DERBY/STAFFS/LEICS

Regional Newsletter

Welcome

Well hello again! I’m back so soon with the next newsletter as a lot has happened since my last literary masterpiece.

Shows have come and gone and more are coming up so check out the event reports and the forthcoming events sections.

Once again, don’t forget to forward any comments on content, queries, etc. to either Steve Rudd or Mark Blake. Remember it’s your region so make yourself heard….

News

Change of Meeting Venue

The biggest news I have to report this newsletter is that we have decided as a region to move the monthly meet to the Rose & Crown in Chellaston (which is nearer the A50 on the same road) with effect from the second Sunday of the month in October due to two months clashing with shows.

The Rose & Crown is family friendly with a good size car park and welcoming management, which will hopefully continue to encourage members to attend with their families if they wish to.

Website

Well for those of you that have taken a look at our region’s website I’m sure you will agree that both Grant and Jon have put in a lot of effort to great effect. The site at www.clubgtiderby.co.uk is really starting to look good with positive comments on the main club website’s forum following Grant’s invitation to other members to have a look.

The site is already attracting the interest of local members and enthusiasts who have never been along to our meets and will hopefully encourage them to either make contact or come along.

The gallery of members and their cars is expanding nicely. If you and your motor are missing, feel free to send a photo to Grant or Jon (contact via the website) and they will put you on (don’t panic, all registration numbers are disguised).

If you have any ideas, articles or content it is more than welcome and can be submitted via myself at steve.rudd@aeat.co.uk or via Jon and Grant through the site.

Appointment

Congratulations to Grant Birkin (Web Editor for our region) on his appointment as Membership Secretary for Club GTI. I’m sure you will all wish Grant well with his new and challenging role.

Services for Members

Email Addresses

To help make communicating events, meeting places and distributing newsletters easier and quicker, please forward your email address to steve.rudd@aeat.co.uk so that you can be added to the list. I can assure you that you will not be bombarded with emails, just the odd one every now and again to keep you informed.

Parkway Volkswagen - Discounted Genuine Parts

Our local main dealer Parkway Volkswagen are welcoming business from Club GTI members by offering a substantial discount structure on all parts and accessories. This gives varying levels of discount according to the discount VAG UK gives Parkway rather than the standard 10% and can mean savings of up to 30% on selected lines! Give them a try and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Just remember, when asking for prices on parts or accessories to mention your membership and you will be entitled to the discount structure, which supplies the items at trade parts club prices.

Parkway also has an excellent paint and body workshop (I should know, I’ve needed to use them several times!) and as a result they are the first UK dealership to have been awarded group dealer status. This enables them to order parts for all of the VAG range (VW, SEAT, Skoda & Audi). So if you need parts for, or from, any of these marques give them a shout on 01332 268800 and press 3 for parts!

Show/Event Reports

British Volkswagen Festival (BVF)

Despite my absence due to a well earned holiday during the previous week and the fact that Mark could not attend, I was really pleased to head to BVF at Malvern to find that Nick Weir had taken it upon himself to organise a regional display within the hall celebrating the origins of Club GTI. The display put a lot of the other regions to shame and attracted a lot of interest from the public – especially Matt’s belly scraping MkII. It really shows what can be done on a budget, with a little imagination and the ability to put up with a buttock-hammering ride (just the way he likes it!).

The show itself was really good with plenty of traders and cars on display and I was really pleased I forced myself to go despite only just getting back off holiday. Once again well done to all who attended and displayed and a big thanks to Nick for flying the flag whilst I was away.

National Day 2004

Despite the weather forecast and the showers the day before, we had a good attendance with traders, other VW car club displays and for me personally, the best quality of show cars I have ever seen at the event.

The track action was excellent with two of our regional members shedding their track day virginity – Darren Marshall and his MkII GTI and Alex Juggins in his Polo G40. Congratulations to Alex who was awarded the trophy for Best Newcomer/Most Entertaining Driver following his getting a little excited and lighting up the tyres. Both lads were very entertaining to watch and I hope that their experience will encourage more of you onto the track (not all of you as someone needs to marshall !).

The charity rides in the Maurice Reeves MkI 1.8T were heavily subscribed with this little powerhouse being de-tuned(!) to ‘only’ 380bhp for the tight and twisty track. Unfortunately the runs were cut short following an early afternoon excursion across the run-off area and into a ditch and hedge when the throttle stuck open approaching a bend. The lucky chap who was enjoying his charity ride before the ‘off’ was heard to remark (as he walked, helmet in hand across the field) – “Best f**k’in £5 I’ve ever spent!!”.

Thanks once again to everyone from the region who helped make this show the success (yet again) that it is through hard work and dedication. It’s not easy to show your cars, take to the track, display as a region and marshall (with a sense of humour) so well done to you all. Again we have shown what we can achieve as a region working together!

Forthcoming Shows/Events

VWNW, Tatton Park – Sunday the 8 th August

Really good show, similar to Stanford Hall, set in the grounds of a country estate. Very family friendly with plenty of traders, auto jumble, large multi-class concours and very relaxed. I will try to get 10 passes for the main Club GTI stand (normally 50 plus cars from all regions). If you are interested in a pass call me on 07980 799 055 or 01332 701374.

Meet at the Bonnie Prince (Junc 3, A50) at 08:15 to leave at 08:30 (when Mark finally arrives!).

Edition 38 Show, Overstone Park , Northampton – 4 th & 5 th September

Trade stands, ICE display, Auto jumble and raffle and some of the best show cars in the UK . Club displays are welcome and I will look into the possibility of having a regional stand (probably 10 cars) on the Sunday. If you would like a place call me on 07980 799 055 or 01332 701374.

Meet at Leicester Forest East services (M1) at 08:30 to leave at 08:45 (again when Mark finally arrives!).  

Ragley Hall, Club GTI Mega Meet – 12 th September

Following on from the success of last year’s event, the Worcester Region are once again staging this excellent event in the impressive and family-friendly grounds of the Hall. With extensive multi-class show and shine, best regional display award, traders and improved catering this event should be even better than last year.

I will organise a regional display stand and if you are interested in a place call me on 07980 799 055 or 01332 701374.

Meet at McDonalds car park at the services (Junc 11, M42 near Twycross) at 08:45 to leave at 09:00 (yet again when Mark finally arrives!).

Regional Host