Greetings to all Northern Club Members,

Let me start with an apology for the absence of the August newsletter. As many of you know, the newsletter is compiled and published by Patrick in his spare time. Unfortunately, he was among those hit by the flu last month, which prevented the publication.

But that means this month we have a bumper edition! It’s been a busy couple of months, highlighted by the National Indaba, held from September 3rd to 5th at the Houw Hoek Hotel. They say what happens at the Indaba, stays at the Indaba, but the news we can definitely not leave out, is that Robin Clarke was voted in as the new national chairman of the MG club. Congratulations to Robin, may you take the MG family in South Africa from strength to strength! At award time, Shaun, Stephen Grover (and family) got the first place in the driving tests. Albert Spangenberg was on the podium with his MGA in the tops competition, while Ron Daintree was awarded a silver award for his MGB in the concours d’Etat competition. Richard and Avril’s TF was the Modern that most of the voters wanted to drive home. Well done everybody, you flew the Northern Centre flag high. The idea with all the competitions is to get each of the centres to build camaraderie and at the end of the Indaba the Cape Centre was awarded as overall winners. Our thanks to the Cape Centre for a superbly organised event with wonderful facilities and magnificent roads.

Summer came early this year, and our August club night was a fantastic gathering with a great turnout. Special thanks to Shaun, Leen, Egmondt, and Mariè for the delicious burgers! Even with the power outage, the lively atmosphere and full clubhouse made the hum of the generator fade into the background, as the night was filled with chatter and laughter.

August was full of memorable moments. Shaun kicked things off at the Noggin by sharing stories about Leen’s MGA. While the car may not be a concours example, they are making the most of it—creating memories both on club activities and their own road trips. In August, we also held our annual gymkhana at a new venue. Big thanks to Shaun and Leen for hosting us on their smallholding, and for the marcellous pizzas that they made on the spot. While Shaun initially prepared the arena for Cleà’s horse riding, it turned out to be the perfect spot for some “riding” of a different kind! William claimed the title for the best time around the “track.” Next year, we might have to come up with a plan to level the playing field and encourage more competition!

In September, we had Mervyn showcase his beloved MGB GT, the “Grey Lady.” at the Noggin. This stunning car, with its rich history within the Northern Centre, has provided countless joyful driving hours for both Mervyn and the late Peter Noeth.

The club night had fewer attendees, but it’s always a pleasure to come together, no matter the reason. With a boerewors roll in one hand and a drink in the other, we quickly set aside any end-of-the-year blues, replacing them with laughter and stories from the Indaba at Houw Hoek Inn.

Due to the public holiday, we moved our monthly run to the last weekend of the month, which coincided with the annual “Distinguished Gentleman’s Drive.” This on-road motoring event unites classic cars built 40 years ago or older and encourages participants to dress dapper and drive for a cause—raising funds for prostate cancer and men’s mental health. A few of our club members joined the drive, showing their support for this important initiative.

As we head into the heart of spring, there’s plenty more to look forward to. Stay tuned for upcoming events!

Octagonally,

Bernard