Xmas 2022 - Newsletter

Newsletter Xmas 2022

GREETINGS TO ALL OUR LUNAR OWNERS CLUB MEMBERS

Hello members!

Thank you to all those members who sent their best wishes to Diana & I following my recent extended hospital stay. I am gradually getting better and do hope we can meet up with some of you sometime in the future.

A big thank you also to former chair Nigel Hitchens for supervising the publication of our Autumn Newsletter whilst I was in hospital.

As you can see, we’ve continued with a run of successful rallies this year and have a full (provisional) programme for 2023 thanks to the hard work of our Rallies Secretary, Caroline Applegate. Do join a rally in 2023 – there’s lots to choose from!

Let me take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Best wishes

David Cowan ~ Newsletter editor ~ 0161 820 2466

Email: newsletter@lunarownersclub.net

CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE

Hello everyone!

As our Club draws to the end of another year. I take this opportunity to thank the committee and members who have acted as marshals and worked hard to successfully run both our club and the various rallies. These rallies have been very successful, though not always fully subscribed. The rallies are the lifeblood of our club and without them we have no reason to exist.

Your committee acknowledges the increased cost of living charges are having on everyone and hope that by having each rally fully subscribed we will be able to negotiate a reduced fee which will benefit everyone.

Could I therefore ask you all to consider a New Year Resolution - to attend at least one Club rally in 2023!

May I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

John Kilby – Chair – 0161 820 2466 Email: chairman@lunarownersclub.net

MEMBERSHIP

As you know the membership renewal window opened on the 1st November, so far the good news is that approximately 50% of the membership have already paid their subscriptions and are all set for 2023.

If you haven’t renewed yet make sure you do so before the 31st December and don’t forget with everything going up in price your membership fees remain the same as previous years at £12 (£15 for postal members).

It’s a bargain you can’t afford to miss, and it’s not limited to Black Friday. With Christmas just around the corner and New Year celebrations following on it will soon be time to think about booking next year’s rallies.

Your Handbook inserts, membership card and new password for the club members area on the website will be sent to you by post in the first or second week in January. So enjoy the festive season, think about next year’s rallies and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR. I look forward to seeing you on the rally field next year.

Not renewed yet? Here’s your options:

• Standing Order - set up a Standing Order with your Bank with sort code 30-95-45, account number 19620468 and schedule it to pay on November 1st each year. Make sure it quotes your name & membership number.

• BACs – (online accounts) pay your subscription into Lloyds bank, sort code 30-95-45, account number 19620468 quoting your name & membership number. (You may be asked to confirm the Club's bank account name which is "Lunar Owner's Club")

• PayPal - Log into your PayPal account and send your subscription to treasurerlunar80@gmail.com

© - Lunar Owners Club Newsletter Xmas 2022 – website: lunarownersclub.net – Club Help Line 0161 820 2466

Keep safe and well and enjoy Christmas!

John Hammond ~ Membership Secretary ~ 0161 820 2466 email: membership@lunarownersclub.net

CLUB TREASURER

– CAN YOU HELP?

Our Treasurer, Mike Gyles, tells us that, with advancing years, he feels it time to ask a younger member of the Club take on the care of our finances.

Mike is happy to complete the finances for 2022 and would assist in the handover for as long as necessary. The Club Accounts are now almost entirely online so online facilities are a necessity and some online banking experience would be valuable.

If any member feels they could take on this responsibility, please contact Mike by calling our Club Line 0161 820 2466 or emailing him at treasurer@lunarownersclub.net and he will arrange a nomination and proposal for our AGM.

Go on, you know you want to help, so give Mike a good Christmas Present by volunteering!

RALLY REPORT S !

NOVEMBER

We had 6 vans attend the rally on the Thursday. The meet and greet was in the lodge with a welcome cuppa and cake, it was very nice to see everyone. We had a free day on Friday so had time to visit local sights, before the evening visit to see the Carnival parade. What a sight it was, the display of lights and colours was fab, and such a crowd of people attended.

Saturday proved better weather wise, we had a quick trip into Wells before our visit to Cider farm in the afternoon, to taste some cider and view the equipment used in the making. We all came together in the Lodge for an evening meal, which was very nice and we were joined by Keith and Jenny.

Had a fair bit of rain this week though most of it was in the night. There was a cinema visit on Sunday night for those who wanted to go. Cheddar and Wells were nice to visit and the shops were plentiful. Tuesday was a nice pub lunch with the group, joined again by Keith and Jenny.

Wednesday was our visit to a working mill where they explained the workings of grain to flour, followed by tea/coffee and cake. We had our “au revoir” in the site lodge, with nibbles, games and prizes for the winners.

Though it was a wet rally, the weather did not stop everyone enjoying it.

Hope to see you all soon.

Bob & Sandra Davies

BUCKLEGROVE “SOMERSET CARNIVALS” RALLY – 17 – 24

As the rally start day was Friday we left early, just in case the M1 was in its usual Friday state, with the intention of having a half hour stop at Leicester Forest Services, some 100miles into the 160mile journey. Bad move…arrived there at 11.30 to find the HGV parking was full to the hilt with overspill onto the exit slip….so drove straight through and eventually stopped an hour later, not far from the site!!

The site was easy to get in to, well laid out and most of the 11 vans on the rally were in one area with most of us on hard-standings. Excellent facilities and friendly staff added to the positive vibe around the site.

Our “meet & greet” was hosted by Suzanne & Jim, the owners of the Cotswold Gem store, located in a large building on the site….with tea & coffee supplied by them (along with some chilled wine…) and mince pies by the Marshalls it made for a great start to the get together.

The store was a veritable Aladdin’s Cave with everything from Glassware to Pottery…Clothes to Decorations. There were even a few “sparkly” numbers on the clothes racks for those that fancied some “glitz and glam” for the Xmas lunch….

By Saturday evening, most of the attendees had finished decorating their van for Xmas and as usual there was a good mix of designs and colours. I didn’t manage to get pictures of all the vans unfortunately but some photos are below. The other activity started on Saturday was a knockout competition of “Sequence”, a board game played with two packs of cards and some counters, in which the winning couple had to get a line of 5 counters to win the game…a cross between Cards and Bingo!!

Saturday was a free day…in our case we topped up on some basics at the local M&S and attempted to find a decent lunch at a nearby garden centre... it was not that near and not that decent!!

Our Xmas lunch was held on Sunday at the Fox in Chipping Norton, located on the edge of the market place. We had all pre-ordered which made life easier…most opting for Turkey dinner with everything on the side. Service was good and the general consensus was a good lunch all round.

Another free day on Monday…in our case a trip to Bourton on the Water (where the lunch was decent…) and Burford. Both were busy as you would expect in the run up to Xmas.

Our farewell get-together on the Tuesday evening was at the village hall in nearby Salford (not the one near Manchester….) and it was another excellent evening. The Marshalls provided a Ploughman’s supper for everyone and we had an evening of competition and prize giving. One was a variant on a “beetle drive” but using decorated Xmas Trees instead of the traditional “beetle”, with the winner and loser moving in opposite directions to another table. The highest scorer after 5 games was Lesley Kilby. Music and general knowledge quizzes and a Chinese raffle completed the games. The winners of the Sequence game were Pam & Chris Burrows and the winners of the decorated van competition were Mavis & Mike Green.

Many thanks to the Marshals, Phil & Cathy Butterworth and Keith & Jenny Nicholls for a well -planned and well run rally.

Mike & Mavis Green

FORTHCOMING

RAL

L IES

NEW YEAR RALLY, DODWELL PAR , STRATFORD ON AVON – 29 DECEMBER TO JANUARY 2

We are gathering at Dodwell Park caravan site near Stratford on Avon , a lovely small site with excellent facilities and no mud! At the time of writing the rally is full but this is always an enjoyable rally and the attractions of the area will certainly add to its appeal!

2023 PLANNED RALLY SCHEDULE

Here’s our PROVISIONAL 2023 Rally schedule Caroline has organised, so far. Dates may change so check the website from January 2023 for latest information or call the ClubLine on 0161 820 2466.

You can’t book any of the sites yet, but you can start planning your 2023 touring now! Please note that an increasing number of sites are now requesting deposits direct from members to secure their pitch when booking in 2023. Note that the French Rally is now due to commence on 4th June (not 3rd as previously published as the site needs a 1 day handover period from a previous rally there) and can be booked through Alan Rogers.

Dates Where

March 9-14

Fish & Anchor, Evesham, Worcs

April 5-12 (Easter) Ingfield Farm, Sheffield Yorks

April 27- May 2 (May Day) Midway CP, Lower Micklin, Leominster, Staffs

May 25 – 30 Lindsey Trail Touring Park, Market Rasen

June 4 – 18 Moulin de Bel Air, St Germain du Bel Air, Dordogne, France

June 15-20

July 6-11

Top End Farm, Bedford

Duke of York Pub, Buxton, Derbyshire

July 26 – Aug 1 Blacklands, Calne, Wiltshire

Aug 1 – 8

Ship & Anchor, Arundel, Sussex

August 23-29 (Aug BH) Fortway Farm, Stoney Stanton, Leics

Sept 20 – 27 (AGM Rally) Yew Tree Farm, Kidderminster

Oct 26 – Nov 2 Slimbridge (Tudor Arms CP), Glos

Dec 7-12 Somerswood, Meriden

New year 2023 No rally planned yet

Lunar Owners Club Newsletter Xmas 2022 – website: lunarownersclub.net – Club Help Line 0161 820 2466

RALLY IN FRANCE 2023

Alan Rogers Rallies have offered us 2 sites in the Dordogne near Sarlat-la-Caneda and we’ve chosen oneincidentally a C’est Si Bon site – called Camping Moulin du Bel Air at St. Germain du Bel Air for 14 nights starting Sunday 4th June 2023 (not 3rd as previously published). The site is about 40 minutes south of Sarlat-laCaneda in the Dordogne

• Distance from Calais to Camping Moulin de Bel Air – 525 miles (approx 8hrs 30mins)

• Distance from Caen to Camping Moulin de Bel Air – 405 miles (approx 7hrs)

• On the banks of the River Ceou, built around an 18th Century mill.

• A small site with 90 lovely grassy pitches, 68 for touring with 16A

• On-site: an outdoor swimming-pool, bicycle hire, a cosy indoor lounge, and an outdoor terrace/restaurant

• Just at the entrance, there is a small fishing lake where you can stroll past it, up to the local village Here’s the confirmed pricing for 14 nights from Alan Rogers. As always Alan Rogers will give a bespoke quote for your chosen ferry dates & departures:

Travel with P&O Ferries – Dover>Calais

Pitch only:

Campsite only: £312 Package Price for Car and Caravan £738 Package Price for Motorhome** £695

All prices are based on 2 people sharing a pitch. Travel on the routes shown during low season dates in Car & Caravan, or Motorhome up to 7m long and 2.6m high. Some dates may go into high season & supplements apply for larger vehicles and alternative routes / sailings. More information from Alan Rogers Rallies

You’ll be able to book directly with Alan Rogers on their website from January 2023. They’ll want an £150 deposit with the booking.

Cathy & Phil Butterworth will be hosting this rally, supported by Keith & Jenny Nicholls, in the Dordogne, one of the most beautiful areas of France. Why not join them!

© - Lunar Owners Club Newsletter Xmas 2022 – website: lunarownersclub.net – Club Help Line 0161 820 2466