Days of Glory, Brookes University - Thursday 2nd March 2006

Several months ago we were contacted by some Oxford Brookes Hospitality students who, for their final year event project, had decided to lay on a social gathering of MG enthusiasts and asked if we could help with advice and material.

We arranged a meeting at one of our Natters, and fairly readily agreed that the enthusiasm in these young people was akin to the enthusiasm held by MG club members, especially those volunteers who prepare events for others.

In their case, however, there was a benefit if it went well - with the examiner being present on the night, the marks would count heavily towards their degree, and provide something different for their CVs.

Many meetings and e-mails later, we arrived as guests on the night at the Brookes Restaurant, on campus. Many guests had driven there in MGs helping to provide the representative display of a car for each decade of MG history sought by the team. This sort of thing is always difficult to achieve, especially on a very cold early March night, and due credit to those Club members who braved it including one from Kent.

Arrivals were soon regaled with drinks and canapés, but the examination of cars outside was of necessity short lived, in favour of the warmth of the restaurant with a jazz duo playing beneath a large screen bearing film of MGs in action.

The first step was a quiz where everyone soon mingled while examining twelve pictures and trying to choose the correct caption for each – some were MG oriented and some local knowledge. The prize was a hamper of local foods.

The local Oxford theme continued with the meal which included succulent local beef fillet and was followed by an Oxford marmalade bread pudding... mmmm.

Back to the MG theme - Simon Pedrazzini gave a speech about the MG brand, starting in Oxford, and followed this through the Abingdon years, although the time allowed  perhaps showed a distinct lack of understanding by the organisers of the depth of MG history, so it is to be hoped that marks were not lost for the overrun of 10 minutes past the allotted time.

John Venables was the lucky winner of the hamper for getting the highest marks in the quiz.

The organisation was quite superb, down to MG silhouettes on each table depicting table numbers, and an array of MG models in the bar plus a huge blow-up photo of the MGB production line in Abingdon with two line workers and a roadster in relief.

Well done to the Brookes team of Nia, Emily, Charlie, Mark and Simon who succeeded in putting on an event enjoyed equally by MGCC and MGOC members.

We hope they continue their interest in MGs and entertaining enthusiasts into their careers.

Click here for full-size photos


Text:Simon Pedrazzini