MMC Cetenary Celebration - 3/4 Morgan Group, Ltd.

Here is the latest (as of November 17, 2007)

from the MMC on the Morgan Centenary Celebrations.

"Morgan Centenary Celebrations 2009"

24th July - 2nd August 2009

Malvern and Cheltenham

Firstly let me outline the background to this event. For over 25 years the Morgan Sports Car Club has organised an annual gathering of club members and like-minded people. Theonly year when the MSCC did not organise one was 1984 when the Morgan Motor Company organised the 75th Anniversary event in Malvern. The Morgan Three Wheeler Club has also organised it own events.

2009 will be a special year in the history of the Morgan Motor Company and therefore it is appropriate that the factory should undertake the running of the Centenary event. We are pleased that both the Morgan Sports Car Club and theMorgan Three Wheeler Club have agreed to play an active part in this special year's activities. This Malvern/Cheltenham event is only part of a yearlong celebration of the car that we all love.

So what is being planned? Well the main activities will start at the Abbey Hotel on the evening of Friday 24th July when we will be able to meet up with old friends. The following two days will be based at Prescott Hill Climb in Gloucestershire where there will be an extended garden party. You will have the opportunity for untimed ascents of this classic motoring hill, these will be on a prebooked basis to ensure that as many Morgan owners and their cars can enjoy the 'Prescott Experience'. Only Morgan's and Morgan derived cars will be allowed to drive up the hill. If the days go as smoothly as we hope there may be the opportunity to buy additional runs. Prescott is the home of the Bugatti Owners Club and they have agreed to open their

on-site museum. The Prescott Lodge will also be open for food throughout the weekend.

We know that many of you will be in the Malvern/Cheltenham area for the period between the two weekends therefore we have a programme of events available and in addition we will

have a book of scenic run. The mid-week activities will include: -

A visit to a privately owned castle has been arranged where a family member will give a guided tour and talk on the history of both the family and the building. Lunch will be taken in the Grand Hall. The castle will not be open to the public as this is a private visit organised especially for Morgan owners. Numbers will be strictly limited so pre-booking will be essential.

We are hoping to arrange a trip on a steam train through the picturesque Severn Valley. Lunch will be taken on the train and there will be time to visit Bridgnorth before re-boarding the train for our return journey.

It is anticipated that we will take a drive to the Beaulieu Motor Museum who, it is hoped, will also be featuring the Morgan car throughout the Centenary Year. This will be a full day out as Beaulieu is over two hours drive from Cheltenham. Lunch will be arranged at the Museum.

Not all the activities will include Morgan's. On the Thursday we have arranged a golf match for the Morgan Centenary Trophy. This will take place at the 'Worcestershire' which is a golf course located in Malvern. The club was formed in 1880 and it is reputed that the English composer Edward Elgar was a regular player there. Don't worry about the problems of carrying a set of clubs in the Morgan, as it will be a requirement that everyone plays with one of the matching sets, which will be provided. Bearing in mind that we are celebrating a centenary anniversary event there will be a special award for the most appropriately dressed player. Places will be available for partners at the award dinner in the evening when we will find out who is the best Morgan golfer.

For those of you who wish to drive your Morgan's quickly we are hoping to arrange a track day at Castle Combe race circuit. This is about one hour south of Cheltenham. Professional race drivers will be on hand to show you how it should be done.

Throughout the week we will be arranging tours around the Morgan factory. These will be on a pre booked basis only. Please note that the factory will not be open for visitors during a two-week period before and after the Centenary event.

Worcester is only 15 minutes away from Malvern so a visit to the Royal Worcester Porcelain Company is a must for everyone's itinerary. These tours will be available by pre-booking.

It is intended to have details of numerous other activities available during this period. Some will be pre-arranged and for the others we will have sufficient information available so that visitors can organise their own days out.

The following weekends activities are centred on Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. The Friday evening we will all be meeting for a general get together in the town itself. Our venue for the rest of the weekend will be the Cheltenham Horse Racecourse. We will set up a tented village for the multitude of traders, a catering zone for the food outlets and an entertainment area for some of our key events. During both days we will be running a solo driving competition and on the Saturday there will be a concours competition.

The social activities have not been forgotten. There will be a 'Party in the Park' event with live music and fireworks. This will be the time to sit on the grass and partake of your picnic whilst enjoying the entertainment. In contrast to this casual event there will be a formal Centenary Gala Dinner in the Centaur Suite. which can accommodate 1200s guest for a formal black tie dinner. We will of course be having some very special guests with us that evening.

Our aim is that this weekend will be a complete contrast to any previous Morgan gathering you have ever been to, so how can you miss it?

We have a Centenary website www.morgan-centenary.co.uk andwould ask you to register your interest. This will be the place where event information will be posted and hotel and event booking facilities made available. To those of you who have already registered we would apologise for the lack of information that you have received. The site is being restructured and we hope that it will become much more active in the next few weeks.

Malcolm S Lamb

Director

Morgan Centenary Celebrations Ltd