Items for the Members News section
The Summer 2026 edition of our magazine Going Places is now online to view and/or download. Access is by clicking on the magazine image on the General Info page.
If you download this PDF file to a mobile device you will find it very handy to have at hand wherever you are. Many years of back issues are also available on the General Info page.
Webmaster
Now that the summer edition of Going Places is starting to hit the doormats I have been asked to highlight two articles to you.
January is a long time away but to assist the marshals they would appreciate you contacting them to show your interest in the Burns Night Rally.
PLEASE SEE PAGE 74 of Going Places for further details.
The online booking scheme is in the Pilot Phase due to the very favourable members responses to the demonstrations at the AGM rally.
If you are willing to take SOME of your bookings next year this way on your rally or if you add another rally this year and are willing to trial it there then:-
PLEASE SEE PAGE 101 of Going Places for further details.
Please note that ALL CURRENT FORMS OF BOOKING will still be available for these rallies too.”
Webmaster
We have recently learnt of the sad death of Honorary Life Member Cheryl Barnard who passed away on 21st May.
Dave and Cheryl have been members since 1990 and unfortunately had to give up caravanning just a few years ago due to ill health.
They were regular ralliers and marshalled several rallies within the area of their home town of Lincoln. They also ran very popular holiday rallies abroad too, one being in Rüdesheim, Germany in 2014, where we subsequently ran a rally on the same site in 2023.
They made many friends during their 30+ years of rallying with the club so this will be a shock to many members reading this announcement.
We believe the funeral is in about a week’s time but we do not have any details yet.
Our thoughts are with Dave, their family and friends at this difficult time.
R.I.P Cheryl.
President
Message received from Terry Comber:
Annette’s funeral will be at 1 pm on the 3rd of July at
GreenAcres Colney Park
Watton Road
Norwich NR4 7TY
Which is just off the A47 towards the hospital.
There will be a wake afterwards but I don’t have detail’s yet.
Could anyone who wishes to attend please let me know so we can be aware of numbers.
I do appreciate that there are rallies on at the time.
Kind regards Terry
Terry can be contacted by text/phone call or by email.
07990 657557
or
terry.comber1@gmail.com
I received the very sad news from Terry Comber yesterday morning that Annette had passed away in the early hours.
She was admitted to hospital in late February with GBS and sadly she never recovered.
Annette Watson had rallied with Terry both at home and abroad for the last few years and attended rallies all over the country. The last time we chatted to this lovely lady was at the New Year rally and a couple of weeks later they attended the Burns Night rally which sadly was to be her last.
Terry will update us with the funeral details in due course.
Our thoughts are with Terry and also Annette’s daughters and all the family at this very sad time.
R.I.P. Annette, it was a pleasure to have known you.
John Brailsford, President
Please note that the closing date for bookings is incorrect in the rally details, any bookings after 4th June will unfortunately not receive a plaque.
Sorry for the mistake.
Rosie & Dave, Marshals
The Rally Secretary has has updated the draft rally programme for 2027 and it is now online. It’s looking good but there are still some gaps which I’m sure Sarah would love to be filled.
Webmaster
The following letter has been received from our German Members, Peter and Ute Kantert:
In 2 weeks’ time we are heading to the British Caravanners Meeting (Rally) at Prumtal Camping in the Westeifel (Rhineland-Palatinate) Area of Germany, organised by a friend. In 2025, 24 British Caravans attended and this year 54 British Caravans (90% Sprite/Swift) based in Germany have registered to attend. I will be giving a short talk about my experiences with the Swift Owners Club and I’m hoping to find some new people interested in establishing an Area 9 in Germany. A German Swift/Sprite dealer will be attending with his family in their Sprite 635 and he will be speaking about the latest trends and will be available to answer technical questions.
The Campsite has 240 pitches and is fully booked for that weekend and we are hosting an open “British Caravan Day” so that other Campers can come and take a look at our caravans and this will be a good promotion for British Brands.
As a family, Ute and I with our Daughter will be attending the Ludham Rally in September where we hope to meet up with many of you again.
Peter and Ute Kantert
To all our caravanning friends, the funeral for my beautiful wife and Rich’s lovely mum Janet Couchman is to take place on Thursday 18th June 2026. Everyone is welcome.
13:30 at New Milton Crematorium, Stem Lane, New Milton, Hants BH25 5FH.
Followed by a wake at 15:00 at the Cliff House Hotel, Marine Drive West, Barton on Sea, Hants, BH25 7QL
It will be a bright colourful celebration of Jan’s life, Jan asked that you wear colourful clothes.
There will be food and drinks at the Cliff House Hotel, Jan’s favourite location overlooking Highcliffe Bay and the Needles. There will be an Album of photo’s for everyone to see, please feel free to add your personal memories on the blank pages.
Flowers can be sent to Co-op Funeral Care, 21 Station Road, New Milton, BH25 6HN or can be brought to the Crematorium.
If you would rather make a donation to the hospice that lovingly cared for Jan in her final days, then please use the Much Loved page below which has been set up in her memory.
https://janetcouchman.muchloved.com/
RSVP (IM, email, phone, message)
Chas Couchman
Sadly Jan Couchman passed away this morning with Chas and their son by her side in the hospice. Jan was still attending rallies until early March when she suddenly became terminally ill.
Jan was one of the loveliest people you would ever wish to meet and she always had a lovely smile for everyone. We, like a few other members had the privilege of already knowing Jan for a few years before they attended their first SOC rally.
We were the marshals at their first rally in Rüdesheim, Germany in August 2023. Since then they have attended many UK and Continental rallies with the club and made many friends. I know Jan will be sadly missed by the many members who have had the pleasure of her company.
Our thoughts are with Chas and their son Richard at this very sad and difficult time.
R.I.P Jan.
John Brailsford, President
The Latest Rally News section contains all the rally announcements for this year’s rallies that I have been made aware of. Some of these are low importance but others such as incorrect contact details, locations or dates are very important and I recommend viewing these when booking rallies.
All the following rally numbers have at least 1 associated news item in this section:
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 33.1, 34, 34.1, HR60, HR61
For any queries, please contact the Rally Marshal, Webmaster
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