What Happened at the AGM?

Club Chairman's Report

Mr Chairman, Club Members, the Club Chairman's report is a brief look at the club year that has just been. Your Competition Secretary and Treasurer are to make their own reports however I will be touching briefly on some areas of their activities.

I commented in last years report that attendance at club nights was down. Of late, I have noticed an even more dramatic reduction in the numbers of members attending; even when your Social Secretary puts effort into organising specific ctivities. This is a subject the new committee will need to address in some detail.

On the subject of social activities our Dinner Dance at the Reigate Manor in February was excellent; good food - well served, an excellent speaker in Maurice Hamilton - and a superb Auction & Tombola that enabled us to donate £2000 to the Children's Trust at Tadworth - my particular thanks to Tony Jardine, Sue Smith & Sue Winwood who assisted so much.

I now turn to the subject of membership. The level of membership in 99/2000 has stood up well - an increase on the previous years excellent total - and our new Membership Secretary Tim Hines has coped well with the pressure of this increased number of members. We mustn't be complacent here though as the pressure on leisure time will erode membership levels if we all do not encourage our friends & colleagues to join.

An important part of the fabric of club life is The Windscreen, the monthly organ of Southern. During the first part of the year our Editor Chris Morford each month improved the journal (achieving an accolade in a survey of ACSMC magazines) so that it continues to rank amongst the best in the UK. Unfortunately work pressure meant that Chris had to stand down from the Committee during the latter part of the year, he did however continue with some work on the magazine. Thank you Chris.

Another who contributed significantly to the club's well being, was Vanessa Linley, she continued with the job as Championship Secretary and the difficulty of actually extracting results from members.

Those who have been to our stores at Perrotts Farm - will know that this 'Harrods' of club stores demands weekly attendance to keep our extensive stock of equipment in good order, thanks to Brian & Neil this activity is in safe hands.

You will have a full financial report from your Treasurer later, however I do wish to comment on one specific area in my address, that is the Veteran Car Run which brought in substantial funds from programme sales, our thanks should go to Paul Smith who has masterminded this operation for nearly 15 years.

Last year I pleaded for new event organisers; well my pleading worked because Michael Weeks offered to take on our Championship PCT - and what a great job he did. The ACSMC noted it as one of the best run events in the calendar. Well done Michael, the job is yours for life!

Also in competition vein, we heralded the arrival of a new Competition Secretary, Robert Pike. Robert has brought a breath of fresh air to the club committee and I see him being a major influence on club activities in future years.

The committee was also bolstered by the input from Ray Tyler (Chief Marshal) and John Blaber, who with David Walters, stood as general committee members.

David has also assisted by taking on the merchandising role and his work on the new club uniform has been much appreciated.

The committee is saddened to lose our Social Secretary - Vanessa Steele and thank her for her work in the last couple of years.

As you therefore may have noticed we are short of some officer nominations on the Committee, Social, Magazine & PR Officer being the gaps - do you want to assist?

And onto the future - my 31st year of membership of Southern is now in full swing. I'm proud of what I, and a dedicated band of people, have achieved in that period of time. I have already advised the committee that, subject to you re-electing me later this evening that I will only stand as Chairman for one more year - the club needs new blood at the helm and I need a rest.

My thanks to the few who give for the good of the many, you know who you are. I trust others will seek to take up the mantle for the future. Thank you.

Competition Secretary's Report

As expected of Southern Car Club, the 1999/2000 club year saw many of its members closely linked with all levels of motorsport activity; as organisers, officials, marshals, competitors and service crews.

Southern's own year of events began with the K-Sport Tarmac Stages at Avon Park in August '99, our first use of the venue in place of the traditional Goodwood Circuit. In spite of this, the event was described by the competitors as being a highly imaginative popular rally and as expected of SCC events, well organised. Congratulations to the organising team for all their hard work. As well as providing so many officials, SCC fielded eight entries, including Steve and Chris competing on their first ever rally. However, most of us will remember the event for the antics of the flying plastic barrel, which assaulted the Chief Marshal, Dave Wild.

August also saw the club providing officials to assist at the Mini's 40th birthday party at Silverstone and the running of one of a number of club treasure hunts. This event, like so many Southern events, raised much welcome funds for charity - a fact of which I believe we should all be proud.

The following month, Southern's club autotest took place in somewhat damp conditions at Gosden House School, near Guildford. Our thanks to Dave Wild and his team and congratulations to Michael Weeks and the other class winners.

As the winter nights closed in, road rallies resumed and Southern's own Vanessa Steele was to be found trying her hand at the Nightwatchman, accompanied by a very green looking lifeform alongside! Smaller local 12 car navigational rallies, to which Southern were invited, also ran throughout the winter months but were only supported by one SCC crew. I hope that this year's series will see a few more club members taking part.

As the 1999 season drew to a close, various championships saw Southern crews successful at all levels but special mention should be made of Richard Phillipson winning class N3 of the BTRDA.

The celebrations of the dawning to the new millennium had barely died down before the majority of club members found themselves on the southern coast at Bournemouth for the club's main event, the RALLYE SUNSEEKER 2000. As in previous years, the aim was for it to be the best yet, with the return of the sea front stage, a new service area at Bournemouth International Airport, improved Rally Radio and a larger Rally Show and Trade Show. Although the lack of the one-make championships meant a smaller entry than expected, the feedback from competitors proved that it is an event held in high regard. The rally was won, for the second year running, by club member and sponsor Marcus Dodd with John Bennie alongside.

April saw the club's PCT run as an ACSMC Championship round by Michael and Judith Weeks in addition to a clubsport permit event for SCC crews. A very healthy turnout of competitors and marshals ensured a successful day and one which has earned much deserved praise for the high standard of organisation and the quality of the innovative test layouts. Well down to all those involved!

As the club year drew to a close, Southern crews were having a particularly successful time of it. Of particular note, four months into the ACSMC Tarmac Rally championship, Mark Straker was leading overall with Vanessa Steele second and leading Class A. In the forests, drivers Dick Slaughter and James Potter were first and second in their class with John Harding joint first in his. Co-driver Geoff Dearing also led his championship.

Another result deserving mention is the club filling three of the top six overall positions on the Mini Tempest Rally at Longcross. Well done to Dave Jacobs, Mark Straker and Jeremy Straker for first, second and sixth places overall respectively.

Finally, as you should already know from articles in the club magazines, Southern Car Club has joined the Weald Motor Club. This offers club members access to a much larger number of grass roots events, such as PCT's, Autotests, 12-car rallies and navigational scatters across Surrey and Kent without the need for a competition licence or membership of another club. Further details of events will appear in Windscreen whenever they become available.

I would like to thank everyone who has assisted me in my first year as Competition Secretary and to congratulate all those mentioned above on another successful competition year.

August also saw the club providing officials to assist at the Mini's 40th birthday party at Silverstone and the running of one of a number of club treasure hunts. This event, like so many Southern events, raised much welcome funds for charity - a fact of which I believe we should all be proud.

The following month, Southern's club autotest took place in somewhat damp conditions at Gosden House School, near Guildford. Our thanks to Dave Wild and his team and congratulations to Michael Weeks and the other class winners.

As the winter nights closed in, road rallies resumed and Southern's own Vanessa Steele was to be found trying her hand at the Night Watchman, accompanied by a very green looking life-form alongside! Smaller local 12 car navigational rallies, to which Southern were invited, also ran throughout the winter months but were only supported by one SCC crew. I hope that this year's series will see a few more club members taking part.

As the 1999 season drew to a close, various championships saw Southern crews successful at all levels but special mention should be made of Richard Phillipson winning class N3 of the BTRDA.

The celebrations of the dawning to the new millennium had barely died down before the majority of club members found themselves on the southern coast at Bournemouth for the club's main event, the RALLYE SUNSEEKER 2000. As in previous years, the aim was for it to be the best yet, with the return of the sea front stage, a new service area at Bournemouth International Airport, improved Rally Radio and a larger Rally Show and Trade Show.

Although the lack of the one-make championships meant a smaller entry than expected, the feedback from competitors proved that it is an event held in high regard. The rally was won, for the second year running, by club member and sponsor Marcus Dodd with John Bennie alongside.