Items for the Members News section
Can I please request that anyone who is unable to attend the rally but is coming just for the meeting to let me know. This is very helpful to ensure speedy registration on the door. You can email me at val@thebrailsfords.com or contact me by any other means that you normally have contacted me by.
NOTE TO ALL MEMBERS ATTENDING THE MEETING : Please ensure you have your membership sticker available. This can be either in your Rally Book or on your phone.
Val Brailsford
AGM Registration Officer
The funeral details for Mick Bradford are below. Lou would love to see as many SOC friends there as possible.
There is a GoFundMe link at the end of this post for donations in Mick’s memory. Details of a live link for those unable to attend the service in person will be provided shortly.
Thank you to Jenne Essam & Hilary Farrow for assisting with this information.
If you are able to attend then can you please email (or Facebook Messenger) to Hilary Farrow who will collate the SOC names for the family. This is always important for catering purposes.
Hilary’s email address is threelanterns@icloud.com
Funeral details:
Date: Wednesday 7th May 3pm
Dress code: Black
Family flowers only
Location: Basildon & District Crematorium (Pitsea Crematorium)
Church Road, Bowers Gifford, Basildon, SS13 2HG
Wake: Beefeater Haywain, High Road, Fobbing, Stanford-le-Hope, SS17 9NR
Donations in memory of Mick: Mick’s wishes were to raise money and donate to Cancer Research UK and St Luke’s Hospice. This will be split 50/50. https://gofund.me/2030ae44
John Brailsford, President
Although it’s after the published final booking date, it’s not too late as there is still space on the field with electric hook-ups and you will be made most welcome; the rally is open for entries up the 1st May.
There’s plenty going on each evening including one night of professional entertainment. There is also a Street Party planned for the Monday afternoon to celebrate VE Day 80. In the first instance please contact the lead marshals, Ron & Maureen Ward, if you would like to attend.
There is a special booking form for this rally in the Spring edition of Going Places or you can download one from this website HERE. Marshal’s contact details and payment details are on the form.
Webmaster
To ensure you get a plaque for the rally please book by tonight as the closing date for the AGM entries is today 14th April 25. However, there is space on the field with electric hook-ups if you wish and we will be delighted to welcome you to the rally. Plaques may be available after the closing date and the rally is open for entries up the 1st of May.
It is a great weekend so come along and support YOUR Club.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Ron and Maureen, Rally Marshals
Sadly, Honorary Life Member Mick Bradford passed away last night.
Mick and Lou had been members of the SOC for 24 years but sadly had to give up caravanning just a few years ago due to Mick’s declining health. Mick was a keen fisherman and won the Catch 22 fishing competition many times.
I believe the last time we had the pleasure of their company on a rally was at Drax Power Station beer festival rally in March 2020. That was the last SOC rally before Covid shut the world down. I will always think of Mick whenever I play the 20p blocks game on a rally. He made a set for Val and I and for several other marshals.
They were a lovely friendly couple and always a pleasure to be with. They made many lifelong friends in the club and he will be sadly missed by all members who had the privilege of knowing him and the pleasure of his company.
All Mick’s family were by his bedside to say goodbye. Our thoughts are with Lou and all the family at this very sad time.
I will publish the funeral details here in the Members’ News as soon as I have them and Hilary Farrow will be collating numbers of attendees once details are known.
R.I.P. Mick
John Brailsford, President
As many of you may already be travelling in the EU or have plans to travel shortly, please read the latest UK government information on restrictions before you travel home to avoid Foot & Mouth disease arriving in the UK.
No meat or dairy products to be imported.
Val Brailsford
If you are not attending the AGM Meeting on May 3rd and you would like your apology recorded, please email including your name/s and membership number to the club Secretary:
secretary@swift-owners-club.com
Thank you.
Elaine Baker. Hon Secretary.
Yesterday a meeting was held at Swift headquarters with Martin Hailey, National Dealer Development Manager, and Joanne Mitchell, Marketing Director. In previous years, the annual meetings between the Swift Group and associated clubs have been on an individual club basis. This year, for the first time, all the six associated clubs were invited to a single meeting. This was very productive and a great networking opportunity for clubs to help one another and for Swift themselves to hear the concerns owners’ clubs are facing.
SOC representatives were me (President) & my wife Val , Ron (Chairman) & Maureen Ward , Elaine (Hon Secretary) & Colin Baker and Gareth Roberts (Marketing Officer).
We were given a very informative presentation about the Swift business overview and feedback statistics from the October NEC show.
From the discussions during the updates from each club, future planning and Swift support, there was clearly a lot of knowledge and experience in the room and it became apparent that it would be of benefit to us all to share some of it.
It was clear that as clubs, we all have the same issues in attracting new members and maintaining a full and appealing rally programme for all members.
There will be a short survey form available on this website for downloading in due course. A hard copy for completion will also be available at the AGM and on other forthcoming rallies. Completion of the survey will enable you as SOC members to receive exclusive perks from Swift by registering with the Swift Group as club members.
Sorry no discounted caravans or motorhomes I’m afraid!
John Brailsford, President
This 7 night rally will be held at Searles Leisure Resort in March 2026.
For the benefit of newer members:
Links to the full details and booking forms (Word or PDF) can be found in the UK Holiday Rallies section of the website.
Holiday Rallies (at home and abroad) can open bookings up to 18 months in advance with the date being at the discretion of the marshals.
All other rallies cannot be booked until the given date in January 2026
Webmaster
Members please be aware that there will be major traffic disruption around the Coventry / Warwick area from 8pm on Friday 11th April until 6am on Thursday 1st May. The A46 between Coventry and Kenilworth will be closed in both directions at this time. This information has recently been released. As well as the closure, traffic in the surrounding area is also likely to be hugely disrupted.
Those attending the Easter Rally at Greenhills will be impacted, but so too will anyone using this major route to attend other rallies.
Although there will be signed diversions, huge disruption is anticipated by those who live in the area.
One major bottleneck would be when travelling from the north on the M1. It would be best to avoid the M69 as this changes to become the A46 and will take you in to the middle of the chaos. It would be worthwhile taking the M42/M40 around the NEC.
Anyone who uses the A46 in Coventry should plan an alternative route, and allow plenty of additional time. The A46 closure will affect all traffic moving from the M1/M6/M69 to join the M40 at Warwick. There are no easy local alternatives.
Dave Timothy
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:
3,4,5,6,7,16,22,27, 34,HR61
For any queries, please contact the Rally Marshal, Webmaster
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