Welly over – next stop – Cookham!

Well our weekend at Wellington Country Park is over and was very successful. 25 units had a great weekend and big thanks to Graham and June for stewarding and arranging such amazing weather. Next year will be our 50th year at Welly and we are planning a special weekend, keep watching for more information!

This coming weekend we are at Cookham, not for the weekend but until Wednesday! If you have never liked leaving on Sunday with all the church traffic you dont need to. There is a new entrance as well so it’s all good. Our ‘Happy Hour’ will take place on Saturday at 3.30pm weather permitting. Cookham is a great place with interesting shops and restaurants and is next to the river Thames. Come and join us and Sue and Steve who are stewarding with us.

Kevin

No camping at Southern Region AGM

The saga of soggy ground continues this spring!  The camping is  cancelled this weekend due to awaterlogged field.

The AGM is still going ahead as planned on Saturday 13th May at Greatham Village Hall, Petersfield Road, Greatham. GU33 6EY .  Doors open at 10.30am for a 11.00am start, with a Social Event afterwards for those that wish to stay.

EASTER MEET -ACTIVITIES FOR ALL THE FAMILY!!!

Fairthorne Manor has a number of Easter themed activities running over the weekend:-

  • Easter Chick Trail 1st-16th April: this starts and finishes at the café/reception at the campsite. £3 per child (aimed at under-10s)
  • Easter Farm Saturday 8th April 2pm-4pm: running from the marquee outside reception (£7 per child must be booked in advance as 30 mins farm slots
  • Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt 10th April 10.30am-12pm £16 per child £10 per adult
  • Free den building area in the woods beside the campsite 
  • Orienteering course (£2 per map)  available at all times and for all ages.
  • Craft hire on the river as the tides are favourable – times, prices and booking link here 
    You can also launch your own paddle boards kayaks etc but there is a launch fee per day.
    There are no specific teen only programmes, but a few options which families can do together.

More details of all activities  are here.

Southern Region celebrates 50 years!

Yes – the Region has reached its half century, and to celebrate is laying on an anniversary meet 6th – 10th July at Winchester Rugby Club.  4 days’ camping with live entertainment laid on.

Booking forms are available to download here.  For more info follow  the QR code. Pitches are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. First come first served!!!

Welcome to 2023

The days are getting longer, the excitement builds, the caravan, motor home, tent beckons. The new 2023 season is just weeks away!

13 sites/meets have been booked with a total of 72 nights. Our 2022 season was successful as you will find out if you go to our AGM at 2pm on the 4th February at Our Lady of Peace, Carl Barton Hall, 338 Wokingham Road, Reading RG6 7DA but we want 2023 to be even better. It is essential that we increase numbers at some of our sites or they will not be available to us in 2024.

With that in mind we are planning to make some of our meets more interesting by arranging events for you to hopefully enjoy. Remember that you don’t have to participate in anything arranged but there should be something during the year that interests you. If you can support the organisers though it would be greatly appreciated.

So the first half of the year looks like this:-

24th to 26th March – Dust the cobwebs off and come to Swiss Farm Henley. Cafes either side of the site, river walks and within walking distance of Henley with plenty of restaurants, pubs and shops. £14 pun.

6th to 10th April – Our Easter meet at a brand new site YMCA Fairthorne Manor, Curdridge, Southampton SO30 2GH. Easter activities for the children. Google it for full details (remembering its not peak season) but think a 100 acre countryside setting with licensed cafe, toilet and shower block, access to the river Hamble and marquee available at times. Manor Farm Historic Farm Yard and Park 5 miles, Marwell Zoo 8.5 miles. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Paultons Park both about 16 miles away. Bus stop, Botley train station and pubs within within easy walking distance. NO Electric Hook ups. Despite what you might read elsewhere it opens at 2pm. £17.50pun. Whilst the DA meet will finish on the 10th April I believe it will be possible for you to stay on, paying the site their normal site fees.

27th April to 2nd May – 5 nights at the always popular site at Somerley Lakes near Ringwood. Easy access to the South Coast and the beautiful New Forest. It is hoped to arrange a quiz night depending on weather and attendance. Price TBC

11th to 14th May – White Mark Farm, Watlington. A return to this beautiful area next to Watlington Hill, a National Trust Nature Reserve and Christmas Common. It is a slightly sloping site. We are planning a local Cheese and Wine tasting evening with a local supplier visiting to discuss the cheeses being sampled. We will need numbers nearer the time but after a low attendance last year we need your support (hence the cheese and wine blatant bribe!). Price TBC

26th May to 4th June – Pierrepont Farm, Telford. Despite the uncertainty over the site and possible sale we can confirm this meet is on! The nearby brewery is closing though and may not reopen. There are beautiful walks from this site and the next door Rural Life Centre and nearby Squires Garden Centre are well worth a visit. Frensham Ponds are within a couple of miles. It is hoped to hold a ‘Homemade’ event for members to participate in. What do you make at home that you want to show off? Homemade beer, wine, pickles, chutneys, cakes, bread, quiches, the list is endless. Bring anything ‘homemade’ but that doesn’t mean shelves, bookcases or even the kids (although they are welcome). This idea came about whilst I was drinking a members homemade wine with Roy our Chairman who shared with me that he makes his own beer. I will be bringing my own version of Baileys! Get the idea? Price TBC

9th to 11th June – Our Wellington Country Park weekend. Nothing I can say about this that you don’t already know but we have big plans for 2024! Price TBC

23rd to 28th June – An extended stay at Church Paddock, Cookham. With ‘Happy Hour‘ very likely to return this year we have always found it a bit of a rush so we have extended the stay to 5 nights. If you are not sure what ‘Happy Hour’ is then ask if anyone remembers but like the 1960’s if they say they do they probably weren’t there! Briefly though it is food and drink from and a quiz about somewhere in the world! Price TBC

Well I hope that this has grabbed your attention but clearly at this stage things might change or not happen. We will be looking for stewards for these and the rest of the years meets at our AGM so if there is a meet you would like to steward then that’s your first opportunity. You will not to be expected to run or organise any of the extra planned events but you can certainly get involved if you want.
So please support the DA in any way that you can but the best assistance you can give is to attend our meets and to bring any other friends that you might know who are also members of the club.

See you all soon

Kevin Heaver, Sites Officer
07974830123

RCBDA Skittles Evening 21st January 2023

After Christmas we thought we would organise something for the adult members.  (I won’t say grown ups, as some of us still have a way to go!)
A Skittles Evening has been booked at Pinewood Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road, Wokingham, RG40 3AQ.
We have exclusive use of the skittle room but share the bar which is in an adjacent room. Plenty of parking but no camping.
Please arrive for 6.30pm, skittles will start at 7pm and food will be served at 8pm. Food choices are:-
  • Beef Lasagne
  • Chilli and Rice
  • Vegetarian Lasagne
Salad and French Bread is included
It will cost £16.50 per head and there is a pay bar.
 
If you wish to attend please email ‘treasurer.rcbda@gmail.com’ with your names and food choices by the 13th January.  Kevin our treasurer will reply confirming your booking and provide you with our bank details so that you can pay in advance.

Christmas Party – 10th December

RCBDA invite you to their 2022 Christmas Party on Saturday December 10th at the Cornerstone Community Hall, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham, from 1900 till 2230.

Please bring your own food and drinks. There will be background music with games and a present for the children from Santa Claus. There will also be quizzes and a raffle.

Santa needs to know how many children will be coming so he can organise his elves to bring presents for them. Please let him know by text as soon as possible:- Roy Williams on 07402 173123 will pass the messages on to the North Pole.

IMPORTANT URGENT MESSAGE – Wallingford

Unfortunately I have just tested positive for Covid! Whilst Jackie is still clear it is not fair to expect her to steward on her own. As such there is no steward for the weekend and therefore the ‘DA meet’ must be cancelled! I have however spoken to the site owners and they are prepared to receive all of our members who have booked as ‘direct bookings’ at the same price. So you can all still go, just check in at the reception and pay them. It will not be a DA meet however.
Jackie will try and contact all those that have booked but if you see this message and were going please contact Jackie to save her the trouble.
Sorry that this has happened but as I have said before ’no stewards, no meets’.

Kevin Heaver