D & C CENTRE AGM - CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
26th February, 2011

I enjoyed my first year as Chairman and am somewhat relieved that the Club actually survived! Although being relatively new to the Committee, it was made a lot easier and pleasurable by the support I received - my thanks to Vice-Chairman Vic Share, Centre and Minute Secretaries Bob Slatter and Terry Bolt, Treasurer Barry Smith, immediate past Chairman Colin Bird and the rest of the Committee.

Throughout last year we enjoyed many memorable events including the ACE, Cornish Riviera, Janner Week, Annual Dinner and, whereas many people were involved with organising these events, I would particularly like to thank Pete and Sue Heath and Tony Bolt and his ACE team.

There have been many other excellent occasions organised by both Centre and individual Natters. Ted Lawrence's South Hams Natter - Battle of Britain Run and Rob Constant's North Cornwall Treasure Hunts and Touring Assemblies, also the skittles evenings and Pete Moore's Devon Day Run (held mostly in Cornwall!)

Speaking of natters, these are the core of the M.G.Car Club and I would like to thank the on-going enthusiasm of the Natter Leaders - Tony Short of East Devon, Alan Turner of Torbay, Paul Turner of North Devon, Rob Constant of North Cornwall, Pete Moores of Horsebridge (borders), Graeme Harris who has taken over from Ted Lawrence of South Hams and, whilst not a Natter Leader, Sally Anne Dean who liaises with the Centre from West Cornwall until, hopefully, a new volunteer will come forward. All these natters and their leaders are kept very well informed by Colin Lennox Jones as web-site co-ordinator, Barry Smith's quarterly news letter and Janet Cameron who took over as Safety Fast correspondent.

The Club celebrated its 80th birthday last October with a world wide series of events, Devon and Cornwall joining in with M.G's crossing from Cornwall to Devon on the Torpoint Ferry. Bob Slatter will probably give membership details in his report but, overall, after a slight drop last year, the numbers are on the rise again.

We have started a new initiative with an idea from Rob Constant that we have expanded to a trial area organised by Peter Cook.

The long term future of the Club will be assured by the recruitment of younger members and I was delighted to meet recently 24 year old Louise Allen who was featured in Safety Fast last month with her amazing ZR. She is so enthusiastic and I am pleased that she will be joining us at our Annual Dinner next week in Tavistock.

I said at the last AGM that it was my intention to visit all the natters -well I still have two to go and I hope to visit North Devon and Torbay in the near future. In the meantime, thank you all for your support.

IAN CAMERON

Subject: MGLive! Helps The Heroes

THE MG CAR CLUB is proud to announce that the organisation’s 2011 MGLive! celebration will support two military based charities when the event assumes centre stage at Silverstone on June 24,25,26th 2011.
 
The MGLive! 2011 event will raise funds for Help For Heroes, with £1 from each pre book and on-site programme sale going directly to the charity.
 
Aside from the programme donation, a charity auction will be staged during the course of the MGLive! weekend with all funds raised channelled directly to Help For Heroes.
 
In addition to the HFH financial pledge, MGLive! admission tickets have been donated to Tickets For Troops which will grant one-hundred members of the armed forces free admission to the event.  
 
The Tickets For Troops affiliation follows on from a successful link-up in 2010.
 
MG Car Club General Manager Julian White said:
 
“The MGLive! organising team is honoured to be working with two such fantastic military charities. I know many of our members have tangible links with the armed forces and will be delighted by this news.”
 
“Agreeing to join forces with Ticket For Troops for a second successive year was an easy decision. It is clearly a terrific organisation and the MG Car Club is thrilled to be donating 100 MGLive! day tickets”
 
“In the case of Help For Heroes, we’re determined to raise as much money as possible through programme sales, charity auctions and a fundraising link from the official event website”
 
Bryn Parry, CEO of Help for Heroes:
 
“H4H is all about ‘doing your bit’ and this event is a wonderful example of people having a good idea, rallying support and having a great deal of fun while they raise money for a wonderful cause. We have been able to use the £millions raised, over £86m in just three and a half years, to provide practical and direct support to those wounded in the current conflicts.
 
“The money you raise is needed, it is being used and it is hugely appreciated; sadly, we need a great deal more. MGLive! is something that is very British and wonderful and I would like to say thank you to the MGCC for this and every other fund raising event that it inspires.”
 
Raleigh Addington, Operations Director of Tickets For Troops
 
“Tickets For Troops are delighted to be once again supported by MGLive!  It’s a massive boost to the morale of our forces to be backed in this way during these difficult times.”