MGs on Track

INTRODUCING THE COMMITTEE

At MGs on Track’s AGM held via Zoom back in February we had a redistribution of the roles and responsibilities within the committee, so this seems an appropriate time to remind you who we all are. In true Top of the Pops style, we have a non-mover at number one, for Nigel Silman continues as Chairman with all the pressures that entails, plus he writes and sends our regular newsletters. Nigel has a sensibly upgraded TF that he uses daily and out on track, whilst recent retirement and lockdown means that his K-Series Midget is tantalisingly close to being complete (he tells us).

Fran Guy has retired from the Treasurer’s position after a dozen years of hard work and, no doubt, frustrations. All on the committee are immensely grateful for her unstinting efforts over these years in this most important of roles that remains hidden from most members. Fran shares an MGF VVC with her husband Tim. John Robertson has picked up the baton from Fran to become our new Treasurer and is now able to experience at first hand the joys of making website bookings and accounting software work in harmony, balancing the books, and so very much more. John has an MGB V8 that he drives with that certain ‘joie de vivre’!

After five years James Mumford retires from the Secretary position to take on the responsibility for attracting and retaining members; ongoing experimentation will ascertain the optimum length of nail to secure a newcomer’s feet to the floor! James has an MGF and an MGB V8. I have taken over from James as Secretary, so have bought a new ribbon for my Corona typewriter and plan to hone my shorthand skills. I have a 1275 Midget and the use of a ZR 120.

Our Vice-Chairman Dave Pearce is also Contracts Manager; even in normal times this can be challenging, but the postponements and cancellations introduced by lockdowns have clearly raised this to another level. Careful negotiation and agreement with the circuits and our partner clubs have ensured the least possible disruption over this past year. Dave has cars, quite a few of them MGs!!

Mark Peters drives an MGB V8 which is not the only reason he is suited to the Webmaster role, but it no doubt helps! Taller men than him have been driven to the brink of despair by our website, but I believe it has met its’ match in Mark. Steve Hill is a founder member of MGoT and brings a wealth of experience to our meetings; he will be providing publicity support and owns an MGF.

Another founder member is our President Dave Livingstone who also drives an MGF, albeit rather heavily tweaked. One of the joys of moving meetings to Zoom has been that we now see Dave much more regularly than hitherto, so can not only draw upon his wisdom but also benefit from his calming aura, something that strangely deserts him once he gets on track!

Long-standing committee member John Dignan continues to have considerable success rallying his MGB and has proven adept at adapting our event requirements to those introduced by the pandemic. Julian Hepburn is currently checking and updating our documentation and has an immaculate semi-race MGC GT. As our quartermaster, Martin Holmes keeps us supplied with the essentials needed to run track days and runs an MGF VVC, a combine harvester, and a baker’s oven!

All committee members, whatever their official role, also take a turn at organising track days, helping at shows, answering queries, and generally tackling those myriad tasks that continually arise.

Last, but certainly not least, may I introduce our newest committee member Richard Gormley, who has a pair of MGBs. In a selfless act that I view as heroism and my regular reader might consider a blessed relief, Richard will be contributing these Safety Fast! reports from next month onwards, ending my five-year tenure as ‘Scribe’. In closing, many thanks to Andy Knott and the team for continuing to give Car Club members such an excellent magazine, and to you for reading this page until….

The End.