15th January 2002

Following a most successful site meeting at Beltring on the very cold morning of Sunday 16 December last, I am very pleased to report that everything is well in hand for what promises to be a truly Great "CHAMP CAMP" at the War and Peace Show at Beltring in July.

We have been allocated a Prime Site near the Entrance which has a frontage of some 350 yards!! If we get 100 Champs that allows about 5 feet between Champs, but then there are the Gate Guardians and Entrances. The location is very handy for the main stall area, and not far from the Facilities and Main Arena. NOTE we are promised that the Fun Fair WILL be moved further away this year!!

Already we have unconfirmed reports of 10 plus Champs planning to drive down from "somewhere in the North" and head to Beltring for the War and Peace Show. (find out about convoys) We will bring 4 or 5 Champs up from Dorset. PLEASE LET ME KNOW if you will be attending BY COMPLETING AND RETURNING the Entry Form attached, actual Camping space on our site may have to be limited.

When I have a good idea of how many are coming we may be able to plan some more Convoys so you can join up and travel to Kent in Champ Convoys from all over the UK - and perhaps from Europe?

We have had an offer to provide a Marquee and to run a Barbecue in the evenings, and offers to supply Tentage, tables and Chairs. We have a 240 volt generator power supply so we can show Champ Videos and produce an unlimited supply of tea (and sympathy) to all Champ owners (please bring your own mugs!!).

We have been offered a Champ Trophy - any more offers of further Trophies?? Please bring all Champ related photographs, artefacts, memorabilia to display -AND ALL your bits for sale!!

Pat Ware is kindly contacting ROLLS ROYCE to see if there might be any interest and perhaps they might be able to get out any CHAMP archive artefacts, photographs and memorabilia from fifty years ago.

ALL Champ owners are encouraged to "Bring and Buy" any Champ parts, spares, bits and pieces on tables within our Camp.
We plan to have all the Champs facing outwards around the 350 yard perimeter, with their trailers and tents behind, and the Marquee, Tents, tables and chairs within the "Circle". We shall welcome Champ owners to camp on our Site but appreciate that many will wish to camp elsewhere on site - but PLEASE leave your Champs on our Site. We plan to provide 24-hour watch over our stand to discourage any theft or damage.

If you are camping on our Stand it will be green "military" tents only, or civilian tents WELL covered with camouflage and NO support vehicles, only trailers and any Champ related displays. You will appreciate that actual space for camping on our site will be limited.

We want the whole camp to be as pleasant and relaxed as possible and think that perhaps a donation of say £10.00 per family would cover the cost of us providing OUR Toilets, petrol for our generator, commemorative badges and any other minor expenses. You just Enter the Show in the usual way and then just return the entry form attached so we can know how many to expect.

Rex Cadman has kindly agreed to collect the Champ and Trailer on the "Heavy Drops" platform (all up weight 5 tonnes) and the sectioned Champ from the REME and we plan to have these as "Gate Guardians" at the Entrance to our Camp.

Ivor Hodge has kindly agreed to bring his Mudlark and Pat Ware is hoping to persuade the Hull based owner of the "Gutty" to bring it down as well. I have been asked by Mike Gilbert if we would welcome any Austin Gypsy models on our stand, and I've said Yes please, the Gypsies will be on one end of the stand together.

Can I make it quite clear that we welcome All types of CHAMP and CHAMP related models in ANY condition. If you know of somebody who has a Champ Fire Engine, a Champ based Vehicle of ANY kind, please try your best to persuade them to drive or tow or low load it to Beltring, each one will help add to our planned total of 100….

We plan to have a Daily "CHAMPS on Parade" in the Arena each day. Can I appeal to any Video and photography enthusiasts to compile a Video of our Champ Camp and also a photographic overview as well?

In the 2000 Exhibitors list there were 49 Champs and 1 Mudlark. Last year 32 Champs and 1 Mudlark were entered, of which we managed to get 24 (or was it 26?) CHAMPS all together in one place for a Mass Photograph. If we ALL do our best to bring ALL our own Champs plus Trailers, AND get everybody else we stand a good chance of getting 100 Champs at Beltring

YES ONE HUNDRED CHAMPS is a lot, but please ALL do your Best to persuade everybody you know to "Get 'em Rolling" and roll down to Beltring for our 50th Golden Jubilee Anniversary CHAMP CAMP.

If we can get 100 Champs all together on our Stand I will personally buy everyone a drink at the bar…..

Can you offer any skills to help us set up and run our Camp?

Would you like to camp on our Site? Actual Space for camping on our site may be limited with space available. You are welcome to camp elsewhere on the Showground, but we would like you to leave your CHAMPS and Trailers on our site please.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES please phone me on 01202 577226

Please send completed form to;
Dale Johnson, 66 Ham Lane, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 9DP

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The War and Peace Show 17th - 21st July 2002