Issue 1

Learn about motorhome and Benimar events. and find out how you can become an active member of the B.O.C.

"But I only went for a day out," was my feeble cry as we arrived home from the Peterborough show. Still bubbling with the events of the weekend my excitement was quickly curtailed by a phone call from the newly elected Chairman who quickly reminded me that in my haste to volunteer (always one for a good cause) I was now required to edit and produce a newsletter, write press releases and do anything else that he felt like throwing at me.

So my plea to you dear reader is that you seize the opportunity and put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, ears to phone or any other way you have of communicating with the outside world, (we can even make arrangements for the odd carrier pigeon), immediately!! I need your news, gossip, clever ideas, tips, requests, good sites or bad sites, reports of trips done or planned, for sale items, (anything at all for a cost of only 4 x 1st class stamps) and any handy alterations you may have done to your van.

Firstly there is Celia, who also incidentally has become the club Membership Secretary. Very cleverly she has converted the boot storage area into a dog kennel on her Benimar, the dogs were reluctant to give us a quote but it seems to me a very useful way of keeping the loose dog hair problem to a minimum. But even more amazing, there was Pip, who we thought at first just fancied my husband, until she proudly showed us the culprit of the wolf whistles, an African grey parrot happily ensconced in the on board aviary built in the Luton of her Benimar along with its very attractive feathered friend. I hope once we are a little better organised to have a picture of the bird life to show you.

So if you can do better than that, or you have anything at all to say regarding your Benimar, or motorcaravanning or you think perhaps that another Benimar owner may be able to help you then please drop me a line. I will publish anything that drops through my letter box and I will even type it for you so you now have no excuse for not doing it.

Many of you at the show in Peterborough expressed an interest in getting together with other Benimar owners to share common interests such as golf, walking, bird watching, foreign trips etc. The newsletter seems an ideal platform for making contact with like minded people so let me know who (or what) you’re looking for and we will see if we cant match you all up.

Finally, I truly hope this is the longest column I have to write to fill in space. If you don't contribute then this newsletter will quickly become the "Ran and Cassie Express", so PLEASE don't waste this opportunity, contact us now and share your Benimar membership with a much wider audience!

Saturday April 28th 2001 - a day to remember - the day the Benimar Owners, Club was born.

At a very successful Peterborough Show, where for once the weather was good, we had an excellent inaugural meeting where the club was formed, given a name, the constitution agreed and an annual subscription of £10 per outfit (i.e. couple) was agreed.

A committee of 5 sharing the duties was elected (without too much arm twisting) and two members nominated as auditors.

We have elected what I believe will be a very good committee although I was a little concerned when I woke up on Sunday morning to find that the treasurer had already left, with all the club funds!

We had 22 Benimars on the Club site and very impressive they looked in the April sunshine.

· Everyone who attended the meeting especially those who rallied on the Club site.

· Steve Reynolds for deciding to import Benimars into the UK without him there would be no Benimar Owners, Club.

· My wife Judy for putting up with me beavering away for weeks bringing this idea to fruition.

· Kathy Sleight at Warner's who was so helpful in letting us rally before we were a club and arranging the room for the meeting.

PETERBOROUGH SNIPPETS

On the Friday we had a coffee morning at our Motorhome (at 4pm!). Sid Carvall had already made arrangements for Fenwicks to demonstrate their cleaning products. I managed to persuade Jonathan Smith (no relation) to clean ours too. He did an impressive job of cleaning the back of our van and also two plates of biscuits, that were close by. Despite our best efforts during the meeting we still had a bottle of red wine left over so we had a draw of membership numbers and the lucky number 13 winner was Geoff Perry. I hope you and Jane enjoyed it.

On Friday night the RDH quartet of Steve, Sue, Rod and Mel were staying at the nearby Express Hotel. After Dinner they retired for the night. Rod let himself into his room, but a few doors away. Steve couldn't get his plastic key to work so eventually they knocked on Rods door. Rod appeared just in his red flannelette underwear and was confident he could open it. Sure enough it opened at his first attempt just as he heard a familiar "click" as his door shut itself. He rushed back, Steve and Sue rushed into their room and locked the door. It was quite some time before they let Rod in to phone reception for help.

RDH gave us a Benimar flag which I attached to a couple of windbreak poles and flew it from the roof ladder. Some time later Judy returned to the van proudly clutching a dozen Benimar helium filled balloons. These were duly attached to the van and to the awning. About 3am the next morning it was raining hard and blowing strongly and the noise was horrendous. Judy was soon out there with a pair of scissors - another good idea.

NEWSLETTER

This first newsletter will be posted to all those who responded to my initial letter, a few other Benimar owners that have made contact and those who have recently ordered a new one. There will be a membership application form attached to the Newsletter - you are cordially invited to join us. If you are already a member save it for when you see a Benimar owner who isn't a member

.DISCOUNTED INSURANCE

I am negotiating with Safeguard for a discount on Motor home insurance to club members. We need more members before they will allow this so it is to our mutual benefit to try to swell the numbers as quickly as possible.

DISCOUNTED FERRY BOOKINGS

Apple Motorhome Hire are based in Portsmouth and hire out Benimar Motorhomes. They have negotiated a deal with P&O Portsmouth and are offering to pass the savings on to Club Members if you book through them. 20% off Portsmouth sailing's (except in July and August when it is 10%) If you are interested give Greg Butcher a call on 02 9235 3071. Alternatively, e-mail:

hire@apple-motorhome.co.uk

IT’S IN THE BAG

Foxwells make bags for all sorts of things that could be of interest to you (poles, solar panels, generators, cables, relaxer chairs, TVs etc). They do not advertise but you will find them at all the major shows. We bought a pole bag from them and it is very good quality and reasonably priced. They will offer a discount for quantity (3 or more) and will be at Lincoln in July. Anyone attending and interested in buying their products come and see me (I have some copies of their brochure) and if we can make up a combined order we will all make a saving.

RDH - AGONY AUNT PROBLEM SOLVING

RDH have offered to bring a fitter and a van of spares to all the Shows at which they are exhibiting. This will enable them to sort out any minor problems of Members' vans in the rally field. Obviously any major jobs will still have to be sorted at the workshops, but this seems to me to be an excellent way of getting niggles and minor problems sorted. The first show at which this will happen is Lincoln in mid July (see elsewhere for details). If you are attending one of these shows and would like to take advantage of this, it is probably a good idea to phone RDH and let them know the nature of the problem so they have a better chance of having the appropriate spares in the van. (This is good news for those of us up here in the frozen north - as RDH is a very long way to travel for small repairs - Ed.)

I am sure that there will be more offer of benefit to Club Members coming from RDH - watch this space.

"FOR SALE"

This is the future part of the newsletter were members adverts will appear for the very reasonable cost of 4 x 1st class stamps - so far nothing to sell but looking around me any offers for 1 long haired black cat who keeps sitting on the keyboard?

MARSHALS

Alan Verity was elected as our Chief Marshall and will be maintaining a list of members who are willing to help with marshalling duties at rallies. The duties will range from relieving the main Marshall of a Show rally for a time (say 2 or 3 hours,) to greet new arrivals and to ensure they pitch their motorhome correctly. (Roof upwards, wheels downwards etc. Ed.)

The main Marshall at a show rally will probably need to get there early and peg out the site, erect signs to guide members to our site and generally sort out any problems there may be.

If you are willing to help out in this way, particularly when the rally is in your locality, please let Alan know.

CLUB LOGO

I believe that the club ought to have a logo suitable for the front and rear of our Benimars. It needs to be easily identified and preferably cheap to produce.

If you have any ideas for a logo send them to me before the Lincoln Show and we (whoever is there) will decide on one assuming we can agree.

STAMPS

One of my grandsons has just started collecting postage stamps and is mad keen. He has plenty of British, old and new, but not many foreign ones. If you have any he would be most grateful. See me at one of our events.

(See what a useful tool this newsletter can be Ed.)

AND FINALLY

That is all I can think of at the moment, before Judy and I shoot off to Scotland for a few days. We look forward to meeting the Peterborough mob again at Lincoln and also all you new members - so until then

ENJOY YOUR BENIMARS!

RON SMITH CHAIRMAN

July 14 -15

LINCOLN

Midsummer Music Festival and Leisure Show - see MMM for details and booking form. The main concert is open air and I suggest we have a mass picnic - so come prepared.

See Motorhome Monthly for details. Booking arrangements to be arranged. Exhibition area is under cover and there is entertainment in the evenings.

Follow on Rally at Holiday Resort Unity at Bream Sands. Bream Sands is on the coast just south of Weston-Super-Mare. This is a large commercial site, with many facilities. Price is £20 for the four nights and includes electric hook-up. For more details phone Paul or Margaret on 01934 812051, or catch them at most of the major Shows.

Top entertainment each night (including Ken Dodd on Saturday anyone who has ever seen him perform live will know just how funny he is.)

The first diary is a little sparse but as the club is only 4 days old as I write, that is not surprising. Firstly then a plea. It is easy to arrange for BOC to rally in a club area at the major shows. but we need to arrange our own get-togethers spread all over the country (we already have members from as far as Devon to Inverness!)

If you know of a suitable venue in your own locality, why not volunteer to organise a Rally especially if you can combine it with a specific event, or maybe near to a local attraction. If you have an idea contact me to agree a suitable date (we don't want three on one weekend and nothing for the next 4 months)

The rally fee charged will reflect on whatever charges for the field or similar are made.

Ron Smith

So there we have it our first diary - not a lot happening in the north of the country I notice perhaps some of you hardy northerners know of events a little closer to home I feel we owe it to the rest of the country to make sure they get to see as much as possible north of Watford Gap. It is also worth bearing in mind that with the foot and mouth problems it would be really useful if someone could come up with a venue suitable for walkers and all the dogs who are currently going stir crazy -it only takes a phone call to organise.

P.S. As 1st timers abroad, me and him indoors need any useful tips anyone has for touring with two small dogs, very little French and a habit of disagreeing over what constitutes a suitable site!

All diary events or ideas for logos should be sent to: Mr. Ron Smith, 135 Station Road, Mickleover, Derby. DE3 5FN Tel' 01332 512235

ISSUE ONE May 2001

In this Issue:- Editors Rumble Chairman's Chat Peterborough Snippets Newsletter Events

EDITORS RUMBLE

July 14 -15

LINCOLN

Ron Smith