Reports AGM 2003 Finlake, Dartmoor, Devon

The 2003 AGM was a Westcountry Weekend Wander based at Finlake holiday park, Dartmoor, Devon. 9th,10th,11th May

Following report by club member -Terry Coldicott

The 25th anniversary of the Cabrio club suggested a rather good AGM would be in order. As anticipated Chris & Barbara Timms with the help of Keith & Jo Lanham, Martin & Blanche Adams and Linda & Burt Farthing did not disappoint us, putting on a superbly organised event. This AGM is the one during the 25th Year of the club’s life but is actually our 24th AGM. We had a total of 78 Adults and 15 Children attending. This AGM at “Finlake” near Chudleigh is the first to be held in Devon. We had a total of 31 Cabrios there. This included 4 Belgian Cabrio Club Cabrios and 11 people from Belgium.

The weekend provided a busy schedule of activity. After we had all settled our selves in at the excellent Finlake holiday park accommodation -(Some people stayed in the Log Cabins others were in Mobile home /caravans and a few camped in either their own tents or in their campers) on the Friday afternoon many of the members and their families met for a relaxed evening drink at the club house bar. A chance to meet friends new & old & discuss the week ends forthcoming itinerary.



It was a damp early 9.30am start on Saturday morning, some of us feeling a little tender after the previous nights joviality. The supplied pack of info., provided excellent route instructions guiding us across remote Dartmoor roads. Unfortunately we were unable to take in much of the beauty of this countryside due to the low cloud cover, hanging thick as a heavy fog. The mornings route took us through Bovey Tracey onto stop offs at Widdecombe on the moor & Dartmeet. The mornings tour of Dartmoor ended at Princetown where we were provided lunch at Lords restaurant. It turned out that the owner proprietor was an ex - VW salesman who had bought & sold many beetles during his past dealership days.

While we all tucked in to our food inside the restaurant, the Cabrio’s out on the car park were being inspected by the Judges for the usual cup awards. It was intended to make the presentations after lunch at the restaurant but as lunch took longer than anticipated it was decided to move the presentations to after the evening buffet. As we departed the skies cleared to provide glorious sunshine for the rest of the day. We made our way back to Bovey Tracey via a different route to that taken to Princetown this time we were able to take in much more of the Dartmoor scenery.

Our next stop was a visit to the Cardew Tea Pottery where a multitude of strange & unusual shaped teapot's were on display. For a small charge you could buy & paint your own teapot /ornament. This attraction proved extremely popular with many of the children in our group not to mention several of the adults too! Afternoon tea and cakes were provided in the Café area of the Pottery.

A short walking distance from the Tea Pottery took us to the House of Marbles Museum. Many of the exhibits were fascinating display mechanism’s operated by rolling marbles that could only be described as ‘feats of engineering’ Also on display were a vast array of assorted marbles & marble memorabilia. After the museum tour it was time to make our way back to Finlake, some via a further drive across the moors to once again enjoy the fine weather & beauty of the scenery.

Saturday evening consisted of an excellent sit down buffet style meal. The quality of food provided was very good! The children were treated to their own tea party before hand.
After the Adults meal, presentations were made as follows:-
The “concourse” awards went to Rob Loughrey for the 1303 class, Chris Timms for the Flat Screen Class. Bill Bailey won the Modified award. The non-club member Cabrio award went to Jordain Notte SGH 787 a 1303 Cabrio from Belgium.

For those that had the energy a disco & entertainment were on hand in an adjacent function room, though many of the club preferred to stay-put socialising in the restaurant-bar area well into the early hours.

Sunday morning saw the 24th AGM meeting. Many new members were voted on to the committee, these included Judd Hadley as the new Chairman, and committee members Andrew Inston, Keith Lanham, Nick Fry, Philip Soleil and Bill Bailey. Reports were given by club officers; these are available on request for those who did not attend, if required.

Barbara Timms stepped down from the committee retiring as Chairman. The club thanked Barbara for her excellent contribution and dedication she had given to the club over the years in her roles as Membership Secretary, committee member and Chairman.. A presentation was made to Barbara, by Phil Cushway who presented her with a bottle of champagne and a pot plant. Retiring committee member Graham Pearce was also presented with a bottle of wine.

Amongst matters discussed at the meeting were- should the club accounts be independently audited by an external accountant, ‘The future direction of the club’ ‘The need for more assistance from the membership’ to enable the club to continue functioning to the standard we have all become accustomed. Also proposed at the meeting was the suggestion of opening the club to include the New Beetle Cabrio. into the membership in an attempt to help swell the membership & bring new blood to the committee. This latter proposal sparked much debate from the attendants of the meeting with strong opinions being voiced from both those in favour & those opposed to this suggestion. It was therefore decided that this decision should be put to the whole membership in the form of a ballot (see separate articles on this matter in this issue).

After the AGM business meeting the bright sunny weather allowed for an enjoyable ‘hoods down’ convoy drive to Buckfast Abbey. The party was split into two groups each group was taken on short journey aboard a period bus to the ‘Valiant Soldier’. The ‘Valiant Soldier’ is an old pub that is preserved inside as a museum piece in its late ‘40’s early ‘50’s style. The Pub had been discovered in 1998 & had remained unchanged in its period style with most of it’s pre- & post ww2 features still intact since it’s closure by the brewery in 1966.

After our journey back to the Abbey, we stepped off the buses to be served a most welcome treat of Cornish pasties & sausage rolls. We were then left to explore the Abbey & grounds at our leisure, meeting up later for a cream tea in the Abbey’s café where further presentations were made as follows:- AGM organisers, Barbara & Chris Timms, Keith & Jo Lanham, Martin & Blanche Adams and Linda & Burt Farthing were thanked by the new Chairman Judd Hadley and presented with bottles of wine and a boxes of fudge. I was awarded a bottle of bubbly for being the 25th person to arrive for a cream tea (how easy was that?). Amy Inston, the two Miss Cushways and Mark Forrest were all presented with prizes for being particularly helpful with the younger children over the weekend. Wolfgang Brys was the furthest foreign traveller and was presented with an ornamental tea pot and Judith Smith and Alan Aspden tied with exactly the same mileage for furthest travelled in the UK they were presented with glass paper weights. Phil Cushway presented Phil Abbott, a founder member, with a bottle of Tonic Wine, hoping that it would help keep him going for the next 25 years! For many it was now the end of a great weekend and they said their good bye's. For those staying on Sunday evening a cruise of Torquay was organised consisting of 11 Cabrios The outward journey to Torquay was managed with ‘hoods down’ most of the way. A large group of the party stayed in Torquay for an evening meal in an Italian restaurant.

Terry Coldicott