The Brunel Run 2024
Thank you to all
who came to
Brunel 2024. We
hope you enjoyed
yourselves.
A huge thank you to
everyone who
contributed, helped,
cooked, washed up etc.
at Brunel 2024.
Some numbers from Brunel 2024:
•
23 cars from BAMGOC members
•
17 cars from non-members
•
27 people slept at Barton Camp on Friday
and Saturday
•
45 people joined them for the Saturday
Brunel Run
•
72 people plus some guests had tea and
cake on Saturday
•
28 people had fish and chips on Friday
•
49 breakfasts were eaten on Saturday
•
41 people sat down for dinner on Saturday
evening
•
29 breakfasts were eaten on Sunday
Breakfasts were thanks to Theo Guy and
dinner was thanks to Hélène Vaughan
BRUNEL 2024 PRIZES:
CHAIRMANS CHOICE 2024:
TROPHY MADE BY TIM PRYCE-JONES
1ST - Charlie & Lynda Gibbs - MGB GT V8 -
SDK 183N
2ND - John & Bridget Collett - MG
MAGNETTE ZB - 154 EKN
3RD - Laura & Jay Lawson - MG TF - MG58
LEL
BRUNEL WALKABOUT QUIZ 2024
Tim & Georgie Hipwell
FURTHEST TRAVELLED
Roy & Debbie Anderson from Rushden,
Northants
BRUNEL RUN WEEKEND LOWDOWN
The Brunel Run was held
annually by BAMGOC from
1993 until 2016 and was
revived in 2022 so some of
you may have no idea what it
is all about. I don’t think is
was actually called The
Brunel Run until 1994 so
there’s no copy of any rally
plaque for 1993.
Like many good ideas, the
Brunel Run was born in a
pub, the initial brainchild of
Danny Fenton, Simon
Hawkes and George Barnard.
The ethos of the weekend
has always been to enjoy a
great run out in an MG (not
compulsory) and, hopefully,
make a bit of money toward a
charity along the way. In 1993
the princely sum of £150 was
raised. It is thanks to Brunel
attendees that, in later years,
we have been able to present
a sum more in the region of
£2500 to our chosen charity.
Since 2007 we have been
privileged to use the
premises of the Bristol
Children's Help Society at
Barton Camp near
Winscombe.
Barton Camp has been in
operation for nearly 140
years! The facilities there are
fantastic, with indoor
accommodation and a heated
swimming pool. All the funds
raised go to help with this
worthwhile charity that exists
to give disadvantaged
children time away in a rural
residential setting to promote
aspiration, self-determination
and resilience through a
range of outdoor activities.
For those joining us for the
full weekend:
•
Full English breakfasts
are included for Saturday
and Sunday plus an
evening meal on Saturday
usually followed by some
sort of entertainment or
activity.
•
On Friday evening we
arrange for a pre-ordered
delivery of fish and chips
or you can bring a meal
with you. Alcohol is BYO
but tea/coffee is available
all weekend in the
refectory.
•
The indoor
accommodation at Barton
is referred to as
“dormitory” but don’t be
fooled! There are
comfortable beds in
bright, clean rooms and
we allocate just one
couple to each room.
Toilets and showers are
right next door to the
rooms. You do, however,
need to bring pillows and
sleeping bags or
sheets/duvets. [SCROLL
DOWN FOR A LIST OF
WEBSITES WITH
ALTERNATIVE
ACCOMMODATION]
For those joining us for just the Saturday:
•
You are welcome to just come for the day
for the Brunel Run on the Saturday. You
can book breakfast and/or dinner as
optional extras.
The usual programme of events is something
like this:
•
Friday: The site is open from 3.00pm
•
Saturday: Breakfast from approx. 7.30-
8.45am in the refectory. The Brunel Run starts
from about 9.30 - a scenic mystery drive of
around 100 miles with tea and cake on your
return to Barton Camp. Later on Saturday
evening we sit down to dinner followed by
some sort of entertainment or activity.
•
Sunday: Breakfast approx. 8.00-9.15am
(followed by activities to be decided), Then
farewells and departures by 2pm
.
Barton Camp is fabulous and the Brunel
Weekend has always been known for its
friendly, sociable, relaxed atmosphere. Here
are some pictures to tempt you……..
BRUNEL RUN 2024
The Brunel Run 2024 took place over
the first weekend in September. The
weather was cloudy and damp but the
rain held off for the actual run on the
Saturday. We are extremely lucky to be
able to use the facilities at Barton
Camp, who are also the recipient of our
fundraising. Our ever faithful chef, Theo
presented us with fabulous English
breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday,
the local chippy came up trumps with
fish and chips on Friday evening, and
at the last minute the cooks on the
committee (that’d be Hélène then)
served a tasty evening meal on
Saturday.
The run took entrants from Winscombe,
at the foot of the Mendips, to the coast
at Berrow and Brean, down past
Bridgwater and skirted the Exmoor
National Park to Blue Anchor Bay. From
there it visited Watchet where there
was a “walk-around” quiz. The return
journey took in the countryside north of
Bridgwater and then went across the
Somerset Levels and back to Barton.
Some of the more intrepid entrants also
made good use of the fabulous
swimming pool and, although there
were some damp periods, the weather
on the whole held up well. In addition to
the Brunel Run itself, another regular
challenge over the weekend was the
tricky jigsaw puzzle, with keen puzzlers
glued to it over many hours - it was
finished just in time as the weekend
closed.
As previously reported, numbers were
well down on previous years but we still
managed to raise just over £2500 for
Barton Camp. The Club have made this
amount up to a total donation of £2750
and we hope to present the cheque to
them at February Club Night.
Now for the latest news:
Your committee held a lengthy
discussion about the possibility of a
Brunel Weekend for 2025. We took
into account the amount that Barton
could raise by renting out the camp
for the weekend and it was agreed
that the Brunel Weekend would
actually leave Barton Camp out of
pocket rather than adding to their
funds. With this in mind it was
agreed that a day run would be
better for 2025. This was a reluctant
but sensible decision.
It was proposed that we host a
Saturday Brunel Run on
6th September 2025 so please save
the date and watch out for further
details.