The Regional Workshop 2008 is at a new venue with hardstanding, large heated halls and excellent facilities. For full details click on the PDF button below.

Download Regional Workshop 2008 Poster

2nd to 4th March 2007
Just got back from a very busy and interesting Regional Workshop. At one point it was touch and go whether everyone would find a space but the Stewards, Ross and Jane managed to slot us all in neatly.

Friday evening was a quiet chat and drink in the large heated hall and a chance to meet everyone from other DAs and Sections.

Saturday was the busy day. Large numbers of members had turned up for the Sites Liaison Meeting with Chris Nursey now that it is a compulsory part of the Regional Calendar. It not only gave everyone a chance to prevent any clashes of meets during 2008 (yes, we do plan that far in advance) but also to give the latest news and any problems about some of the sites that are used throughout the region.
At the same time Linda Walsh was giving the DA Treasurers hands on experience of the computerised accounting packages whilst Steve Harris was discussing the role of the Chairperson within the DAs and Sections.

Time for lunch which was provided by Carole and her crew. Homemade soup, jacket potato with beans, cheese or tuna and fresh friut for sweet at the amazing cost of just £2 a head. Fuel to keep us going through the afternoon.

The afternoon sessions saw Linda giving more financial advice and Mark Walland trying to promote the DAs with the limited resources available to them.

After a quick coffee break we took part in an open session asking views from the members present on the future of the DAs, Out and About, Club Recruitment Stands, Club Sites, CareFree, Websites, and so much more... It helped enormously having National Councillors and members of some of the sub committees on hand since it is they who have some control over the future direction that the Club takes. It was emphasised that the members themselves do have a considerable amount of influence over what happens. If you have a complaint, suggestion, or praise then write to the relevant committee in Coventry and they are duty bound to reply to you.

Carole and her team put on a fantastic meal (£4 a head - how?) Homemade soup followed by a full roast with all the trimmings (I've just fallen in love with Aunt Bessies roast potatoes) followed by lemon meringue or trifle and fresh friut. All washed down with copious amounts of wine.

Onto the evening entertainment provided by our Stewards, quiz night and those boffins in West Essex managed to win again - maybe we'll beat them next year. By the end of the quiz it was time to pop outside and have a look at the moon in all its glory. We managed to see it about 5 minutes before it was fully eclipsed by the Earth and the thin sliver of silver was quite magical - luckily the skies stayed clear for us.

Sunday morning we had a presentation from Eric Bolderson, the Chairman of the Exempted Camping Committee. You may well ask what that is. You may, or may not know that all the camping that we do as rallygoers is carried out because we have an exemption from the Town and Country Planning Act. There are limits to what we can and can not do such as have meets for longer than five days or Temporary Holiday Sites for longer than 28 days. It also gives us as a Club the ability to grant certificates to land owners to run their 5 van sites (Certificated Site). Eric was able to answer many questions regarding the role of his committee and give us answers to a huge variety of questions. He was also given some very good ideas which will be going back to HQ. Eastern Region have played a part in shaping the future of the Club.

This was a fantastic meet and will be developed for next year to bring in some very exciting new features. We'll also do some swotting to try and win the quiz prize from West Essex. (can't work out how they won - Jill Nursey had to shoot off for a family event).