Winter Gathering

WINTER GATHERING - 2010

Well January the 17th 2010 saw us at our annual event “The Winter Gathering” more commonly known as the “Bumfreezer” for very self explanatory reasons. This was the first time we have run this event at this location, the Millbeach pub on Heybridge Basin, its just up the road from where we usually hold the event so no risk of getting lost!

The new location has much more room for vehicles and possibly displays as well. Its has a fantastic view over the Basin which in the sunny day that it was looked great, its not so hot when the tide is out but with the high tide we had it really is a fantastic location. The publican was a great host and made us all feel very welcome with two 40’s type music groups and jive dancing the place was full of atmosphere and packed!.

We had a few vehicles there as well! Jack bought his Scorpion out which looked as good as ever and that with an FV 432 armoured personnel carrier attracted a lot of interest. In all we had thirty plus vehicles turn out. Mainly smaller ones but with a few notable exceptions including a nice Ferret and a rather large well look at the pictures!  The Ferret gained a great deal of interest from the local MP who also dropped in to have a look at the vehicles. . In fact we seemed very popular and Shaun had done some considerable leg work with the promotion as we had two newspapers and John from Classic Military Vehicles come down to do a feature on the gathering..

Attendance was great, well the car park was full and the overspill one was busy as well. Shaun had arranged additional parking in case of emergency so we have the capacity to expand there as well, also there is facility to take amphibious vehicles for a swim should their owners so desire.

Like all new events we have learnt some lessons and have some new ideas, we will probably start the event an hour or so later to make it better for those travelling any distance and have the music start a little earlier rather then the late afternoon.  This way it will be more a lunchtime/afternoon event which will make travelling easier and be more assessable for the public.

So in all a great start to what is the 21st year of the Essex Area MVT

We plan to run an event in the summer there as well probably an afternoon/evening BBQ type thing and Shaun is on the case already.

Many thanks to Shun who did all the planning and leg work for this event it would have not happened without him so his efforts are very much appreciated.