Wessex Group lives!

[Keith Bennett]

As I write this, the day after Mark and Teresa Johnson's spring picnic (what else to call it? the resurrected Wessex Group meeting, the new Penton Mewsey gathering - such snappy titles!), the house is being shaken by ferocious winds and heavy rain interspersed with brief spells of sunshine. Yesterday by comparison was fine, dry and blessed with a gentle breeze. Some of the ex-Wessex Gang had foregathered at the village hall in Penton Mewsey (just a mile or two northwest of Andover in Hampshire) to renew old friendships. We'd travelled from a wide area encompassing southern England and Wales, so were grateful for the fine weather.

Seven A40s turned up, along with several moderns; the hall and its grounds give considerably more space than did our original venue at Chilworth and we did all wonder whether the inhabitants who live around the cul-de-sac there were wondering where we'd got to! Tea, cake and biscuits were provided; an honesty box was standing by for donations to the cause but it became obvious that our numbers couldn't fully cover the cost of the hall. Although there are existing monies held in a building society account for the Wessex Group maintained by the late Terry Smith, the inevitable delay obtaining probate means a temporary shortfall.

Mark and Teresa are maintaining the traditional Wessex dates of April and the second Sunday in October - but full details of the next meet will appear in the September FN - and we're all so grateful to them for continuing Terry's vision.

caption if needed: Derek Minter photographed by Bar in Gab, our A40, maintaining a swift progress towards the A34 in his A40 in a 40 mph zone!

[austina40sam]

Great to see you Keith and Bar. It was a super day and so good to see everyone once again. Look forward to the next meeting! Glad you got back OK.

[scotty]

Great turnout.