Author: <span>Chris Paton</span>

Tour

Spring Run 2024

Announcement.

Spring Run 2024. Tuesday 16th April – Friday 19th April 2024.

For the Spring Run in 2024, we have initially reserved 16 rooms at Slaley Hall Hotel Spa and Golf Resort, near Hexham, Northumberland. We decided at the board meeting on Tuesday 4th August to go for midweek since those taking part in the run are mainly retired and the rate midweek is substantially less than the rate for the weekend.

From Slaley Hall, Beamish, ” The Living Museum of the North”, Hadrian’s Wall and several other venues are readily reachable.

The cost for 3 nights dinner, bed and breakfast is £514.25 for double occupancy of a double or twin room and £422.45 for single occupancy. In each case a deposit of 25% is required for the booking (£130 for double occupancy and £105 for single occupancy). This will require to be sent A.S.A.P. since the hotel are holding the rooms for 4 weeks in the first instance and at that time bookings will require to be confirmed by the Association.

The entry fee for the Spring Run will be £65.00 per person which will include tea/coffee and filled roll at the start (location yet to be decided), Tuesday evening reception, wine with dinner each evening and entry to venues.

All monies are to be paid to the Association and NOT to the hotel.

Payment details can be found on the Entry Form. 

NOTE: Entries filled up very quickly and all 16 rooms are now booked. If you have not submitted your entry and would now like to do so please submit your entry form to allow us to contact the hotel. If aditional rooms are available we will ask you to pay the entry fee and room deposit so that you can join the run.

Entry form for the Spring Run and Hotel booking are HERE.

 

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News

Annual Dinner 2023 – Announcement

The Annual Dinner – 10th November 2023

The 9th ‘get together’ of the Association will be held on Friday 10th November 2023 in The Radstone Hotel, Ayr Road, Larkhall, ML9 2TZ.

We are proud to announce that Peter Scott will be our guest speaker.

Peter is a well known rally co-driver from Derry in Northern Ireland, and has competed alongside many of Ireland’s top drivers as well as several British drivers including our own Willie Crawford.

In his book “Icons of Irish Rallying” author Michael O’Mahoney has dedicated a chapter to Peter and his career in rallying which rapidly escalated from club rallying to his first International win at the tender age of 22 on the 1972 Donegal rally alongside Cathal Curley.

His career spanned many years and Peter remembers the 2013 Cork 20 Historic as being rather special. “Corkman Mark Falvey, invited me to do the International Cork 20 Historic in MEV 36J, the Mk1 Escort in which I did the British Championship events with Billy. We won, 39 years after last sitting in the car”.

We are sure Peter will provide us with a very entertaining evening.

 

The cost of the event will be £45.

Rooms at the Radstone (note: All rooms are now fully booked).

We have block booked a number of rooms in the Radstone with the discount price of £110 for a double or twin room and £95 for single occupancy. These rooms must be booked through the VSMA by email to vsmasec@yahoo.co.uk and will be on a first come first served basis. Nearer the time you will be able to contact the hotel direct to pay for the room, no money is required for the room at this time. 

There are a few more Hotels in the vicinity.

To Book Your Place at the Annual Dinner (sorry, entries are now closed)

If you wish to attend please download this ENTRY FORM which can then be printed or completed using the PDF Fill & Sign function.

OR contact Margaret Smillie, Acting Secretary, at vsmasec@yahoo.com

 

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News

Gerry Birrell ii

24th June 2023 – Update by Mike Mitchell

Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of Gerry’s accident. These flowers were laid at the memorial at 10.30 yesterday morning. The large Saltire is on behalf of the family, friends and all the other organisations who contributed to the memorial, the smaller Saltire is on behalf of the VSMA, a tribute to the man after half a century, indeed to all these men, thank you all.

 

June 2023: Gerry Birrell Memorial – an update by Mike How.

Along with many other donors the VSMA donated some money towards the project to create a permanent memorial to Gerry Birrell who died at Les Six Freres corner at Rouen-Les-Essarts in 1973. Five other drivers, all French, also perished at the same corner before the circuit was eventually closed and are also remembered on the memorial. Nothing had ever been done previously to commemorate these losses.

It’s construction only happened through the dedication of Mike Mitchell who lives in France and raced against Gerry. He raised the money, jumped through all sorts of hoops to have it made by a local stonemason and with the support of the local Mayor of Orival it has come to fruition. Our thanks and those of Gerry’s friends and relatives as we are so grateful for what he has achieved.

It’s taken a long time but this photo was taken just a few days ago and can now be seen by the public exactly 50 years after Gerry’s death on 23rd June 1973.

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News

Newsletter – 2023 April

Newsletter April 2023

Membership

The club’s aim is to bring together those who have been actively involved in Motor Sport in a variety of forms, be it competitive or organisational. The camaraderie and friendships continue since the first meeting in 2001 and the formation of the VSMA in 2006. The mix of membership is wide with many members continuing to compete alongside those who fondly remember past participation. This echoes the ethos of the VSMA, and also an encouragement for anyone to join us, if they haven’t already done so! Membership of the Association is open to any person who has had an active involvement with any branch of motorsport held in Scotland.

We are sad to inform you of the passing of the following Members:

George Cooper in December, 2022.

George Head in February, 2023.

Netta Young in April, 2023.

Alan Muir in April 2023

Arlene McInnes also in April, 2023.

Apologies for any missed announcements.

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Other Events

AGM 2023

VSMA AGM 2023

Please Note: change of date, the 2023 AGM will be held on 10th November.

The meeting will be held in the Radstone Hotel prior to the Annual Dinner.

Full details to follow.

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Reunions

Annual Dinner 2023 Report

The Club met once again to enjoy our Reunion Dinner, now an annual event, at the Radstone Hotel near Larkhall where 70 members were welcomed by Chris Paton who had been installed as the new Chairman of the VSMA earlier in the evening at the AGM.

We returned to the Radstone again this year as they had looked after us so well last year and the venue is ideally placed right next to the M74.

Unfortunately there were some empty seats as some had to call off due to illness. Sadly missing from the proceedings was outgoing chairman Bob Baillie who had taken ill earlier in the week and was at home recuperating and hopefully will be feeling well again soon.

The day started in the early afternoon as there was work to do setting up for the AGM and also finalising the table plan for dinner.

Charlie Young, the newly installed treasurer, had brought along the last remaining club clothing and some of his own books and was asking not for a payment but only for a donation. He raised £85 for club funds.

Before our meal was served Nancy Crichton presented a bouquet of flowers to Adele Paterson in recognition of her 18 years service on the board of directors as she and husband Duncan have both decided it is now time to step down.

As always there was a good mix of rallying and racing buffs and a few hill climb fans joining together for an excellent meal and several refreshments.

A new and popular innovation this year was an “all ladies” table to sit alongside the normal “all men” table.

Hugh MacKinnon had brought along his ex-works Mini Cooper S to display at the front door of the hotel and once again we had the on-screen display of photos taken from the Club’s website with almost every photo being connected in some way with those in the room.

Our guest speaker was Peter Scott who has had a quite prolific career in rallying as a co-driver at all levels right up to the very top with many national and International wins. He has also competed as a driver in local events. Peter is originally from Derry in Northern Ireland but now lives in England where he and his wife Victoria had travelled from to be with us.

In attendance were several important regulars of the Veteran’s Dinner including founder of the Club and Honorary Vice President, Jimmy McInnes. Our Honorary President, Sir Jackie Stewart, had sent his apologies as he had a previous engagement but he sent his best wishes for a successful evening.

Once again there was a souvenir programme with a centre spread detailing the guest speaker’s background story but also there was an excellent article written by Mike How on the career of Gerry Birrell and the recently installed memorial to Gerry and the other five drivers who perished at the infamous Six Freres corner at the Rouen-Les-Essarts circuit in France in 1973.

Click on the image below to view the Programme.

The directors have agreed that provided there is the support then the event will be held every year. Provisionally we are looking at 15th November 2024 but when a firm date is set and a venue decided we will make an announcement.

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News

Gerry Birrell

Gerry Birrell Memorial – an update by Mike Mitchell.

It has been some time since I sent an update, indeed last year, so let me start by wishing you all a very belated Happy and Healthy New Year!

At last the stone and plinth have arrived at the mason’s yard, cut to size and polished. The engraving remains to be done but this is only two to three days work. During this week I have spoken to the mason, the builder who will be laying the foundations and the Mayor of Orival to arrange a meeting with them all at Les Six Freres to agree the exact location of the stone, I hope this will happen in the second week of March.

There was some mention of people coming to France in June to celebrate Gerry’s life and to Christen the memorial. Can I ask if these thoughts are turning into arrangements and, if so, who is organising it and how many are likely to be coming? I don’t know Rouen so if the trip is ‘on’ I will ask the Mayor for guidance on where to stay, to eat etc when I see him in March.

This is a seminal moment for me, the first tangible result of two years work and at last the certainty that this memorial is no longer a pipe dream but will be a reality. Again, thank you all.

With Best Wishes,

Mike Mitchell

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Reunions

8th Reunion – 19th November 2022

After 3 years of Covid and other issues 72 members of the Club met once again to enjoy our Reunion Dinner at the Radstone Hotel near Larkhall and all were welcomed by Chairman, Bob Baillie. Ideally placed right next to the M74 the Board hoped to attract a few more enthusiasts but those who made it had a great afternoon and evening chatting about their memories. As always there was a good mix of honorary members, rallying and racing buffs and a few hillclimb fans joining together for an excellent meal and several refreshments. Sponsors products were visible on the tables courtesy of the Club’s greatest patron, Sir Boyd Tunnock.

We had a couple of cars on display in the foyer courtesy of Chris Paton with his beautiful red Mini but also a huge thank you to Steven Cooper who still insisted on bringing the Cooper MG belonging to his father George who sadly passed away earlier in the week and was so well known to a great many of the members. Chris was also responsible for the excellent on-screen display of loads of photos taken from the Club’s website. Almost every photo was connected in some way with those in the room.

Guest of Honour and main speaker was one of our members and the twice BTCC Champion, John Cleland, who entertained everyone for about 40 minutes with his usual mix of laughs and hilarious stories. It was all delivered off the cuff without a note and he’ll be a hard act to follow next year.
In attendance were several important regulars of the Veteran’s Dinner including founder of the Club and Honorary Vice President, Jimmy McInnes and the ever tolerant Arlene making a guest appearance with Jimmy commenting how surprised he was to still be with us! Sadly not with us of course were our Past Honorary President, Andrew Cowan and his great pal, Johnston Syer but it was wonderful to see Linda Cowan there to support us along with Marion Syer. Andrew’s sidekick Logan Morrison was there as usual with wife Val although he was using a stick due to the after effects of a fall the previous week but he was in great spirits. Sadly missing from the proceedings were Board Members, Barry & Nancy Crichton after Barry had taken ill earlier in the week. Nancy was so disappointed to miss it as she had put in a massive amount of work making all the arrangements for the event and only turned up to drop off some flower arrangements before heading home to look after Barry.

We were pleased to see some newcomers to the event in the form of Hazel Galbraith, daughter of the late Norrie coming along with Billy Cater, and one of the top Scottish hillclimbers and racers in the 70’s and 80’s, Jimmy Jack along with his son David. Hopefully they will encourage a few more of the hillclimb fraternity along next year as we try to widen the scope of the Club.
The directors have agreed to have this event every year now so we will all meet again at the same venue on Saturday 11th November 2023 and hope to see more of you all there.

Mike How

Photographs by Margaret Smillie.

List of Entrants

Margaret Baillie           Jim Grant                          Logan Morrison
Bob Baillie                     Graham Hamilton           Val Morrison
Tom Bicket                    Mike How                          Alan Muir
Marion Bicket               David Jack                        Duncan Paterson
Mid Bruce                      Jimmy Jack                      Russell Paterson
Ian Buttery                    Marilyn Jack                    Adele Paterson
Billy Cater                      Laurence Jacobson         Chris Paton
John Cleland                 Andrew Jeffrey                Mary Paton
George Cooper              Robert Kelly                     Jim Pettigrew
Stephen Cooper            Bruce Lyle                        Martin Pieraccini
Carol Cooper                 Hugh MacKinnon           Harry Pieraccini
Ros Cooper                    Ian Marwick                    James Pinkerton
Linda Cowan                 Wilma Marwick              Olly Ross
Willie Crawford            Hugh McCaig                  Ken Rundle
Marnie Crawford          Rab McDonald               George Scott
Barry Crichton              Sheila McDonald            Ian Smillie
Nancy Crichton            Jimmy McInnes               Margaret Smillie
Bill Cuthbertson           Arlene McInnes               Meg Sword
Anne Cuthbertson       John McIntyre                 Marion Syer
Sandy Denholm           Tim McKay                       Sir Boyd Tunnock
Laurie Doonan             Dave McNair                    Lady Ann Tunnock
Tony Fleming               Laura McNair                   Malcom Wishart
Hazel Galbraith           John Melvin                      Dan Wright
Ian Gemmell                Bill Montgomery              Charlie Young
Louise Gemmell          Eileen Montgomery

 

email received by VSMA Secretary Nancy Crichton on Monday 21st November.

Good morning Nancy,

I cannot let the opportunity pass to thank all the Committee members who contributed to the success of our dinner. I know that the numbers were far down on the 200 who assembled at the old RSAC in Blythswood Square so long ago, but it was a very happy number for circulating among and not missing any opportunity to renew old acquaintances in the time available (of which there were many)! Anyway Marnie and I both thoroughly enjoyed the evening, and also the value for money that The Radstone presented us with.

It was great to see Bob enjoying himself so much after being through the wars, so to speak, recently. Particular credit to Chris for producing such a detailed and professional brochure to celebrate the event – the internet site is the same these days as well!

To the Board members – looking forward to seeing you all again next year!

Best wishes: Willie

(Willie and Marnie Crawford)

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