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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHarry has been the main \u201cBackbone\u201d of our SWA7C, from before\nI joined in 1976.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When presented with this news at the Club\u2019s AGM last\nNovember, the meeting asked for suggestions of ways we could show Harry, club member\u2019s\nappreciation, for all his dedication to SWA7C for the past fifty years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A number of suggestions were made, including; Champagne;\nFlowers; Chocolates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meeting agreed that a very good possibility would be a\nsurprise Austin Seven Run for Harry\u2019s birthday on 21st<\/sup> December. A\nnumber of the members present at the AGM agreed to bring their Austin\u2019s to\nPorthcawl, providing; [a] Harry would be fit enough to participate<\/p>\n\n\n\n [b] The arrangements could be kept secret form Harry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being the club member living closest to Harry in Porthcawl,\nit fell to me to organise the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I contacted Jan, Harry\u2019s wife with our proposal for her\nopinion. Jan was thrilled with the idea, and reported that Harry\u2019s condition\nhad stabilised, due to the correct oxygen supply dosage. Any physical exertion\nwas still beyond Harry, but Jan was sure Harry could manage a short run in an\nAustin seven, providing he wasn\u2019t the driver and he had his oxygen supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry duly came down on his chair lift to meet us on his\ndrive, and his surprise and pleasure to see us all and the Austin\u2019s, was\noverwhelming and very emotional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After lots of photographs and chatting, we managed to get\nHarry into the front passenger seat of Ruby, complete with oxygen bottle, Peter\ndriving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry and Jan\u2019s daughter, son-in-law and grand daughters\nwere visiting and we managed to get them all into the Austin\u2019s, and off for a\nshort tour of Porthcawl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From Harry\u2019s house onto Porthcawl Promenade, up to Rest Bay\ncar park, onto Kenfig Nature Reserve and return to Harry\u2019s home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jan had laid on a splendid spread of coffee, tea, mince pies\nand biscuits and the next hour simply flew by, with Harry in hi spirits. And so\nthe time came to say our good buys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, on the 21st<\/sup> December at 11am, five Austin\nSevens and one \u201cmodern\u201d turned up at Harry\u2019s home, to Harry\u2019s complete surprise.\nHarry and Jan\u2019s house has a balcony to the front, and when Harry came out onto\nthe balcony to see what was going on, he was greeted with a rousing rendition\nof \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have to say, this short trip and get together, was one of\nthe best I have ever attended, the pleasure and enjoyment for everyone there\nwas overwhelming! <\/p>\n\n\n\n A massive thank you to the Club members who made it\npossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cars and members; Peter and Harry in Ruby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nora and John in RL Saloon<\/p>\n\n\n\n Liz and Howard in Brookfield Special<\/p>\n\n\n\n Roger P in Four Seat Tourer<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chris P in RP Saloon<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stuart and Pat in modern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PS: Pat was on her first outing following her knee\nreplacement ten days earlier. So well done for effort, Pat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also thank you to Glyn Evans our photographer, a friend of club member Simon Leadbeater, Cowbridge, who kindly undertook the photography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Centenary Rally. Or the \u2018Bash\u2019 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n It all started for me, when along with John Williams we attended\nan A7 Association meeting. Over four years ago now, where the 100 year celebration\nwas discussed, and where would it all happen. Well the A7 centenary committee eventually decided on the Fire Collage at\nMorton-on Marsh, in the Cotswold. And what an inspired decision that turned out\nto be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the day dawned\nwhen we able to book our tickets to the event, so that saw Pat and me up at 12.45 a.m. too book our\ncamping place and trailer parking, and entry tickets. Just as well, as places\nsold out fast. It was a few months to the event and time seem to go slowly, but\nthe day soon dawned and as Pat and myself along with a number of club member\nwho had also volunteered to help out at the \u201cbash\u201d we were able to arrive at\nthe Fire Collage on the Sunday, too help out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, on entry day Tuesday, \nsaw Pat myself, alongside Pat and Sara White, on reception\nduties booking in all the A7 folk while this was going on Howard, Liz, John and\nLinda were on \u201cmeet and Great\u201d duties. And Arthur was on trailer park patrol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I won\u2019t go on too much, as there will no doubt be more Write\nup\u2019s on the event in our mag. So I will just mention the high light for Pat and\nme. The weather was fantastic, hot and sunny the whole week, apart from the\nmorning of Prescott, when it rained just enough to get Pat and myself very wet.\nStill hay ho. But when we dried out, the spectacle of standing by the Bugatti\nterrace and watching the A7 works Twin cam and the Rubber Duck\/Dutch Clog go up\nthe hill was something I will remember for a long time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another high light for Pat and me was meeting up with the\nfamily who had bought our RK Saloon, and had driven their RK all the way from\nBasel, Switzerland. Also all our club members\nwho were at the bash all meeting up\nevery night for a few pints and a good natter, and of course all the Austin 7\u2019s\nthat were on display, many models that I\nhad only seen in photographs. And the\npop up archivist museum, that was put together so well by Hugh and all his\nteam, I could have spent hours in the rooms. All so very interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well that\u2019s our take on the Centenary Bash. Great company,\ngreat weather, Great nightly entertainment. Topped off with a Spitfire flying\ndisplay, only one complaint, all over too soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n S&P<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Harry\u2019s Birthday Run As you all know from the last AGM minutes [last newsletter], due to ill health our Club Chairman Harry Hales has sadly had to resign as the Chairman of our club. In addition, Harry has had to … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.southwalesaustinsevenclub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image2-9-1.jpeg\")
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