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The Regis Classic Tour
Report on The 20th Regis Classic Tour - "The Ladies Go Dutch II - or perhaps they go Double Dutch" very generously sponsored for the tenth year by William Frosts of Frosts Ltd www.frosts4cars.co.uk
The ladies of Bognor Regis Motor Club are very pleased to announce that they have exceeded expectations with their fundraising for the 20th and final Regis Classic Tour. The final total for 2017 is £48,246.96 including Gift Aid which will be divided between Against Breast Cancer & Orchid – Fighting Male Cancer. The total raised for cancer charities in 20 year is an amazing £571,885.80. Thanks to everyone who has made this possible.
Photographs of the 20th Regis Classic Tour are available from Nigel Eddleston at www.edpphoto.com, on-line View Galleries or click www.edpphotoco.uk Rally-Tours official photographers for The Regis Classic Tour.
The Grand Finale!: The 20th Regis Classic Tour - 31st March, 1st & 2nd April 2017
Total raised £571,885.80
All good things have to come to an end and the Ladies have decided that the 20th and very final Regis Classic Tour would be held in Rotterdam, Holland as a part repeat of the 10th Tour. The majority of the venues and route had to change after 10 years partly as venues have altered and also due to the increased size of the tour from 38 cars in 2007 to 60 cars in 2017! The fabulous 4* Valk Hotel ARA in Zwijndrecht was booked with an overspill at the Ridderkerk Hotel. All evening meals were served in a private function suite at the Hotel ARA for both Friday buffet and Saturday Gala Dinner.
This was a totally non-competitive very social weekend with the aim of having a great time and raising loads of money for our two chosen charities.
Signing-on and documentation took place on Friday evening at Hotel ARA followed by a group buffet dinner with entertainment from Shantykoor de Brulboei at Zwijndrecht. They entertained us in 2007 and were such a success we had to ask them to come back and do it all again! The repeat visit was again a great success and had crews dancing around the Function Suite! Some complaining that all the shenanigans ruined their street cred!
The tour started on Saturday morning with a visit to Schoonhoven’s Silver Museum plus coffee and apple cake at Hotel Belvedere (where the 10th Tour finished). Kasteel de Haar near Utrecht hosted a visit to their parkland surrounding the Kasteel and lunch in the Koetshuis (Coach house). The afternoon visit was to Leerdam, the glass capital of Holland with coffee & Bossche Bol (which turned out to be a giant round chocolate éclair) at Het Oude Posthuys before returning to the hotels. There was a final Gala Dinner at Hotel ARA with £10 note raffle for some amazing prizes and small but perfectly formed auction of “Experiences”.
Both these fundraising actions reached record heights from previous tours! The sun shone on the Sunday morning re-start leaving a little later than Saturday and returning to the beautiful market town of Gouda. We visited in 2007 and arranged the same parking in the market square and a chance to sample local delicacies before proceeding to the famous Louwman Museum at Den Haag, the host venue for our final buffet lunch was in the Toyoda (Toyota) Room. As the majority of the cars were over 40 years old Louwman invited the cars to park outside the front of the building to be the star attraction for other visitors on Sunday afternoon, all paintwork shining in brilliant sunshine. Each crew left with a gift of Gouda Cheese and syrup waffles as a souvenier of their visit to Holland.
There was a bottle of champagne presented at the finish plus The Regis Classic Tour Trophy made by Kevin Law of Orchard Restorations in memory of his wife Liz (who was Dutch and a great supporter of the tour) and replica. This went to Ian & Carole Potter from Derbyshire who have raised an incredible £3,470 in sponsorship! A second bottle went to Sheila Tiller with the Allard L Type having the car the RAC boys would most like to take home. A third bottle went to John Ball for the best mask plus an amazing blonde wig at the Gala Dinner on Saturday night.
There was an optional supplement for Sunday night of a coach trip and supper on the De Beren Boat touring Rotterdam Harbour taken up by 82 people. A warm and sunny evening gave everyone a chance to see the working port of Rotterdam and the vast selection of vessels moored there as the sun set and then into the darkness.
For those staying over beyond Sunday there was a private visit and lunch at the wonderful Healey Museum near Utrecht on Monday morning taken up by 48 people and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone with wonderful hospitality from Hans van der Kerkhof and his volunteer team. The museum is a little gem and a real homage to Donald Healey and the cars he created – a must for the enthusiast. It is complete with a ten seat cinema and amazing archives.
All funds again will be donated to Against Breast Cancer & Orchid – Fighting Male Cancer with the main aim as a celebration anniversary event for the fun, fundraising and friendship that have taken part over the past 20 years.
Thanks again to all the generous companies and individuals who have donated prizes for the auction and raffle: Richard Andrew, Richard & Nadzieja Askew, Edward & Lesley Behrendt, Mick Briggs, Andy Doherty, Jill Collings, Donington Historic Festival, Flywheel Festival, Ian Glass from Country Lane Tours, Peter & Mary Hall, John & Sarah Harmer, Terry & Jackie Kerr, Peter & Glynis Lansdale, Nicholas & Kerry Parton, Valk Hotels, Mike Jiggle of Vintage Road Car/Race Car Magazine & Mick & June Wildgoose
Sadly this was the final tour, like a lot of Clubs there are few younger members joining Bognor Regis Motor Club and this event requires a huge commitment of time and effort from the organising team. It has been the most fabulous fun but better to finish on a massive high with everyone wanting more than to fade into obscurity, which probably would have happened if it had continued much longer. Thanks again to Carla van Bregt in Holland – she and her husband Henri de Potter assisted with the 2007 event and Carla lost Henri in 2014 to cancer, as a tribute to him she helped again in 2017.
Thanks again to James Campbell who printed and compiled all the roadbooks but then work commitments forced him to cancel his entry. Also to Geoff & Keitha Insley of Clayton Classics who have been generous supporters for at least 10 years. Sadly Keitha was not well enough to take part, but is hopefully on the mend now making slow progress. Heather & Christopher Darwin had hoped to enter the very last tour (having sponsored the first 10 years through Line Up Aviation Personnel) but expectant Ewes caused last minute problems. We also need to thank Nigel & Julie Eddleston and Steve Carpenter from EDP Photo News for supporting 18 of the 20 tours with their amazing photography. Thanks to all our long term advertisers: Hardy Engineering, Orchard Restorations and this year REIS who have all helped to boost the funds. Lastly to Barry Griffiths of Griffield for providing free of charge ID badges and stickers for all 20 tours.
We would also like to thank the whole volunteer marshalling team plus Chris, Gordon, Nigel and Richard who provided mechanical assistance all weekend.
We would also like to thank the whole volunteer marshalling team plus Chris, Gordon, Nigel and Richard who provided mechanical assistance all weekend.
To learn more about the tour please call Ali Green 01243 542674 or email theregisclassictour@btinternet.com
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