Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi guys, can I just say how much I enjoyed last night with my 1st visit to a Sadmogs meet.

You all made me feel so welcome and what I liked best about it was the fact there was so stuffiness with committee members (wearing ties and suits) taking down minutes and shuffling around bits of paper with agendas on them, and worst of all having to raise your arm (like being back in school) and asking Mr Chairman to speak.

All in all a great bunch of guys to spend a relaxed evening with sharing one common interest (Morris Minors) you will most definitely see me again.

Jay

Jay-Minor wrote:You all made me feel so welcome and what I liked best about it was the fact there was so stuffiness with committee members (wearing ties and suits) taking down minutes and shuffling around bits of paper with agendas on them, and worst of all having to raise your arm (like being back in school) and asking Mr Chairman to speak.

That's because we're not in any way, shape or form a branch of the club. We're just a random bunch of barely-organised blokes who happen to own the same sort of car (apart from the Cortina-owning interloper ;-)). That's how we like it...

All in all a great bunch of guys to spend a relaxed evening with sharing one common interest (Morris Minors) you will most definitely see me again.

All unsolicited testamonials, folks...

Nice to meet you and Mildred

It was a fun evening, and one of the best turn outs yet, very crowded round that one table. Nice to see new faces (as well as putting up with the same old regular ones)

An amazing distance for Onne to travel, I hope you got home OK without any more punctures (I'm fresh out of spare wheels now ;-) )

So Dan's suggestion for next week is the Bold Forester in Marchwood, which I'm happy with.

That equals the best car turnout, too

Er, the 'best car' wasn't there actually. [snigger tee hee]

Yep, it was a great evening. There was a bit of confusion now and again trying to get into another conversation across the table.
I'm looking forward to the summer when we can maybe drive a bit further and make best use of Josh's photography skills. A nice caravan of Minors through the Forest would look great on the front of the 'Matters'.
It was also suggested on the drive home that we try and have a barbie on the beach. East of Portsmouth would be cool - we can invite the Brighton crowd over,of which there are plenty I believe.

Evening all!

Ditto the thank you all from Jay, it is good to meet other Moggy fanciers! Thank you to Onne (MADMOG) for driving, my first time in a splitty too..... Must get my trafficators working I won't be there next Thursday as I have plans in Crawley that day but I will be back BADMOG

Antony

I have a favour to ask. If anyone has a high res photo of their (or anyone elses!) minor parked up against the background of the new forest would they please please please please email it to me. Its for uni

harris d t at g mail dot com

Jay-Minor wrote:what I liked best about it was the fact there was so stuffiness with committee members (wearing ties and suits) taking down minutes and shuffling around bits of paper with agendas on them, and worst of all having to raise your arm (like being back in school) and asking Mr Chairman to speak. Jay

In my (vast) experience of MMOC branch meetings there are hardly ever meetings like you describe, even most Branch AGMs are fairly informal.

Rog

JimK wrote:That's because we're not in any way, shape or form a branch of the club. We're just a random bunch of barely-organised blokes who happen to own the same sort of car (apart from the Cortina-owning interloper ;-)). That's how we like it...

Perhaps you should actually go to a branch meeting & see what really goes on .

Rog

HarryMango wrote:Perhaps you should actually go to a branch meeting & see what really goes on .

Fair comment. I realised that Jay's comment wasn't representative, but I admit I haven't been to a branch meeting. I considered joining a branch but it's 30 miles to any of three branches (I live in Wiltshire, 400yds from Hampshire and the nearest branch is Dorset...).

Actually, I just wanted to sit in a pub, talking about anything and everything

JimK wrote:I considered joining a branch but it's 30 miles to any of three branches (I live in Wiltshire, 400yds from Hampshire and the nearest branch is Dorset...).

I know the feeling - when I started out I was going to EMids branch (then just outside of Derby) and Rugby branch both about 25 miles away - When we formed the Leicester Branch I was going to one nearly every week ! What it was to be young and have lots of free time
Now where's my pipe & slippers

Rog

HarryMango wrote:

Jay-Minor wrote:what I liked best about it was the fact there was so stuffiness with committee members (wearing ties and suits) taking down minutes and shuffling around bits of paper with agendas on them, and worst of all having to raise your arm (like being back in school) and asking Mr Chairman to speak. Jay

In my (vast) experience of MMOC branch meetings there are hardly ever meetings like you describe, even most Branch AGMs are fairly informal.

Rog

Hi Rog
without wishing to upset anybody you will note that at no time did i mention an MMOC branch meeting, i am relating to clubs with commitees in general.
having belonged to many other clubs in the past i am talking from personal experience.
Jay

Hi Jay

Don't worry - I'm not upset. Thanks for your clarification - I replied because there are a lot of members & potential members on here (and elsewhere) who are put off from attending due to a perceived idea that the meetings will be too regimented, stuffy, too technical or the newbie will be ignored in the corner.

Just trying to spread the word to folk to come and give their branches a go - you don't have to come back if you find it's not for you but you may be pleasantly surprised.

Rog

Harry Mango is dead right about branch meetings- if they are all like the East Kent ones- no suits, no fomality. The chairman does read stuff out at the start, but thats just useful things- like cars for sale/ parts wanted/ available, shows coming up, events, someone looking for a new engine etc. Very light hearted and full of banter.

I think a lot more folk would attend branch meetings if they knew what they are really like. For me, the branch is the Morris Minor club.

Ok Guys, I'd like to tell you of my plan now. Thursday 22nd Feb is going to be my last SADMOG before I have to take my month off for training at work

(Ok, I know I've not been for the last fortnight, but there have been some issues that needed to be addressed!)

My Plan is as follows:

On Said Thursday, we all meet up in a venue (of which I have not yet decided, but possibly the Cricketers, or another Venue this side of town (might try to think of somewhere a bit more central but still this side - arround bitterne or something! Suggestions Welcome!) and I will put a sum of money behind the bar to cover all the evenings expenses (I hope!).

I am doing this on account of the following: Over the last 8 months, or however long its been, I've been through some ups and downs in terms of employment, and some other issues which have affected my and you guys have always been there to lend support, parts and advice. This is my way of trying to say thank you to you all! For those of you who I have still not met (Ugabugachug, Jay-Minor et al) please feel free to come along, you won't be excluded from the event! After all, sadmog is a broad church!

Dan_Harris wrote: For those of you who I have still not met (Ugabugachug, Jay-Minor et al) please feel free to come along, you won't be excluded from the event! After all, sadmog is a broad church!

thanx dan, very nice of you and as for bitterne, oh yes please that's on my door stop.

So perhaps you'd be able to suggest a decent pub round there?

humm thought you had asked for the bold this coming week Dan?

dont want to go too far round Southampton or Carlo and Mike may bow out???

how about the empress? or the new forest? thay are both easy to get to being just off main roads?

good to see you out today Jay, I was freezing by the end of that (we met with Josh at a ford meet I wanted to get my own back on him as a cortina owner at mog meets!!! ;-) ) although the moggies went down well with the crowd there.

Rob_Jennings wrote:good to see you out today Jay, I was freezing by the end of that (we met with Josh at a ford meet I wanted to get my own back on him as a cortina owner at mog meets!!! ;-) ) although the moggies went down well with the crowd there.

hi rob
good to see you too.
the photo i took of yours and mine are now on my site see
http://mildred.morrisminor.com/portsdown.html
jay

[quote="Rob_Jennings"]humm thought you had asked for the bold this coming week Dan?

dont want to go too far round Southampton or Carlo and Mike may bow quote]
rob i don't think dan was reffering to this week but the week after?

dan, not being a pub legular that may not be easy for me,
but does anyone know the white swan in mansbridge, nice big car park and just off the m27 for anyone who has to come from outta town (just a thought)
if having said all that, if it's too far i'm still happy with the forest