty of the local food and wine judging by the reports and photos. Back at home, the Club attended an old favourite, the Catton Hall show where a good turnout saw us winning the Best Club Stand for the fifth year in a row.

The May Club night at the Barns was a meal and natter night, enjoyed by all. For something a little different a Golf Day was organised on the 23rd at the Little Lakes course, scorching weather made it hot work for the players (hackers?)

The month ended with another car show at Ragley Hall, so there you are, a trip down memory lane, May 2010 certainly kept SMGEC members busy with a programme that we would have been happy to have repeated in 2020.

The month ended on a sad note with the passing of one of our earliest members, Sheila Slater, after a short illness. Sheila will be remembered for the splendid cakes she brought to our meetings and will be sadly missed. All our thoughts go to her husband Alan and the family.

Although we have been unable to enjoy any of our planned Club outings and meetings due to the lockdown, SMGEC members have been able to keep in touch using the Club`s website, run by our IT wizard, Des Barnes. By using the discussion forum, members have been able to share news and stories. To see who was on the ball, Renton Ward posted a totally believable article about a projected trip to the USA in 2021. This took many of us in before realising the trip was due to start on April 1st, brilliant! Also running on the Forum is a weekly Classic Car quiz to help keep the brain cells active. As we cannot get out and about I`m sure we are all finding things to do to keep busy, I`m now walking more miles than I`m driving, which must be a first.

Thanks to the efforts of our long standing Overdrive editors, Roger and Maureen Wood, the April edition of our quarterly magazine was published on line instead of the normal printed copy being distributed to members, so helping to keep us all in touch.

We may have lost runs to Jodrell Bank, The Avoncroft Museum and the New Forest Away Trip, along with Club nights and coffee mornings, but it is a small price to pay to help stop the spread of this terrible illness which has had such tragic effect for many.

Hopefully by when you are reading this article in June the situation will have improved and a return to normal life will be closer and we will be looking forward to happy MG days to come in the future.

February was a busy month for the Club with a range of activities, starting with a coffee and film morning at the Red Carpet Cinema at Barton Marina where after a good natter we viewed the new David Copperfield film.

The well attended Club night at the Barns on the 6th was our AGM. Chairman Roger Dudley reviewed our activities in 2019, which all agreed had been most successful. Our treasurer, Des Barnard, presented the Accounts which showed the Club`s finances to be in sound order. As all the existing committee members were willing to stand for another term their election was unopposed. It was also decided to continue to support Donna Louise as our chosen charity.

Despite the appalling weather a few members attended the MG Spares day at Stoneleigh, which gets larger each year, although busy my impression was that there seemed to be a lot of looking but not much buying going on, however I treated the GT to a new overdrive switch.

The Third Thursday coffee morning was held at the Aston Marina at Stone where nearly 30 members gathered for a breakfast natter, all except yours truly who first went Byrkley Garden Centre instead, much to the amusement of all, especially Brian Cooper. By the time I got home my cup of coffee had involved an 82 mile round trip!

The first run of the year on the 23rd was organised by Paul Titley to visit the Snowdrop Gardens at Hopton Hall in Derbyshire. The recent rain meant a last minute shortening of the route from 50 to 32 miles, keeping more to main roads to avoid flooding. Although cold the sun broke through and we had a most enjoyable day, finishing with soup and cakes for lunch in the tea room.