27 Sunday Jul 2014
Posted in History
Tags
Anna Reynolds, Buckingham Palace, Christopher Macgowan, motorhomenews, Rollalong, The Caravan Club
Curator Anna Reynolds adds the finishing touches to a Miniature Caravan made by Rollalong presented to Prince Charles and Princess Anne by the Caravan Club and now on display at an exhibition at Buckingham Palace.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
25 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in This and That
This is how the Royal Caravan got into the exhibition at Buckingham Palace.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
21 Monday Jul 2014
Posted in This and That
The unusual weather is producing some dramatic sunsets where I live. Stunning.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
18 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in General
Colleagues of a man who suffered a massive heart attack at work have raised more than £1,600 for the people who helped him. Barbara Pugh, who is PA to the chief executive officer of campervan motor home manufacturer Auto-Sleepers, in Willersey, and her colleague Angela Gittus, organised the charity day on July 13.
About 35 people took part in a 10, 20 or 30-mile bike ride and 5K or 10K walk or run while and a further 100 turned out for entertainment, a barbecue and stalls at Willersey Recreational Ground afterwards.
The money, which is still coming in, will be split between for Midlands Air Ambulance, British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK. The pair were spurred into action after their 56-year-old colleague Robin Clarke had a heart attack before Christmas while at work. But thanks to the quickthinking of first aiders on scene who started CPR before the air ambulance arrived, he is now on the road to recovery.
“It went very well,” said Mrs Pugh. “Everybody that took part enjoyed it. We’re hoping to break the £2,000 mark which I think we will. We’re very pleased.
“Angela and I put in a lot of effort with the organisation and it makes it all worthwhile when people say how much they’ve enjoyed it and will we do it again.”
Mrs Pugh said Mr Clarke, who managed to take part in the 10k walk on the day, is hoping to come back to work before the end of the year.
“Robin loved it and he thinks it’s a really nice thing we’ve done for him,” she added. “He was thrilled and thrilled also to be able to take part.”
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
18 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in History
Tags
Angela Willis, Beaulieu, Brian Savage, Buckingham Palace, Christopher Macgowan, motorhomenews, National Motor Museum, Rollalong, Royal Childhood, The Royal Caravan
The Caravan Club’s gift to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, will feature at this year’s summer exhibition
The child-sized Royal Caravan was presented by The Caravan Club to the young Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace in 1955. A tow hitch was specially fitted to a Hillman Husky from the Royal fleet and, shortly after the caravan’s presentation, the Royal children were towed around the Palace grounds by their father.
In recent years the caravan has been on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu. However, today it was reinstalled at Buckingham Palace, where it will be one of the highlights of the highly anticipated exhibition – ‘Royal Childhood’. The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday 26 July. More details HERE
Fully roadworthy and functioning (apart from the hotplate!) The Royal Caravan was first built by Rollalong Limited of Ringwood, Hampshire. It was fully restored by the same company during The Caravan Club’s Centenary year in 2007 and visited the Palace again for The Club’s Centenary celebratory Royal Garden Party. More recently, it has been a popular exhibit at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, and formed part of a prestigious display celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2012.
Director of Membership for The Caravan Club, Brian Savage, says, “The Caravan Club is Europe’s largest touring organisation. It represents over one million caravanners, motorhomers and trailer-tenters and owns the largest network of privately owned sites, with His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh Patron since 1952.”
Angela Willis, Curator of The Caravan Club Collection at The National Motor Museum, adds, “The pastime of caravanning is seen as a national institution and part of Great British heritage, with The Caravan Club a testament to the popularity of this pastime, being 107 years old and an integral part of UK tourism today. The Royal Caravan is a very popular attraction with visitors at the museum and it is truly wonderful that it will, once again, be in the Palace for even more people to see.”
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
17 Thursday Jul 2014
Posted in Exhibitions and Shows
Donald Campbell is the only person to have broken both land and water speed records in the same year. Unseen family footage of Donald Campbell breaking the land and water speed records in 1964 has been restored to mark their 50th anniversaries. That year in Australia, Campbell set a new land speed record of 403.10mph (644.96km/h) on 17 July, and on water he reached 276.33mph (444.71km/h) on 31 December.
The film has been restored at Beaulieu National Motor Museum.
From 1955, piloting the Bluebird K7 jet-powered hydroplane, Campbell set seven world water speed records. He was killed at Coniston Water, Cumbria, in January 1967 while trying to improve on his 1964 record, at Lake Dumbleyung, by reaching more than 300mph (480km/h).
His Bluebird CN7, in which he set his 1964 land speed record on the dry bed of Lake Eyre, is part of a display at the museum.
Campbell’s nephew and land speed record holder Don Wales said: “It’s about time that people fully recognised that Donald Campbell should be remembered for that fabulous achievement and not just for the crash that ended his life.”
The film, How Long A Mile – which Campbell directed, will be shown in public for the first time at a sold-out event at the Hampshire museum on Saturday.
Campbell’s Bluebird CN7 is part of a display at Beaulieu National Motor Museum
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
16 Wednesday Jul 2014
Nice letter sent from a yahoo Motorhome group member to Lincolnshire County Council. eMail to customer_services@lincolnshire.gov.uk
FAO Councillor Colin Davie
Dear Mr Davie.
I have owned a motorhome for 11 years now. As much as I love this country, its cities, its history, its resorts and its countryside, I have given up trying to visit them because of attitudes like yours. Why on earth would you think that I am going to put up with barriers and clampers and parking fines in order to visit Lincolnshire and spend my money on its attractions, or in its shops, restaurants and garages?
I go to France, where I am welcomed by its communities with “Bonjour”s and smiles and my custom is appreciated. And those communities compete for my patronage by offering honest and sincere hospitality, Not with parking tickets, petty jobsworths, barriers, penalties, wheel clamps and aggravation, but with agreeable parking spots and the facilities a motorhomer needs. With a motorhome costing € £50,000 and on upwards, French mayors sensibly reason that their owners have money to spend. Have a look here: – http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Aires
When I first bought my motorhome, there were about 2,500 aires in France. There are now almost 8,500 and their numbers still grow and the idea is catching on right across Europe. Except in Britain, of course. The land of ignorance, prejudice, stereotypes and self. When I first went over, most of the aires were free. Including the electricity, but in these difficult times, more communes are charging nominal fees of between € ’ 3 and € ’ 9 for overnighting and that invariably includes full facilities and an electric hook-up. If I am not forced to drive each day to charge my batteries, I will stay and spend my money in the local bars, restaurants, shops and supermarkets. Especially out of season, and I love France in the winter.
Due to a battery fault, I was stuck for over a month on the aire in Catillon-sur-Sambre http://www.campingcar-infos.com/Francais/ccib.php?numero=641 (Scroll down to see the pictures.) so I offered the mayor € ’ 25 for using the electricity. He was decidedly miffed. “Where do you buy your milk, your bread, your food?” “In the shops in town.” “C’est bon. We expect nothing more.” And I will tell you another thing.
I have never met a single British mayor. I have lost count of the French Mayors who have knocked on my door to ask what I thought of his town, of the aire and its facilities and if there were any improvements I could suggest. (Invariably, I asked for Wi-Fi.)
So, every time a mean minded community is presented as here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-27810273 another dozen motorhomers drive past the shuttered shops, the dole queues and the strapped for cash councils to catch the next boat across the Channel.
Generally, in Britain, one is not allowed to do anything unless a sign specifically says that one may. The most familiar of such signs is, “Pay Here!” In France, one may do just about anything unless common sense, common decency or a sign specifically prohibits it. I have seen very few and then, they are never unreasonable or downright hostile – as is common in this country.
No, Mr Davie. Remove the blinkers and check out what the smart people do.
ErnB
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
11 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in General, Marketing, Road Safety
Photo: Brecon Beacons – one of the sites supporting the family initiative.
The Caravan Club launches family initiatives to engage a new generation of caravanners
The Caravan Club has rolled out a number of family initiatives and activities for its youngest members, which started on 4 July with the new ‘Epic Explorer Activities’ booklet, available for free, from 53 of The Club’s top sites.
Other key activities include; ‘Caravan Club Cache’, The Club’s version of the well loved pastime geocaching, where Club wardens will create clues for children to find on ‘Caravan Club Cache’ designated sites; safety on site awareness; ‘National Play Days’ and a children’s only reward card, where kids will have their very own card allowing them to collect stamps, accumulating them from stays on sites to save up for a reward.
Caravanning is a well loved and popular family holiday and leisure pastime, and The Caravan Club currently represents over one million caravanners, motorhomers and trailer-tenters, many of whom are young families or grandparents holidaying with grandchildren. Caravanning is not only an affordable family holiday, it is a great way for families to spend quality time together, and for parents to get their kids out-and-about.
Emma Cosby, Product Development Manager for The Caravan Club, says, “I have been working on this new family proposition, so that The Club can assist our parent and grandparent members with entertaining their children and grandchildren while away in their vans. So many families are already aware of the benefits of touring with children but we want to extol the virtues and encourage more families into the pastime, while showing them that it isn’t difficult, extreme or expensive to entertain the kids!”
Tony Hall, Marketing Director for The Caravan Club, says of the initiative, “Many children these days think that the only fun they can have comes from TV or computer games but The Caravan Club wants to show them that this is not the case. We hear so many adults say “things were different when we were growing up” and The Club agrees. As a child I was always out; climbing trees, building dens and getting muddy. Caravanning holidays can help kids today have these same experiences, by making the outdoors accessible.”
Hall continues, “The Club has also been working with Ambassadors of Adventure, the Meek family, who hit the headlines in 2013 for banning TV and setting their two children 100 outdoor adventures. They have been helping The Club with suggestions for activities for this initiative and offering advice and support to members too, while leading the way by undertaking the Xplore 2014 Challenge – to take 20 holidays in 20 weeks while completing 100 new outdoor activities too.”
‘National Play Days’ will take place on selected sites across The Clubs site network on 6 August, where it is hoped that participants will have fun in the outdoors while also making some great friends, with whom they can continue their summers of touring fun.
Also as part of this initiative The Club has taken the opportunity to launch the ‘Hi5’ campaign which is designed to connect directly with the children, in order to encourage and promote safety on site. The ‘Hi5’ campaign included a children’s poster competition, to design family friendly 5mph posters for site and a ‘Hi5’ video for children to watch online, which involved an audition day, so that child members could feature within the video themselves. Both these activities have fed into the design and content of the ‘Tourer Explorer’ booklet in order to fully maximise its impact and ensure the highest possible visibility.
For further details of all the above family initiatives visit
http://www.caravanclub.co.uk
Cosby adds, “This entire campaign has been based on feedback from Club members, we have understood from research that our families really want to get back to nature with their kids. Therefore The Caravan Club proceeded with a campaign that assists them with this, while offering guidance and support. This campaign gives them the freedom to take on as much or as little as they want, at little or no cost.”
Caravan Club sites where the free ‘Epic Explorer Activities’ booklet is available:
Abbey Wood Caravan Club Site
Alderstead Heath Caravan Club Site
Battle Normanhurst Court Caravan Club Site
Black Horse Farm Caravan Club Site
Brecon Beacons Caravan Club Site
Bridlington Caravan Club Site
Brighton Caravan Club Site
Broadway Caravan Club Site
Burford Caravan Club Site
Burrs Country Park Caravan Club Site
Buxton Caravan Club Site
Carsington Water Caravan Club Site
Chester Fairoaks Caravan Club Site
Cirencester Park Caravan Club Site
Clumber Park Caravan Club Site
Coniston Park Coppice Caravan Club Site
Daleacres Caravan Club Site
Durham Grange Caravan Club Site
Edinburgh Caravan Club Site
Ferry Meadows Caravan Club Site
Freshwater East Caravan Club Site
Gowerton Caravan Club Site
Grafham Water Caravan Club Site
Hillhead Caravan Club Site
Hunter’s Moon Caravan Club Site
Hurn Lane Caravan Club Site
Incleboro Fields Caravan Club Site
Kendal Caravan Club Site
Lady Margaret’s Park Caravan Club Site
Littlehampton Caravan Club Site
Longleat Caravan Club Site
Looe Caravan Club Site
Malvern Hills Caravan Club Site
Moreton-in-Marsh Caravan Club Site
New Forest Caravan Club Site
Pembrey Country Park Caravan Club Site
Poolsbrook Country Park Caravan Club Site
Ramslade Caravan Club Site
Scarborough West Ayton Caravan Club Site
Seacroft Caravan Club Site
Southland Caravan Club Site
Strathclyde Caravan Club Site
Stonehaven Queen Elizabeth Park Caravan Club Site
Sutton on Sea Caravan Club Site
The Sandringham Estate Caravan Club Site
Treamble Valley Caravan Club Site
Tredegar House Country Park Caravan Club Site
Trewethett Farm Caravan Club Site
Troutbeck Head Caravan Club Site
Wharfedale Caravan Club Site
White Water Park Caravan Club Site
Yellowcraig Caravan Club Site
York Beechwood Grange Caravan Club Site
The Caravan Club is Europe’s premier touring organisation representing over one million caravanners, motor caravanners and trailer-tenters. The Caravan Club has been providing people with the means to enjoy touring holidays since 1907 and offers a wealth of products, information and services, bespoke for caravanners. http://www.caravanclub.co.uk
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
11 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in Places
Followers of this blog are never slow in telling me what a sad case I am with my love of all things steam. This week I saw the Brecon Mountain Railway and it was great. Big free car park, easy to get to and a coffee shop should the spirit move you. Bliss!
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
11 Friday Jul 2014
Posted in Places
Brecon has a lot going for it and for me one of the best spots is its narrow boat basin which sports a coffee shop and a car park. The canal runs from Brecon to Abergavenny and the basin in Brecon is delightful – I had no trouble spending an hour there and came close to forgetting that my £1 only got me an hour for the motorhome so had to scuttle back sharpish but no one seemed to care – years of being attacked by traffic wardens in London waiting for the minute the ticket expires so they can serve a penalty notice has left its mark!
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
