Beacon Park was the setting for a very happy and friendly rally organised and run by Tony and Anna. Being a few minutes walk from Lichfield with its famous three-spired cathedral it made an ideal venue for a weekend rally. Together with a little help from John and Bertha Tony soon had the 21 vans organised in a large inward facing circle with Tony’s new Jovi pergola as the centre piece.

After the usual welcome drink and nibbles it was off to the Park’s Pavillion for the evening entertainment. This was a quiz to guess who was who from Wedding photos that we had all been asked to bring. Naturally this caused a lot of interest and fun, the fashions of the day helping with identification!

As well as the medieval Cathedral the city was the home of many famous people including Samuel Johnson and Darwin and has many interesting listed buildings.
Saturday evening and we met up again in the Pavillion where we served up a supper cooked by Tony and Anna with help from John, Bertha, Barry and Jane of faggots, mash and mushy peas apparently a Staffordshire speciality. Then followed a Quiz where the prize for the lowest score was a pack of sausages!
Sunday and at last the sun came out after a few days of inclement weather. As it was the year of the Olympics Tony and Anna had come up with their own version for us to enter, this consisted of quoits, putting, tossing bean bags, hoopla, and a form of target boules having decided that most of us was past the age when we could have competed in 100m sprints, long jump, high jump or hurdles! It was great fun and the ‘Pilote Olympics’ still take place today on some rallies.
This rally was memorable for its fun, laughter and general camaraderie, and of course those faggots! Click on images to enlarge
Jenny