The Long Mountain Run is on the 9th of April 2017 starting from The Inn-on-the-Green Wentnor SY9 5EF at 10.30 am entry is £5.00 towards the  Air Ambulance Funds. The route is around 50 miles of the Shropshire countryside and will finish back at The Inn-on-the Green for lunch. The lunch a carvery must be pre- booked with the treasurer. There will be bacon, sausage baps, tea and coffee available at the start. For further information contact Derek Trow 01686670626 mobile 07904701022 or Email derek.trow@talk21.com

The speaker for the 29th of March is Bruce Lawson of The Cloverlands Model Car Museum Montgomery  who will be showing a slide show and telling us how the museum came about. He has also wrote a book about Charles Rolls of Rolls Royce fame which has now been reprinted. The meeting starts at 2pm at The Inn-on-the-Green Wentnor Nr Bishops Castle  Sy9 5Ef. the meeting will be followed by Sandwiches, sausage rolls or chips thanks to Adrian mine host all welcome £2.00 entrance to club funds.

The meeting for February was a talk by Paul Evans of the Air ambulance lottery who gave us a insight in to the workings of the Midlands Air Ambulance. It was a very interesting talk and was followed by a question and answer session. Dave Magaroni brought a large number of books which were available free of charge however he requested that if you wished to good give donation to the Air Ambulance Fund which raised £24.00. Our grateful thanks to Dave who will be giving us a talk later in the year on Oil for Vintage Motorcycles.

Our next meeting will be a talk on The Cloverlands Model Car Museum by Bruce Lawson at 2.0pm at the Inn on the-Green Wentnor, all are welcome admission £2.00 towards club funds.

The 9th of April is the Long Mountain Run which starts and finishes at The Inn-on-the-Green the start is at 10.30 entry fee is £5.00 towards The Air Ambulance. There will be tea,coffee, bacon and sausage sandwiches available at the start. the treasurer will be taking orders for lunch at the start. the distance will be between 50 & 60 miles. for further details contact the secretary on Telephone 01686670626 mobile07904701022 or email derek.trow@talk21.com

The April club night is a illustrated talk by Mike Watkins on the sinking of the Empress of Ireland which had a bigger loss of life than the Titanic, as usual it is at The Inn-on-the-Green at 2.oo pm on the 26th of April entrance £ 2.00 towards club funds.

!4th of May is The Spring Run further Details Later

This talk is called Tales of a long ride home a lifetime’s experience. This will be at Yarpole Parish hall post code HR6 0BL on Saturday 25th of March at 7.30 prompt it includes a free glass of wine or soft drink Pay on the door £5.00

Derek Trow

Our first meeting of the year went down quite well, especially as we decided to hold the winter meetings in the afternoon, with 17 members turning out the same as we get when we run in the evenings. There were a few faces missing as they were at work however there were a few faces we have not seen for a while. The afternoon was mainly a noggin and natter,  the secretary mentioned a few items he also asked around the room what everyone thought of meeting in the afternoon, it was decided that it was a good idea.. The meetings will continue in the afternoon until May when they will go back to night meetings, then return to afternoon meetings in October. We still had our usual sandwiches and chips supplied FOC by the landlord Adrian. The treasurer did a quiz on pudding which was a joint win for Anne and Godfrey who won a box of biscuits however Anne decided Godfrey should have them, they were then handed around the room.

The February Club Night is a talk on The Shropshire Air Ambulance by Paul Evans at 2pm Wednesday 22nd February at the Inn-on-the-Green Wentnor Nr Bishops CastleSY9 5EF.

Firstly, we would like to wish you a belated Happy New Year. Secondly, we have made a change to our meetings please see below –
Shropshire Section VMCC – Meeting Schedule 2017
All Club meetings will be held at The Inn on the Green, Wentnor, Nr. Bishops Castle.
During 2017 we are going to trial having the winter/dark night meetings at 2pm in the afternoon on the last Wednesday of the month, instead of our usual evening meetings at 8pm. There are a couple of reasons we are giving this a trial – (1) we seem to clash with the children’s Horse Riding Club during the winter months, which makes it difficult for the speaker(s) to set up their equipment etc., and (2) We’re sure that many of our usual members think twice about turning out in the cold dark evenings. We also appreciate that we have a few members that are in full time employment and we hope you will understand that we are trying to raise the number attending meetings. If the trial goes well we will adopt it, if not we will revert to the usual 8pm meetings.
DATE
25th January            –      2pm
22nd February         –     2pm
29th March               –     2pm
26th April                  –     2pm
31st May                     –     8pm
28th June                   –     Fish & Chip Night
26th July                    –     8pm
30th August               –     8pm
27th September         –    8pm   AGM
25th October              –     2pm
29th November         –     2pm
No meeting in December
Dates for your Diary 2017
9th April             The Long Mountain Run 10.30am start. Inn on the Green, Wentnor.
14th May             Spring Run – Details to be announced.
9th July               Summer Run – Details to be announce.
17th September Reggie’s Run 10.30am start. The Lazy Trout Café, Marshbrook.
8th October        Autumn Run – Details to be announced.
Please pass this message on, as we do not have all Club Members contact details. Thank you.

Derek & Daisy

We were asked by  Otley House Care Home, Coton Hill, Shrewsbury if we could go and talk about motorcycles to some of the residents. The chairman Godfrey Cookson, Eddie Powell, Cyril Watson, Ken Hayes and myself turned out. We were welcomed by the staff on arrival, Eddie had a dvd running which drew a lot of attention, I gave them a couple of motorcycle books and Cyril was kind enough to let them look at his BSA motorcycle, he also started it up and allowed them to rev it up. The staff were very encouraging and the “old boys” seemed to enjoy it.  We were thanked by the lovely Maisie who was my contact, we promised to call on them again whilst on one of our runs in the summer. Thanks to the guys for turning out.  At was a very enjoyable afternoon.

I am currently looking in to the feasibility of changing our club meetings from the Wednesday evenings to Wednesday afternoons during the winter months, say from October to April afternoons, May to September evenings. I realize this would affect the few people who are still working however it may well improve the numbers at the meetings If you have anything to say about the subject either ring me, email or write with what you think whether you agree or disagree. all my contact details are on line please let’s have your idea’s  on the matter  what ever your opinion.

Derek Trow

Argument For

Avoiding The Pony Club’s meeting

Due to the age of most better traveling in the daylight

Possibly The Inn-on-the-Green would be would be not so busy.

Attendees might be able to stay awake

1/3people attending fall a sleep when we have a speaker possibly stay awake in day time

Argument Against

Some members still work and would miss the meetings

Our last meeting of the year was a slide show and talk on The Blood Bikes by Sandy Harper of The Staffordshire and Shropshire Blood Bikes. They save the hospitals in the area they cover £80,000 to £1000.000 per year, as their service is free as the organisation is run by volunteers. Besides blood they carry babies milk, faecal samples and paper work between the various hospitals. To be a volunteer you have to be an advance rider also quite a lot of other stuff to be learned. They don’t just need bikers but also need controllers and fund raisers as each bike costs around £13,000 plus running costs, garages and battery chargers, plus other equipment. The Chairman, Godfrey Cookson presented a cheque for £260.00 which was raised from our runs during the year. Godfrey then presented Daisy, Nikki and Derek Trow with gifts for their work during the year.

   The Guest speaker for our October meeting was Frank Melling who gave us a insight into his life story.    He came from a poor background,  his first job was working in the store painting loads of shelves     with  Jellypex paint, he then made his mother very proud when he qualified to become a school     teacher. Frank then went into part time journalism, well established UK magazines turned his articles   down, however Cycle World liked them and he wrote a column for them. He is now a well respected     writer on motorcycling. His forthright style has upset a few people along the way he says it as he see’s it    my sort of guy. His autobiography is available in two books, the first being A Sparrow in a Penguins Nest followed by a Flying Penguin both a must red for any motorcyclist enthusiasts or even people who were around in the 1960’s.  This is not the first time Frank has given us a talk, some years ago he came to our meeting place which was pretty horrible, the room was very cold and dark and he had to give us the talk in his overcoat, much better this time.  We  look forward to Frank giving us another talk next year. A big thanks to Adrian and staff at The Inn-on-the-Green for the use of the room and the refreshments afterwards

The meeting on the 30th of November at 8pm at The Inn-on-the-Green will be a talk by Sandy Harper of  the Staffordshire and Shropshire Blood Bikers. Who will be giving us a insight into the work they do. The meeting will be followed by the usual refreshments