Event Reports
short reports of events, holidays and shows enjoyed
by our members
in the past four months.
The main aim of CA7C is to encourage members to drive their 'Sevens' whenever
possible, even throughout the winter months when, surprisingly, quite a few
members do enjoy being out and about on the colder winter-time runs. However, we do draw the
line on the very wettest of days as there is no point driving in bad weather
with the non-optional water entry around the ill-fitting windows and doors!
Mostly we are able to enjoy warm, sunny days with Cornwall's splendid inland and
coastal scenery at its best whatever the season of the year.
These edited reports were written by
members and are taken from our monthly magazine, Seven Focus.
Gez Parton and 'Josie' the Red
Pearl - 26 July
In early March this year, we first heard of
Gez Parton’s declared intention of travelling around the UK raising
money for the R.N.L.I., in his 1935 Pearl Cabriolet. Not only was it a
marathon journey in aid of a good cause, but the route involved
travelling the length of Cornwall from the North Devon border to Lands
End, having started off that morning from Lynton on day twenty-four of
his marathon (26th July). Some time previously a group of us had
decided to shepherd Gez and Josie down the county, from the border north
of Bude, to a convenient handover location in Mid-Cornwall.

Having ascertained from Gez his route was to be down the A39 from
Bideford, a call to our Events Secretary resulted in the plan to meet
him in a convenient layby just inside Devon, and escort him and Josie as
far as the service area at Carland Cross. From there, both would come
under the care of the ‘Western Territory Members’ of CA7C to take him
on, hopefully as far as Land’s End and beyond to his accommodation later
that day. With major delays on the A30 due to the road imoprovements
the change-over venue was changed.
Four members in their various Sevens met Gez, but three cars met with
problems so only one was able to escort Gez and Josie to Goonhavern
Garden Centre. Five Sevens from the west Cornwall members were
waiting at the garden centre to meet up. So after Gez had a swift
coffee stop, we were on our way. Through Perranporth, St Agnes,
Porthtowan, Portreath, then on down the north coast road to Hayle. By
this time the rain had set in.
After
a comfort stop at Asda it was on to the outskirts of St Ives and on down
the coast to Pendeen via Zennor. Following the twisting road through St
Just and on to a very wet and dismal Land’s End. Gez got a photograph of
Josie in front of the sign post for proof. Then we all set off again for
Gez to stop overnight with friends in Nancegollen. The rest of us to our
own, warm and dry homes. By the time you read this Gez should have
completed his quest to visit many of the lifeboat stations around the
coast and hopefully raised a bob or two to help in their good work.
Wednesday Wander
A recent Wednesday Wander saw the
group visit a past Chairman/Events Secretary who is suffering from poor
health and is no longer active. After sharing many memories the
group departed for a run and picnic on North Cliffs.


Annual Rally - 25 June
Some thirty 'Sevens' gathered at HPF with the cars parked around the
edge of the field below the house. Here is where the day looks up,
as all of us who were there know how well the gathering went.
Looking out over Stithians Reservoir, occasionally sheltering under the
gazebos for a brief shower in between the June sunshine, a good time was
had by all as we enjoyed a few games with our cars and then a BBQ and
picnic lunches were downed before a fun quiz. Although maybe questions
such as “What was the diameter of the brake drums prior to Sep 1926?”
were perhaps a little over egged.


An autojumble enabled a few members to pick up a much needed part.
A Cornish cream tea was provided mid-afternoon.

A few of the Club awards had been resurrected after many years and
awarded to “Driver of the Year”; “Breakdown of the Year”:
and a special “Lack of Petrol” award for running out of fuel several
times! Finally the Secretary thanked everyone who had helped with
the running of ther event and to the hosts - a really great day.
Frogpool Fete - 24 June
. . . . . or to give it its proper title: Gwennap Parish Community Fete,
was on the Saturday immediately before the Club Rally. Having been asked
by the fete organisers to bring my Austin and try to find some more to
‘pop in’, it was good to turn out five in total.

During the day the excellent Double Bounce provided a soundtrack of pop
covers, although the volume was a little too high for real enjoyment.
There were a variety of stalls and the WI working hard making teas and
coffees and serving cakes. After six o’clock, the stalls shut down and
many people departed. The evening entertainment was by Ritzy Belles who
sang a collection of war-time melodies and then progressed through to an
encore at 8.30 pm (half an hour past the official finish!) of Abba
numbers. The Belles were initially dressed in American-style wartime
uniform and then swapped to fifties-style frocks in the interval. A good
little local event.
Sevens at the Lake - 11 June
A few years ago, our Events Secretary was asked by the
proprietor of the Lakeside Cafe in Helston, if he could arrange for a
gathering of Sevens by the lake as a public attraction. Several
members agreed to go along with their cars to display them and be
available to talk to anyone who showed an interest.

This year eight Sevens made their way to the boating lake and lined up
facing the cafe with 'drip mats/trays' placed accordingly. It was a very
pleasant few hours, slightly hazy, so not too hot to sit about in.
A steady stream of people came to look at our cars and talk about
them. The value of a written potted history of a car was obvious by the
number of people who stopped by to read them.
The icing on the cake, if that's the correct expression for a cream tea,
came when a couple of the café staff came over with trays of scones,
cream and jam, plus cups of tea for all of us. A very kind gesture, much
appreciated by everyone.
Lifton D-Day Weekend - 6 June
The invitation by the landlord of “The Fox and Grapes” of Lifton, a Club
member, saw nine Austin Sevens, mostly CA7C members, turn up for the
1940s weekend: a two - day extravaganza. Five members turned up
early in the week and stayed on a camp site very close to the village.
On Friday a run was arranged to drive through the lanes to Okehampton
Castle where a picnic was enjoyed by the river. After that there was a
‘back lane’ drive to North Tawton for ice cream and then a run back to
the pub in Lifton for tea.



The Saturday started at 10am when the Austins had the pride of place
parking on the pub garden. During the day various displays of military
equipment and vehicles were on display. The landlord wanted to honour those that served on that epic day eighty
years ago. Bagpipes played in the afternoon on the lawn to honour the
late Bill Millin, known as “Piper Bill”, the lone piper who played while
under fire during the landings in Normandy, June 1944.




In the evening the 'Hummingbirds' played various 1940s numbers in the
Coronation Hall beside the pub, which was decorated as a NAAFI
Canteen, where many were dressed in period costumes.
Sunday started a little later, and was a run out to Lydford Gorge for
coffee, through the lanes and then back to “The Fox and Grapes”. A
bugler played the last post at 3pm followed by the Lords Prayer and a
two-minute silence. The afternoon finished by one of the exhibitors firing
blanks from various guns from that period and then there was music on
the lawn.