Members News

Now that so many service stations have stopped selling LPG, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find where to get cylinders refilled, especially those that are not easily removeable from a leisure vehicle.

I have used the mylpg.eu website or their smartphone app for several years and it has been very helpful here in the UK and abroad. During that time there have been many improvements made and new features added. One very useful facility is to be able to view locations on an interactive map and be able to apply filters to home in on what you require such as Easy Access, Confirmed availability in last 3 months etc.

Recently member Dave Coller contacted the developers suggesting the addition of a filter for locations where the filling of Safefill cylinders was allowed. This filter was added very quickly on the website and works well. (Note that you need to click on the map to activate it and then you can apply filters). As the filters are not very easy to find on a smartphone the developer has it on his To Do Soon list’. In the meantime he has provided a direct link to the map and filters page (https://www.mylpg.eu/stations/united-kingdom/#map) for saving on a smartphone as an icon on the Home Page of your ‘phone for quick access. If you’re not sure how to do that I suggest asking Google.

Webmaster

An additional rally to the 2023 rally programme has been organised at the Devizes Caravan & Camping Club Site, nr Seend, Wiltshire.

15 Van Limit. Hard standing pitches with 16amp EHU.

Bookings are being taken now. Please see full rally details and information by clicking on the link here.

Colin & Elaine Baker (Marshals)

Please note that the marshals have regrettably had to cancel this rally after several cancellations left them with very low bookings. The rally was no longer viable.

Webmaster

(Post amended 20/03/23)

Due to various changes of circumstance for several members we have received an unprecedented number of cancellations. Therefore our waiting list has been exhausted.

This is obviously a little late for some to consider but we do now have TWO VACANCIES on the rally. Please contact us asap if you are interested.  

Further details about the rally location can be obtained by clicking HERE.  The site fee for 2 adults and outfit is €518,00. Additional cost for trips as described on the website will be available shortly. 

Please contact Val Brailsford ring/text 07711 263295 or email val@thebrailsfords.com

Holiday Rally Saturday 2^nd September until Saturday 16^th 2023: Camping de la Route d’or, La Fleche France.

A replacement Rally for the one scheduled for Monsoreau site has now been arranged subject to our visit to make the final arrangements that is planned for during May. Currently we have sufficient support for the Rally to ahead. We can now go ahead and advertise the Rally for the membership.

The site at La Fleche is where the Club held a previous rally back in 2011. It is an attractive site, a relative short distance from the one originally planned for this year with many attractions nearby, Le Mans and their Motor Museum, Anger with their famed liqueur distilleries, the Loire river with their famous Chateaux, Saumur with their famed Horse riding school and many attractive Towns. The site can be viewed on their website “ Camping Municipal la Route de Or”.

We realise this is a late commitment that has been caused by us not being able to communicate with the site during the winter months. We have been able to obtain a price for pitches to include electricity at £210 based on an exchange rate of 1.12 to the pound for the 14 nights that does represent very good value. This of course could alter to the rate applicable at the time transfers are made. There will of course be some content for the rally and the extra cost given on our return that will depend on what we can arrange on our visit.

Last year the prices for Ferry crossings were very competitive on the DFDS Newhaven to Dieppe route and that does appear to be favourable with our enquiries made recently, worth a try !.

We plan to limit the rally to 20 units and would be pleased to hear from you to register an interest as soon as possible in order that we can reserve sufficient number of pitches on our visit.

Please contact us as you wish, by e-mail ronward3@outlook.com, 01767 681920 or mobiles 07801 341406 or 07944 766917

Ron and Maureen Ward

At the recent February committee meeting Rose Wasley was co-opted onto the committee as Area 4 ACM.

The club also welcomed a new officer into the role of Editor – Ray Williams (George Wilms on Facebook). Both Rose and Ray’s contact details can be found on the website under the ‘Who’s Who’ section.

The committee look forward to working with them both and welcome them into their respective roles.

Elaine Baker, Secretary

There are still plenty of places available for this 5 night rally in a nice part of the country on the site of a 17th century watermill. Some of the remaining places have 16A EHU available.

A detailed list of local attractions and nearby places to visit is available HERE.

Webmaster on behalf of the Marshals

As requested by members to assist potential marshals, a new facility SOC PAST RALLIES is now available to view basic details of all the SOC rallies from 1971 onwards. This can be accessed via the RALLY INFO menu of the Members’ Area.

The historical rally data we have available, courtesy member Dave Coller, covers all rallies from the first one in 1971 up to the end of 2022 and will be refreshed annually.

Please treat this data as a reference guide only when looking for potential rallying venues. If you make an enquiry to a site and the information is found to be incorrect please inform the webmaster for listing amendment.
The information shown for each rally venue was accurate at the time the rally was run, over the years there may have been changes to site details/facilities etc or the site may no longer exist!

Webmaster

It is with deep sadness and much regret, that due to Alan’s increased mobility and breathing problems, we very reluctantly had to stop caravanning and sell our beloved caravan, and as such will no longer be full SOC members.  We will however, due to membership time and number of past rallies attended, become Honorary Life Members of the Club. 

Alan has volunteered his services to continue as Marketing Officer and as Rally Book editor, so we will not be totally excluded. 

Being an SOC member has given us a great deal of pleasure over the years with many very happy memories and friendships made, which will still continue. And we also intend to pay a visit to a future rally nearby at some time when possible. Many thanks to All for making our time with the Club so enjoyable.

Best regards and thanks to All,

Alan and Carol Druce

I was very sad to hear that Honorary Life Member Geoff Rowe passed away last Tuesday (28th February) after a few days in hospital, just two weeks before his 90th birthday.

Back in 1971 Geoff and his wife Anne, from York, responded to an advertisement in Practical Caravan suggesting a meeting of Swift caravan owners with a view to forming an Owners’ Club. Geoff and Anne, along with 41 other couples, attended the meeting and that’s where the Swift Owners’ Club began.

Geoff and Anne are the only current members who attended the very first SOC rally at Alton Towers in August 1971. They rallied regularly over the years until they retired from caravanning and became an Honorary Life Members.

Geoff’s funeral will be held at York Crematorium, Bishopthorpe Road, Middlethorpe, York YO23 2QD on Monday 13^th March at 11am.

John Brailsford, President