Month: February 2021

Hello everyone,

It’s me again, with your monthly(ish) update on everything Midget and Sprite in the Heart of England area. I don’t know about you but after a fairly gloomy winter, I’m now looking out of the window at the blue sky and sunshine, feeling a bit brighter, and wondering what “essential travel” I have so I can get Frodo (the Frogeye) out of his garage and back onto the road.

 

Next meeting

The format will be a short area update, then the long-awaited quiz from Roger and Alex!!

Date: Wednesday 10^th March

Time: 8pm start

Joining Details: https://zoom.us/j/92332477763?pwd=YXlEOGtWRHV3Zy9aTlpHWlBsU1dzZz09

Meeting ID: 923 3247 7763     Passcode: 658385

 

New Members

In recent months we’ve had 3 new members join Heart of England.

Jaydon Bickley – Nuneaton; Geoff Titmuss – Malvern; Neil Prince – Solihull

Neil was welcomed at last month’s online meeting, and we look forward to meeting and welcoming Geoff and Jaydon in the future.

 

Dates for the Diary

It’s still a little early to be putting loads of dates in the diary for car runs and meet ups, but things are definitely moving in the right direction.  Looking at the roadmap out of lockdown, July is the earliest month for a return to the Green Dragon for an indoor club night.  From 17 May we may be able to have some car runs or even an outside meeting (both with no more than 30 people), and attendance at some of the larger shows may also be possible. Of course you can also choose to have some fun outings on an individual basis as well. Some external events are being rescheduled to accommodate these new dates e.g. for example Goodwood member’s meeting is now 16-17 October, rather than in May.

Now we know the potential dates for restarting activities we can begin planning the schedule of events for 2021/22.

Are there any willing volunteers to arrange a car run on a date after 17 May (with a max 30 people until 21 June) ?

If you are interested, please get in touch at Heartofengland@midgetandspriteclub.co.uk

 

Drive it Day 25^th April 2021

Given the roadmap timing, there won’t be a formal HoE club run to recognise Drive It Day.  How would you like to recognise it instead? Photos of our cars on our drives, meeting up in small groups, etc?

The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs are collecting Drive it Day Memories via social media hashtags (#DriveitDayMemories) and displaying them on their special DiD website. If you want to participate but don’t use social media, then it is really easy to upload your pictures as well, just click the UPLOAD button at: www.driveitday.co.uk . This is also the place to go to buy the DiD Rally plates which are raising money for Childline.

 

Midget60 Big Weekend 25-27 June 2021

The Midget 60 Big Weekend – Midget and Sprite Club. The final decision will be made around 1^st April regarding Midget 60 – whether to go ahead (and in what format) or to postpone to 2022. Event regalia is available for sale on the MASC website.

 

Silverstone Classic 30 July – 1 August 2021

http://www.silverstoneclassic.com. If members booked tickets for last year these will roll forward to this year unless they asked for a refund. The discount code for new bookings is 2020CCD071, and is valid until 31 May 2021.

The car club package booking process has been simplified and streamlined, but this does mean that there are a number of changes to it.

• The unique car club booking code is required at the end of the booking process instead of the beginning by using the ‘Promotional Code’ box displayed just before the ‘Pay Now’ button.
• The car club package price will initially be displayed without a member’s discount. Entering the code into the ‘Promotional Code’ box and clicking ‘Submit’ will apply the discount. Prices without a members discount are shown below.
• An automated confirmation email will be sent to each member after they have paid asking them to click on a link to a form to provide their vehicle details: make, model, registration, year, and colour. Completion of this form will finalise the booking.

Car club package prices (subject to change with a 7-day notice period):

• 3-day weekend = £105 (displayed price without promo discount = £210)
• Friday = £47 (displayed price without promo discount = £78)
• Saturday = £77 (displayed price without promo discount = £134)
• Sunday = £65 (displayed price without promo discount = £106)

Mark Hall has asked that the club be considered for a track parade to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the launch of the Midget. Hopefully the Classic team will confirm this soon.

 

MG and Triumph Spares Day, 22^nd August at Telford.

http://mgandtriumphsparesday.co.uk.  Steve Newton and Keith Jewkes are working with Central region on organising MASC’s attendance. They have offers of vehicles to display, and will be looking for willing volunteers for the stand nearer the date.

 

Other updates

The first of the Area Reps meetings organised by Andrew Parrott, took place in mid Feb over Zoom. With 4 new area reps, it was really useful for us to hear from the experienced reps.

Alex Gleed – Young Members’ Area Rep – explained his ambitions for the YM role, and how to help integrate YMs into the regions. Are you a “young at heart” member? Do you fancy being a buddy for a young member – if so, please get in touch.

We also had an update on insurance for events; Mike Bennett shared some of the changes coming to the MASC website; we learnt about the new MASC flyer being developed and a potential member referral scheme; and we heard there are 3 applicants for the MASCOT editor role. Brilliant news!!

 

Lockdown Roadmap Summary

From 29 March, the Rule of Six will return outdoors. Groups of larger than six from a maximum of two households will also be allowed to meet. However people will still be told to minimise travel.

From no earlier than 12 April, pubs, restaurants and cafes will reopen with outdoor seating only.  The Rule of Six will remain in place outdoors, with mixing still banned indoors. People will still be told to minimise travel.

From no earlier than 17 May, groups of up to 30 will be allowed outdoors, and the Rule of Six will be in place indoors.

Some large events will also be allowed to resume. Indoor events will have a capacity of 1,000, or 50 per cent, whichever is smaller.

Outdoor events will be capped at 4,000, and outdoor seated events – such as football matches – at 10,000.

From no earlier than 21 June, legal limits on social contact removed.

Reply to lara warburton | Feb 27,2021 |

Hello all Wiltshire members

The sun is out here, the snowdrops and crocuses are looking fantastic around here and I’m about to unwrap my Sprite for a quick visit to the shops, first time this year. I hope you have kept your Midgets or Sprites moving a little despite the lockdown, or made some real progress if still in project form. I’ve bought the remains of a race or hillclimb Midget, so that’s kept me busy! Engine and box are already well underway, but the exhaust, back axle and bodywork may take a while as strangely my pension seems to have run out. Let me know what you’ve achieved, please, however small.

As you’ve no doubt heard, there is an optimistic timetable now for release, and several organisations are reviewing their planned dates to see if it fits into the plan. Nothing is certain yet, but here are a few ideas.

Drive-it Day is planned for 25th April this year. I’ve not had word from the FBHVC about this yet, as there will be restrictions still. Their facebook page may let us know. But who needs a named day to drive your Sprite or Midget? As soon as you feel comfortable enough and the formal lockdown ends, you can decide for yourself. Take care, though.

Top event, he Midget 60 Big Weekend (25-26 June) at the Mere Golf Resort and the following day’s gathering at Gawsworth Hall Manor House is still on as of today. See the link, get the T shirt…

https://www.midgetandspriteclub.com/?page_id=20287 

I’m looking forward to Classics at Prescott, my entry carried over from 2020:

https://www.winchcomberotaryclub.com/classics-at-prescott

and how about this event, that has picked up on the cancellation of MG Live, MGs moving to Malvern to join the Triumphs:

https://www.tr-register.co.uk/article/2021/02/0260/Clubs-collaborate-to-create-exciting-new-Triumph-and-MG-Weekend

You can expect updates daily from all the race venues and event organisers, so keep your eyes peeled and your Spridget warmed up. As soon as we can, not March or April, but maybe May or June, the MASC meet at the Barge at Seend will be back, and we can take it from there.

As always, you are invited to get in touch with me by phone, What’s App or email, as quite a few have already, if only to release the frustrations and break the boredom, I’d love to have a chat. And finally, I’m not a big fan, but does anyone want to do a zoom? Give me a shout and I’ll set one up.

All the best

Andy

07776 171251

andyspeedbox@gmail.com

 

Reply to Andrew Cross | Feb 25,2021 |

Hello fellow Mascavites,

At last, we have good cause to be optimistic about the way ahead. No doubt there will be much scheming and plotting in dark corners on how we will rejoin life as we used to know it. For sure, we will not be speculating on this and will remain on the safe and sensible side of caution in the meantime.

Once again, abusing my privileged position as your area rep, I use this opportunity to offer you, my fellow local members, stuff what is getting in my way. No silly prices, make me an offer, give me a laugh and take it away, we have –    Windscreen in frame with pillars 1964 onwards                                                  Frogeye carbs HI on manifold and air filters                                                        Box of HS2 carbs and bits, manifolds etc.                                                            Frogeye doors                                                                                                      Original cast iron exhaust manifold 1964 onwards

Loss of storage means I am fighting for space so no silly prices but you will need to collect.

Stay safe, stay well, stay patient, we will soon be picking holes in each others Spridgley things and ideas again soon(ish).

Terry        rebelwithasprite@hotmail.com    07745742133

Reply to Terry Horler | Feb 24,2021 |

Hi All,

I hope that you’ve all been keeping well and been able to do a mile or two in your Spridgets during lockdown. I’ve been doing various jobs on my Frogeye and also the occasional shopping trips.

If any of you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please feel free.

I’ll keep you informed of when we’re able to meet once again post lockdown.

In the meantime, keep well and safe.

Gary

Reply to Gary Lazarus | Feb 21,2021 |

Hello All.

If you are thinking of going to the Silverstone Classic this year, I have just received the Promotional Code for the discount entry price, if you  would like this discount code,  please contact me, giving me your membership number and  I will send you the code. Details of the event are set out below as received from our chairman, Mark Hall.

The code is valid until 31 May 2021 and doesn’t seem to have a stepped discount code relating to when you buy tickets this year. Entries will be more limited than normal as so many tickets have rolled forward form last year.

 

BOOKING PROCESS

New for 2021, the car club package booking process has been simplified and streamlined, but this does mean that there are a number of changes to it.

In particular:

 

The unique car club booking code is required at the end of the booking process

instead of the beginning by using the ‘Promotional Code’ box displayed just before

the ‘Pay Now’ button.

• The car club package price will initially be displayed without a member’s discount.

Entering the code into the ‘Promotional Code’ box and clicking ‘Submit’ will apply

the discount. Prices without a members discount are shown below.*

• An automated confirmation email will be sent to each member after they have paid

asking them to click on a link to a form to provide their vehicle details: make, model,

registration, year, and colour. Completion of this form will finalise the booking.

*Car club package prices (subject to change with a 7-day notice period):

• 3-day weekend = £105 (displayed price without promo discount = £210)
• Friday = £47 (displayed price without promo discount = £78)
• Saturday = £77 (displayed price without promo discount = £134)
• Sunday = £65 (displayed price without promo discount = £106)

I will get the advert in the next Mascot, but that will be April’s edition so please share the details with your local members now.

I have also asked that we be considered for a track parade to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the launch of the Midget. Hopefully the Classic team will confirm this soon.

If members booked tickets for last year these will roll forward to this year unless they asked for a refund.

Fingers crossed it can go ahead this year!

Best wishes

Mark

Reply to Robert Neil McLeod | Feb 20,2021 |

Hi All.

In an attempt to look ahead to better times.

At our last Zoom Meeting in February there was mention of a Club weekend away in September from Friday 10th to Monday 13th , in the hope we will have the all clear from Covid-19 by then. So the Premier Inn at Evesham we thought would be a good starting place, there may be a car event in the area (will know if this is on nearer the time) but if not Evesham is a good location to visit the cotswolds and surrounding areas. If this is something of interest to you and you would like to join in with, the Premier Inn at Evesham is per room which can be booked with breakfast and evening meals for two will be around £285-00 for the three days. Shelley and I have decided to extend the trip and will be heading on the Monday to Tenby for a further four night, staying at The Lamphey Court Hotel which is about 9 miles inland from Tenby Harbour. This is an area we have been promising to visit for sometime. Hopefully the Covid-19 situation will allow us this break, if you fancy taking the extended trip to Tenby, the more the merrier. Do let us know if you intend joining the party and have booked a room. Cheers Neil & Shelley

Reply to Robert Neil McLeod | Feb 17,2021 |

Reply to Robert Neil McLeod | Feb 17,2021 |

Hello again, hope you’re all well.

Once again, our February monthly meeting will be on Zoom and the details are given below.

The meeting will start at 8pm this Thursday (18^th February 2021) and will run for at least an hour. Feel free to drop in and out as suits you.

Details for the meeting are as follows:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/91481849133?pwd=cXFXUnZqaFk4Y2NKZVFqR1AycVZlUT09

Meeting ID: 914 8184 9133

Passcode: 799220

 

It would be great to see you.

 

Kind regards

 

Andrew

MASC Northamptonshire Area Rep

 

Reply to Andrew Parrott | Feb 16,2021 |

Hello all.

The next Zoom meeting has been arranged for 8pm on Tuesday 2nd March.

I hope we can discuss the following:-

1.You and your Spridgley car(s).

2. How and where we can meet for at Covid secure location once lockdown is eased. I am going to guess numbers will be limited and it will be outdoors. So please can you put your thinking caps on for suitable car parks in Surrey or other locations which might suit us.

I hope to see you on the Zoom on the 2nd.

As before, the codes will be forwarded after 7.30pm for security purposes.

Regards

Gavin Rowles

Area Rep.

 

Reply to Gavin Rowles Rowles | Feb 12,2021 |