Chairman’s Review of the Club’s debut year   

What an exciting and amazing year this has been! From a tiny embryo we have grown to a club with a membership of over 50 cars. I believe this is not only down to the hard work of the committee members, but I would say that, but mainly to the members themselves and the fact that we are delighted to accept new members with ANY KIND OF CAR AS LONG AS IT HAS A MG BADGE. We like to think we are a social club, not a bunch of petrol heads and we must be doing SOMETHING right.

Highlights will be expanded by my fellow committee members, but I would like to pick out just 2 events, our first run to the Regiment which attracted over 20 cars, including our friends from SSMGOC and the tremendously successful Jubilee Ball. People who missed these events will be at the front of the queue next year, I’m sure.  

We will be sending out a short survey with your renewal notices. WE want you, the members to tell us, straight, what you liked and disliked and what we got right and wrong this year so that we can continue to provide a vibrant club that you want to belong to.  

I’m sad to announce that due to personal circumstances Sallyann Perry has resigned from the committee, but we sincerely hope that we will continue to see her at some of our events in the future. I’m sure you will join me in thanking her for her bubbly contributions this year. This does mean that we do have at least one vacancy on Committee, specifically to act as Events co-coordinator, now that Mike Roberts has assumed the role of fund raiser. I can assure any prospective applicants that it is not too onerous and the committee meetings are never dull!!!!! The only requirements for committee are a good sense of humour and a positive desire to have fun with your MG!!!

PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU CAN HELP IN ANY WAY.

Peter Wallis.  Chairman Tel 01543 305987 email  peter.wallis@ntlworld.com  

The Club’s web site (www.mgcars.org.uk/staffordmgclub/) was initially launched in November 2001 and then further developed up to January 2002.  The site is well used by many visitors from all over the world especially N. America, Australia and Europe.  So far we have received over a thousand visitors to our site. 

The web site stores some valuable information on the club, its events, history and members.  It also acts as a good shop window for the club, in fact three of our most recent new members made their initial contact with the club via our web site.

So what can you do to help with our web site?  Firstly please use it, if you have any questions or comments please talk to me about them.  Then perhaps provide some good pictures of yourselves and your cars with a short write up about your ownership or the history of the car.

The ‘Market Place’ contains ‘For Sale’ & ‘Wanted’ ads for both cars and parts.  .  Already a number of items have been sold via these pages.  So if you have a car or a part to sell, or if you need a part to finish that restoration, place your ad soon.

The existing site will be kept up to date and further developments will take place in the ‘Members Only’ section.  So if you don’t have your password please ask!

Membership.

As Peter has already said “What a year it has been”.  Already the club is over fifty members strong and we seem to be gaining new members almost weekly.  This is excellent news and is largely down to all of you making new members and visitors so welcome at our meetings and events, so we will continue to grow.  Interested MG owners can contact any member of the committee or indeed any club member or simply just turn up on a club night at The Woolpack Inn, Weston, nr Stafford.

 Membership is open to anyone with an MG badged car.  A pleasing aspect within our club is the high number of women active in it, long may this remain so! 

 You should have received a ‘Membership Survey’:  please complete and return it, your views on the highs, lows or simply what is missing will let us plan and implement improvements to club events, calendar, style, communications or administration.

 The Annual Membership fee for 2002/3 will be £12 (agreed at the last AGM) for the year.  This year we will be issuing all paid up members with a club card; suppliers will require this so that members can obtain special discounts.

 Finally you will find with your membership renewal letter a request for updated information about you and your cars.  Please complete this and return it with your membership fee.  It is important that we keep our members’ contact and car information current.

Mike Abel E-Mail mikea@fsmail.net  

Newsletter – we apologize for the recent break in newsletter continuity, and hope to return things to normal soon.

New members - There has been a staggering surge in membership applications over the last month, and, according to feedback from our recruits, this is due to our growing reputation. We welcome them aboard, and we hope to feature them ‘In the Limelight’ of a future edition of ‘Overdrive’. All this does means increased demands of course and that Committee has to evolve to cope. We need your support to continue our success. Your individual skills can help greatly.  

Membership cards – I anticipate membership cards to be ready very soon. This scheme will cover all our recommended suppliers, and has been made possible by our sponsors David Manners Ltd. David has invited us to Abingdon Parts 4 MG in Oldbury on a date to be advised soon for an open evening, and tour of the premises. This will be an enjoyable evening that support for Abingdon Parts 4 MG, who are offering our members generous discount, over and above that already offered over the counter.

 Liaison with other clubs – Recent support from our neighbours, South Staffs MGOC has been strong, and it seems that we have an excellent relationship also with Warwickshire and Coventry. Other clubs have been represented at our events: Black Country, Leicestershire, South Cheshire and North Staffs – again, feedback has been promising.

 Cider Chase - Peter, Chris Wilkins and I have been planning the Cider Chase on Sunday 25^th August – be advised that this will be a great day out, and is not to be missed. A full itinerary will include stops at Knight’s Cider, Weston’s Cider, Broome Farm and The Bulmer’s Cider Museum, where we have been asked to display our cars for the benefit of the press and the public. The cost will include some refreshments. Please see a member of committee to reserve a place.

MGOC  HQ – have congratulated our club on reaching its first birthday with such a promising beginning. Perhaps we may become a beacon club for others to emulate. There is no secret to our success – just good teamwork and a happy membership. Let’s not loose sight of the reasons for our existence – to have a bit of fun.

hope the weather is kind again as it has been amazingly for all of our outdoor events.  We’ve been very lucky so far considering the so-called ‘Summer’ we have endured!!

One of the highlights of my year on the committee was the involvement in the organisation of this year’s Jubilee Ball at Weston Hall. An event immensely enjoyed by all who attended.  So much so in fact we will be organizing another ball next year.  We have a couple of dates provisionally booked and will be confirming it soon so watch this space!!

I am delighted to say that in our club we have a strong female contingent that has supported all our events.  I think I mentioned in one of our newsletters that the committee would like to arrange an event, which appeals more to the ladies, maybe a Christmas market, craft fayre type of event.  If anyone has any ideas let me or any member of the committee know, your input is always appreciated.

Looking ahead at some of the events planned to take place I think the club is on course for another great year!  If you enjoy a good social life, good company and good cars, renew your membership now – you won’t be disappointed.

Chris Abel Vice Chair. E-mail chris-a@fsmail.net  

The club will finish its first year in excellent financial shape; the Jubilee Ball made a small surplus, thanks to the efforts of all concerned, but especially the raffle ticket selling skills of our fund raiser, Mike Roberts. We have purchased, and used at Cars in the Park and Whittingdon Barracks, a banner showing our logo and a gazebo to act as a display point for the club at events that we attend. We are producing membership cards and, of course, the regular Newsletters and Overdrive Magazine. The membership fee has been supplemented by raffles at our meetings and events so that we have been able to fund all our activities during the year and finish with a small surplus to carry over into 2002/3.

A savings account has been set up with our bank so that any member may make regular payments. Events such as the trip to France next year can be saved for without putting too much strain on one month’s resources. Please contact me if you wish to use this facility.

For 2002/3 year the membership cards will act as your proof of membership and as evidence that annual membership fees have been paid.

The Accounts are maintained each month and reviewed by the committee, but if any member wishes to see the state of our finances, please contact me. 

Chris Wilkins Treasurer E Mail CSHW@aol.com  

Sponsorship 

Our sponsors are: David Manners Ltd,  Friarsgate, MG distributors in Lichfield,  Renaissance MG’s , and SVC Components.  

Friarsgate this year have sponsored the suite at Silverstone in July on the Sunday and have contributed to the setup costs of our regalia. They are currently sourcing a MG flag for us. They have also brought members to the club by placing one of our flyers in every car they sell and they will soon be mailing every customer with our latest Newsletter. Phil Whiting is committed to the club in the future as he believes that support enhances the Brand awareness, and of course he is very happy to sell cars to members through the MGOC and MGCC schemes.  

Renaissance MG’s have sponsored the suite at Silverstone in July on the Saturday and will also be organizing the Shropshire ramble in September. I’m sure that John Aldridge will also be supporting me with the Euroclassic evening in the autumn. Whilst Renaissance do not offer discounts to members, he is always willing to talk through problems with your ‘older MG’s’ and discuss servicing, tuning and other repairs.  

SVC are still discussing sponsorship opportunities with us.  

Abingdon Spares are supporting us with the cost of the membership cards and supply a ‘Parts Kit’ for our runs. We hope to formalize their involvement with the club soon.

Peter Wallis Tel 01543 305987 email  peter.wallis@ntlworld.com

Events planned for 2003

      Run to France

                Annual Ball          

Fund Raising

We have raised over £300 in our first year, which has helped with the purchase of the banner, the publication of the Newsletter and Overdrive, the costs of the Runs and the Summer Ball. Our raffles and Quiz nights will continue in 2002/3 to defray the costs of the ambitious programme of events. We are planning a Charity run to raise funds for a nominated charity and I am sure that you will all participate.

Mike Roberts - Fund Raiser; E mail mikerobertsmg@aol.com