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Lucy

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Blog Entries posted by Lucy

  1. Lucy
    On Saturday 6th September I attended a track day organised by club member Carl Van Baars at my most local circuit in Llandow, Cowbridge (Bridgend). As I dumped my pink helmet (with fluffy bunny ears attached) into the boot of the car, the sun peeped out from behind the clouds and I hoped that the weather down South was as good as it was at home, especially as I had seen Facebook updates first thing relating to black skies and rain from the members camping at Llandow the night before.
     
    Llandow circuit started life as an airfield during World War II and is a little under a mile long, in a classic oval shape with tight chicanes and has plenty of good viewing spots for spectators as well as a café and toilet block. I think it is a perfect track for novices and the experienced alike and I was delighted to find when I got there that the sun was beaming, the track was dry and I was warmly welcomed by everyone.
     
    I was soon offered my first passenger ride of the day and hopped in the Seven, eager to feel the wind in my bunny ears! I was charging around the track pretty much non-stop for the next two hours. In some of the Seven’s I found that my feet didn’t reach the end of the foot-well and so as we would break heavily for the corners, I would feel myself dragged forward with just the harness holding me in place. Then I would be thrown violently to the left as we went into the corner, elbow bracing against the side panel and trying not to let my head exit the car, only to then be thrown swiftly over to the other side and then back to where I was, only it felt like someone was then tugging on my head from behind as we accelerated up to 100+ MPH on the straights. It was exhilarating and thoroughly enjoyable and I am very grateful to Carl, Mark Williams, Steve Grubb, Kevin Hodgin, John Valentine, Jonathan Evans and Danny Woolard for allowing me in their passenger seats!
     
    After a long afternoon of adrenaline pumping fun, a large group of us headed onto the curry house for dinner. It was a great chance to catch up with everyone and it wasn’t until I went to drive home that I realised that all the G-force I had endured was beginning to take its toll. The next day I felt like I had gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson! It was well worth it though and I had a great time. Many thanks to Carl for organising the day.
  2. Lucy
    It has been a very busy month in the office. The launch of the new website has created an influx of contact from members and it has been an exciting time learning all the aspects and mass of functionality of the new site. As the club grows, the new website will grow with it and I believe that the new site is a great window into club life and hopefully will increase new membership uptake. The forum has always been lively but the majority of new members came via the main club site which was unfortunately underused. Now the sites have been combined into one lively site, I think it gives a better reflection of how lively and diverse the club members are and shows how diverse the club is. After all there are many aspects to the club and I think each member gets a different experience out of the club to suit their requirements.
    My favourite aspects are the track days, blats and static displays at car shows. We recently went the Autumn Classic (dubbed the mini Silverstone Classic) held at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire. It was a beautiful day and we started off looking around the static displays. There was a large variety of classic cars and the Historic Lotus Register had a fairly big presence. I adore the classic cars and bikes, they have such character and once we have had our fill of the displays we went on the side of the hill to watch the classic racing. The noise was immense and it was great fun watching a number of spin offs, amazingly with no contact! As we headed back towards the other end of the track we noticed spectators were able to go on the track to view the one seater cars ready and waiting to race. We mingled amongst the cars and I managed to get a great photo of the car and the track looming ahead. I can only imagine the tension and excitement of waiting to race! We wandered up to the other end of the circuit and sat down to watch the last few races. On one of the final laps one of the car’s rear wheels came spectacularly flying off, our 3 year old daughter Hazel thought it was hilarious! Everyone was ok and we had a fantastic day.
    I have recently attended a Management Team meeting in Thame. There was an awful lot to discuss and 20 people present including some club members. The meeting was productive and went well. I always enjoy seeing everyone and no doubt some of the news from the meeting will be shared in Lowflying in due course. The next event for me is the Annual Area Representative meeting on 22nd November on Thame. It is always a lively event with around 60 ARs present. It can be a little difficult to minute due to the number of people present but I thoroughly enjoy it and meeting the current ARs.
  3. Lucy
    It’s just starting to sink in that Christmas is nearly upon us! We are busy in the office processing the 25% of memberships that are due for renewal on 1st January. We write to members around a month and a half before the renewal date to advise of the membership fee and ask for payment. As you may already know, the club are holding the membership fees again next year and so a 12 month membership is still available for under £50!
    I think the membership is great value for money with club events like track days, blats, static displays at car shows, the ‘International’ and the speed championship as well as this well produced and interesting monthly magazine, an array of member exclusive deals and discounts, local monthly meetings and most recently a new website with club forum. I am enjoying finding my way around the new site, uploading photos and blogs, adding content to the web pages and we have seen a very healthy number of new members joining of late. Considering most of our members find us online, the website is a vital tool for recruiting new members and it seems to be working.
    I recently attended the yearly AR meeting in Thame on 22nd November. As always, the meeting was lively with over 50 people attending to include the Management Team and Area Representatives. It is a great opportunity to meet the new ARs and continue to build relationships with the long standing ones. The level of commitment and enthusiasm from the volunteers of the club always brings a smile to my face. There is no doubt that the club members reflect the personality of the Seven well – motivated, strong characters and a lot of fun!
    Please note, the office will be closed from mid-day Christmas Eve and re-open on 2nd January 2015 so please organise your renewal in plenty of time if you are due to renew on 1st January. Don’t worry too much if you forget as you will soon get a call form one of the ladies here to give you a nudge ;)
    All of us at Pink Angels Office Services wish you a very happy Christmas and a Seventastic New Year!
  4. Lucy
    Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed Christmas and had a good break. We had a lovely time and went out to our favourite curry house on Christmas day. Hazel was spoilt with presents (as all 4 year olds are) and it was nice to have some quality family time.
    With the new year comes a large number of membership renewals (and renewal chasing) as well as the next Management Team Meeting on 24th January, which I enjoy.
    I am looking at the club diary to see what is on in the coming year. I already have Silverstone Classic in my diary and am hoping for some offers of passenger rides on some of the more local blats and track days (cheeky I know!). I really enjoyed the Taffia Fish & Chip run last year organised by the South Wales group as well as the Autumn Classic event at Castle Combe. Let’s hope the summer is as good as (or better than) 2014 and there is plenty of warm sunshine, perfect for blatting!
    Hope to see you at an event soon.
  5. Lucy
    Thank you to all those that ordered Lowflying binders. We ordered 134 in the end and they arrived in bulk mid January. We had to work out the postage for numerous combinations of orders to be sent to both the UK and overseas and we have been busy contacting all those that placed an order to confirm delivery costs and to arrange payment. Unfortunately we don’t have any spare but the club usually advertises a bulk buy for the binders each winter so please look out in the magazine and on the club forum for any future bulk buy.
    I attended the Management Team meeting on 24th January in Thame, Oxford and it was good to get to know the new management team members, as there have been a number of changes recently. The club is always looking for volunteers and so if you think you could spare a few hours a week or month, please get in touch.
    It won’t be long until the beginning of the events season so we are gearing up for that! The office helps the Event Organisers by publishing the event details in the magazine and online, taking the bookings and payments and sending out any final instructions etc.
  6. Lucy
    The event season has started with a bang! From the second week in March we began taking bookings for the ever so popular Dunsfold Handling Day, Cadwell Park track day, speed championship registrations, Curborough and (for the second year running) Throckmorton. The bookings came flooding in and we were kept busy processing them and dealing with enquiries.
    I am sorry to miss Dunsfold Handling Day yet again this year, as we booked our holiday to West Wales last year before we knew the date. I understand that this will be Steve Mell’s last year organising the event. He has put in a lot of hard work to run this event for many years and I am sure that his efforts are much appreciated, especially as it is one of the most popular club events in the calendar.
    There are still places available on the Cadwell Park track day. It is an exclusive club member’s only event which is run as an open pit lane. Free track driving instruction is available on the day for those who would are attending for the first time or wish to improve their experience on track. The event is suitable for both beginners and advanced drivers. The booking form is in March edition of Lowflying or you can contact the office for a form.
    Throckmorton was a great success last year. It is an event suitable for all the family with cars on display (not just 7’s), catering on site, slalom course, drift area, auto jumble and more. It is a fantastic chance to meet up with the wider membership and make new friends! The booking form is in March edition of Lowflying or you can contact the office.
    The booking form for Brands Hatch GP is available in this edition of Lowflying and again we will be processing the applications and payment in the office. It is a prestigious track and again it will be a club exclusive track day with free track driving instruction. The event is suitable for both beginners and advanced drivers, so if you have not participated in a track day before it is a perfect opportunity!
     
  7. Lucy
    This month is a double celebration for me. Not only is it the 3rd birthday of my company Pink Angels Office Services, but I have also been Membership Secretary for the Lotus Seven Club for 7 wonderful years! Time has flown by and I am delighted to still be working for the club. Little did I know that my ‘job’ would turn into my passion and I would enjoy being a part of this fantastic club so much. I am delighted that Pink Angels has secured another 3 year contract providing admin support to the club so I have got a lot to look forward to.
    I recently attended the Abergavenny Toy Fair and right in the middle of stalls of old Barbie and Star Wars toys was a stunning 1932 Austin Ulster Replica. I immediately fell in love and began chatting to the owner. I could hardly believe that the little beauty was able to lap Brooklands at an average speed of 80mph, with top speeds approaching 140mph! 
  8. Lucy

    Sam's Blog December 2015

    By Lucy,

    I can’t believe we are nearly at the end of another fantastic year! These last 12 months have flown by and although I have not managed to attend as many club events as I would have hoped, I have had a great time both on and off track. The Autumn Classic at Castle Combe will become a regular event in my diary going forward with a great mix of classic cars, static displays, racing and stalls.
    We have had a busy year in the office and with the event season over, we are occupied processing 25% of the membership renewals, which are due for renewal on 1st January.
    2016 will see change in the club in the shape of a new Chairman and General Secretary as well as a number of other Management Team positions. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the current MT and have felt that they have been bold in their decisions to move the club forward in a positive way. I am excited to see the formation of the new Management Team which in turn will bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm needed to keep this club as vibrant as it is long term. Overall, the membership has been growing throughout the last year and all of us at Pink Angels Office Services love working for and serving the club and its members.
     I am looking forward to sifting through the club diary over the coming months in order to commit to a number of club events in 2016. I hope to see you there!
    From all of us in the office, we would like to wish you a brilliant Christmas and plenty of Seven related fun in 2016.
  9. Lucy
    On Saturday 16th April I woke up very excited, as I was going on the famous Leg and Hairy Taffia Fish and Chip run, a 280 mile round trip from Chepstow (South Wales) to the promenade in Aberdyfi (West Wales coast) with the Lotus Seven Club.
    As I pulled the curtain back, I stared in horror at the falling snowflakes that were the size of 2 pence pieces. My house, being situated at over 1,200 ft above sea level does have its own microclimate (cold and wet usually) and so my panic subsided, I was sure it would be glorious in Chepstow.
    As I got my (many) layers on, it dawned on me that the A465 road closure had been rescheduled for today and it was published as part of the route! I pinged a quick message to Alan (the orgnaiser), along with a photo of the snowfall (for maximum effect) and advised that a last minute adjustment to the route would be required.
    I left home with the snow still falling and now settling and headed 45 minutes down the mountain to Chepstow. On route, I found out that the member who had offered me a lift in his Seven had been in an accident in the snow (he was ok thankfully) and so I just hoped someone would offer me a lift when I got there. It was pretty chilly with patchy sleet and sunshine on arrival and I headed into the pub for a quick cuppa. I was warmly welcomed and member Julian Hart came up to me, introduced himself and offered me a ride in his Seven. I was very happy to accept (but made him confirm he had a screen on his Seven first!)
    Julian had travelled up with 2 fellow Seveners from his local group in East Sussex and we left in convoy. We travelled up through the stunning Welsh mountains and valleys, stopping for a cuppa and cake at a garage along the way. We arrived in Aberdyfi and I couldn’t help but delight in the Sevens parked up on the seafront carpark, bonnets gleaming in the sunshine with the stunning back drop of the colourful seafront buildings behind and in front, the golden sand, estuary and ocean beyond. There was a lot of chatting and laughing in the chip shop and I had the pleasure of meeting some more club members, some travelling from as far as Europe to join this fantastic day out. 
    The journey home was just as beautiful with every kind of weather the Wales has to offer: sunshine, wind, rain, hail and snow! Due to the A465 being shut, the diverted route excluded the amazing EVO route over Llangynidr moor. Having great knowledge of the local area because I travel these marvellous roads both on my commute to work and for pleasure on my motorbike, I thought I would treat my new friends and navigate them back to Abergavenny via this route, to which they were delighted.
    We got back to Abergavenny early evening and I was left happily exhausted by the adrenaline of the day. Many thanks go to Alan and the ‘Taffia’ for orgnaising the run and to Julian and his group for welcoming me and giving me a truly wonderful day!
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