Well, by the time you read this, Easter will have been and gone, as will have the AGM for Wessex at Awbridge and the new committee will be up and running.

The only meet that I can report on is the birthday meet at Ibsley in February. Initially when the overnighters arrived there appeared to be a problem with when we could have the hall, but all was sorted in the end with a bit of to and froing between hall booking person, sites officer Mark, and those that were there. A time when I can say ‘thank goodness for mobile phones’. There were a good few there for the Friday evening and Saturday was well attended with those just visiting for the afternoon/evening. We had a lovely spread for tea, the remains gradually disappearing during the evening.

It was really lovely to see Jean for a few hours, thanks to her family for bringing her out to meet up with friends. It was also lovely to hear that she has completed her 50 years as a member of the Camping and Caravanning Club. Sadly she was unable to go to Coventry HQ to be presented with her badge and certificate in March and these have been sent to her instead. Well done Jean for your long ‘career’ with the Club.

Our next meet following the AGM at its new venue Awbridge is the Mayday one at Wildhern. Hopefully the weather will be kind and we can have the maypole dancing on the field and the ‘penny fair’ games. We hope to have members from Sarum DA to share the weekend with us and also some of the local residents who we hope will come for the maypole celebrations. In between the AGM and Mayday there is an invite to a South East area meet at Tillingbourne.

Towards the end of May on the Spring bank holiday weekend we will be at Alton Barnes, a new site for us. It’s close to the canal and has been used before by DA’s. The hall is onsite and although it is further than Rowdeford school for Chippenham there may be buses that will get people to the festival. Someone will investigate that possibility before the meet.

In June we are at another new site at Stuckton just outside of Fordingbridge. The hall is just in Fordingbridge and is within walking distance although there is a large car park near to the hall. Augustus John who lived in Fordingbridge is buried in the nearby cemetery and his grave stone can’t really be missed as it has a small sculpture on it – paintbrush holder and brushes, the artists’ kind. There is also a lovely memorial to him by the river as you go over the road bridge into Fordingbridge. Nearer the end of June is the Folk group AGM at Tillingbourne, the same site that SE area are at in April.

Pam (Secretary)