Abingdon Works Centre Awards Dinner - Saturday 4th April 2009
The 2009 Awards Dinner, held on April 4th, was again held at the Steventon House Hotel, former home of MG racer George Eyston. However, under new ownership since last year, substantial improvements to the Reception and Bar areas greeted us as we walked through the door creating a much fresher and spacious look. After greeting friends, old and new, in the friendly atmosphere the new look has generated, we were called for dinner and ushered, drinks in hand – remembering that the step down into the dining room is still there – into our own dining room.
After a splendid meal – if anything the standard of the food has improved under the new owners – we were entertained by guest speaker Mike Allison, the "original Pre-War MG Man". Mike, one of the founders of the Triple-M Register, was its original Secretary, from 1961-71 and also Chairman for 25 years, retiring in 2001, when he was honoured with the title "Honorary Life President". In his 50 years of MG Car Club
membership, he’s been involved in many capacities and he spoke of his personal associations with MGs and the Car Club and how he first became involved.
The final formal part of the evening was the presentation of the three trophies and Mike had kindly agreed to present two of them. The first, the John Thornley Trophy, is awarded for the highest placed Centre member at a Silverstone Autotest, with this being the 50th year it’s been awarded. The 50th winner was Rob Higgins and Mike presented Rob with his trophy. The second is the Ron Gibson Trophy, awarded to the highest placed Centre member in the Triple M Handicap race at Silverstone who, this year, was John Dutton, so it was perhaps fitting that he should receive his trophy from the Triple M Register President.
The third trophy, the Charlton Award for Centre Member of the Year, is decided upon by the Centre Committee from nominations received from the Natters, and is given for services to the Centre during the year. As those assembled were told, this year was a particularly difficult choice since all were very worthy nominations.
However, when the votes were counted there was a clear winner, Mike Parker. Mike was unable to attend the dinner and in his absence his long-standing friend Dave Cato accepted the award on his behalf from Bill and Heather Charlton, the award's donors.
The trophy was later presented to Mike at the Dog House Natter at the end of April.
This concluded the formal parts of the evening, but there were still stories to swap and tales to tell before the realisation dawned that it was getting late and for those staying the night at the hotel, bed was beckoning whilst for others the journey home could not be put off any longer. It was, therefore, another late night at the Steventon House Hotel with promises exchanged to do it all again next year!
Text: Richard Martin
Photos: Gill Martin
