Who can believe this was our 6^th NWDA Halloween weekend? Falling during the school half term enabled a few of the Committee to be out on site on the Tuesday to peg out and plan the field for the 118 units that were booked to attend. The weather was very kind to us and unbelievably mild for the time of year. Wednesday came and, with work commitments out of the way for many, more of the working party began to arrive and work soon began on the creation of the Ghost Walk marquee – a culmination of Ade’s ideas from watching too many SAW films!

Thursday morning came, again with glorious weather, which allowed most of the men to don shorts and t-shirts to begin erecting the marquee Castle frontage. Meanwhile, the catering team headed off in Lin’s little white van for a trip to the Cash & Carry to purchase all the food and refreshments required to feed a very busy working party and also our guests on Saturday evening. Our thanks goes to Faye, Mary and June who did a fantastic job of feeding the working party with crusty baguettes and endless teas and coffees.

The next job on the list was to decorate our hired marquee with Halloween bunting and 400 balloons to ensure it all looked impressive and welcoming for our guests’ arrival on Friday. Thanks to balloon pumps and some willing helpers, the marquee was all set for the weekend’s activities in no time at all!

Friday morning came and Stewards Di, Mark, Shaun and Caz, along with their team of marshalls, began welcoming our pre-booked members from early in the morning until late into the night. It seemed that no sooner had people pitched, than they were busy decorating their units to the theme of Halloween. The Ghost Walk team put the finishing touches to the walk and the marquee, and then practiced their dance routine, choreographed by Ade’s dad, John Houldey. Luckily, they managed to get through the routine without any injuries from the "knives" used in this dance… ! Then it was time for the boys to get transformed in whatever ghoulish character they were to be in the Ghost House with the help of Liz Reynolds, a first class make up artist, who was responsible for the very realistic blood and guts appearance of most of them!! You did a great job Liz – well done!

Meanwhile, the catering team were busy preparing warm soups (to warm the Ghost Walkers beforehand) and mulled wine (to calm them after they had been scared witless!) As darkness fell, and with the scarers in place, the first group headed off and the waiting groups became a little unsettled by the screams coming from the woods! Serving behind the soup desk was very rewarding hearing everyone’s feedback as they returned one by one, laughing and praising all the hard work that had gone into it. With the last group back safely, all the scarers were called on stage to be thanked and have their true identities exposed in the light! Many members took this opportunity to have their pictures taken with some of the very frightening looking scarers. Friday night ended with a great disco and some very sore feet!!

We all woke to a glorious Saturday morning. The CCY leaders and assistants (Andy/Ruth/Shaun/Caz), helped by Tracey Scott, had all been busy arranging lots to do to keep the little ones busy - colouring competitions, apple bobbing, doughnut eating, tuck shop, tombola and to finish off a Pumpkin Piñata full of sweets. As the clearing up commenced, the other end of the marquee was turned into a mini cinema for the kids to watch "Abbot and Costello Meets Frankenstein".

Behind the scenes, the Catering team were back in the kitchen preparing all the hot food for the Saturday night party. On the menu was Chinese Chicken Curry, Chilli Con Carne and a Vegetable Chilli, all served with Crusty Bread, and Hot Dogs for the little ones. With everything prepared and Hell’s Kitchen ready to go, Lin, Jan, Jayne Houldey, Jayne Bishop, Caz Roberts and Georgie Tain had the chance to join some of the other DA members and working party for a well deserved drink and chill out couple of hours in the Club next to the site.

As dusk descended everyone returned to their vans to get the children dressed up ready for "Trick or Treat". Then it was time to get on our scary outfits and head to the marquee. There was soon a queue of hungry ghouls and it gave us a good chance to have a look at the amazing costumes as everyone was led through from the main marquee. With everyone fed and the mammoth washing up job done, mainly by Aneel (Jan’s personal washer upperJ ) and Paul Grummet, we all headed to the marquee to dance the night away to another night of fantastic music. We were overwhelmed at the sheer amount of people who had made such an amazing effort. Andy’s tunes ensured that the dance floor never emptied, until unfortunately Walk On had to be played and the night came to an end. Unfortunately, there were a few of us who did not want the night to end and before we knew it, 3.30 am had arrived and we reluctantly dragged ourselves to bed!

We were all woken on Sunday morning to torrential rain, gusting winds and the sound of balloons popping as the last day of our meet began. Coffee Morning got under way, with many announcements and prizes to be given out. Congratulations go to the following winners:-

Best Dressed Male : Lloyd and Eddie Robinson

Best Dressed Female : Sharon and Lorraine Grommitt

Best Under 8’s Boy : Alfie

Best 8 – 14 Boy : Liam Bratt

Best Under 8’s Girl : Megan Nicklin

Best 8 – 14 Girls : Georgia

Best Dressed Unit : Carol French

Best Jack "O" Lantern: Lloyd and Kaz

Colouring 6+ : Cordella Green

Colouring 5+ : Benji Tain

Scavenge Hunt : Sophie Boyce

What’s in the Pumpkin: Liz Francis

In addition to all of the above, four very special presentations were made to NWDA’s younger members who have recently turned 8. Well done to Molly Kennings, Lottie Frome, Jenny Francis and Jacob Tain who all received NWDA CCJ t-shirts.

Steve stepped back during proceedings, and handed the mike to Gary Bratt, our Charity Co-ordinator, in order that he could promote NWDA’s Charity Night on Saturday 21^st November at Avenue Bowls Club, Coundon, Coventry. Unbeknown to Gary, Di Nicklin made a surprise presentation of a cheque for £800 which she had raised at The Pallasades – this has to be the only time in history that Gary Bratt was actually speechless! What a fantastic effort and well done Di for your hard work.

Steve then read out the nominations for this weekend’s "Brocklehurst" award, of which there were a few!. The culprits for acts of stupidity this weekend included Tracey "Crap Cardigan", for putting a slow cooker on a washing up stand – for it to then fall straight through to the floor; Andy Tain, for pointing out a "Chinese Lantern" floating through the sky - which was actually a light on the top of someone’s pole; Maureen Bishop, one of the Best Dressed Unit Judges for saying "shame the units haven’t got numbers on, so we can identify them easier". When it was pointed out to her that all cars have registration plates, she said "What if they don’t have a car?"!!!! And finally, our own Chairman, Steve Kennings, for rushing to get from one part of the ghost walk to another, getting tangled up in chains and falling flat on his face. The "clapometer" results went overwhelmingly in favour of Steve Kennings. Not to be outdone, Steve then went on to present the end of season Brocklehurst to the "buffoon" who has received this prestigious award previously and whose act of "buffoonery" is outstanding! The present holder, June Roberts, gladly handed over the trophy to our very own Georgina Tain, on behalf of her husband Andy, who was taking a trailer back to storage! Andy’s act of buffoonery happened at August Bank Holiday when, after a long night and a few too many beers, pushed his son in his pushchair back to their caravan, only to realise when taking him out that it wasn’t in fact his child and he had taken the wrong pushchair!!!

With coffee morning over and clearing up done – it was then time to make sure the field had been left as we found it and head home to get ready for work the next day!

Our thanks go to everyone who was part of making this meet a huge success. It takes the efforts of the members dressing up their units, and themselves, and keeping the atmosphere as amazing as it was.

During the weekend Steve took a couple of opportunities to point out that this could be the last Halloween meet. This is mainly based on all the hard work that goes into it and the fact that year on year the meet makes a financial loss due to the scale of the meet. However, this gave us the opportunity to listen to our supporters – many of whom said that we should put the cost of the meet up to cover the loss. The Committee will meet during the next month to make a final decision, however, in the meantime, your feeback is invaluable so please feel free to e-mail us or use the Contact form on the whole page.

by Jayne Bishop

Stewards-Shaun and Caz Roberts

It’s that time of year again: Crane flies, commonly known as Daddy Longlegs (also named Pop Stanleys a few years ago by one of our younger members!) were out in force! By the end of Friday evening it seemed like the whole local population of them had moved into our caravan!

Apart from that it was a beautiful evening, with a hint of autumn in the air, spent eating, drinking, and standing around outside (while the Daddy Longlegs did whatever Daddy Longlegs do in the warmth of our caravans!)

Of course it was also the time of year when we hold our annual fishing contest on one of the pools below the camp site.

Despite any excess drinking the previous evening the men folk were up (or kicked out of bed by their other halves) bright and early Saturday morning for the peg draw, before they set off down the drive for a hard days fishing.

Back at the caravan I was personally in my element, being able to fulfil the need to do some housework, and spend some quality time with the child and the dog-though not necessarily both together- after a week spent juggling parenthood, wifehood, career, and dog owner responsibilities!

Needs fulfilled I was then eager to pop along to the fishing pool to see how Steve and the others were getting on in their quest to net the best catch of the day. After several updates throughout the day I can report that, basically, a couple of them caught some big fish, a few of them caught a lot of smaller fish, and some of them didn’t catch anything at all!

The day was broken up with regular rations of bacon sandwiches from the kiosk, delivered by the lovely ladies of The Riddings; and freshly prepared baguettes from Caz’s caravan, delivered by the even lovelier ladies of NWDA.

At 3 o’clock everyone gathered for the all important weigh in. After Andy Flear’s catch weighed in very early on at 26 lb, it was quite clear that it would take a lot to beat him; and although some came close (not a lot) he was declared the winner.

And so we helped our men carry their fishing gear back to the camp site (well, some of us did!) to be packed away into the loft for another year; listening to accounts of ‘the one that got away’ as we went!

The glorious weather meant that most of us chose to BBQ later, because at this time of year every BBQ we can fit in is a bonus now. But that was after we went along the road for a pre-dinner drink at the local pub-which conveniently had a bouncy castle for the kid’s entertainment.

On Sunday morning Chairman Steve Kennings informed us that 30 units had attended the weekend. He went on to thank Andy Nicklin for organising the fishing contest, and Caz and the girls for catering for the fishermen (as well as those remaining on site) by preparing lunchtime baguettes.

A mention went to James for catching nothing but sunburn in the fishing contest; and presentations were made to runner up Harry Reid, aged 13, whose catch weighed in at 19 lb and to our winner Andy Flear.

Gary Bratt advertised a forthcoming Race Night/Auction being held near Coventry to raise money for this year’s charity; and members of the CCJ (Camping Club Juniors) spoke about their own fundraising achievements. They were each then presented with a certificate for speaking at coffee morning (the kids, not Gary)

Bonus ball was won by Jenny Edwards this week, who had to receive her winnings all in £1 coins; and the football card winner was Chris Edwards!

After a few nominations for the Brocklehurst Award it was jointly awarded, by public vote, to Shaun Roberts AND Mark Nicklin:

Whilst at the pub Saturday afternoon Shaun, being concerned when Tracy (of ‘crap cardigan’ fame) complained she felt cold, reached over to someone’s pushchair to offer her the use of one of our cardigans…only it WASN’T one of OURS! The rightful owner was not amused!

The award also went to Mark because he almost started a major ‘man hunt’ Saturday night when he could not be found anywhere. After looking for him, knocking on lots of caravan doors, and being on the verge of calling the Police he was eventually found UNDER his caravan bed!!

So it is not difficult to see how a laugh on a relatively quiet, and sunny, weekend can help to alleviate the effects of a stressful week and prepare you for the next. I’m looking forward to next weekend already.

Weston on Avon, near Stratford

Stewards-Trevor and Mary Whitehead

Well, we nearly had the field all to ourselves this weekend. With a grand total of 7 units it was quite an intimate gathering.

After initial greetings everyone more or less kept themselves to themselves Friday evening; and after taking the dog for a late walk, on what turned out to be a very mild evening, we turned in for an early night too.

But we were up bright and early Saturday morning because the sun was shining so we decided to go to a Country Show we had seen advertised:

Approximately 18 miles from where we were camped, the Morton-in-Marsh Show is an annual countryside event that has been staged on a large farming estate for many years. There were 3 arenas, several big marquees, many interesting trade stands and stalls, plenty of food outlets, and enough toilet units to cope with the crowds.

We thoroughly enjoyed the whole event and finally headed back to the campsite after 6pm still wondering whether or not we HAD seen everything!

We made several purchases of items guaranteed to make life easier; watched parades of Prize Livestock and Vintage Tractors as well as Sheepdog demonstrations; marvelled at an Australian Quad Bike Stuntman; laughed at the Terrier Racing; came very close to some very big horses; had photo’s taken standing next to large, shiny agricultural machinery; took MANY photo’s of two very agile young ladies performing breathtaking manoeuvres on their ponies; and spent a small fortune on Bison Burgers, ice-creams and Americano coffee-each of which was delicious!!

By the time we arrived back at camp we were rapidly losing day light, but that didn’t stop most of us having a BBQ. Afterwards several of us braved the autumnal chill for a while before heading indoors for another cosy, early night!

We weren’t the only ones that had a lovely day though. Others reported they had also been spending money at places like Wellsbourne Market, or in Stratford.

Sunday morning saw us all having a welcome lie-in and just about managing to turn up for Coffee Morning at 11.30! Trevor made a few announcements then we had another cup of coffee, finished off the biscuits, and sat around talking for a while longer.

However, we did then decide to make the most of the pleasant weather and walk along the river to Welford-on-Avon to buy an ice-cream at the village shop by the maypole. We continued along one of the Public Footpaths, saw a house we could buy if we win the lottery this week, and called at a very nice Pub for soft drinks.

By the time we returned to the secluded little site that was home for the weekend, we found we would be the last to leave-again!
 

Sarah Davis
pictures coming soon

Stewards-Steve and Lin Kennings

Supported by the NWDA committee

"Hi-de-Hi. Good morning campers". For this weekends vacation we were transported back in time to the 1950’s when holiday camps were all the rage, as depicted by the 1970’s T.V ‘sit com’ Hi-de Hi.

Everyone certainly seemed to be in the holiday spirit as they arrived to check into OUR holiday camp during the day and evening of Friday; some just in time to join us in the marquee for an evening of music, impromptu joke telling, and a quiz-which was won by the Rochelle family. Being law abiding campers we were, of course, all quiet in our chalets (aka caravans/tents) by 11 pm.

On Saturday morning there was much excitement as our Youth members prepared to be launched onto the river Avon in canoes, under the guidance and supervision of members from the Canoeing Group of The Camping and caravanning Club. It all went swimmingly well and not a single participant remained dry!

Meanwhile, for those not afloat, there was Clown Face Painting in the marquee; which explained why there were a few clowns taking part in the Holiday camp Games that followed! I am not sure who the winners were, but I do know that a LOT of people got very wet!

Running slightly later than planned due to the popularity of canoeing, the Bingo went ahead in the late afternoon sunshine, with a few people walking away with more money in their pockets than when they arrived.

There was just enough time for a BBQ before the sound of music from the 1950’s began to draw the happy campers back into to the marquee for a fun packed evening of entertainment in the style of Maplin’s Holiday Camp.

The Glamorous Granny Contest was won by West Mids DA’s VERY glamorous Patricia Colley; Tony Roberts was declared Grumpy Granddad; best knobbly knees belonged to George Holland; and the Fancy Dress Competition winners were Eric Potter, and Ann Francis, who really looked the part.

After a good nights rest the kids were back in the arena on Sunday morning for Volleyball Training and a Mini Tournament. Even the adults found some spare energy to take part in their Volleyball Tournament. Alternatively you could go into the marquee for a Dance Class with Andy Frear, who conducted a more modern interpretation of Maplin’s own Barry and Yvonne.

Also, due to demand, our canoeing experts kindly agreed to run an extra session for some of the adults who had been yelling words of advice, from the river bank, to their kids the previous day. It was SOON proved that it is easier said than done; and I wouldn’t be surprised if the instructors were secretly wishing for the KIDS back! In fact we missed a Fund Raising opportunity as we could have sold tickets had we known it was going to be SO entertaining to watch!

There was a little time during the afternoon to stroll along the river bank (carefully stepping over some VERY long fishing poles belonging to the professional fishermen/women whose names were, fortunately, displayed on boards as I doubt any of us would have known who they were! ) to the Fishing Show Marquees on the park grounds in Evesham. It didn’t matter if you weren’t interested in fishing though because there were fairground stalls, a craft marquee, an ice-cream van (as well as other food vans) AND a beer tent!

However some members were busy making last minute adjustments to their inventions to be presented in the Dragon’s Den in the marquee from 7.30 pm onwards.

Quite a lot of people had taken the time and trouble to make and bring along their inventions . . . which included a poopa scoopa, a disguise for drink cans, and some that are probably best not mentioned at all! The NWDA Dragons predictably gave THEM all a hard time, and US all a good laugh!

Afterwards we were treated to a performance of the dance learnt by those that had attended Andy’s Dance Class earlier.

A very rousing Last Night Disco followed, with great music selected by Mark and Shaun.

The weather for Monday’s Coffee Morning was wonderfully warm, as we sat around outside with a delicious English Cream Tea. Our Chairman Steve Kennings began by saying that there were representations from quite a few District Associations, including some from Teesside who had arrived after a 7 hour journey! We were also delighted to have around twenty CCY (Camping Club Youth aged 12 years upwards) and five CCJ (Camping Club Juniors aged 8 to 11 years) in their own area.

Steve went on to thank all holiday campers for taking part in the various activities; guest DJ Allan Davis, along with Ted Capper; ALL the committee and their families; and the Editors of our seasonal newsletter Bear Facts.

We then had a parade of anyone present who was celebrating a birthday this week-including NWDA Treasurer Aneel Khanna who reached the age of 50 (said to be The Youth of Old Age!) and sang Happy Birthday to them all.

Steve publicly thanked the Camping Club members from the Canoeing Group who gave up most of their weekend to expertly instruct a lot of us at the Beginners Level of Paddle Power. It was a fantastic experience for everyone that took part, and they each received a certificate. Some of our Youth Members presented the team with gifts to show our gratitude.

Andy and Jackie were also called up to receive a thank you gift for running the Dance Class, and for raising £15 for this years chosen charity (Warwick Hospital’s Neonatal Unit) in the process.

The Dragons Den contestants were each given a bottle of wine (apart from the inventor of the drinks can disguise, who was given some cans wrapped in tape!) for being such good sports.

There were two winners of the Bonus ball; and the Colouring Competition was won by Lola in the under 5 year’s category, Luke from the 5-8 years entries, and Ellie from the entrants aged over 8 years.

Three Lucky Programme Numbers were drawn out to win hampers, made up from donations, including June’s: Her hamper was returned to her because she had apparently donated a box which concealed, hidden at the bottom, the famous Brocklehurst trophy that she keeps trying to get rid of! Better luck next time June!

Talking of which-this week’s winner, chosen by the audience from several daft nominations, was Andy Tain: He won it for reportedly returning to his caravan late Saturday night, taking his son back in the pushchair…only to discover when he got there that his wife Georgina had already put Benjamin to bed earlier and he had got the WRONG CHILD !!! Fortunately everyone eventually ended up with the correct offspring!

Good night campers

by Sarah Davis

Stewards- Allan and Marion Davis

A small booked meet in the back garden of a lovely old Pub: What more could we ask for? Add to that a reunion after summer holidays spent in various locations, as well as some sunshine, and we had a perfect weekend.

The Pub was an ideal location for catching up with news and having a laugh Friday evening. It was also the obvious place to stop for refreshments after popping along the road to Broad Lane Caravans on Saturday! For those of us that didn’t need any spare parts, or want to look  at the  new caravans, sitting around in the sun was more appealing! It was even warm enough to fill a paddling pool for the kids to have a splash around.

Despite being great weather for a BBQ (at this time of year you never know how many more barbeques you are going to be able to do before the weather changes!) most of us opted for the more effortless option of trying out the Pub Restaurant Menu. I think I can safely say that nobody regretted it. Around twenty five of us were seated in a room which we had all to ourselves, complete with wide screen T.V, and were well satisfied after our superb meals. Apparently the Pub is haunted by friendly ghosts, but fortunately they allowed us to eat our meals in peace!

At coffee morning on Sunday we congratulated Jenny, who recently reached the age of 8 years, for sleeping outside her Parents unit in her own tent (Big sister Lizzy is now in the Youth area for ages 12 years and over). This weekend’s stewards Allan and Marion were presented with a bottle of wine, and June Roberts was called up to receive the Brocklehurst Award in the absence of any other nominations!! Diane then requested it be presented to Dave for not realising that J.P Chenney wine bottles are SUPPOSED to be bent at the neck…at which point June saw an opportunity to pass on the former trophy (a sort of vegetable tureen) which had been retired from circulation into her PERMANENT care not long ago!! Nice try June!!

When it comes to volleyball I am no expert, so rather than pretend to be I decided to report on the event from a layman’s point of view. After all I had never before been to a volleyball meet, and had no chance of trying to work out who was playing who in what division on any one of the volleyball courts!

Of course being an NWDA member I had recently been caught up in the excitement of hosting this event for the first time, and found I couldn’t wait to experience a volleyball meet for myself.

On arrival Friday evening I wasn’t surprised to find the entrance well signed and to be met by smiling Marshalls, efficient Stewards, and a very professional looking programme (this is NWDA). The field looked great with tidy rows of caravans, little groups of tents, and a large marquee-all centred round nine volleyball courts. I noticed a few members putting in a little last minute practice, and pondered for a moment on the dramas that could unfold over the weekend on the silently awaiting courts.

Volleyball teams could be registered over a drink in the marquee bar Friday evening; then it was early to bed for an early start to the tournament the next morning.

During the brief opening ceremony Saturday morning a minutes silence was held in memory of Sue Trowman, former Chairperson of The Volleyball Meet, who passed away last year. The day was then spent watching all the teams compete in the three divisions; including the ladies, the over forties, and the Youth teams.

As a breather from cheering on your favourite team, or to dodge the showers, you could wander round the trade stands, have a go on the raffle and tombola, and spend some pennies at the tuck shop or in the bar. There was even a ‘corner shop’ just in case you had run out of basic supplies.

On Saturday afternoon there was plenty to keep the kids entertained from games and colouring in the marquee to a Foam Party followed by a Cheerleading class. And it was a relief that the heavy rain that had been forecast didn’t arrive until 7pm when all the outdoor action was over for the day! I just wished we hadn’t already lit our BBQ! For those that hadn’t got that far there was always the food van or Adrian the farmer’s delicious home grown pig- roasted to mouth watering perfection and served in a bap with stuffing and crackling; that is if you could banish from your mind the image of the pink piglets over at the farm! However, once all fed from one source or another, most of us took shelter in the marquee for the remainder of the evening and had a great time relaxing, dancing and having a laugh.

Despite a few hangovers plenty of people were up early Sunday morning to support players in the remaining matches. The sun shone for a while and although it had gone before it was time to watch the first division final we were glad it didn’t actually rain. At least we had our Cheerleaders to brighten up the day.

The closing ceremony was introduced by NWDA Chairman Steve Kenning, who began by thanking the many people involved in putting on this meet. The following winners were then announced:-

Colouring Competition under 5’s…Summer French

Colouring Competition over 5’s…Hannah Harris

Colouring Competition over 11’s…Katie Buchannan

Brocklehurst Award…Vinnie Coleman (who was voted the winner from several nominations for complaining that the postcode listed for the meet was no good. When asked what he had put into his ‘Sat Nav’ he replied M42 J10 !!)

Under 14’s Team runners up…NWDA

Under 14’s Team winners…NSDA

Refs: Deb Johnson and Chris Lamb.

Trophies presented by Carol Smith, Chairperson NECDA.

Wooden Spoon (for the team with the least points)…NECDA

Presented by Roger Bishop, former Central Counties Chairman.

Division 3 runners up…Rossendale(presented earlier as they had to leave)

Division 3 winners…Porky’s, from NWDA

Refs: Nikki Wardle and Jan Wardle

Trophies presented by Frank Grant, President of Central Counties Region.

Division 2 runners up…Seven over the Hill

Division 2 winners…Golden Pops

Refs: Lee Copperthwaite and Aneel Khanna

Trophies presented by Norman Helmsley, present Central Counties Chairman.

Division 1 runners up…Black Country Boys, from WHDA

Division 1 winners…Flower Power

Refs: Darren Bishop and Aneel Khanna

Trophies presented by Albert Walker, Vice Chairman of The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Junior Player of the tournament…Daniel Coulthurst

Trophy presented by Larry Brown, immediate past Chairman of Central Counties Region.

Most Promising Player of the tournament…Andy Glossop

Trophy presented by Albert Walker, Vice Chairman of The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Female Player of the tournament..Amy Goulding

New Sue Trowman Trophy presented for the first time by Vinnie Coleman.

Male Player of the tournament…Chris Jennings

Trophy presented by Rob Loudham, Director General of The Camping and Caravanning Club.

And finally a little medal was presented to each of our Cheerleaders.

The meet was then formally closed with three cheers by Robert Loudham, Director General of The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Was I glad I came to The Volleyball Meet despite being neither knowledgeable nor interested in the game? OF COURSE I WAS!

It was a fabulous weekend with plenty to do whether you played or were a spectator; teams to join whether you were an expert or a novice; lots to interest you whether you liked volleyball or not; and lots to enjoy whether your team won or not.

So spread the word and join us again next year…but order some slightly better weather please!!

By Sarah Davis

Now see if you can spot yourself

I am so glad we didn’t take any notice of the people who warned us that thunderstorms had been forecast for the WHOLE weekend. I am also glad that we weren’t put off by the torrential rain and flash floods that we drove through and left behind in Birmingham Friday tea time! The weather in Banbury was glorious ALL weekend!

Despite the mist that settled over the field after sundown Friday it had been a mild and pleasant evening devoted to eating, drinking, and sitting around chatting in small groups.

On Saturday morning we awoke to the sun shining over the flat and open field. We found ourselves suddenly very appreciative of the rolling hills, trees, and green fields of the surrounding Warwickshire countryside.

By the time we had tried out the play area at the other end of the field, walked through the picture postcard village, and stopped for a lunchtime drink in the garden of The George Hotel (a real ale pub) we had begun to realise how much this area has to offer. There is a butcher, baker (and NOT a candlestick maker!) as well as a newsagent across the road from the site; a large and historic church, and public footpaths within walking distance; as well as buses running through the village. Places such as Banbury, Oxford, Leamington, Warwick, Edge Hill (famous for its battle, and more recently for The Castle Pub) or Stratford would also be near enough to drive to.

However the weather was too unexpectedly lovely for us to want to do anything other than BBQ and spend another warm evening sitting around on this occasion!

On Sunday morning Sam (7) and Molly (9) helped Chairman Steve with announcements as we all sat out in MORE sunshine and warm weather. The Brocklehurst award was expected to go to Min, as June wasn’t present this weekend, but instead was presented to Glenys Barrow. In a debate over whether or not their solar panel was working, when her husband said it must be because he could hear it humming ( he SO nearly got the award himself!) she actually agreed that yes she could hear it too!  Darren and Jayne were then presented with a bottle of wine as a thank you for stewarding this lovely weekend.

Having spent the rest of the day basking in the sunshine we finally returned to Birmingham in the same weather conditions as we had journeyed there in… RAIN!

SOME optimistic people had predicted a hot weather weekend, so on that front we were disappointed; but from every other point of view our expectations were exceeded. This became a weekend of happy gatherings.

From Friday afternoon onwards we welcomed a steady stream of weekend holiday makers. Members came from several DA’s (Worcester and Hereford, East Worcester, Coventry, Leicester, West Midlands, and of course North Warwick’s) totalling 30 units in all.

Once set up we all spent a lovely evening eating, drinking, wandering around the farm, and catching up with old friends.

On Saturday morning the weather was promising to begin with, but as the day went on we were reaching for more and more layers! However it didn’t stop a crowd of us driving along the lane to the centre of Bidford on Avon where The Frog, a pub by the river, was having a day of live music in the garden. This proved to be well worth braving the occasional shower for, and we only just made it back to the site in time to take part in a Pub Crawl with a difference:

Everyone had been given the name of a genuine Pub, which then had to be illustrated in a drawing alone and displayed outside your unit. We then went round each others units and had to write down what we thought the Pub names were. Some of them were obvious, and some of them were not! Some of the drawings were also works of art, and some of them were not! Either way it created a laugh and got people circulating. Many thanks go to Andy Flear for organising this brilliant quiz.

After that entertaining interlude most of us enjoyed a BBQ, followed by a slice of cake to celebrate Charlotte gaining her University degree.

Coffee morning announcements were made by Shaun Roberts, who reminded everyone of forthcoming events, and wished all the Dads a Happy Father’s Day. Chocolates were presented to the winner of the Pub Crawl Competition - Tracy (of Crap Cardigan Fame!) who correctly named 21 of the 30 pubs and to Steve Francis for the best artwork with his interpretation of A Hole in the Wall. Other pub names included The Sozzled Sausage and The Famous Virgins and Castle.

Now, despite June being NOMINATED for the Brocklehurst Award AGAIN this week, it was awarded to our other regular ‘offender’ Min. She regrettably referred to the sucking of a sugar lump as "like an orgasm", rather than an organic experience!

Mark and Diane were presented with a bottle of wine as a thank you for stewarding, and just as coffee morning was closing there was an extra treat in store for us:

The RED ARROWS suddenly appeared from nowhere, flying in formation, fairly low overhead! They released a smoke stream that we would like to think was for OUR benefit but was MORE likely to have been directed at the neighbouring Gliding Club! Unfortunately Steve was unable to photograph any of it because he had just sent Sam off with the camera to take photo’s of the farm ponies!

Whoever chose the dates for this year’s Central Counties Meet must have had advance notification of the weather forecast because the weather LAST weekend couldn’t have been worse, whereas the weather THIS weekend couldn’t have been better. The sunshine was the final ingredient needed to make a perfect Regional Meet. Plenty of people must have thought so too because around 250 units were finally in residence for the weekend-some having been there since the working party set themselves up in the pouring rain the previous weekend. It wasn’t long before we were all settled in and ready to participate in an action packed programme.

From the live band Impossible Dream on Friday evening to the Opening Ceremony Saturday morning, then the volley ball heats being played most of the day- as well as the Mardi Gras during the afternoon, not to mention the band 80’s Affair in the marquee Saturday evening, followed by the Sunday morning Service of Celebration, the very energetic Team Games and Volleyball final, to the Closing Ceremony Sunday afternoon I think I can safely sat that a great time was had by all!!

The colourful Mardi Gras was won by Northants DA in the larger groups category, who depicted the West End Musical Les Miserable. Our own DA members won the smaller groups category with Saturday Night Fever; The Horace Ringrose Trophy, presented to the winning team in the family games, was won by Coventry DA this year; and the Stan and Edna Williams Cup was awarded to the winners of the Volleyball contest-our very own team from NWDA, who beat Notts DA in the final. Well done to all.

Any spare time in between taking part or cheering on various teams (whilst sampling any of the refreshments available from one or two of the catering outlets on site) could be spent perusing the various Trade Stands, where several bargains were purchased, or having a go on the inflatable equipment.

During the Closing Ceremony, before the presentations were made, many people and organisations were thanked for their contribution to this meet. We were proud to note that our own NWDA member Darren Bishop (originally from Coventry) was thanked for producing all the artistic signs and trailer decoration. Various people also took to the stage to advertise various forthcoming events; including our own Chairperson Steve Kennings, who was there to promote the  Volleyball Contest that we are excited about hosting for the first time this year at Ashdene Farm, Drayton Bassett from 11^th-13^th July. This year’s meet was then officially closed by Liz Stringfellow, the Central Counties Regional Secretary.

Once the generators had been turned off and the large inflatables had gone home, some of us hung around for a little longer as the field gradually emptied. We were determined to make the most of the glorious sunshine and really enjoyed relaxing for a while longer. It wasn’t until then that we realised what a remote and peaceful area we had been occupying. You couldn’t hear ANY traffic, and by the end of the day there were very few signs remaining of what had taken place over the past week. Maybe the neighbouring sheep will hear the ghostly echoes of laughter and cheering for a few more days to come!

By Sarah Davis

Although we love our Warwickshire countryside it was refreshing to once again leave Birmingham behind us as we journeyed through Staffordshire, then Herefordshire, to Rhayader in Wales.

After only a couple of hours the rolling hills and impossible to pronounce sign posts indicate that you are nearly there. And as soon as you spot a majestic Red Kite (of the feathered variety) souring above you, you no longer need your Satellite Navigation System to inform you that you have reached your destination.

Rhayader, in the heart of Wales, is an historic Market Town. It is situated in the Upper Wye Valley 700ft above sea level and nestles among the peaks of the Cambrian Mountains. The small town centre has all the shops that you need for essential supplies (BBQ meat, beer, wine etc!), as well as a Pub for every occasion! It provides an ideal base for outdoor activities such as bird watching, mountain biking, pony trekking, walking, and fishing. The town is also the gateway to the spectacular beauties of the flooded Elan Valley. Its pure waters were discovered by the Victorian mayor of Birmingham, Joseph Chamberlain: Desperate for a safe water supply he led an ambitious scheme to flood the Elan and Claerwen valleys with a series of dams, piping water 72 miles to Birmingham.

Our NWDA Temporary Holiday Site is situated at Gigrin Farm, just outside the town centre. We occupy a field that overlooks the farm and town, and has a hill rising behind it. The farm is a well known feeding station for the magnificent Red Kite Birds of Prey. Once almost eradicated from this Country, their population has been restored in mid Wales thanks to the dedication of the family who own the farm. Now hundreds of these very impressive, large birds can be seen congregating overhead every day at 3pm as they wait for Chris to deposit a trailer load of red meat near to the many bird hides. Visitors (including T.V crews) come to the centre from far and wide to witness the spectacular sight of so many Red Kites (and crows) swooping down to feed. We felt privileged to be surrounded by them all week.

So what else did we all get up to? Well some of the activities that we or other people enjoyed included…walking various stretches of the river Wye; paddling in and picnicking by the river Wye; walking, cycling, or driving around the Elan Valley Trail and Visitor Centre-which covers more than 16 miles in total and takes in breathtaking views of the dams, reservoirs, waterfalls, and hills; visiting Gilfach Nature Reserve and discovering the restored and very old traditional Welsh Longhouse; driving to nearby towns Llandrindrod Wells and Bluith Wells, or further afield to the coastal town of Aberystwyth(40 miles away); popping into one or two of the many local Guest Houses for an expertly prepared Cream Tea; taking part in activities at the local Leisure Centre; visiting the Welsh Royal Crystal centre on the edge of town; sampling the food or drink at various public houses; sitting around making the most of the sunny weather we never imagined we would be lucky enough to get!; and following the Farm Trail up the hill( having sat looking up at it all week!) to sit on Jackie Patterson’s Memorial bench near the summit and admire the views.

Talking of summits-we are very proud to report that a group of our members travelled over 90 miles to trek to the top of mount Snowdon in order to raise money for this year’s charity Neonatal Care at Warwick Hospital. I understand they rose well over £1000. Well done to all our mountaineers and to everyone who sponsored them and put money into the collection boxes on site.

And finally- I was going to mention that although we did not intend to make any Brocklehurst Awards (it would have hardly seemed right without June there!) it wasn’t long before we had a classic example of one: Georgina was dashing around the field, frantically searching for Benjamin who had suddenly gone missing, when someone pointed out that he could be heard calling from their bathroom for Mummy to go and wipe his bottom!: However, during an evening when we were all sat together around a camp fire on the banks of the river Wye, Chairman Steve Kennings had a list of further nominations for the Brocklehurst Award; and we voted for Paul Bratt, who had swam several lengths of the swimming pool before realising that his mobile phone was in his swim shorts pocket!!

Once again another action packed yet relaxing holiday spent in the company of our wonderful NWDA members; and yet another stunning place for us to aspire to retire to.

This weekend could best be summed up as wet and windy, yet lots of fun. The whole weekend was probably saved by the accidental foresight of the landowner who had recently erected one of those large party marquees; complete with carpet, heater, garden chairs, and a three piece suite! So although the Bowles Contest was cancelled due to bad weather we had a luxurious place to gather Friday evening, were able to have a party for Megan’s 3rd birthday Saturday afternoon, held an Allan Davis Musical Evening Saturday night, and had somewhere to take shelter for coffee morning on Sunday. Amazingly the marquee was still standing by then; which is more than can be said for some people’s canopies and awnings!

Despite the terrible weather forecast almost thirty units joined us for a potentially peaceful weekend. Peaceful, that is, apart from the howling wind!

It was interesting to imagine this huge field full of caravans, and the enormous barn decorated, for our May Day Bank Holiday event next year: Definitely a date for your diary, and one when we shouldn’t need to turn anyone away due to lack of room.

Between rain showers some of us did manage to get out and about into the surrounding Warwickshire countryside: The places we visited included Wellesbourne village, Wellesbourne Market, the picturesque village of Combrook, historical Compton Verney, Charlecote Park, and the many well maintained public footpaths in this beautifully wooded area. Another location we shall aspire to retire to!

By Saturday evening, after so much time spent relaxing, most of us were quite happy to sit back and enjoy Allan’s music whilst our Youth provided the floor show. It was energetic and entertaining, and some of us joined in from our seats!

At coffee morning it was announced that Mary had won the Bonus Ball, Stewards Jan and Aneel were presented with wine as a thank you for stewarding this weekend, Allan (and roadie Ted) were thanked for a great night of music, and nominations for the Brocklehurst were Steve, Ted, Diane, and Jayne (which also involved June). Jayne was the overwhelming winner (probably due to the fact that it also involved June!) because when June kindly escorted Jayne back to her caravan Saturday night, giving her a gentle shove up her steps, Jayne passed wind (not the words Steve used!) in her face!! It certainly WAS a windy weekend in more ways than one!

Twenty eight units turned out for what proved to be a peaceful and relaxing

weekend. The weather was mild and mostly sunny, with rain only putting in an appearance before most of us were up Saturday morning.

During the weekend some of us frequented the on site social club (some more frequently than others!) whilst others popped into nearby Stratford to do a spot of shopping, or drove out to places such as Bidford-on-Avon, or engaged the kids in an impromptu game of football.

On Saturday afternoon we had reserved a place in front of the wide screen T.V in the social club to watch Birmingham City play Preston - but the least said about THAT the better!

On Saturday evening the breeze of the daytime had died down, and the clear dark sky reminded us of one of the reasons we enjoy camping so much. Someone even saw a shooting star!

Unfortunately, on Sunday morning, we were also reminded of one of the things we DREAD about camping… the Brocklehurst Award!! It is the moment during coffee morning when we ALL wonder whether or not we have said, or done, anything silly! This weekend it was awarded to our Chairperson, Steve Kennings, for desperately trying to get the football match back on to the T.V (Michelle had switched it to a more female friendly channel!) by frantically pointing the remote control at the screen – only to find that the Sky sensor was BEHIND him in the bar!

The weekend ended by thanking Youth Leaders Andy and Ruth (and Megan of course) for stewarding; and by reminding everyone that although we are looking forward to next weekends action packed May Day Bank Holiday Meet, it is actually now full