Police World Edition 2 2013

South End School in Rushden, Northamptonshire, was the venue for the final Rally of 2012, or was it the first of 2013 - depends on your point of view? Either way this New Year Caravan and Camping Group Rally was attended by 22 members and guests of the group. A Hot Diggity 2012

L ong-time Group members and Rally organisers Albert and Ann Pursey, together with their guests, Eddy and Isabel, acted as our our hosts and Rally marshalls at this Root’n Toot’n Special Interest Group (SIG) event. The main event of the Rally was to ‘Shoot in the New Year’ in the Wild West. The school hall had been transformed into the Wild West - complete with the ‘Boot Hill’ graveyard and an Indian teepee which had been created by Albert and a few other members. The evening saw everyone transform into various characters including cowboys, indians, squaws and one attractive saloon girl. One squaw even had a young baby in a papoose. Strangely this child had been swapped for a rubber chicken by the end of the evening! Our meal was an ‘American Supper’ - a meal where everybody brings some food which is placed on a buffet table for all. This is quite a usual occurance at the Group’s rallies. Suitable music was played during the evening, with many dancing the night away. At around midnight the radio was turned on to listen for the chimes of Big Ben. We then celebrated the New Year in the traditional way with a rousing round of ‘Auld Lang Syne’. New Year’s Day saw a late start for most. However, three of our members had very kindly made an early start and had finished clearing up the hall before most of us even had one eye open, let alone two. It was all agreed it had been an excellent finale to a very enjoyable Rally. Throughout the previous days, when time allowed, we met in the school hall for a

Again, all we had to do was remember knives forks plates etc. I did remember this time! The after supper entertainment was the chance to win a bottle of whisky. The bottle was placed in the middle of the floor and participants rolled a £1 coin at it. The closest taking the prize. This is easier than it sounds when playing on a hard floor; if you rolled the coin fast enough to stay upright then it disappeared past the prize. The eventual winner actually hit the bottle and the coin fell over. This was all in a good cause as the proceeds were going to Brain Tumour UK, a charity close to Albert and Ann’s heart. One of our members, who makes jewellery, also donated her takings. At the end of rallies we hold ‘Flag’. This is a thank you to the organisers and to inform everyone of forthcoming rallies and other updates. As the Group’s Treasurer, I thanked Albert, Ann, Eddy and Isabel for their hard work. I then passed on best wishes for the New Year on behalf of the Group’s Chair, Mike Paxton, and Secretary, Kevin Hullah, who had been unable to attend. The latter due to needing a new clutch, probably due to the number of rallies he attends. I then had the pleasure of presenting Albert and Ann’s daughter Nicky, with a cheque for £51 for the Brain Tumour UK Charity.

Wednesday saw us packing up our wagons and travelling home, but not before saying goodbye and best wishes for the New Year ahead. Servo Per Amikeco. David Marchant, Caravan and Camping Group

David Marchant presents the cheque to Nicky

Howdee Partner

natter. Tea, coffee and biscuits were available, provided you remembered to bring your cups, (I didn’t). The hall was open during the days and evenings of the Rally. The ever present hot water urn together with various board games and a 1000 piece Jigsaw, made it a popular location to while away a moment. Despite many attempts the jigsaw remained unfinished!

Visit: www.ipa-uk.org/ Event-Catalog/Caravan-Camping- Group to find out what the Group has planned for 2013

Each day we were free to do our own thing and explore Northamptonshire. One group went to the Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne. Having visited, they said they would definitely be back at the end of August 2013 as a Rally has been planned there. Sunday evening we all met for a supper provided by the ever present Albert and Ann.

Barbara Marchant and Wendy Robson

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Police World Vol 58 No.2 2013