Pell-Mell & Woodcote July 2024

HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES III

Wildsmith Jewellery

His Majesty King Charles III Patron of The Royal Automobile Club

In May, the Club was delighted to be informed by Buckingham Palace that His Majesty The King had graciously agreed to be the Club’s Patron.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was the Club’s Patron throughout her reign.

We are deeply honoured and proud that His Majesty has decided to continue the tradition of royal support for the Club which dates back to 1907, when our ‘Royal’ title was granted by His Majesty King Edward VII.

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE & CLUB SECRETARY

As this is the last edition of Pell-Mell & Woodcote to be published before Ben Cussons stands down as Club Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ben for his leadership and unwavering dedication to the best interests of the Club throughout the past six years.

Also, on the theme of significant changes, we were deeply honoured and proud to receive confirmation from Buckingham Palace that His Majesty The King had graciously accepted the Patronage of the Royal Automobile Club. This is wonderful news and we hope to welcome His Majesty to the Club in the near future.

You only have to read The Wire each Monday, or wander around the clubhouses, to know what a busy time of year this is. We were delighted to entertain over 1,200 members and guests across the two days of the Derby Festival but this popular and high-profile event is just one of a myriad of opportunities for members to spend time together and to bring guests to the Club.

The Activity Groups are in the midst of their summer programmes and the Club events, meanwhile, include a diverse range of visits, workshops, talks and musical evenings – as well as ever-popular motoring events such as the recent Midsummer Drive-In and the forthcoming Summer Veteran Car Run.

At Pall Mall, at the beginning of June we opened the new Simms Centre on the ground floor, providing much improved business facilities for members. We have also completed an extensive refurbishment of the rear of

the clubhouse, including the terraces, and we are now starting the refurbishment of all the bedrooms on the third floor. Meanwhile, planning for the redevelopment of Cedars Sports in 2026/27 continues and we will provide you with further details later this year.

Together, these initiatives represent the very best of the Club and our twin priorities of providing exquisite hospitality experiences and constantly improving the facilities available to you. However, we can never rest on our laurels and feedback is always welcome. Of particular value was the information provided by the 2,302 members who, at the start of this year, completed the survey about their experience of the Club in 2023.

Overall, I’m delighted to say, the survey indicated a very high level of satisfaction across all areas of our facilities and operations. Members also provided many valuable suggestions about what they would like to see improved. Further information about the feedback, and the actions we are taking, is available on the Club website.

In the same survey we also asked members how they would describe the Club, with, pleasingly, the most popular words cited being ‘friendly’, ‘welcoming’, ‘comfort’ and ‘quality’. As the Club continues to evolve, those are, surely, four descriptions we must ensure never change.

I wish you a very enjoyable summer, both at your Club and wherever your travels take you.

Daniel Pereira

BOWMAN SCULPTURE

WELCOME

Annabel Harrison | Pell-Mell & Woodcote Editor

There is a great deal to look forward to at your Club this summer – from dining al fresco at both clubhouses and enjoying drive-ins and sport in the sun (we hope) at Woodcote Park to a diverse, busy calendar of events – but first we look back to a century ago this August. Stella and Chaplin Court Treatt were hosted at the Club for a Farewell Dinner ahead of their attempted drive from Cape Town to Cairo. Timothy Barber recounts this bold journey (p. 30).

In this issue we also celebrate the journeys of several other inspiring people. Coming to speak at the Club, in July, September and October respectively, are the Olympic swimmer Mark Foster, wheelchair rugby player Aaron Phipps MBE (p. 80) and Colonel John Blashford-Snell CBE, who will discuss his expedition from the source of the River Congo to the Atlantic Ocean, a journey his predecessor had said would never again be undertaken (p. 48). We also interview Club member Ed Horne, who is officially the oldest person to have completed the outdoor swimming ‘Triple Crown’ (p. 76), and Hilary Wilson, who was part of the first cohort of female Full Members in 1999, to celebrate 25 years since the Club brought in this change (p. 52).

Last but not least, significant motoring achievements include the Birchall brothers Tom and Ben’s record-breaking sidecar racing career, which won them the Club’s most recently awarded Segrave Trophy (p. 44), and Prodrive, David Richards’ motorsport business, marking 40 successful years (p. 38). We hope you are inspired by this collection of remarkable stories.

Annabel Harrison Editor

CLUB DIRECTORY

For more contact information visit www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk

THE ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB

Chairman, Ben Cussons (until 17 July 2024) 01372 229628 chairman@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

Thanks to all the Club members, journalists and experts who have contributed to this issue.

Chief Executive & Club Secretary, Daniel Pereira 020 7747 3237 daniel.pereira@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

CENTRAL RESERVATIONS

For accommodation and dining. Open Monday to Friday 8.00am-8.00pm and 9.00am-5.00pm at weekends. 020 7747 3474 reserve@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

MEMBERSHIP

01372 229600 members@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

ACCOUNTS

01372 229608/9 accounts@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

MOTORING

01372 229288 motoring@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

PALL MALL

89 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5HS 020 7930 2345

Hall Porter 020 7747 3267

Sports Reception 020 7747 3365

Simms Centre 020 7747 3349

Banqueting 020 7747 3386

Events 020 7747 3441

Library 020 7747 3398

Post Office 020 7747 3266

WOODCOTE PARK

Epsom, Surrey KT18 7EW 01372 276311

Cedars Sports 01372 229266

Golf Reception 01372 229245

Walled Garden 01372 229257/8 Shop 01372 229248

Banqueting 020 7747 3386 Events 01372 229230

PELL-MELL & WOODCOTE MAGAZINE

Editorial and Advertising 020 8152 7855 pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk advertising@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Published on behalf of the Royal Automobile Club by Luxury London Media Ltd.

ANNABEL HARRISON

Managing Editor of Pell-Mell & Woodcote since 2018, Annabel is a freelance writer and editor with 16 years of multichannel experience. In this time, she has worked with a wide range of brands and publications across the luxury lifestyle, retail, education and publishing sectors.

ANNA SOLOMON

Anna is Deputy Editor of Pell-Mell & Woodcote magazine, and Senior Editor at Luxury London magazine and luxurylondon.co.uk. She has written for various other publications in the fields of fashion, hospitality and travel.

TIMOTHY BARBER

Timothy is a freelance features writer and editor, specialising in wristwatches, luxury and culture. He writes for the likes of Wired, The Daily Telegraph, The Financial Times, Spear’s, Mr Porter and Rolls-Royce, among many others.

FELICITY COUSINS

Felicity is Editor of Sustainable Hotel News, the leading voice in the sustainable hospitality space. She is an award-winning journalist published in Business Traveller, Women’s Cycling, Women’s Running, Health and Beauty and Food & Travel

MAT OXLEY

Mat has been covering the sport of motorcycling since the 1980s, focusing on MotoGP since 1988. He is a former racer who has won an Isle of Man TT and finished on the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

JOSH SIMS

JOHN EVANS

John trained to be a concert pianist before becoming a car salesman. He went on to edit car, caravan and classical music magazines before becoming a freelance journalist specialising in motoring and music. He is Pell-Mell & Woodcote magazine’s Motoring Editor.

JENNY LINFORD

Jenny is an established food writer, a member of the Guild of Food Writers, and the author of 20 books, including The Missing Ingredient: The Curious Role of Time in Food and Flavour. A cheese-lover, she also presents the A Slice of Cheese podcast.

ADAM HAY-NICHOLLS

Adam specialises in Formula One, motoring, travel and luxury. He’s the F1 correspondent for Metro, a feature contributor to GQ, Air Mail, Country Life and The Spectator, and a biographer of the Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc.

MARK BAILEY

Mark writes about sport, health, fitness, travel and adventure for The Daily Telegraph, The Financial Times, Men’s Health, Cyclist, Runner’s World and other national titles. Prior to this he was the Features Editor for Sport magazine.

BEN OLIVER

Ben is a motoring journalist, consultant and speechwriter. He has won a series of awards for his work, including Journalist of the Year, and writes about cars and the car industry for major newspapers and magazines around the world.

By working together we can help to ensure that we use forests and forest products responsibly, shifting the global forest trend towards sustainable use, conservation, restoration, and respect for all. This publication was printed on FSC® certified paper by an ISO 14001 (environmental) accredited printer.

Our publication is Carbon Balanced. This is a means where the carbon produced by our publication is measured and then offset or balanced through investment in environmental schemes.

Josh is a freelance writer and editor who contributes to The Times, Esquire and Robb Report, among other publications. He is also the author of several books on style and lives between London and Margate.

JAMIE LAU

Jamie is a specialist food photographer whose work appears regularly in Waitrose Magazine, Time Out, Eurostar Magazine, and publications for ASOS, John Lewis, Bloom & Wild, Marks & Spencer and many more.

Behind the scenes of the 2,000 functions that the Club hosts for members each year 68 Dining At Woodcote Park

The seasonal highlights at the country clubhouse this summer

Daniel Pereira explains why ESG is so important for the Club 76 Water World

We meet the Club members diving headlong into open water swimming 80 Going

Olympian Mark Foster and Paralympian Aaron Phipps reflect on their careers 84 Woodcote Juniors

Summer activities for our youngest Club members 89 Club Events: September, October, November and December event save-the-dates

To mark 25 years since women were admitted as Full Members, we meet three of the Club’s lady

What

117 RAC Foundation

On the recently-passed bill meaning self-driving cars could be on British roads by 2026

119 Classifieds

Goods and services on offer from other members

122 Club Curiosity

One of the beams in the Motor House is not like the others

YOUR LETTERS

Letters can cover any aspect of Club life which you think would be of interest to other members. As a thank you, a bottle of Champagne will be awarded to the writer of each letter published.

Please send your letters to pellmell@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

The deadline for the next edition is noon on Monday 19 August.

Bottled Water

There were approximately 1,000 bottles of water delivered to the Club at Pall Mall as I left this morning. The environmental impact is significant; it was delivered by a diesel-powered van, weighs over a tonne, and a lot of energy is used producing and then recycling the bottles.

I know Thames Water doesn’t have the best press right now, but shouldn’t we only offer tap water and carbonated tap water?

Peter King

We have been providing filtered water in reusable bottles in the bedrooms since 2014, use refillable jugs and bottles in banqueting and offer jugs of water in all our bars and restaurants. This has already significantly reduced our use of pre-bottled water and we aim to reduce it further – although we feel we should continue to offer the option of mineral water for members who prefer it to filtered water. Across the Club we are working hard to improve our sustainability and all suggestions about what else we could be doing are very welcome.

Jonathan Brown Director of Operations

Turkish Baths

The Turkish Baths are truly a special and unique haven.

That said, could I perhaps ask whether a refurbishment of these facilities is expected in the near future? While I understand the difficulty and cost associated with such a project, I would love to see the Baths and associated spaces spruced up and elevated ready for the next decades of usage.

Afonso Campos

Thank you for raising this very valid point. I am pleased to confirm that a working party is currently examining the Pall Mall sports area, including the Turkish Baths, to determine the requirements for the refurbishment of the area, scheduled for the summer of 2025.

The recommendations of the review will be discussed with the Pall Mall Committee and will then be put to the Board for approval later this summer.

I am confident that the refurbishment will restore the Turkish Baths, and the wider sports facilities, to a standard commensurate with other Club facilities.

Daniel Pereira Chief Executive & Club Secretary

Reciprocal Clubs

I was interested to read the recent edition of Pell-Mell & Woodcote in which Richard Edgecliffe-Johnson describes his stay in the RACV in Melbourne.

In 2006 I was speaking at a conference prior to the Commonwealth Games and visited that same Club to use the weights room. Whilst there, I noticed that one of the other ‘highly tuned athletes’ was Lynn Davies, the 1964 Olympic long jump champion. We spoke about our respective experiences in sport as both of us were university lecturers in sports science.

Reciprocal clubs throughout the world are a great benefit to members. Most have excellent accommodation and fine dining facilities, and you never know who you are going to meet!

Bob Chappell BEM

Thank you very much for sharing your memorable experience. With reciprocal clubs now in 28 countries, we hope that the network is providing members with a wide range of opportunities to enjoy locations around the world.

Genevieve Griffin Head of Membership

Plus ça Change…

I am sure that my fellow Club members are dismayed, frustrated and angered by the deplorable state of our roads. Immense damage is being caused to our cars, motorbikes and bicycles by potholes in badly maintained roads nationwide.

This, however, is not a 21st century phenomenon. Tucked away in a corner of the Library in Pall Mall is a cartoon dated about 1920 that says it all.

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!

Nicolas Fenton

Thank you for drawing our attention to this cartoon, which certainly has a resonance more than a century later!

Jeremy Vaughan Head of Motoring

Golf Day

I recently organised a golf day at Woodcote Park for my local golf society, the RAGS, and I would like to pass on my thanks and appreciation to everyone involved in organising the event.

The Old Course was in excellent condition and the quality of the course was remarked upon by all the players on the day, as was the friendly reception we received and the quality of the food served in the Derby Room.

Jasmine Alford was our point of contact at the Club and she went out of her way to ensure the event went smoothly, as did the catering and golf teams. We will be back next year!

Simon Waugh

Thank you for sharing the feedback from your golf society at Woodcote Park. Providing a holistic experience is important to us and it appears that the whole day went well, which is fantastic to hear.

I appreciate you recognising the Old Course conditions, which we take great pride in providing to our members and their guests.

It is really pleasing to hear such great feedback regarding Jasmine, who is a very talented member of the team in her first year as Golf Services Coordinator.

We look forward to welcoming your society back in 2025.

Rhys Beecher CCM Director of Golf

Zoom Calls

I often use the Simms Centre but if I wish to make a Zoom call, I have to book and pay for a meeting room.

With technology such as Zoom and Teams now in common use, surely the Club needs to recognise that if it provides a business facility, it needs to allow members to be comfortable using everyday business communication tools without feeling you must be locked away for fear of upsetting someone.

May I suggest that you allow calls to take place at a desk on the condition that headphones are worn so the only conversation that can be overheard is the member and not the participants of the call? If members wish to work in absolute silence, there is always the Library.

Paul Hutton

Thank you for your letter. I hope you are enjoying the Simms Centre in its new ground floor location.

Telephone calls at the Simms Centre hot desks are allowed for up to two minutes at a time and we have also provided six individual telephone booths in the new Simms Centre. These can be used (on a ‘first come, first served’ basis) for calls, including on Zoom or Teams, lasting up to 30 minutes.

Jonathan Brown Director of Operations

AND ON THE BRIGHTON ROAD IN 1920

MAJOR GENERAL X AT THE FRONT IN 1918

IN THE ROTUNDA MERCEDES-BENZ & SIR STIRLING MOSS

Words by John Evans

Photography by Martyn Goddard

THE ROTUNDA HAS hosted many great cars but surely none so universally admired as the three Mercedes-Benz models associated with Sir Stirling Moss that occupied it in May. They were the W 196 R

single-seat race car he drove to victory in the 1955 British Grand Prix, the 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ he used to prepare for the Mille Miglia the same year and the 300 SLR, the car he steered to victory in that very race.

1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SLR ‘722’

It was a record-breaking drive that saw Moss take the 300 SLR, No.722, to an average speed of 99mph over the closed, 992-mile route of the 1955 Mille Miglia. Moss later described the car as “the greatest sports racing car ever built; really an unbelievable machine”. It was based on the MercedesBenz W 196 R race cars which, with Moss and Fangio driving, dominated the 195455 Formula 1 season. However, they were powered by 2.5-litre, straight-eight engines producing 261hp while the 300 SLR was powered by a version increased to 3.0 litres and producing 312hp. Both engines were fuel injected and high revving, giving them a major performance advantage over rivals. However, no one could argue with those other ingredients that contributed to the cars’ success and in particular the success of 300 SLR No.722 in the Mille Miglia: the skill and determination of Moss, himself encouraged by the magnificent pace-note support of Denis Jenkinson, his co-driver and legendary Motor Sport correspondent. With the car’s seats tailored to fit them and everything in the cockpit arranged to their

MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SLR ‘722’

TYPE

Two-seat, racing sports car

ENGINE

3.0-litre, DOHC, straight-eight

POWER 312hp

TOP SPEED 180mph

requirements, the pair were free to focus exclusively on the near-1,000-mile road race ahead.

Moments before the race started on the morning of 1 May, the 25-year-old Moss was heard to exclaim confidently, “I’ll win!” Indeed, by the beginning of the middle section of the race in Rome, he’d taken the lead from teammate Hans Herrmann, also driving a 300 SLR. Thereafter, Moss established an unassailable lead to finish in first place, 32 minutes ahead of his other teammate, the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio who finished second. Moss had completed his record-breaking race to the finish line in just 10 hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds.

To celebrate that great victory once more, in September 2021 car No.722 was taken from its home in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart to London, where it was driven through the capital to the door of Moss’s Mayfair home, at one point on the journey passing his personal 1955 300 SL Gullwing. The great driver had died the year before (Jenks had died in 1996) so at precisely 7.22am, the time of the start of that great race in Italy 66 years before, his son, Elliot, stepped forward to welcome the arrival of his father’s famous car.

You can find the film, The last blast –A tribute to Sir Stirling Moss and the MercedesBenz 300 SLR, on YouTube.

1955 MERCEDES-BENZ W 196 R

The 1955 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R that was also displayed in the rotunda and which is the second in the Club’s trio of cars associated with Stirling Moss was the basis of the great driver’s Mille Miglia-winning 300 SLR. In 1955 Moss, driving for the Mercedes Silver Arrows team, would win his first Formula 1 race, the British Grand Prix no less, at the wheel of a W 196 R, his victory at Aintree also making him the first British driver to win the race. In fact, he and his teammates were the first four over the finish line.

Few could have been surprised. Even on the car’s maiden outing, at the 1954 French Grand Prix and with Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel, a W 196 R had trounced the field. Remarkably, it was Fangio’s first drive for the Silver Arrows and the team’s first race since exiting Grand Prix racing before the Second World War.

The Mercedes-Benz engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who was born in London, was the mastermind behind the W 196 R, as he was the 300 SLR. Among the car’s many outstanding features was its use of mechanical direct fuel injection and desmodromic valve gear, a system it shared with the 300 SLR and which enabled the car’s straight-eight, 2.5-litre engine to rev far higher than rivals.

The version Fangio drove to victory at the 1954 French Grand Prix was a closed-wheel design suitable for long, fast straights. In his victorious 1955 British Grand Prix, Stirling Moss drove this conventional monoposto (single-seat) open-wheel version of the W 196 R. He beat Fangio by a hair’s breadth while the W 196 R race cars won nine of the 12 Grand Prix into which they were entered. However, at the end of the 1955 season Mercedes withdrew from racing, ending the car’s astonishing career.

MERCEDES-BENZ W 196 R

TYPE

Single-seat Grand Prix car

ENGINE

2.5-litre, DOHC, straight-eight POWER 261hp TOP SPEED 170mph

1954 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ‘GULLWING’

This third Mercedes-Benz car with connections to Moss and displayed in the rotunda was the very car he and Jenkinson used to reconnoitre the Mille Miglia ahead of what would be their epic victory. With Jenks alongside noting every crest, corner and obstacle, Moss hustled the SL along the 1,000-mile route, by the end of it confident the pair would win the race, which they embarked on the very next day.

Although less powerful than the 1955 300 SLR, the 1954 300 SL was considered, at least by some, to be the supercar of its day, its Gullwing doors emphasising its exotic status. It owed its origins to the Mercedes W194 race car that competed successfully in the early 1950s. However, the SL’s 3.0-litre straight-six engine used mechanical fuel injection in place of the W194’s carburettors, an innovation that boosted the power from 177hp to 243hp.

The example displayed in the rotunda and with the chassis number 4500019 was the centrepiece of the Mercedes show stand at the Paris Salon d’Automobile in late 1954,

a position it occupied in place of the W 196 R race car the manufacturer had originally intended to display. Shortly after, it was also shown at the London Motor Show. Official duties over, it was then registered with the number PLB 23 as a test and demonstration vehicle, at one stage evaluated by The Autocar for its edition published on 25 March 1955. The magazine judged it to be “without doubt a most astonishing car”. And then some…

As Moss showed, it was also a phenomenal endurance machine capable of preparing the ground for one of his greatest victories.

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Annual General Meeting

Members are reminded that the Club’s 2024 AGM will take place on Wednesday 17 July at 6.00pm in the Mountbatten Room at the Pall Mall clubhouse.

Further information, including the formal documentation for the AGM, is available on the Club website.

Three Sporting Legends

Recent months have seen sporting legends from rugby, football and cricket at the clubhouses for sell-out events.

Phil Vickery played in the 2003 Rugby World Cup winning England team, taking part in all seven matches in the tournament. He played in three World Cups, including as England captain in the 2007 tournament.

In April, we welcomed Paul Merson to Pall Mall.

Green Tourism

After a rigorous evaluation by the Green Tourism organisation, the Club was delighted to be awarded Gold status for Woodcote Park and Silver for Pall Mall – a remarkable achievement for a 1911 building in a city centre.

The Green Tourism assessment covers 15 goals across the three pillars of People, Places and Planet. These include the Club’s promotion of health and wellbeing and our actions to promote biodiversity and reduce our impact on the environment.

The attacking midfielder played 423 matches for Arsenal and gained 21 caps representing England, including in the 1992 Euros, 1994 World Cup and 1998 World Cup.

The trio was completed in May by cricket titan Sir Alastair Cook, former England captain and the nation’s highest Test run scorer and most capped Test player ever. His many achievements included four Ashes series wins, two as captain.

Paul Merson

Phil Vickery

Sir Alastair Cook

Leica Photography Competition

Win photographic equipment worth £10,000

Open exclusively to Club members

Derby Weekend

Across two days, 31 May and 1 June, more than 1,20O members and guests gathered at Woodcote Park for the annual celebration of Ladies’ Day and Derby Day. They were able to enjoy wonderful dining and

The Leica Photography Competition is now open for entries. Full details of how to enter can be found on the Club website – just search for ‘Leica’ or look in the Photography Group section.

The competition is open to photographs of any subject but remember that the judges will be looking for a photograph which makes people stop, look and take time to study it.

The deadline for entries is noon on Monday 2 September 2024, with the winner being announced in November. Each member may submit up to four photographs, either digitally online or as prints to the clubhouses. Entry is free of charge.

The wonderful prize is being provided by Leica, the international camera and sport optics brand, founded in 1869 and dedicated to the advancement of photography.

entertainment whilst following the horse racing on big screens – and perhaps they even went home with some winnings!

For the first time, members were also able to enjoy the use of an exclusive Club enclosure at the racecourse itself.

New Simms Centre

The new Simms Centre on the ground floor at Pall Mall opened on 5 June.

The modern business facilities now available to members include 14 meeting rooms of varying sizes and degrees of formality (all with audio-visual equipment), ten hot desks with PCs and six booths for phone and video calls. Complimentary Wi-Fi and various options for refreshments are also available.

The Simms Centre is open from 8.00am until 8.00pm Monday to Friday and from 9.00am until 6.00pm at weekends. It can be accessed from the Club Room (the entrance is next to the stairs to the Long Bar) and there will soon also be an entrance from the street.

For further information, please visit the Club website. Meeting rooms can be booked by emailing simmscentre@royalautomobileclub.co.uk or by calling 020 7747 3349.

London Motor Week 2024

Monday 28 October to Sunday 3 November

Although we’re only in July, preparations are well underway for this year’s London Motor Week, from established favourites like the Art of Motoring Exhibition to the sophomore season of the Sim Racing Championship. The Art of Motoring will return, for the second year running, to the Iconic Images Gallery – a venue which is just a stone’s throw from Pall Mall and which brilliantly showcases the incredible motoring art this country has to offer. The Autocar team is also back for a second year for a live podcast recording of My Week in Cars, presented by motoring journalism heavyweights Steve Cropley and Matt Prior.

The Dewar Breakfast Seminar on the Tuesday morning will feature motoring’s hottest topics debated by leading industry figures alongside the Dewar Trophy winner, to be announced that day alongside the Simms Medal. The Tuesday evening will see Steve Cropley returning for the Industry Dinner, where a leading figure in the motoring world will be placed in the crosshairs for a fascinating discussion.

The Motoring Book of the Year Awards, one of the world’s leading car-centric literary events, begins its second decade after last year’s record number of entries.

The Motoring Lectures will provide fascinating insights into the future of motoring in the morning session, hosted by the RAC Foundation, and will take the audience on a journey through motoring history in the afternoon, with a specific focus on female motorists to coincide with the 120th anniversary of the Ladies’ Automobile Club.

We are delighted to announce that this year’s London Motor Week Dinner will celebrate 40 years of Prodrive. Chairman and motorsport legend David Richards will be taking Club members on a journey through Prodrive’s illustrious history, from the World

Sim Racing Championship at Pall Mall

RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

Rally Championships to taking on the Dakar Rally, alongside some notable guests.

The weekend kicks into life with the St James’s Motoring Festival, a stunning showcase of veteran cars matched only by the RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run itself. With hundreds of visitors lining the streets, and star cars from our partners at RM Sotheby’s, it’s a must-see for all historic car connoisseurs!

After a terrific debut sale at Cliveden House earlier this year, the RM Sotheby’s London Sale will be returning to showcase some of the world’s most sensational cars, all of which will go under the hammer on the Saturday evening.

London Motor Week will end with a thrilling finale; the RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, now in its 128th year, is still comfortably the world’s longest-running motoring event. Entries have been flying in this year, but if November feels too far away before you next experience the joy of veteran motoring, then this year’s Summer Veteran Car Run, on Thursday 18 July, is the perfect opportunity!

There are so many wonderful events to get excited about in this year’s London Motor Week, so be sure to keep a close eye on the Club website and the Motoring Bulletin for all updates.

St James’s Motoring Festival

The Art of Motoring Exhibition

BRIDGE AT PALL MALL

Would you like to learn to play bridge?

By Fiona McWatters, Chair, Pall Mall Bridge Committee

I’m afraid that people often think bridge is a bit old-fashioned but, I have to tell you, if that’s the impression you have, you are very wrong! Have you ever wondered what ‘one no trumps’ means, or how about ‘two club Stayman Convention’ or a ‘balanced hand’? Or even who the ‘dummy’ is!

Bridge is a mind game and it is very good for the brain. I find my memory has improved greatly – and they say using one’s brain for games such as bridge keeps it healthy.

So, with all the above said, if I asked you, “Would you like to learn to play bridge?” I’m hoping the answer might be “YES!”

If you would you like to learn in our beautiful Pall Mall clubhouse we have just what you need: the Bridge Starter Weekend (21 and 22 September) is for members who have absolutely no idea what the game entails. Held over a Saturday and Sunday you will touch the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what’s involved in learning the game.

Then, on 25 September, we start our Beginners’ Course. Sessions are held weekly from 7.00pm

BRIDGE AT WOODCOTE PARK

Duplicate bridge

Meetings take place each Monday evening, starting at 6.30pm, to play duplicate bridge in the Cedar Room. With the lighter evenings, players can enjoy the added benefit of wonderful views across the Cedar Lawn and the golf courses beyond.

Also on Monday evenings, new ‘Bridge the Gap to Duplicate Bridge’ sessions take place for intermediate student bridge players. Started just a short while ago to encourage members to join in duplicate bridge, our intermediate players will soon be playing with the main group.

If you are an experienced duplicate bridge player, or someone who aspires to be, then why not join in on a Monday evening? Please see the contact details on the Club website.

until to 9.00pm each Wednesday and you will be taught by Mike Eden, one of London’s top bridge players. He uses the English Bridge Union textbook, which he was commissioned to write, so we really couldn’t get anyone better to teach us!

After that there is the Intermediate Class, a mentor to play with in our weekly match known as a ‘Duplicate’ and in time, if you want, there’s also an Advanced Class.

You will also make lots of friends: many of us meet in the Cocktail Bar on Thursday night after our weekly club night and many firm friendships are formed.

For more information, please visit the Activities section of the Club website.

Lunch and Bridge

The next Lunch and Bridge event will launch the autumn season of Chicago afternoon bridge. After lunch Chicago bridge is played and members compete for the ‘Bridge with Friends’ silver salver. It is a chance to catch up with friends after the summer holiday so please put Wednesday 18 September in your diary. Chicago bridge is then played every two weeks, usually on a Wednesday afternoon, throughout the autumn and winter.

SQUASH

Finals Night

The annual squash finals, dinner and presentations took place on Wednesday 20 March with more than 160 guests attending.

The new Pall Mall Squash Chairman, Chris Dennis, presented the trophies to the worthy winners. Congratulations to all the finalists and members participating in the Pall Mall Squash tournaments.

Squash57

If you have passed by the courts at either clubhouse recently you may have seen a new variation of squash being played.

Squash57, a new sport very similar to traditional squash but using a larger ball and wider, shorter racquets, has taken off at the Club. More and more members have been trying it out by taking part in organised weekly group practices with the Squash

SNOOKER AT WOODCOTE PARK

Finals night

On Wednesday 24 April, we hosted our seasonending finals night which included dinner and prize giving. Congratulations to Bob White and Stuart Cox who successfully defended their doubles title. In the singles, Tom Edwards defeated Roger North on the black ball of the third frame, a very exciting finish!

Professionals. Head Squash Professional Patrick Foster is keen to explain that “it’s a great game: fun, easy to get started, social and a fantastic workout”.

Inaugural internal box leagues began in June at both clubhouses. They are expected to be a great success, providing regular competition opportunities for members of all abilities.

If you are interested in trying out Squash57, please contact the Squash Professionals.

Bob White and Stuart Cox receiving their doubles trophy from Snooker Chairman, Ashley Stevenson

Richard Johnson, Open Tournament Winner

Shayne Baillie, Ladies’ Championship Winner

BILLIARDS AT PALL MALL

Automobile Club de France

We were delighted to welcome Guillaume de Roys and his team from the Automobile Club de France for the annual snooker match, played over the weekend of 19 and 20 April. Our victorious team (singles 4-2, doubles 3-0, final score 7-2) consisted of Tobias Cracknell, James Foster, Brian Harding, John Veness, Matthew Wildsmith and Howard Wand (captain).

Lunch with Cliff Thorburn

On Tuesday 30 April members enjoyed a Snooker Lunch with Cliff Thorburn, World Snooker Champion in 1980 and perhaps most famous for scoring the first televised maximum break at the World Championships in 1983.

After a delicious lunch and Q&A session in the Segrave Room, we retired to the Billiards Room where Cliff entertained (and educated) us with snooker tips and trick shots.

We are happy to also report that, in Cliff’s opinion, we have the finest private members’ club tables in the country; unfortunately this, of course, gives us no excuse when we miss shots!

It was a great honour to be joined by Club Chairman Ben Cussons for the welcoming dinner on the Friday night in the Terrace Room and we were most grateful to both Jean-Louis Evans from our Club Photography Group and Pierre Alexandre Trode from the ACF Photography Group for capturing dozens of magical moments over the two nights – which are available to view in the Billiards section of the Club website.

We look forward to defending the trophy in Paris next year.

GARDENING AND NATURE GROUP

Visit to West Horsley Place

In April the Group enjoyed a tour of West Horsley Place, a Grade I listed medieval manor house. Television presenter Bamber Gascoigne inherited the estate from his great-aunt Mary,

Arboretum

The Acer griseum sponsored by the Gardening and Nature Group has now been planted in the new Arboretum. It is one of 19 newly planted trees including sweet chestnuts, hawthorns, crab apples and magnolias.

Of the trees available, 12 have already been sponsored by members so if you are interested in sponsoring one of the remaining ones please contact communications@royalautomobileclub.co.uk for more information.

In Memoriam

Mr Matthew Wiltshire 29/03/1967-17/09/2023

Mr Fabian Samengo-Turner 11/02/1931-04/10/2023

Mrs Vivian Brown 13/07/1926-05/10/2023

Mr Paul Mundy 23/11/1935-08/02/2024

Mr Brian Rowbotham 27/05/1931-22/02/2024

Duchess of Roxburghe, in 2014 and it is now owned by a charitable trust. This was a wonderful opportunity to explore the house, including areas not normally open to the public, and to hear about the historical and architectural significance of the estate.

Mr Richard Blaxland 04/06/1929-26/02/2024

Mr Alan O’Hea 21/01/1927-28/02/2024

Mr David Jackson 10/05/1941-29/02/2024

Mr John Strover 17/07/1938-02/03/2024

Mr Ronald Nutley 17/04/1932-09/03/2024

Mr Victor Atkins 22/02/1946-11/03/2024

Mr Domingo Cuadra 16/09/1958-15/03/2024

Mrs Sonia Grove 16/10/1935-23/03/2024

Sir Mark Garthwaite 04/11/1946-23/03/2024

Mr Charles Reiss 23/03/1942-30/03/2024

Mr Anthony Tilbury 24/06/1941-03/04/2024

Mr John Higdon 24/11/1946-22/04/2024

DDR Surrey is as passionate about Mercedes-Benz as you are. As Independent Specialists with years of experience, we have the ability to offer all aspects of aftersales for your Mercedes, from routine servicing, to fault diagnosis and repairs. Our service is professional and comprehensive, even covering hybrid and electric vehicles, using our team of highly trained Mercedes technicians.

Plenty of Royal Automobile Club members already trust DDR Surrey with the maintenance of their Mercedes. We like to think we hold the same values, and passion for quality.

So if your Mercedes-Benz is due a service, or you’ve noticed a fault, take advantage of our local free collection and delivery service (from Woodcote Park, your home or workplace) and rest assured that your vehicle won’t be better looked after anywhere else.

Club Promotions

For more information and to book, please visit the Club website or contact the Central Reservations Team by emailing reserve@royalautomobileclub.co.uk or calling 020 7747 3474. All prices are based upon VAT at 20%.

SURF AND TURF

Wednesday 3 July to Sunday 1 September

Woodcote Park, Stirling’s

Head to Stirling’s restaurant for the very best of the land and the sea. Dine out on the Lounge Terrace and enjoy our summer surf and turf menu. Choose from a premium Wagyu steak and caviar dish or a fruits de mer platter, available for both lunch and dinner. Both perfectly paired with the finest Champagne.

Price: A la carte

LES GRANDES MARQUES

Tuesday 30 July to Sunday 1 September

Pall Mall, all outlets

Woodcote Park, Stirling’s

Pop open a bottle of Champagne and choose from our classic French collection of Grandes Marques at exclusive Club prices. Champagnes available include Krug, Grande Cuvée, Pommery Brut Royal and Charles Heidsieck, Rosé Réserve.

Prices start from £44.00 per bottle. Please note that bottles must be consumed on Club premises.

LOBSTER MENU

Tuesday 30 July to Sunday 1 September

Pall Mall, Great Gallery

Woodcote Park, Stirling’s

Head to the Great Gallery or Stirling’s for a classic lobster menu, sustainably caught from the coastline of Aberdeenshire and served with the finest British seasonal produce.

Price: A la carte

INDIAN SUMMER WITH CHEF CYRUS TODIWALA OBE

Monday 2 to Sunday 8 September

Pall Mall, Brooklands Room

Get ready this summer for Chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE. He returns to bring members an exotic and diverse range of dishes inspired by Southern India. With vibrant flavours and tradition, enjoy either a two or three-course menu in the Brooklands Room.

Two courses: £44.00

Three courses: £53.00

SRI LANKAN MENU

Monday 16 to Sunday 29 September

Woodcote Park, Fountain Brasserie

Our very own Chef Charith will be showcasing the cuisine of his homeland. Choose from dishes such as spiced tuna cutlets with fermented chilli mayonnaise and crunchy salad or a chilli and lime soft shell crab burger with tamarind mayonnaise and green mango slaw.

Three courses: £35.00

WELLINGTON MONTH

Wednesday 2 October to Sunday 3 November

Woodcote Park, Stirling’s

A popular and traditional British dish, the Wellington, is returning to Stirling’s. Executive Chef Matthew Marshall will be creating his own unique versions, with meat or fish coated with pâté duxelles and skilfully wrapped in puff pastry. A different dish will be featured each week.

Pricing is individual to each Wellington.

MICHAEL CAINES MBE

Wednesday 16 October

Woodcote Park, Stirling’s

Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 October

Pall Mall, Great Gallery

The Michelin-starred Michael Caines MBE, chef and patron of Lympstone Manor, will be preparing an exceptional four-course menu for you to enjoy in Stirling’s and the Great Gallery. One of Britain’s most influential chefs will take you on a journey through his vision of modern British cuisine.

£125.00 for his four-course tasting menu or £175.00 with paired wines.

PURE PAMPER

Until the end of August

Pall Mall and Woodcote Park

This member favourite treatment is back for the summer season. Feel your best and make holiday preparation extra special this year with our express package including manicure, pedicure and facial. Total duration is 90 minutes.

Pall Mall: £90.00

Woodcote Park: £80.00

To book, please email

Pall Mall: sportsrecept@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Cedars Sports: cedarsreception@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

STAY AND DINE

Throughout 2024

Woodcote Park

Treat yourself to a night away in the countryside with a view of the Surrey Downs. Choose between a delicious three-course meal in the Fountain Brasserie or indulge in Stirling’s tasting menu, accompanied with a bottle of Club wine to complement your meal.

Member prices start from £248.00 per room per night. For further information and to book, please visit the Club website or telephone the Central Reservations Team on 020 7747 3474.

AUTUMN PERSONAL TRAINING

Throughout September and October

Pall Mall Sports

Woodcote Park, Cedar Sports

Kick-start your gym journey this autumn and receive personalised PT training packages tailored for you by our in-house trainers. Whether you are looking for weight loss, an improvement in health and wellbeing or just need that extra push from our trainers, we’ve got you covered.

3 x 60 minutes: £162.00

8 x 60 minutes: £416.00

To book, please email

Pall Mall: sportsrecept@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Cedars Sports: cedarsreception@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

END OF SEASON SALE

Monday 9 to Sunday 22 September

Woodcote Park Club Shop and Online Club Shop

With the autumn/winter golf clothing range arriving in store shortly, take advantage of up to 50 per cent off selected lines in the Club Shop and the Online Club Shop. Products include golf clothing, shoes and accessories, gifts, Club at Home range and more.

CAPE TO CAIRO

A century ago this August, Chaplin and Stella Court Treatt were hosted for a Farewell Dinner at the Club ahead of their attempted trans-Africa motoring expedition. Did they make it all the way?

Words by Timothy Barber

IT WAS QUITE the few days for British motoring. On Thursday 25 September, 1924, on the sands at Pendine in Wales, Malcolm Campbell reached 146mph, setting a new land speed record. Two days later, Sir Henry Segrave in his Sunbeam took the Spanish Grand Prix title at San Sebastian. At that moment, the glamorous married couple Chaplin and Stella Court Treatt were already powering their way through South Africa’s arid Karroo wilderness in Manchester-made Crossley cars, having departed Cape Town that Tuesday. Their objective was Cairo, 4,500 miles to the north (if you flew straight). Their aim: to become the first people to travel the length of the African continent by motorcar. Their route: 12,700 winding miles – the distance from London to New Zealand – of swamps, deserts, forests, mountains and bushland, where neither roads nor detailed maps existed.

The prospect of such a triumph of petrolpowered derring-do had, naturally, earned them a roistering send-off at the Royal Automobile Club a month earlier. In their honour, a grand ‘Farewell Dinner’ was held amid the magnificence of the Great Gallery at Pall Mall on 27 August. The presence of the evening’s official host, the eminent civil servant Lord Stevenson, indicated a wider significance too: Stevenson was chairman of the country’s newest and largest attraction, the British Empire Exhibition, opened by the King that April at the newly-built Empire Stadium at Wembley. This vast manifestation of pan-global dominion, coinciding with the moment of the Empire’s geographical

zenith, drew more than 18 million visitors in 1924 alone. Toasted by its supremo, the Court Treatts were not simply embarking on a ripping, self-financed automotive escapade with a side-order of endless big game hunting (though it was certainly that); they were landing a glorious blow for the Empire.

Over the previous century, the ‘scramble for Africa’ had left that continent carved up between competing European powers, with Britain’s possessions running like a vein up the entire landmass. They included South Africa and Rhodesia (combining what is now Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi and Zambia), Tanganyika (now Tanzania), Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Egypt (independent since 1922, but effectively under British control).

It was through these lands that the Court Treatts planned to travel: a motorised invocation of the continuous railroad imagined (but never completed) by Cecil

This page from left: Chaplin and Stella Court Treatt; a rocky road in Tanganyika, 1925. All images courtesy of The Print Collector/ Heritage-Images

To the authorities, their plan illustrated a narrative of end-to-end continental supremacy no other power could match.

Rhodes, the great imperialist, as a unifying force for his ‘red line’ of British territories, running from the Cape to the Mediterranean. By car, it was hardly the most practicable trajectory, as Stella acknowledged in her 1927 book, Cape to Cairo; but that was hardly the point. “The desirability of blazing a trail through British Africa was superior to every other consideration,” she wrote.

Stella, a South African descended from British colonial families, had been in postoperative convalescence in Johannesburg when her husband had proposed the madcap scheme. An Englishman known to all as ‘C.T.’, Chaplin Court Treatt had the outstanding name and rangy, stout-jawed, pipe-smoking disposition of an H. Rider Haggard hero, and the resourcefulness and tenacity of a born adventurer. He’d served (and been shot down) in the Royal Flying Corps on the Western Front and was later posted to Africa to oversee the building of aerodromes for the nascent Trans-African Air Route. He’d made Africa his home, exploration and big game hunting his passions and travelling the length of the continent his ambition. In early 1924 the couple decamped to London to make that a reality.

To the authorities, their plan illustrated a narrative of end-to-end continental supremacy that no other power could match. The South African premier, General Jan Smuts, accordingly declared it to be of “Imperial value”, while the Secretary of State for the Colonies, J.H. Thomas, threw his weight behind it. Doors were opened, introductions given and guarantees made of support and resources across Africa.

First, though, they needed vehicles, and C.T. knew where to look. He plumped for the same 25/30 Crossley light trucks, made to War Office specifications, that he’d driven on the Western Front and in Africa. These were fitted with four cylinder 4,536cc engines, and modified with twin rear wheels, raised suspensions, and bespoke

truck bodies fitted with special mosquito netting and water tanks. Most ingeniously, a pair of large, strikingly-shaped roof sections were designed to be detached, inverted and bound together to form a pontoon for river crossings.

Things had evidently moved on in the decade since the journey was last attempted. The protagonist then, one Captain Kelsey, had suffered a series of disasters driving a hopelessly impractical five-ton truck built by the Argyll Motor Company; though it was a Zambian leopard that eventually saw to the premature end of both Kelsey himself and, ergo sequitur, the expedition. On discovering the animal in his encampment, Kelsey shot and missed, and paid the price.

A big game hunter of C.T.’s experience could expect to fare better, though as little as possible was left to chance. With the help of the Department for Overseas Trade, among others, dumps of supplies, petrol and spare parts were distributed across the continent in advance, often transported over hundreds of miles by teams of African locals.

By the time of their departure, the Court Treatts were the talk of the town: interviewed in newspapers, snapped by photographers and celebrated at receptions and dinners, including that at Pall Mall. Also on their team would be T.A. Glover, a filmmaker and photographer; Fred Law, a correspondent for the Daily Express; and somewhat remarkably, Stella’s 16-year-old brother, Errol Hinds, who would prove a trusty assistant mechanic and, with Law, driver of the second car. Accompanying them would be Julius Mapata, a Swahili associate of C.T.’s employed as cook, servant and translator/liaison.

Having sailed from Southampton, they were cheered off by a Cape Town crowd on 23 September, and swept off into the vast, dusty expanse of the Karroo, which covers South Africa’s central heartland. The early going was straightforward: Kimberley, the teeming boomtown of the ‘Big Hole’ De Beers diamond mine, was reached on 2 October, and Johannesburg a couple of weeks later, where they were met by reporters and cameramen.

Left: The route taken by the Court Treatts and their entourage. Illustration by Laura Barnard

By early November, they were making their way along the bumpy roads of Southern Rhodesia in searing heat, while getting into their stride as hunters. Indeed, reading Stella’s account, it’s quite easy to conclude that the entire adventure was really an excuse to bag as many leopards, lions, giraffes, antelope and even hippos as possible. Elephants, unsurprisingly, were prized most of all, their tusks described by Stella as “the fruit of the chase”.

After passing through ‘Zimbabwe’ – which back then still meant the haunting Iron Age ruins that would give the wider country its post-colonial name – the expedition paused in Bulawayo. Here, seasonal rains set in earlier, and far harder, than expected. What had seemed a cakewalk now became a titanic endeavour, entirely at odds with most conceptions of African adventure.

Bushveld and grasslands gave way to a land of mud, in which the trucks became hopelessly stuck. Progress was grim and painfully slow, in constant rain: Christmas

Day caused Stella, in her diary, to compare their situation to what “our dear old men endured” in the trenches a few years before. A planned day’s run to the Wankie mining town took a month, as food ran low, tents blew away, Errol Hinds broke his arm and the sodden group contended with legions of scorpions and bugs.

Trailers and kit were jettisoned for weight, and supplies thereafter kept to a minimum (priorities are priorities though; a gramophone, and records, would accompany them to the end). Also left behind were the special roofs of the trucks, their amphibious innovation never deployed. River crossings would instead rely on ‘block and tackle’ pulleys, makeshift rafts and bridges, and the dragging power of oxen and bands of locals.

Indeed, far from the genius of English engineering, it was the thankless efforts of indigenous communities – often scores or even hundreds of them, paid around fourpence a day – that mostly ensured progress. Not that the group’s attitude to these people, at least as expressed in Stella’s deeply racist writing, was anything edifying by modern standards. Her text, by turns paternalistic and derisive, presents the locals as picturesque primitives or incompetent, virtually disposable labour; yet without them, the Crossleys would have remained firmly stranded.

As it was, Victoria Falls – thick with tourists even then – was reached in late April 1925. Crossing the Zambezi meant driving over the huge railway bridge where, to the group’s amusement, a uniformed train guard, complete with his flag and whistle, was assigned to accompany them across.

Gradually they left the rains and mud behind, and by July they had reached the southern shore of Lake Tanganyika. Swinging eastward through wetlands, they made almost 200 successive river crossings via rickety and rotten bridges, rebuilding many as they went. In the Tanganyika Territory they paused for a month to film the wildlife, and to shoot it.

Nights on the road were spent in pitched tents, listening to gramophone records, eating meat they’d shot, fighting off creepy

Left: Stella Court Treatt with her brother Errol Hinds

The thankless efforts of indigenous communities, rather than English engineering, ensured progress.

crawlies and dosing up on quinine. But greater comforts were periodically found at remote farmsteads and colonial stations – little outposts in the wilderness, often manned by solitary British officers with jurisdiction over huge territories. The group passed through these as though connecting the dots across the colonial map.

After a lengthy delay caused by a broken axle, Nairobi – by African standards, a bustling metropolis – was reached in September 1925, over a year after departure. After overhauling the Crossleys, the team sped off along Kenya’s thankfully superior roads “through grass hills, patches of forest and smiling valleys into Uganda”. They crossed the Equator, and the Great Rift Valley, in the process.

The Court Treatts were by now almost two-thirds of the way through their journey, reaching southern Sudan just eight days after leaving Nairobi, where they made their debut Nile crossing with the cars balanced precariously on a barge pulled by a river steamer. Now came a 1,100-mile detour around the impassable swamps of the Sudd, through terrain that was barely

less treacherous. Harsh weeks were spent hauling the cars, with the help of Dinka tribesmen, through miles of stinking, mosquito-infested marshland in horrific heat and humidity.

This left the entire party ill but they pushed on through unmapped territory. A series of river crossings required the cars – stripped down and with openings blocked up – to be entirely submerged, while scores of Dinka pulled on ropes and swam. Navigating considerable intrigue in the steamy borderland between the Dinka and their Arab rivals – ethnic tensions that foreshadow Sudan’s modern conflicts – they crossed the Bahr-el-Arab river, a sprawling tributary of the White Nile, and emerged into central Sudan.

Ahead, finally, lay the desert. The group spent their second Christmas on the road at El Obeid, the Sudanese city (today besieged amid Sudan’s brutal civil war), as guests of the governor and his wife. Following a brief stop in Khartoum, they paid their respects at the site of the Battle of Omdurman, fought by Kitchener against the Mahdists only 26 years previously.

By now the expedition was really motoring, amassing 100 miles a day and reaching speeds of 40mph through what Stella described as “desert of the most deserty kind”. The mountains of the Arabian desert

Above: Crossing the Chambesi River, Northern Rhodesia, on a broken pontoon

would prove one last – and almost tragic –test. They’d been warned that the journey from Halfa, Sudan to Shellal, Egypt was impossible by car. Sure enough, the brutal terrain brought punctures and breakages, while the unknowable landscape left them irredeemably lost. As food and water ran dangerously low, it was only by luck that a search party, despatched by anxious colonial authorities in Aswan, stumbled upon them.

The epic journey was completed in suitably picturesque style. A felucca sailboat, rigged up with a platform for the cars, carried them across the Nile once more, from where they proceeded to Shellal and across the great Aswan dam. Luxor and Karnak were ticked off before the Court Treatt expedition sped into Cairo on 24 January 1926. They passed by the pyramids at Giza amid a huge convoy of officials and well-wishers, with crowds cheering them home. It was almost 17 dusty, mud-caked, mosquito-bitten months since they had left Cape Town.

The Court Treatts made a heroic return to England. Their first port of call was, of course, 89 Pall Mall. At a ‘Welcome Dinner’ on 10 February, the Club’s Chairman, Sir Arthur Stanley, acted as host, and the Court Treatts gave rousing accounts of their adventure. That was just the beginning. There was an audience with the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace and lavish functions at the National League and the Hyde Park Hotel (today’s Mandarin Oriental), along with radio broadcasts, newpaper interviews and lectures. With the Flapper movement in full swing, Stella was held up as a paragon of tomboyish fortitude and style.

And yet, for all the glory of that moment, posterity would see the Court Treatt expedition differently. Rather than a bold new dawn for motor-powered exploration, it seems now more like a late flourish at the tail-end of Victorian/Edwardian adventurism, in a world that was changing fast. By their return, the General Strike was looming and the British Empire was in deep trouble.

Stella and C.T. would return to Africa, heading once more into Sudan and making two poorly received films, before divorcing in 1935, by which time their fame had

faded. The Cape to Cairo film made by their cinematographer teammate T.A. Glover was screened in London and New York, but has sadly been lost. And Crossley Motors, which then had offices in Pall Mall, Conduit Street and Berkeley Square, would not survive into the second half of the 20th century. The whereabouts of the two cars is not known.

But at least the Court Treatts were the first to drive the length of Africa – or were they? Shortly after crossing the Zambezi, the team encountered a group headed in the other direction: the French ‘Croisier Noire’ expedition had departed from ColombBechar in French Algeria for Cape Town, on a route that, unlike their British counterparts, was more practical than patriotic. They were driving Citroën vehicles fitted with tank-style half-tracks, much better suited to diverse terrain than the lumbering Crossleys. It’s a question of categorisation, and possibly national pride, whether making the trip by road vehicles, or simply by motor power, was more significant. The French, in any event, arrived in Cape Town in August 1925, six months before the Court Treatts completed their epic expedition.

Above: Listening to the gramophone, Rhodesia

HOW DAVID BEAT GOLIATH

Forty years on from founding Prodrive, Club member David Richards describes how his company, now part of the upper echelons of motorsport, started in a lock-up garage at Silverstone.

Words by Adam Hay-Nicholls Main photograph by Max Edleston

WHEN DAVID RICHARDS CBE established Prodrive, his motorsport engineering business, he gained a notable win straight out of the blocks. It was at the Qatar International Rally, on 27 January 1984, when ‘King of the Dunes’ Saeed Al-Hajri steered Prodrive’s Group B Porsche 911 SC RS to victory in his homeland, en route to securing the inaugural FIA Middle East Rally Championship title.

In the four decades since, Prodrive has gone on to win six World Rally Championships, six Le Mans class victories,

four British Touring Car crowns and 11 World Endurance Championship titles.

Richards grew up on a small farm in North Wales where he drove cars, rode motorbikes and steered whatever else he could lay his hands on. In his early teens, his parents took him to Clocaenog Forest near Ruthin to watch a rally – and he plastered the many photographs he took all over his bedroom walls. He passed his driving test on his 17th birthday and, shortly afterwards, stuck his Austin-Healey Sprite through a hedge. His ambitions immediately switched from rally driving to navigating and he found he had a knack for it. “I’m mildly dyslexic and, while I might not be very good with written words, that gave me an extraordinary capacity for reading maps,” he says.

Richards met Ari Vatanen during the Finnish driver’s first visit to Wales and the pair became firm friends. In 1981, they won the World Rally Championship in a Ford

Previous page: David Richards with Prodrive’s 1984 Group B Porsche 911 SC RS driven to victory by Saeed Al-Hajri

From below: Colin McRae at the wheel of a Subaru Impreza during the World Rally Championship in Australia, 1995; Jensen Button driving for BAR, managed by David RIchards, leads Michael Schumacher in the 2004 British Grand Prix. (Motorsport Images)

Escort RS1800. They clinched it at the final round, in Wales, where the final stage was held in Clocaenog, and the final corner was the very one on which the 13-yearold Richards had stood with his camera, 16 years earlier.

He gave up competing himself whilst still at the top, then focused all his attention on setting up his own racing operation. He convinced sponsor Rothmans to come with him. “We had a relationship for many years. I really wanted to build my own team and told them that they could expect us to deliver on what I promised, and we did.”

Prodrive was established with 14 employees in a lock-up garage at Silverstone Circuit, rubbing shoulders with a young Eddie Jordan in the unit next door. A key hire was David Lapworth, employee no.3, with whom Richards works closely to this day. “He has been instrumental in all the cars we’ve designed, built and raced; they have David’s fingerprints all over them.”

Today, Prodrive boasts more than 500 staff and a large state-of-the-art facility in Banbury but, at the beginning, Richards and his team were opportunists. “We never thought about what we were going to do next. It was more a case of who came through the door. We’ve always been pretty good at taking opportunities. We were all very ambitious, shared a love of motorsport and we were prepared to work 24/7 to succeed.”

The biggest opportunity came in 1989 when a Japanese gentleman rang Richards up. “The wonderful Mr [Ryuichiro] Kuze

Prodrive has won six World Rally Championships, six Le Mans class victories, four British Touring Car crowns and 11 World Endurance Championship titles.

asked to come and see me about Subaru going into the World Rally Championship,” recalls Richards. “We’d hardly heard of Subaru. I remember the reaction from the staff. Our company cars at the time were BMWs and no one wanted to give them up!”

The Subaru World Rally Team’s subsequent profile, starting with the 1990 season through to 2008, would turn the brand from something seen as quite Country Life into a petrolhead’s performance car totem. Richards says: “Without wishing to take any more credit than is due to us, it was one of the best examples of how motorsport can change perception and awareness of a car brand”. The bold blue livery, big yellow ‘555’ branding and gold wheels of the Impreza, which took over from the Legacy in 1994, became famous. “Stripes were the fashion of the time. We were sceptical of the graphics at first but they were so simple and original. The gold wheels were an accident. They were meant to be a grey metallic but the supplier painted them wrong. We were aghast but it was too late to do anything about it. We ran them in the Monte Carlo, which we won, and I subsequently wrote to the President of Subaru apologising that the car hadn’t looked its best. He replied immediately: ‘We love them, and we’re going to have gold wheels from now on!’ ”

In 1995, Colin McRae and the team won the WRC titles. Their union lasted eight years and was as symbiotic as any in motorsport. “He was an extraordinary talent,” says Richards. “His style reminded me so much of Ari. Colin only knew one way of driving and that was flat out. Sometimes I found that frustrating. We had so many accidents and that challenged our limited resources but he created an enormous following. Everyone loved him and we built the team around him.”

Richards keeps a photo of team drivers McRae, Richard Burns, Possum Bourne and Carlos Sainz together in his study at home. Sainz is the only one still with us. “There was an enormous rivalry between Carlos and Colin and it wasn’t healthy at times. But I’ve found managing two great drivers in a team raises everyone’s game. You shouldn’t fight shy of that. You should always have the very best drivers and we’ve always done that.”

In 2001, Prodrive turned its hand to sports cars and in 2003 won the GTS category at Le Mans with the Ferrari 550 Maranello. That grounding led to the Aston Martin Racing programme, which has now been running for 20 years. “It’s a great satisfaction, winning with a British manufacturer and a product that you feel so aligned to,” says Richards, a long-time Aston apostle and collector. He led a consortium that bought the company in 2007 and was its Chairman for six years.

Prodrive has competed in so many series – including Formula 1, in the guise of British American Racing, of which Richards was team principal between 2002 and 2004 – that Richards claims the only thing they haven’t tried is drag racing.

The highlight of his career? He says it hasn’t happened yet. Whenever Prodrive wins, the Union Flag is raised beside its HQ for a week – but if they’ve had a bad race,

In 2003, Prodrive won the GTS category at Le Mans with the Ferrari 550 Maranello. That led to the Aston Martin Racing programme, which has run for 20 years.

“I’m on the shop floor talking to everybody, because that’s when you’re needed”.

Richards reckons he’s learned more than his fair share of lessons along the way. “We’ve had lots of failures: mechanical failures, driver failures, failures of the team. You learn more from the failures than you do the successes. You acknowledge them but you don’t have a blame culture. The worst possible thing is to create an environment where failures are identified as an individual problem. They’re not; they’re a collective problem. And they’re a collective problem to solve and make sure they don’t happen again.”

He is a firm believer in leading from the front. “You’ve got to be seen when times are difficult. It’s not necessary to be on the podium when you win. But it’s absolutely essential to be with the team when you’ve lost. People will follow you and believe in you when they see just how much you care. However, it’s also important how you win. I don’t think we’ve ever made a protest. We win on the track and we do it fairly.”

Above: Prodrive’s Ferrari F550 Maranello wins the GTS class at Le Mans in 2003 (Motorsport Images)

Richards is also the current Chairman of Motorsport UK, the governing body of British motorsport, to which he dedicates roughly half his time. Many believe that he would be an excellent contender for FIA President but he believes that ship has sailed. “Ten years ago, I might have considered it.” Likewise, he says a Prodrive Formula 1 entry hasn’t worked out, “for various reasons. I don’t dwell on it anymore. You need to give it 100 per cent. I think it’s time for younger people. I’m keen to promote the next generation. That’s my task now.”

If Richards could take any car from Prodrive’s back catalogue for a blast right now, which would it be? After flirting with the possibility of an Aston Martin GT race car and some track time at Silverstone, he settles on a 230-mile road trip to the hotel he owns in Cornwall, The Idle Rocks, in Prodrive’s latest bespoke-honed Subaru Impreza P25 – an impressive £500,000 road-legal celebration of what Prodrive does best. “This car says a lot about where we’ve come from and where we are today.”

Forty years of Prodrive will be the toast of a dinner and talk with David Richards at Pall Mall on 31 October, during London Motor Week. Full details will be announced in the Motoring Bulletin, which members can subscribe to in the My Account area of the Club website.

SEVEN HEAVEN PRODRIVE’S GREATEST HITS

1984 PORSCHE 911 SC RS

Prodrive – entered under the name David Richards Autosport – won on its debut at the Qatar International Rally with the Rothmans-sponsored 911 SC RS.

1988 BMW M3

Frank Sytner, in his first full season, won the 1988 British Touring Car Championship in a Prodriveengineered M3.

1995 SUBARU IMPREZA 555

Colin McRae and Prodrive took their first World Rally Championship titles in 1995 with the iconic 555-liveried Impreza. In total, Subaru World Rally Team won 46 rallies, and three drivers’ and three constructors’ WRC titles.

2000 FORD MONDEO

Alain Menu and the Prodrive-run Ford Mondeo won the BTCC drivers’ and constructors’ titles in 2000.

2003 FERRARI 550-GTS MARANELLO

Prodrive ran a Ferrari at Le Mans in 2003, winning the GTS category from class-pole. Richards wanted to build road-going specials under licence but Ferrari wouldn’t allow that to happen in Banbury.

2017 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE GTE

The no.97 car drove to LMGTE Proclass victory at Le Mans in 2017. In total, Prodrive has taken victory with Aston Martin six times at La Sarthe.

2022 EXTREME E ODYSSEY 21

Sir Lewis Hamilton chose Prodrive to run his Extreme E team, X44. Drivers Sébastien Loeb and Cristina Gutiérrez won the electric off-road rally series in 2022.

Below: Richards’ Idle Rocks hotel in St Mawes, Cornwall boasts an awardwinning restaurant and stunning views

BE MAD TO LIE HERE…

Isle of Man TT sidecar winners Ben and Tom Birchall, the latest and much-deserving recipients of the Club’s Segrave Trophy, explain the appeal of the world’s most dangerous motorsport.

Words by Mat Oxley

Photographs courtesy of iomtt.com

With Ben Birchall at the controls, brother Tom distributes his weight around their sidecar racer to keep the machine on the road at speeds of up to 170mph

IF THE WORLD’S wildest motorsport event is the Isle of Man TT, then the TT’s wildest category is sidecar racing. Watching the inherently unstable three-wheeled vehicles race around the island is like watching a master magician pulling off a particularly challenging trick. How is that even possible, you ask yourself.

Modern racing sidecars are more like three-wheeled race cars than motorcycles with sidecars attached. The rider works the controls while the passenger is, essentially, movable ballast; their job is to stabilise the machine as it hurtles around the meandering

country roads of the 37.73-mile TT course at speeds of up to 170mph.

The current masters of TT sidecar racing, brothers Ben and Tom Birchall, are also the winners of the 2023 Segrave Trophy. Awarded to them for smashing the 120mph barrier on the centenary of sidecar racing at the Isle of Man TT, the Birchall brothers have won the TT no less than 14 times and, until this year when Tom retired, hadn’t been beaten since 2014. They also hold the sidecar lap record.

Racing a sidecar at the TT is a balancing act, both physically and mentally. Ben muscles their bespoke, 600cc, Swiss-made LCR

machine with his arms, legs and core, while Tom manoeuvres around his one-metresquare platform, leaning right through righthanders and left through left-handers to keep the sidecar wheel on the ground.

The TT course is bordered by buildings, drystone walls, hedges and lampposts so the Nottinghamshire-born brothers know that their first mistake could also be their last. There’s simply no room for error. Surviving, and winning, require talent, intelligence, aggression and – there’s no getting away from it – a little madness.

“You can be brave but if you’re too brave, the TT is going to have you,” declares 47-yearold Ben. “You’ve got to contain your bravery, your lunacy and your aggression and turn it into something. The biggest challenge is that everywhere on the course is ‘blind’, in that you can’t see far because of obstructions, dips and corners, so you need to know the circuit better than any other. Everywhere is fast, so you have to be ultra-confident and ultra-sure of yourself when you go into a corner in sixth gear. You can’t see the exit but you know you’re going to come out the other side.”

Into this cocktail of danger, now add the sidecar outfit itself. “The handlebars take a lot of holding onto,” Ben continues. “I can steer the sidecar with my body but in some parts of the course you’re having a scrap with the thing – it wants to bite you. Sidecars are just so unstable! One of its three wheels doesn’t do anything other than bounce around, while one drives and the other steers. Add another skilled, controlled lunatic on the side of it and off you go!”

If the TT is scary enough for the sidecar rider, imagine what it’s like for their passenger. They can’t grab the brakes if they decide the outfit is heading into a 160mph corner too fast. In moments like that it’s up to them to rescue the situation with highspeed acrobatics. “Tom has come back with dock leaves in his visor!” laughs Ben, who is

THE BIRCHALL BROTHERS IN NUMBERS

Surviving, and winning, require talent, intelligence, aggression and – there’s no getting away from it – a little madness.

10 years older than his brother.

Their racing partnership goes back to childhood. “I had an old Ford Escort when I was 17 and Tom was seven,” recalls Ben. “He sat next to me all through us doing stuff we shouldn’t have been doing but having a great time. When I started racing, first as a passenger, Tom came with me. It was an almost unspoken thing that when I started driving a sidecar, he was going to be my passenger.” Ben and Tom have now been a team for 20 years, winning the Sidecar World Championship before they contested their first TT in 2009. They scored their first TT victory four years later.

“Ben has hold of the throttle and I’ve got to help him steer the bike where he wants to put it,” explains Tom. “We’ve always had postrace debriefs; if I ask him why he’s struggling through a particular corner and he says it’s because he can’t turn the bike, I’ll try something different at that place next time. You work together; that’s the point of sidecar racing.”

They work together and look out for each other, too. “At somewhere like the bottom of Barregarrow [a hellishly bumpy 140mph left-hander, with a cottage wall at the apex], if the bike follows a bump, it’ll move half a metre across the road, which is enough to wipe my hip out and game over,” says Tom. “We’re both dead competitive not only in races but also as a team, so we push each other along. I want to see my brother win and he wants to see his brother win. It’s what has helped get us where we are today. However, at the same time I want my brother to be safe, so I’ve got to be the best at what I do.”

Inevitably, the Birchalls have made mistakes. In 2012 they crashed after running off the course at speed and were airlifted to hospital. “We were very lucky to get away

47 Ben Birchall years old 37 Tom Birchall years old years

21 Racing together

with that one,” says Ben. Their next accident, two years later, hurt a lot more. Surgeons considered amputating three fingers from Ben’s mangled right hand but in the end, the injury was fixed with plates and wires.

That crash could have been worse – much worse. In 2022, four sidecar racers lost their lives during TT fortnight. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that Tom has decided to retire from racing. “I was always honest with myself. Every year I never just walked into it blind. I’d go for a ride on my own, clear my head and ask myself, ‘Are you ready to commit to this?’ I’d always said, yes, but after last year’s TT [when they became the first duo to push the lap record past 120mph], I asked myself and I couldn’t say it.

“On a 120mph lap the bike is doing different things in places you’d never expect. There were moments where I was sat there thinking, ‘Just thread the sidecar through, just thread it through…’ When those thoughts start creeping into your head, it’s time to stop; you’ve done enough.

“The final two laps of last year’s second sidecar race were the most sublime, surreal experience I’ve ever had on a bike; doing that speed, getting cheered on in the sunshine. We pulled into the winner’s enclosure and I thought, ‘This is it. This is as good as it’ll ever get.’ It just felt like the right time. I’ve got

good memories and I’m glad it happened; not sad that it’s stopped.”

The Birchalls are overwhelmed at receiving the Segrave Trophy, which has been won by some of Britain’s greatest motorcycle racers, including fellow sidecar racer Steve Webster and bike riders Joey Dunlop, Barry Sheene, Mike Hailwood, John Surtees and Geoff Duke. “To be put anywhere near those names means so much,” says Ben. “It’s absolutely mindbending,” continues Tom. “Motorsport and the TT are so wonderful, and to get an accolade like this is amazing.”

Tom may have put away his helmet but Ben will continue racing and competed at this year’s TT with experienced French passenger Kevin Rousseau. “Ben’s obviously been with Tom for a long time but this is a new chapter for both of us,” Rousseau told Motorcycle News ahead of the race. “It’ll take a bit of time to build our speed up but that’s the right way to do the TT. The key is to be confident and Tom’s been giving me a lot of advice. I can’t wait for the TT to start.”

As things turned out, the duo finished second behind race winners, and brothers, Ryan and Callum Crowe. For Rousseau it was his first TT podium although with Ben’s support it’s unlikely to be his last. Whatever happens, you can be sure Tom Birchall will be cheering them both on to further success.

Ben (left) and Tom Birchall celebrate breaking the 120mph sidecar lap record with a speed of 120.645mph at the 2023 Isle of Man TT

“OH MY GOD, I’VE LOST THREE MEN…”

Fifty years since he led a successful expedition from the source of the River Congo to the Atlantic Ocean, Colonel John Blashford-Snell CBE recalls his worst moment in a journey his predecessor had said would never again be undertaken.

Members will be able to hear more about Blashford-Snell’s astonishing adventures at Pall Mall in October.

Words by Ben Oliver

Photographs courtesy of John Blashford-Snell

OVER THE COURSE of his Zaire River Expedition in 1974, Colonel BlashfordSnell scared off a marauding hippo while armed only with a loudhailer, was accused of plotting a coup d’état, mistook a lady of easy virtue for a local dignitary, faked an aerial bombing, nearly met his end on at least one occasion in the mighty river’s rapids and was inappropriately touched by a bonobo chimpanzee.

This

Mount an operation on this scale and you’re bound to return with a crop of funny stories – assuming you return at all. However, Blashford-Snell’s expedition, undertaken 50 years ago, had a very serious

purpose and celebrated a significant anniversary. Exactly a century before, Henry Morton Stanley had begun his first trans-Africa expedition, which included the first navigation of the Congo River. Setting out in 1874 with 228 men, women and children, the expedition resolved many of the outstanding questions about the region’s geography but exacted a terrible toll on its participants. It took 999 days and the lives of half of Stanley’s party. The survivors were rescued just 60 miles from the Atlantic, with Stanley himself ‘more dead than alive’. “There is no fear that any other explorer will attempt what we have done,” he wrote later. “It would be insanity.”

Colonel John Blashford-Snell disagreed. He made his name as an explorer with the first complete descent of the Blue Nile in 1968, inventing white-water rafting on the way, and followed it in 1972 with the first vehicular crossing of the Darien Gap –the 250-mile stretch of near-impenetrable jungle and swamp which straddles Panama and Colombia – in early Range Rovers. However, Blashford-Snell’s experience of getting boats, cars and their occupants through terrain that would appear unnavigable to a normal person would be sorely tested by what he and his Scientific Exploration Society proposed. Starting 600 miles further upstream than Stanley, at the head of the Lualaba River, the

Opposite: The team battles the Lualaba River in one of its Avon inflatables

page from top: Blashford-Snell at Vivi Station, illustrated in Stanley’s book on the Congo; the explorer with ‘Sophie’, a rare Bonobo monkey

Congo’s main tributary, his 1974 Zaire River Expedition would see 165 servicemen, botanists, biologists and medics spending four months travelling the entire 2,700-mile length of both waterways, from their source deep in the jungle of what was then Zaire to their outlet at Banana on the Atlantic coast.

Along the way they would catalogue the local fauna and investigate environmental issues such as the recent, choking growth of water hyacinth on the riverbanks. The expedition’s most important contribution, however, would be its research into and treatment of onchocerciasis, more commonly known as river blindness, which at the time affected 20 million people in Africa and had blinded two million.

“It was certainly as difficult as the other expeditions but in a different way,” the now 87-year-old Blashford-Snell tells me from his Dorset home. “Of course, there were the logistics. This was probably one of the largest, if not the largest, expedition Britain had ever sent to Africa. But it was also difficult politically. We were going into a very sensitive country where there was a recent history of violence. An awful lot of people were killed when the Belgians were forced out of the country.”

Influential backers helped, including the Ministry of Defence, Prince Philip, the Royal Automobile Club and President Mobutu Sese Seko, who had effectively seized power in the Congo 14 years previously aged just 30, and had renamed both his country and the river ‘Zaire’ in 1971. The passage of a century also granted Blashford-Snell more transport options than Stanley and he had a bizarrely diverse fleet at his disposal. His main river party used small inflatable dinghies; larger rigid inflatables powered by 40hp motors that acted as reconnaissance boats, finding

calmer passages through the rapids; giant inflatables carrying up to 20 people and based on designs developed for the Colorado River rapids; and 220hp HamiltonJet boats. Made in New Zealand and included at the suggestion of Prince Philip, these could scale even the fastest, steepest rapids and proved invaluable as rescue craft.

The expedition took six Series III longwheelbase Land Rovers to bring supplies in and take the scientists’ specimens out, and a six-wheeled amphibious buggy for shore transport. However, river blindness was found to affect populations far inland from the river, meaning the medical teams needed more ground transport, so Mobutu gave them eight new Range Rovers. The expedition had brought the same Beaver light aircraft used in the Darien Gap expedition for reconnaissance and to drop food and fuel by parachute but Mobutu also made his personal DC10 available to move supplies and remove the

giant ‘David Gestetner’ inflatable shooting the Kinsuka Cataract; a HamiltonJet waterjet boat tackles the same cataract; the ‘river blindness’ team in action

Clockwise from far left:

The team’s

sick, and even an armoured train to get the expedition’s kit – including a stash of weapons never fired in anger – to the starting point.

For all the advances, however, this remained a genuinely arduous expedition, with mortal danger ever present. One incident, in particular, stands out for Blashford-Snell. “I was on the flagship when it happened and too far in front to see it,” he tells me. “We passed a whirlpool and had radioed a warning. But one of our recce boats went into it and turned over. Its three crewmen were hanging to the outside of the upturned boat which was being sucked into the vortex and they would have gone down the hole.

“The second boat, which was helmed by Corporal Neil Rickard of the Royal Marines, came up behind and did a trick rather like the motorcyclist in the wall of death act. He went round and round inside the vortex while pulling the three men out of it and into his boat, which was now doubly overladen, and circled his way back out. A mile down river, where I’d stopped, the empty boat bobbed up suddenly with its engine torn off and without its crew. My thought then was, ‘Oh my God, I’ve lost three men!’ but, then, down the river came Rickard with six people, for which he got a very well-deserved Queen’s Gallantry Medal.”

The Zaire River Expedition wasn’t the only international event providing high drama in the country. Mobutu had also arranged to hold the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa at the same time. “Muhammad Ali was taken to see one of the boats,” recalls John. “We were going to call it Mobutu but Ali said that as we were doing this for people with river blindness, we must call it La Vision. It became our flagship. I think we heard the result of the fight but I don’t remember seeing it. We had other problems on our minds by then.”

Perhaps the victorious Ali’s blessing brought the expedition some good fortune. It reached the Atlantic after four months without loss of life and having navigated almost the entire length of the river, the boats having been ‘portaged’ overland for only around seven of the expedition’s 2,700 miles.

Blashford-Snell’s expedition marked the centenary of Stanley’s but despite half as

much time now having elapsed since his own, his memories of it are entirely undimmed and will be recounted at an event to mark its halfcentury at the Club in October.

The expedition’s more serious legacy remains the scientific research done and the reference work written on river blindness as a result. He has also been invited to speak at a major event hosted by the Scientific Exploration Society in November, recognising the importance of the research conducted during the expedition.

However, its leader says its most significant impact was unplanned. The involvement of a young equerry to Prince Charles in the Zaire expedition inspired the now King to ask Blashford-Snell to establish, first, Operation Drake and then Operation Raleigh to give more young people the same life-changing challenge. As a result, tens of thousands have experienced the same adventure which their founder has sought – and encouraged in others – for all his long and inspirational life.

HOW THE CLUB SUPPORTED THE EXPEDITION

“We carried the RAC emblem on the bow of the boats and the Club and its Chairman were extremely good at raising funds and finding companies to supply equipment to us,” Colonel Blashford-Snell recalls. After the expedition, he was awarded the Club’s Segrave Trophy, which is presented to those showing a ‘Spirit of Adventure’ in transportation on land, water or in the air. Colonel Blashford-Snell received the trophy for an expedition which involved all three, even if he had travelled rather more slowly than some other recipients. “Winning the Segrave was very useful because not only did you get a wonderful trophy but also a grant of money. I think it was £1,500, which was a substantial sum at the time and handy as the bank was virtually empty and we were wondering how we were going to pay the final bills!”

LIVE IN THREE, TWO, ONE…

Just as this edition of Pell-Mell & Woodcote was being published, voters across the UK were deciding the outcome of the 2024 General Election. Veteran broadcaster, journalist and newspaper editor – and Club member – Andrew Neil provides an insight into the preparations necessary for such events.

Words by Josh Sims

EVEN A MEDIA veteran like Andrew Neil gets skittish on occasion. Try as he might to – wisely – take a siesta to see him through a night of continuous live broadcasting, he’s never quite managed to get his head down for long during General Election day. “One of the strange things is that, as a journalist, there’s nothing much to do during most of election day because the broadcasting rules [to maintain neutrality] are very strict until the polls have closed,” Neil says. “So, the theory is that you get a good night’s sleep the night before and then try to have a nap sometime between 3 and 6 o’clock – but I’ve always been too excited to do that. By then the mind is racing and the adrenaline is starting to flow”.

Neil is the one-time pioneering editor of The Sunday Times and a former chairman of Sky TV, Press Holdings and GB News. He is well-known for presenting numerous series for the BBC and anchoring election night coverage for many years and many broadcasters – and for undoubtedly being the UK’s most incisive political interviewer. “General Elections are huge political events and in many ways the culmination of the political coverage that you do through the years, so there’s a huge sense of excitement, a sense of occasion and such a big build-up to this national event that people are tuning into,” says Neil. “All live TV has a buzz to it and can be nerve-wracking. But the great joy

“General Elections are huge political events... there’s excitement, a sense of occasion and a big build-up to this national event people are tuning into.”

about it is that you’re in charge. They can’t make you do it again!”

That does, however, mean that everyone is looking to Neil to carry the event. “There’s a desperate need not to let the side down” so preparation is essential: he builds up his own files and keeps them to hand. Alastair Burnet – “the greatest anchorman on British television ever,” reckons Neil – “taught me the importance of doing your homework. I’m on familiar territory and I have quite a good head for statistics. But you need to know which seats matter, the candidates, what’s a good result and what’s a bad result for the main parties. You need a broad picture of each constituency; what kind of constituency it is, what’s its composition, the breakdown between council and owneroccupied housing, does it have a big rural area even though it’s a suburban seat, boundary changes…”

Unsurprisingly, Neil isn’t one for rushing his homework the night before teacher expects it in either. “You can never start too far in advance,” he chuckles. “The truth is that you’re compiling data in a way you

know you can use it long before there’s even any talk of the General Election itself. When you’re broadcasting live for at least eight hours you can’t do too much homework to fill that airtime.” That’s also because, for all that the full armoury of broadcasting is available to him on the night – “the big studios, sophisticated computer and graphics packages, outside broadcasts across several hundred locations” – he nonetheless feels a personal journalistic duty that is both simple and challenging: “To get the results as quickly as possible to the audience with the caveat that they must also be reliable. Especially for the BBC, they have to be right”.

Much to his frustration – “because every journalist likes to be first!” – that has sometimes meant holding back on a potential ‘scoop’ in order to be absolutely sure of its veracity. But Neil knows the importance of treating the occasion with the greatest respect – after all, he stresses, a General Election is the very hallmark of democracy, above every other system of government. It’s the fundamental idea “that power changes hands because somebody wins and somebody loses and that the changing of hands is a peaceful process,” he says. “The loser gracefully accepts and packs their bags.” Election night demands the gravitas that his preparedness lends it.

Despite anchoring the coverage with such exactitude, Neil still revels in the

emotion of events – especially the big upsets – as they unfold. After all, “national elections are democratic drama,” he says. “People who sneer at them are usually people who have never lived under a dictatorship. People who don’t have the vote are amazed by it and wish they had it themselves. But election nights are a bit theatrical – and why not? Coffee aside, you need some of that to keep people at home awake; those who stay up –and they do in their millions – are doing so because they know it’s important.”

He recalls interviewing the then Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell in December 2019 as the exit poll showed the Conservatives were set to enjoy an unexpected scale of victory. “I could see the shock on his face. I said to him: ‘You didn’t expect to go down like this, did you?’ And he just said ‘No’”. Such moments are, of course, televisual gold. They are also important in helping to alleviate what risks becoming a litany of dry number-crunching, even though the digital age increasingly allows for the packaging of often-complicated election data in accessible ways. Self-confessed “political nerd” Neil says he has to remain conscious of disappearing down the rabbithole of his own political knowledge and not taking his audience with him. “We [Neil and his colleagues] are all looking at the swings and thinking how this or that result was different to the by-election three months ago or how there are parallels with the election of 1951; we’re all walking encyclopaedias!” he says. “But we can’t get too carried away. People still want the broad strategic picture. Sometimes you have to stand back from the granular detail and take stock.”

Not that you can be ready for everything. Clangers happen all the time. “You say you’re going to go over to a count, for example, and then nothing happens.” For these situations the only form of preparedness is that which comes from years of experience in the anchorman’s shoes. And, perhaps, something like the gift of the gab. “Fortunately, tell me to talk and I can keep going. I couldn’t have done that when I started out but you get confidence in your ability – and when you’ve done that homework.”

Above: The production team during the 2010 Chancellors’ Debate: in a live debate, treasury spokesmen from the three main parties were cross-examined by Andrew Neil and the BBC Economics Editor Below: Andrew Neil ahead of recording BBC2’s Election Daily Politics Debate in London in 2010

A Club for all

To mark 25 years since women were first granted Full Membership, we meet three of the ladies who have had, and are having, a big impact on their Club.

Words

Annabel Harrison

LIFE WAS QUITE different in 1999. The franc, lira and peseta were on their way out; the euro was coming in. Only a quarter of the UK population had access to the internet. Millennium-themed songs by Cliff Richard and Robbie Williams played on the radio, and there was global uncertainty about whether the arrival of the year 2000 would usher in technical chaos.

In the clubhouses in Pall Mall and Woodcote Park, there was also significant change afoot. Members had voted that women should be able to join the Club as Full Members in their own right and 150 women did just that, as reported in the January 1999 issue of Pell-Mell & Woodcote, shown above. “We hope you will join us,” Brian McGivern, then the Club’s Chairman,

had written when the decision was made the previous year, “in giving our first lady members a friendly, welcoming reception. They will contribute much to the Club”. These women have since been followed by thousands more.

Prior to 1999, ladies could only be members in association with a man’s membership, an arrangement which was, understandably, to many, “very unsatisfactory” declares Hilary Wilson with wry understatement. A former member of the Club’s Board and of the Woodcote Park Committee, she has been a Full Member since 8 April 1999, having previously been visiting for two decades as a ‘spouse member’ with limited rights. “When they said there would be a vote, many male golfers down

by

Photography by Jamie Lau and Rob Cadman

Members voted that women should be able to join the Club as Full Members in their own right and, at the start of 1999, 150 women did just that.

at Woodcote said, ‘Not a chance’. But we knew that all the men of my husband’s age were absolutely for women being admitted because that meant their wives could be Full Members. As I recall, there wasn’t really any doubt about which way the vote would go.”

In response to the question ‘Are you in favour of clarifying the rules of the Royal Automobile Club so as to allow women to become Full Members?’, 8,899 ballot papers were returned and 6,604 members voted ‘Yes’. With a resounding majority in favour, “the Committee has authorised the necessary rule changes in accordance with the membership’s wishes”, reported Club Secretary George Kennedy.

It was quite different for women at the Club before this, Hilary explains, with restrictions in place that now seem extraordinarily outdated. Pall Mall had a designated ladies’ lounge, where women could wait for their male chaperone; at

Hilary Wilson

Woodcote Park, while male golfers could get something to eat, in the café where the Fountain Brasserie is now located, female golfers had to wait outside.

The transition was easier for some than others: the Long Bar and the 19th Hole were the last two places to fully admit women, says Hilary, and “it wasn’t until all the facilities at the Club were available to us that women could feel that they were truly integral members. It took time”.

“I don’t think the success the Club is enjoying now would have come about if we didn’t have male and female members.”

Now, 25 years have passed and the members’ referendum in 1998 changed the course of Club life for all. “By the time I joined, eight years later, there were a number of women on the committees,” explains Club Vice President Christine Gaskell, also a former Vice Chair of the Club. “I was introduced to the Club by one of its pioneering women, Sue Brownson, who was then Chair of the Pall Mall Committee.”

While Sue kept a keen eye on women’s interests at Pall Mall, Hilary, on the Board at the same time, was trying to do the same down at Woodcote Park, along with Myra Moonie, the first female Golf Captain. “Women were still not permitted to play competitions on Saturdays, so a group of friends and I set up an informal Saturday group for working women,” says Hilary. “There were just six of us initially, and that grew into an accepted part of the ladies’ golf section.”

It is the country clubhouse that has seen the bigger transformation in recent years. This, explains Hilary, now a grandmother, is “a huge example of the benefit of having women [as Full Members]. It helped the Club to realise that it needs to cater for whole families. When I was on the Woodcote Park Committee, there was discussion about selling the Walled Garden. I and some others said, ‘No, once you’ve got rid of the land, you’re never going to be able to get it back!’” The Walled Garden’s development into a remarkable family facility has been absolutely transformational, states Hilary: “Woodcote Park is not just a golf course. It’s what it was always intended to be, I think, which is a country club”.

“I don’t think the success the Club is enjoying now would have come about,” continues Christine, who also chaired the Pall Mall Committee, “if it wasn’t for the fact

Christine Gaskell

that we have male and female members. It has been vitally important to how the Club has developed; it looks better, is friendly and has a great culture. I’m not saying women are better than men! We just bring different things to the party.”

The fact that the transition did take time in the early years is because “it’s been an evolution rather than a revolution,” says Christine. At the moment, 25% of Full Members are female but for Full Members who joined the Club last year the figure stood at 34% – and 48% of our current under-18 members are female. “Of all these Juniors at Woodcote Park who have been brought up with that atmosphere, many will want to be members,” she adds.

One of those Juniors was Alice Murphy, who now chairs the Club’s Young Members’ Committee. Her experience would delight the trailblazing lady members before her, and prove their efforts have more than paid off. Alice, who has only ever known women being on the committees and contributing to their Club, believes there “is something here for everyone. The Club has had a super-positive impact on my life. My closest friends are people that I met at events here, where I felt welcome to show up on my own. Across all areas of the Club – social and sporting – we have a huge amount to offer young women.”

This feeling of community is echoed by Hilary and Christine. “There aren’t many places in London,” says Christine, “where you can go to a really fabulous event as a female, on your own, and feel completely accepted and comfortable. The Club is a very safe place to be when you’re on your own. The minute you come through the door, you are welcomed and feel at home.” Hilary points out that working women also “really appreciate the fact that they can use Pall Mall not just for swimming and

“Across all areas of the Club – social and sporting – we have a huge amount to offer young women.”

games etcetera but also for meetings and somewhere to work between meetings.”

Christine is, rightly, very proud of ensuring the longest-standing 20 female members are now part of the ‘Senior 120’, which meets annually to celebrate their long membership. “To get that recognition was a great step forward, and it was important we did something to mark the fact that we couldn’t be Full Members until 25 years ago.”

And what would Christine and her fellow lady members hope to see 25 or 50 years from now? “Many more women celebrating long and happy Club memberships!”

Alice Murphy

Alice Murphy

Devon’s finest comes to the Club

Michael Caines MBE will be cooking at both clubhouses in October. We find out more about this guest chef’s Devon-based hotel, from the food to its own vineyard, and what members can expect when he comes to the Club.

Words by Jenny Linford

HIDDEN AWAY AMONG

the green hills of the rolling Devon countryside, overlooking the River Exe Estuary, gracious Lympstone Manor is a tribute to the vision of its charismatic chef-owner. When Michael Caines first saw the Georgian building, then known as Courtlands House, it was “very dilapidated and quite sad”, but he knew he could transform it into the luxurious country house hotel it is today. A hotel which comprises a Michelin-starred restaurant, swimming pool, tennis courts, cosy shepherd huts and 28 beautiful acres of grounds, complete with sculptures.

Caines, who will be creating a special menu for Stirling’s Dining Club and a threeday Great Gallery residency in October, attributes the drive to create his own hotel

to formative years training with one of his great mentors. “I don’t think there’d be a Lympstone Manor if there hadn’t been an ambitious young chef who walked into the Manoir aux Quat’Saisons – Raymond Blanc’s wonderful manor house in Oxfordshire. I fell in love with the idea of staying in a beautiful home. When you go to a restaurant, the experience is very short; with a hotel, that experience can be more profound.”

Visitors to Lympstone Manor are greeted with an upliftingly beautiful view over the Exe Estuary. “That’s the first thing that grabbed me – it’s outstanding. The drama of the east Devonshire landscape is incredible. I saw the potential to do something in this setting that I was passionate about. It’s a very peaceful place; people feel relaxed the moment they walk through the door. There’s an unfussiness about the service but it’s attentive. We focus on the idea that people are coming to relax and enjoy themselves.”

Visitors arriving at Lympstone are greeted not only with this wonderful view but with the sight of a vineyard stretching down the hillside in front of the hotel, showcasing

Lympstone Manor has an upliftingly beautiful view over the Exe Estuary, and its own on-site vineyard.

From left: One of Caines’ innovative dishes; Michael Caines MBE; Lympstone Manor

another element of Caines’ vision. “I’d just bought the place and was sitting here with my great friend, the wine writer Marc Millon. We’d had a glass of Champagne and he said to me, ‘What are you going to do with this field?’ And I instantly said, ‘I’m going to plant a vineyard.’” His hunch that the microclimate and soil would suit grape-growing has been proved triumphantly right. Planted in 2018, the vineyard grows Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier grapes, and the wines from it are – created in partnership with Lyme Bay Winery – are award-winning: a source of palpable pride for Caines.

For inspiration, he looked to France where he once lived and worked. “I said, let’s have a Pinot as close as possible to Burgundy, a rosé as close as we can to Provence, a Chardonnay close to Burgundy, let’s make a traditional method sparkling wine that’s close to Champagne.” Diners at Lympstone Manor can sit in the lounge and enjoy dainty aperitifs while sipping on a flute of Lympstone’s Classic Cuvée, matured for three years on the lees to make it “rich and rounded”, and looking out over the very vineyard from which these drinks are produced. Or they might choose a refreshing G&T made using Lympstone Manor’s own citrus-fragrant gin.

Born in Exeter, Caines’ illustrious career saw him working in France alongside the legendary Bernard Loiseau and Joël Robuchon. “Each of these great chefs has

taught me something. Raymond Blanc was all about being self-taught, having imagination, that you create anything if you want to, very season-focused food. Loiseau was all about flavour, great produce simply cooked, while Robuchon was about attention to detail and great technique.”

Having joined Gidleigh Park as Head Chef aged just 25, he earned and retained two Michelin stars there for 18 years.

His classical training is reflected in his elegant, highly accomplished food. “What we want to do in the kitchen at Lympstone Manor is to extract the most flavour from the very best ingredients, using the best techniques to do this.” Reflecting seasonality and terroir in what he cooks is important to Caines. “I’ve always championed local

From top: Lympstone Manor’s vineyard, and bar and lounge

produce, so that’s about connecting to the local landscape. When people come to Lympstone Manor, I want them to feel immersed in the county of Devon. Over there is Lyme Bay and the port of Brixham, so I have superb seafood. The lamb comes from Powderham Castle estate, across the river. Devon is the second largest county and as a chef here I have access to one of the best

larders in the UK; one of the best in Europe, frankly. We are incredibly blessed as chefs with this great platform on which to push the boundaries of what we’re doing, using the best of British.”

A keen lover of motorsport, Caines is looking forward to his residency at the Club for more than just the cooking. “I have a huge passion for cars. I’m very lucky – I’ve got two lovely cars: a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and a McLaren 600LT Spider. I was involved in Formula 1; I had a great relationship with the Williams team and for ten years was in charge of all their VIP hospitality. I’ve been to the Club before; its history and connection to motorsport is legendary.”

Such is his enthusiasm that each summer, on the Wednesday of the week between the Formula 1 British Grand Prix and Goodwood, Caines holds a Celebration of Speed festival at Lympstone Manor. “It’s all about gathering together a lot of car and motorsport enthusiasts. People bring their own cars and these are shown alongside cars from the specialist garages such as Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini.” The day is rounded off with a concert in the evening. “It’s great fun – indulging in all things fast and furious.”

Caines explains that for his residency at the Club, “we’re going to showcase what we do here at Lympstone Manor, using what we have as a larder in Devon to the best of our ability and featuring our own awardwinning wines. It will be autumn, so we will have a glut of wonderful ingredients, including game. It’s a great time of year for us to celebrate the bounty of the land.”

Michael Caines MBE will be the guest chef at Stirling’s Dining Club on Wednesday 16 October and his residency at the Great Gallery will take place from Thursday 17 until Saturday 19 October (lunch and dinner). The four-course tasting menu will be £125.00 or £175.00 with paired wines.

Places for both can be booked from Monday 15 July via the Central Reservations Team (email reserve@royalautomobileclub.co.uk or call 020 7747 3474) or online via the Club website.

This page: Dishes created by Caines and his team, whetting the appetite for the menus they will create for their Club visit

Be our guest

Each year the Club hosts close to 2,000 functions for members, ranging from small private dinners to large-scale business conferences and weddings. We go behind the scenes to discover how the Club delivers so many successful occasions.

Words by Annabel Harrison

WITH SEVEN FUNCTION ROOMS AT PALL MALL AND FOUR AT WOODCOTE PARK, the Club can cater for anything from a small meeting to an event for hundreds of people.

Both clubhouses are popular wedding venues: Pall Mall (shown above) offers a range of city-centre options while Woodcote Park, which was the choice of Martine and Constantin Hampe, provides a traditional countryside setting. “Our family and friends couldn’t stop raving about the well-

organised event and the fantastic food! The memories you helped us create will stay with us forever,” they wrote.

But, as Hardie Bates, the Club’s Senior Banqueting & Events Manager, points out, “although we call them banqueting rooms, that doesn’t really explain the wide range of functions they can accommodate. During the day, the rooms tend to be used for meetings and conferences, and sometimes lunches. As we move into the evening, they

are transformed into wonderful locations for receptions, celebrations and dinners.”

The diverse rooms and facilities at Woodcote Park, and the grounds, combine to provide the perfect location for meetings, conferences and ‘away days’ – hold your meeting in a room with beautiful views, breaking to use the sports facilities or for lunch with a lavish team picnic in the grounds, then round off your day with a dinner in a private room or in one of the Club’s restaurants. At Pall Mall, arriving to

The experienced teams at each clubhouse can create an event to meet any specific requirements.

the sight of a car in the rotunda and the grandeur of the function rooms cannot fail to impress your guests. “We welcome members contacting us whatever their requirements,” Hardie encourages.

Club member Kim Peacock chose Woodcote Park for Peacock & Co Solicitors’ most recent post-Budget seminar, inviting 75 leading clients and associates to breakfast.

“We received lots of very positive feedback,” reports Kim, “particularly about the quality of the food and beverage provision and of the service. Having hosted various events elsewhere, we experienced first-hand how well-oiled the Club operations are.”

With so many functions taking place each year, the experienced teams at each clubhouse are able to create an event to meet any member’s specific requirements.

“We also have well-established relationships with a wide range of suppliers we are happy to recommend and who know what works perfectly in the clubhouses – everything from flowers and themed decorations to pianists, discos and bands,” adds Hardie.

This page: The Library at Woodcote Park is one of a number of rooms that are perfect for informal business meetings; Hardie Bates, Senior Banqueting & Events Manager Left: The Committee Room at Pall Mall is popular for dinners and other formal events

Of course, however enthralling an event is, the food and drink play a vital part in creating an experience your guests will enjoy and remember. Executive Chef Matthew Marshall and his team are at the heart of every function where food is served and praise is consistently forthcoming.

David and Kate Albert celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary with a dinner party in the Derby Room (shown right). “Please convey our thanks to all the staff involved,” wrote Mr Albert, “particularly your chef, who provided a beautiful Beef Wellington and dessert soufflés for all our guests (quite a feat for 40 plus covers!). It was an occasion we shall never forget.” Howard Gooden hosted a special pre-Christmas lunch for his family and also praised “the impeccable food”: when combined with the service, this made it “a splendid experience, especially for my 95-year-old mother who cherished celebrating Christmas with everyone”.

Matthew listens to these testimonials, smiling as he recalls the events. “Whatever event a member is hosting, big or small, it’s a special day and it means a lot to them. Our members go to a lot of other high-end venues and we’re judged by that standard too. We take the same care to provide firstclass food and service, whether it’s for 20 people or 200.”

The Club can cater for a variety of dining requirements; the website features a number

“We take the same care to provide firstclass food and service, whether for 20 people or 200. Quality wise, we deliver.”

of sample menus but, explains Matthew, “I do a lot of bespoke menus and I love that part of my job: it adds such a personal touch. If a member has any particular requests, we have a call or they come into the Club. I then create a menu based on our discussion.”

What sets the Club’s function catering apart? “A lot of it comes down to the base product,” replies Matthew. “We buy the best we can. If you have a fillet steak in the Great Gallery and a fillet steak at a function at the Club, it’s from the same supplier and it’s the same quality. We tailor the menus to ensure we can maintain our high standards,

From top: The Derby Room at Woodcote Park is used for a wide range of events; Matthew Marshall, Executive Chef; one of his dessert creations

however many people we’re feeding. Quality wise, we deliver.”

Hardie concurs that the personalisation element the Club can provide is what delights so many members. “We can organise every element of a function, and members can be as involved in the detail as they want to be. Some members just give us an outline, then leave it to us, and others are very specific about what they want – and we are very happy with either.” Sarah Allen held her birthday celebration at Woodcote Park and noted that Hardie’s team “were so helpful all the way through the planning” including the sommelier who helped her

“choose wonderful wines without needing to spend a fortune!”. Sarah was also delighted to be able to include accommodation as part of her event: “It was lovely to breakfast with my guests who really enjoyed using some of the facilities during their stay. It was the best party and very good value! I couldn’t have chosen a better place to celebrate.”

The last word must go to newlyweds Caitlin Keep and Ryan Joel who married at Woodcote Park last summer. “The whole event seemed to go off without a hitch! You were just brilliant to work with. We had a fairytale wedding and you were a big part of that – thank you. We received so many compliments about how amazing the venue was, the food, the wine, the rooms –everything was perfect.”

As well as hosting their own events, members may also ‘sponsor’ a guest to host an event at either clubhouse. Please visit the Club website for more information, including pricing, per-delegate packages for meetings or conferences and a selection of sample menus.

The Banqueting Team can be contacted on 020 7747 3386 or by email: banquetingpm@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk for Pall Mall or banquetingwp@royalautomobileclub.co.uk for Woodcote Park.

From top: The Mountbatten Room at Pall Mall can accommodate dinners or conferences for up to 200 people; The Library at Woodcote Park

Dining at Woodcote Park

At the start of what we hope will be a glorious British summer, the talented chefs and restaurant teams at Woodcote Park are offering seasonal highlights and menus that can be enjoyed both indoors and al fresco.

Words

by Jenny Linford

Photography by Jamie Lau

THANKS TO ITS 350 acres of spectacular Surrey countryside, Woodcote Park is visited by members even more frequently in the summer; a place to relax, perhaps enjoy a game of golf, a workout in the gym or a stroll around the grounds. Of course, all that fresh air and exercise stimulate the appetite and members are well catered for by the popular Fountain Brasserie, Stirling’s restaurant and cocktail bar, the 19th Hole, the Lounge and the Hurricane Bar.

The bright, warm, long days of summertime see the outdoor dining area around the fountain, overlooking Woodcote Park’s golf courses, come into its own.

“The Fountain Terrace is a little sun trap and when the weather is good everyone wants to sit outside there,” observes Woodcote Park’s Head Chef Howard Bisset with a smile. The terraces outside the Lounge and the Spike Bar are also popular when the sun puts in an appearance, with both serving drinks and light meals.

Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, the menu at the Fountain Brasserie, Woodcote Park’s largest restaurant, draws inspiration from classic French brasserie food, with moules frites and steak frites firm favourites.

“In the summer, members want to see more salads on the menu, rather than the more filling dishes which we serve in autumn and winter. Lamb features a lot too, and a number of chargrilled dishes,” explains Imre Meszaros, the Fountain’s Manager. Fish is also popular at this time of year

Howard Bisset

so the menu includes dishes such as delicately flavoured ChalkStream trout, complemented by hollandaise sauce, and poached salmon.

The popularity of the Walled Garden facilities has resulted in more members bringing their offspring to Woodcote Park, and the Fountain offers a children’s menu to cater for families dining there. “They love the pizza; it just flies out!” says Howard. The food ethos at the Fountain, as at all of the Club’s restaurants, is “about seasonality and provenance,” Imre continues. “We source from British suppliers where possible. The quality of the ingredients is key to what we do, and the food has to be fresh and cooked well.”

Whereas the Fountain Brasserie is informal, Stirling’s restaurant – with its elegant décor and dress code – is very much a destination restaurant, offering a fine dining experience. “We wanted to create a restaurant befitting the name of Stirling Moss,” explains Michael Fiducia, Manager of Stirling’s; the restaurant was opened by the racing legend himself in 2016. Cocktails are very popular and at the charming cocktail bar in Stirling’s, with its appealing Art Deco look, members and their guests can sip on a No. 7 cocktail,

the restaurant’s own signature twist on a classic Champagne cocktail, named after Sir Stirling’s favourite race car number. Wine lovers can choose from a list carefully curated to reflect members’ fondness for classic wines.

The menu at Stirling’s features “a number of show dishes which are proving very popular with members,” Michael says proudly. “One of these is a Dover sole which is de-boned in front of diners. That’s a skilful task, which you don’t see very often in restaurants anymore. Another fish dish which members enjoy is sole en papillote; lemon sole is cooked in a paper

Michael Fiducia

Imre Meszaros

parcel which we open at the table to release the full aroma of the fish, leeks and lemon.”

Carnivores are also well catered for, Michael points out. “We offer a butcher’s cut of beef which is a Chateaubriand, designed to be shared. It’s a beautiful, tender piece of meat – we believe it’s the best cut – and we carve this in front of our diners. It’s served on a large platter with a lovely array of accompaniments; it really is a splendid dish.” Another piece of restaurant theatre recently introduced to Stirling’s is a cheese trolley which allows members to choose from an ever-changing range of British and French cheeses. “It gives us a chance to show off the cheeses and have them at the right temperature for members to enjoy at their best.”

The monthly Dining Club, offering a themed gourmet evening at Stirling’s, is a particular hit with members. As Head Chef at Woodcote Park, Howard oversees the food chosen for this as well as all the menus across the clubhouse. While the food at the Fountain Brasserie and Stirling’s share the values of provenance, seasonality and consistency, the cooking at Stirling’s is more complex, as befits the restaurant’s stature and ambience. “Whereas scallops at the Fountain may be grilled and served with garlic butter, at Stirling’s we might offer them with an Indian twist, for example, separating the white meat

from the roe and using that to make a samosa, served with a light curry sauce and green coriander chutney,” Howard explains.

As a lover of English asparagus, Howard relishes featuring it on his menus when it’s in season. “We make one dish which uses two types: we ferment the white asparagus, which intensifies its flavour and adds a touch of earthiness, and serve it with blanched green asparagus, together with a garlic pancake filled with vegan feta. The wild garlic grows here at Woodcote Park; we forage for it ourselves.” And among the popular desserts at Stirling’s for sweet-toothed members is “a beautiful, slow-baked chocolate tart with a really soft texture, made fresh for every service; it never sees a fridge”. In summer the tart is served with raspberries “as they go so well with dark chocolate.”

Having worked at the Club for almost 28 years, Howard takes pride and pleasure in his relationship with members and creating food which they will savour. “We know our members’ names, remember what they enjoy, listen to their feedback and understand what they will appreciate. That’s where being a Club differs from being a restaurant or a hotel, and it really makes a difference to the experience we can offer to everyone who dines at Woodcote Park,” he concludes.

Stirling’s is open from dinner on Wednesday until lunch on Sunday. The Fountain Brasserie and 19th Hole are both open seven days a week. For more information and to book, please visit the Club website.

SUSTAINING OUR FUTURE

Daniel Pereira explains why ESG is so important for the Club today and for its future.

Words by Felicity Cousins

AS HIGHLIGHTED IN the January issue of Pell-Mell & Woodcote, the Club is making steady progress towards its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives. To secure its future, it is vital that any organisation today looks at the environmental and social impact of its operations, not just because it’s the ‘right thing to do’ but also because of reputational and financial imperatives.

Chief Executive Daniel Pereira believes that the steps the Club is taking are giving it a head start. “We are by no means pioneers in this area, but I would say that we are early adopters within the private member clubs sector. We recognise that managing the Club in a more sustainable manner will strengthen our proposition for individuals who are looking to choose a club and for whom environmental impact is an important factor in their decision.”

All too often, the S and G of ESG are overshadowed by their more popular sibling but there are clear plans for these aspects as well. The Club’s ESG governance has been built around three pillars: monitoring and reporting; integrating sustainability into HR processes; and communication. The Club is monitoring its progress on a quarterly basis to ensure continued momentum and is continually engaging with staff to ensure they are actively working towards achieving the strategic goals.

Amongst its social objectives, the Club is building on its existing Silver Investors in People status and working towards reaching the prestigious Gold level. Alongside this, an extensive review of policies and procedures is underway to establish whether any are impacting upon the Club’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. The Club is also reviewing responsible purchasing standards throughout its supply chain.

On the environment, rewind to when Daniel arrived at the Club in 2013: it was looking at food waste and energy reduction but it wasn’t until 2017 when Blue Planet II aired that members started to take a real interest in the Club’s impact. When asked what needed to change, Daniel exclaims, “Everything! We had plastic cups and straws, disposable razors and toiletries in little plastic bottles. We had an outcry from our members as well as a realisation among the staff that we had to take action to protect the natural world and become a more sustainable organisation.”

After coming through the pandemic, the Club wanted to accelerate its progress and decided to work with external experts to ensure its strategy was robust and in line with industry best practice. It enlisted the Considerate Group, sustainability specialists for the hospitality industry, to help create the ESG strategy which was adopted in 2022.

Aligned to several UN Sustainable Development Goals, the strategy has already yielded positive results. Woodcote Park has just achieved Gold Status in the Green Tourism Business Scheme, while Pall Mall achieved Silver – an impressive achievement for a heritage building.

Electricity consumption was reduced by the equivalent to charging over four million smartphones.

New meters have helped the Club to measure and manage its emissions and its water and energy use. In just one year electricity consumption was reduced by 150,000 kWh, which is the equivalent to charging over four million smartphones. The Club narrowly missed its target to reduce energy consumption across the Club as a whole last year by 5% – with a close 4.2%. “The data we now have available gives us the level of granularity that we require so that we understand what we need to manage and improve our efficiency,” Daniel explains. “Food waste has been reduced substantially and 84% of all our waste at Pall Mall is now recycled.”

The Club has also managed to eradicate single-use plastics everywhere except for clingfilm in its kitchens. Across the hospitality industry globally clingfilm is widely used

for food storage and Daniel acknowledges that, despite extensive research, the team has yet to find a viable alternative. “There’s a great business opportunity for someone who can find a solution for this,” he says wryly.

The Club is aiming to achieve net zero on scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of 2026. That covers the emissions the Club controls directly and those from the energy it purchases. It is also planning to be able to understand scope 3 emissions, relating to its supply chain and therefore the most complex, from the same year.

Among the many initiatives being planned, both clubhouses, currently on 50% renewable energy tariffs, will be moved to 100% tariffs (subject to financial analysis). In addition, the 46 solar panels currently on the roof of Cedars Sports at Woodcote Park will be replaced by 220 new panels during its refurbishment, with the aim of producing most, if not all, of the electricity needed for the complex. The financial imperative of these goals was brought into sharp focus during the recent energy crisis when the Club saw its energy prices rise by 300%.

Also on the agenda, double glazing would help save energy but the listed

Single-useplasticsin the bathrooms have beenreplacedwithre

The Club has managed to eradicate almost all single-use plastics.

building status of the clubhouses prevents its use, so the Club is collaborating with The Crown Estate (Pall Mall’s freeholder) and Westminster Council to see whether it is possible to identify an acceptable solution. “Whilst I fully understand, and love, heritage, we have to address this issue,” Daniel says.

windows of the clubhouses wouldhelpsaveenergy

He is confident that the Club can achieve its ESG goals without impacting on member experience. “We don’t want to do this at the expense of members’ enjoyment of their Club. On the contrary, we believe that members want a Club that is sustainable – environmentally, reputationally and financially,” Daniel continues.

“Ten to 15 years ago there wouldn’t have been the appetite for these changes. I feel fortunate that the Board, the Committees and my colleagues across the Club are so supportive and engaged. We’d love to hear more from members too. This is not something we can do by ourselves: everyone has to be part of it.”

WATER WORLD

Open water swimming is a wild and life-affirming pursuit with a growing fan base. We meet the Club members who delight in the cold water of outdoor lakes, lidos and oceans, one of whom has a remarkable Guinness World Record under his belt.

Words by Mark Bailey

Photography by Rob Cadman and (main picture) Nathaniel Johnston

ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2023, New York was lashed by fierce rain – the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia. Subways were shut and planes grounded. But, in the churning water of the Hudson River, a 68-year-old man was calmly swimming front crawl. Ed Horne, who joined the Club in 1992, is one of many members with a passion for outdoor swimming, which has taken him from Britain’s lakes and lidos to destinations around the world. He was in New York to attempt the ‘20 Bridges’ swim – a 48.5km loop from Battery Park and around

Ed Horne is officially the oldest person to have completed the outdoor swimming ‘Triple Crown’.

Manhattan Island, named after the 20 bridges swimmers must pass.

“Eight inches of rain fell with 12-14mph winds that day,” recalls Ed, who was trailed by a safety boat and a kayaker who handed out energy drinks. “I swam past the Statue of Liberty and the Staten Island ferry, upriver past Roosevelt Island and into the Harlem River. But I was being strafed by rubbish from every storm drain: I couldn’t wait to turn into the Hudson. After eight hours and 29 minutes, I made it back to Battery Park. Cars had been abandoned, and the Mayor of New York had declared a state of emergency. The hardest part was getting back to where I was staying, because there were no taxis available, or subway, and I looked like a bedraggled vagrant. I think I have become part of New York swimming folklore!”

The dramatic swim represented for Ed the final phase of the iconic ‘Triple Crown’ of outdoor swimming challenges. Having swum 33km across the English Channel in 2022, and 32km from Santa Catalina island to mainland California in 2023, he now has a Guinness World Record as the oldest person to complete the Triple Crown. “It’s nice

From left: Ed Horne midway through his record-breaking New York swim and receiving his Guinness World Record certificate

to have achievements in the last quarter of your life,” he says modestly, of these remarkable feats of endurance.

Ed, an expert in business turnaround, mergers and acquisitions from Barnes, swam as a child then switched to rugby, until teaching his daughter to swim rekindled his passion. “I heard that the swimming group at the Club was doing crazy outdoor stuff, which appealed to me,” he says. “We swam up the 2.1km course of the Henley Royal Regatta [rowing race]. At 4.30am, we were escorted to the start by somebody with a lit torch, so it was almost ceremonial. We swam as the sun rose. Soon I was sitting by the Thames with friends, drinking Champagne and eating bagels and fruit. What’s not to like?”

Ed’s thirst for bigger challenges was inspired by a talk at the Club’s swimming dinner by Professor Greg Whyte, who coached Olympic rower James Cracknell for his 2008 Sport Relief challenge: a 19km swim from Europe to Africa, across the Strait of Gibraltar. “I turned to the people next to me and said: I’m doing that swim,” recalls Ed, who did exactly that in 2017 before targeting the Triple Crown.

Competitive or calming, outdoor swimming is an increasingly popular pursuit, with the national Outdoor Swimming Society now boasting 200,000 members. Some are inspired by the mindful communion with

nature, others by the health benefits, which range from improved blood circulation to mood-lifting endorphins. The Club’s Swimming Committee Chair Katherine Mearman says outdoor swimming is uniquely liberating. “The freedom is so special,” explains the 46-year-old customer experience director from Putney. “It is different when you’re not following a lane rope and you are exposed to the elements.”

Some swimmers visit lidos and lakes, while others enjoy wild swimming in rivers and ponds. “A few of our members swim at Tooting Bec Lido or the Serpentine Lido,” says Katherine. “Others are triathletes who enjoy outdoor swims. There are social dips over Christmas. And the Outdoor Swimming Society lists events around the UK. Once you peel back the layers, anything is possible.”

Katherine, who swam the Channel in 2004, often combines swimming with travel. “I have swum across Lake Zurich, and across the Bosphorus in Istanbul. This year I’m doing a swim between Finland and Sweden, above the Arctic Circle. You do it at midnight, but it’s daylight still. And you swim across a time zone, so if you do it in under an hour, you finish before you started!”

Club member Valerie Wong, a 41-year-old fintech manager, has swum since childhood, but after taking up triathlons 15 years ago she has savoured her outdoor swims. “I did an Ironman in Klagenfurt, Austria; the swim was in a lake which was so clear it felt like swimming in Evian mineral water,” she says. “I also did a Swim Trek holiday in

Katherine Mearman

Ed Horne

Valerie Wong

The evening training sessions are the heart of the Club’s informal outdoor swimming community.

Montenegro in such picturesque scenery. I’m a complete introvert, and I enjoy getting into a rhythm and looking at things around me. The [Pall Mall] pool is practical; we live in London. But when you swim outdoors, time has a different dimension: I could go on for hours.”

According to fellow swimmer David Kidd, a retired headhunting executive from Bosham, the evening swim training sessions at the Club (on Mondays and Wednesdays at Pall Mall, and Wednesdays at Woodcote Park) are the heart of the Club’s informal outdoor swimming community. “That’s where I heard about it, and I thought it sounded fun,” he recalls. “People would enjoy weekends swimming in the Lake District. I started swimming outdoors in Chichester which has a beautiful tidal harbour. For five or six years now, I have organised a harbour swim there, and half the people are Club members. We swim and have a barbecue. It is very social.” David, 69, is training for a Channel relay swim in July, but it is outdoor swimming’s glorious blend of freedom, beauty and camaraderie that keeps calling him back. “All three of my children, who are in their 20s and 30s, and my wife, now swim outdoors too,” he adds. “It is becoming very popular.”

Interested members are encouraged to join the Club’s evening swim sessions to meet fellow outdoor swimmers and develop their technique and confidence. “You can practise in the pool, then move to lidos and lakes like the Shepperton Open Water Swim lake in Surrey, which has a circuit and lifeguards,” says Katherine. Valerie, the social secretary of the Club’s Swimming Committee, suggests newcomers practise how to ‘sight’ (glancing up to navigate), wear a wetsuit for warmth and buoyancy, use anti-chafe balm – and bring a friend.

The cold outdoor water can be a shock, but it’s all part of the thrill. “I have become slightly addicted to cold water swimming,” admits Ed. “It gives you an endorphin rush like nothing I have ever experienced.”

For more information please visit the swimming page in the Activity Groups section of the Club website.

David Kidd

GOING FOR GOLD

Ahead of their visits to speak at the Club, five-time Olympian Mark Foster discusses swimming at the Olympics and his predictions for Paris 2024, while Aaron Phipps explains his medal ambitions this summer and why his brutal sport was once known as ‘Murderball’.

Words by Mark Bailey

MARK OF HONOUR

NOT MANY PEOPLE ever experience the unique thrill of an Olympic final but British swimmer Mark Foster – who competed at Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008 – has an intimate knowledge of it. “You can’t recreate that ‘moment’ because, as much as you dream about it or visualise it beforehand, it now becomes real,” explains Foster, 54, who raced in five Olympic individual and relay finals. “My race [50m freestyle] was just 21 to 22 seconds. You’ve got one voice in your head going: don’t fail! And the other voice is going: this will be amazing! I learned to take three deep breaths and think: I want this moment to last forever.”

The Essex-born swimmer was captivated from the moment that, aged ten, he watched the 1980 Moscow Olympics. “Duncan Goodhew winning Olympic gold for the 100m breaststroke was a ‘wow’ moment –seeing someone from the UK win. He turned up at my swimming club a year later and that’s where the Olympic dream began.” As a child, Foster excelled at athletics, football and basketball too, but swimming suited his tall frame; by adulthood, he was 6ft 6in tall. The endless pool laps and gym work were intense. “What was I thinking?” he jokes. “Getting up at 5am and at the pool for 6am… It was not glamorous.”

Foster was just 18 at his first Olympics, in Seoul. “You get dropped off in the Olympic village with 16,000 of the world’s greatest athletes, so I was a rabbit in the headlights,” he admits. But he treasures every memory. “Even the food hall is amazing. It is the size of ten football pitches and 4,000 people can eat there.”

In a career spanning 23 years, he won six World Championships, 11 European Championships and two Commonwealth Games gold medals. He also set eight world records. “It was nice to be the fastest man on the planet!” But an Olympic medal eluded him. In the 50m freestyle at Barcelona 1992, he was just 0.22 seconds away from winning bronze. He believes he was on his best form before Athens 2004, when an injury led to his omission from the team. “I am gutted that I never fulfilled that [medal ambition] but it never stopped me trying or believing.” In his final Games, in 2008, he was “humbled” to carry the British flag at the Opening Ceremony.

Since retiring, he has played a lot of golf, appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and indulged his passion for motors, shifting from performance cars like an Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce and a BMW M3 to a comfy Range Rover. “I went through my ‘go fast’ phase into my ‘comfort’ phase” and he now has the same approach in the pool. “It’s a plod for 20-30 minutes.” Foster has also become an insightful commentator for BBC Sport, for whom he will work at Paris 2024. He believes Adam Peaty can win a third 100m breaststroke gold medal, hopes to see Duncan Scott win several medals (he won four at Tokyo 2020) and wants Britain to retain the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay gold. He is also excited to watch the 21-yearold French poster-boy Leon Marchand and “phenomenal” seven-time American gold medallist Katie Ledecky.

Before heading to Paris, Foster will visit Woodcote Park for a dinner on Wednesday 24 July, where he will share more Olympic insights and discuss the secrets to his glorious 51-medal career.“Commitment is the big word. Whether it’s your work, hobby or relationship, give it a go. Don’t die wondering.”

Mark Foster carrying the flag for Great Britain during the Opening Ceremony at the National Stadium in Beijing, 2008

WHEELS OF GOLD

“A LOT OF athletes say when they get to the top and they win, it’s not as good as they expected,” says Aaron Phipps. “That is a load of rubbish. It is amazing!” Phipps, 41, from Totton in Hampshire, was a member of the wheelchair rugby team which won a first British team gold medal at the Coviddelayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, beating America 54-49 in the final on 29 August 2021. “The team came fifth at London 2012 and Rio 2016, and then we went, fairytalestyle, in the middle of a pandemic, to a gold medal,” says Phipps.

After celebrating he was invited to fly home in business class with British Airways,

and he appeared on TV show The Last Leg But making his wife Vicky and daughters Ella and Chloe proud was the real reward. “My daughters being asked to take my gold medal into school and show it off was so special,” he says. “And my mum being so proud.” In 2022, he received an MBE for services to wheelchair rugby.

Phipps was not a sports fan as a child, preferring to go fishing with his dad. But, in 1999, his whole life changed. Aged 15, he contracted Meningitis C and suffered meningococcal sepsis, a form of blood poisoning, which led to the amputation of his legs from the knee down and most of his fingers. He endured a year of trauma in hospital. But the experience gave Phipps a steely new focus. “If you want a kick up the bum, nearly dying will do that. It made me very aware of my mortality, which made me take every opportunity.”

He took up wheelchair racing in 2007 and completed two London marathons, in 2008 and 2009, before discovering wheelchair rugby ahead of London 2012. The event was a watershed moment for disability sport. “We nearly sold out the entire event, which gave it huge credibility,” he says. “I remember the first time I saw Channel 4’s Superhumans advert. We were in Norfolk and our jaws hit the floor.”

Phipps says the aggressive, full-contact sport of wheelchair rugby (a fusion of basketball, ice hockey and rugby in which athletes compete in wheelchairs with

“Wheelchair rugby was invented in Canada in the 1970s and was originally called ‘Murderball’.”

bumpers) is wonderful for changing people’s perspectives. The sport – which takes place on a basketball-sized court and sees teams score tries by crossing the opposition’s try line – made its debut at Sydney 2000. “We live in a world of risk assessments and ramps and the way we should talk to disabled people, but my job description is to literally smash disabled people out of their wheelchairs,” he says. “It’s bonkers! Wheelchair rugby was invented in Canada in the ‘70s and was originally called ‘Murderball’. There were four quadriplegics, who were too disabled to play wheelchair basketball. So they invented this game where you threw a volleyball and crashed into each other. They struggled to get corporate sponsorship for a sport named Murderball and they couldn’t enter the Paralympics. So they changed it to wheelchair rugby.”

Phipps is preparing for Paris 2024 where he hopes his daughters can watch him compete at the Paralympics for the first time. “I’d love to retain our title. We could do it again, but it will be one hell of a fight.”

The sporting star has achieved extraordinary things off the court, too. In 2016, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, becoming the first disabled person to scale it unassisted, and raising £250,000 for the Meningitis Research Foundation. He is also a successful motivational speaker, with unique personal insights into human resilience and success. On Friday 27 September, shortly after Paris 2024, he will give a special ‘Blood, Sweat and Wheelchairs’ talk at Woodcote Park. “Normally I bring my gold medal and it is lovely to see people’s reactions. The medal still takes my breath away. I look at it and think: I can’t believe we did this.”

To book your place to hear Mark Foster on Wednesday 24 July or Aaron Phipps on Friday 27 September, please visit the Events section of the Club website.

Below: Aaron Phipps in action at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games © Image Comms

Woodcote Juniors Programme

Woodcote Junior membership – for children aged up to 12 – is open to the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of Full Members.

As well as the classes and activities listed below, Woodcote Juniors enjoy free-of-charge use of the Walled Garden and Cedars Sports.

Multi-Activity Camps

Each day will include a wide range of activities, allowing your children to try new things, as well as enjoying their favourites. Depending upon their age group, they will be able to take part in multiple sports skills and drills, swimming, arts and crafts, obstacle courses, joke contests, quizzes and scavenger hunts.

The days will be varied and there will be something for everybody to enjoy.

For more information or to book, please email bookwalledgarden@royalautomobileclub.co.uk or telephone the Walled Garden Team on 01372 229 257.

Saturdays

5 to 7 year olds

9.30am-4.30pm or half day camps

9.30am-1.00pm or 1.00-4.30pm

Drop-off and pick-up required.

Saturday 21 September

Saturday 16 November

WJs: £52.50 full day / £27.00 half day

Non-WJs: £61.00 full day / £31.00 half day

Summer Holidays

Toddlers

10.30am-12.00pm

Parental supervision required.

Week 1: Monday 22 and Wednesday 24 July

Week 2: Monday 29 and Wednesday 31 July

Week 3: Monday 5 and Wednesday 7 August

Week 4: Monday 12 and Wednesday 14 August

Week 5: Monday 19 and Wednesday 21 August

Week 6: Monday 26 and Wednesday 28 August

WJs: £14.50 per session

Non-WJs: £17.00 per session

5 to 7 year olds

9.30am-4.30pm or half day camps

9.30am-1.00pm or 1.00-4.30pm

Drop-off and pick-up required.

Week 1: Daily, Monday 22 to Friday 26 July

Week 2: Daily, Monday 29 July to Friday 2 August

Week 3: Daily, Monday 5 to Friday 9 August

Week 4: Daily, Monday 12 to Friday 16 August

Week 5: Daily, Monday 19 to Friday 23 August

Week 6: Daily, Monday 26 to Friday 30 August

WJs: £52.50 full day / £27.00 half day

Non-WJs: £61.00 full day / £31.00 half day

8 to 11 year olds

9.30am-4.30pm or half day camps

9.30am-1.00pm or 1.00-4.30pm

Drop-off and pick-up required.

Week 1: Tuesday 23 and Thursday 25 July

Week 2: Tuesday 30 July and Thursday 1 August

Week 3: Tuesday 6 and Thursday 8 August

Week 4: Tuesday 13 and Thursday 15 August

Week 5: Tuesday 20 and Thursday 22 August

Week 6: Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 August

WJs: £52.50 full day / £27.00 half day

Non-WJs: £61.00 full day / £31.00 half day

October Half Term

Toddlers

10.30am-12.00pm

Parental supervision required.

Monday 28 October

Wednesday 30 October

WJs: £14.50 per session

Non-WJs: £17.00 per session

5 to 7 year olds

9.30am-4.30pm or half day camps

9.30am-1.00pm or 1.00-4.30pm

Drop-off and pick-up required.

Monday 28 October

Tuesday 29 October

Wednesday 30 October

Thursday 31 October

Friday 1 November

WJs: £52.50 full day / £27.00 half day

Non-WJs: £61.00 full day / £31.00 half day

8 to 11 year olds

9.30am-4.30pm or half day camps

9.30am-1.00pm or 1.00-4.30pm

Drop-off and pick-up required.

Tuesday 29 October

Thursday 31 October

WJs: £52.50 full day / £27.00 half day

Non-WJs: £61.00 full day / £31.00 half day

Swimming

Swimming lessons are provided for children aged from 4 months upwards. However, please note that some classes are fully booked so you may be invited to join a waiting list.

In the Walled Garden

Tiny Tadpoles (4 months to 4 years)

There are various classes according to age and ability, Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Group Lessons

Monday afternoons and Saturday mornings.

One-to-One Teaching

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.

Swimming Crash Course

A week of intensive swimming lessons for children aged 4 to 7. Classes will be 9.00-9.30am and 9.30-10.00am depending on ability. There will be maximum of eight participants per class. The cost is £66.25 for the five-day courses and £53.00 for the four-day course.

Summer: Monday 22 to Friday 26 July

Back To School: Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 August

Half Term: Monday 28 October to Friday 1 November

At Cedars Sports

Groups (advanced swimmers)

Saturday mornings.

Junior Swim Training (Stage 7+)

Wednesday evenings, 6.00-6.45pm

Drop-in sessions for advanced swimmers at Stage 7 level and above.

£6.75 per session.

One-to-One Training

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings.

For more information please email CarolineL@royalautomobileclub.co.uk with details of your child’s name, age and ability, their membership number if they are a Woodcote Junior and a telephone number where we may contact you.

Golf

Junior Golf is a great way for Woodcote Juniors and Junior Members to develop new golfing skills. Woodcote Juniors receive complimentary access to the Coronation Course while playing with an adult member, subject to an assessment of their standard of play and their understanding of the rules and etiquette of golf by one of the Club’s PGA Professionals.

Junior Academy

Our Junior Academy programme offers Woodcote Juniors and Junior Members aged 8 to 14 a pathway from beginner to Junior Golf Pass Holder. The children progress through three development levels leading to becoming a Junior Golf Pass Holder which gives them the opportunity to play Club matches, enter competitions and receive an official England Golf Handicap. The ‘Pit Crew Group’ level teaches beginners the technical aspects of the game. After this the ‘Grid Lane Group’ takes them onto the golf course followed by the ‘Chequered Flag Group’ which will cover the rules, etiquette and decisionmaking process which leads them to becoming a Junior Golf Pass Holder.

Our next assessment days will be held on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September. Please visit the Junior Golf section of the Club website, where 2024’s programme dates are listed.

Junior Roll Up

Available every Sunday at 2.00pm and 2.10pm on the Coronation Course for Junior Golf Pass Holders and Junior Academy students who have been assessed by the Club's PGA Professionals. Competition entry is to be booked via the notice board at Golf Reception.

Junior Competitions

Held on the first Sunday of every month from 7 April to 6 October with tee times at 2.00, 2.10, 2.20 and 2.30pm on the Coronation Course. Available to Junior Golf Pass Holders

with a valid WHS handicap. Competition entry is to be booked via the notice board at Golf Reception.

Coaching Clinic

For Woodcote Juniors aged 10 or under we offer coaching 2.00-3.00pm on Sundays during the summer season on the Driving Range under the guidance of a PGA Professional.

For more information about Junior Golf, visit the Club website, email jason.neve@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk / david.stewart@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk or call 020 7747 3246.

Tennis

Tactics, skills and fun with our tennis professionals for players aged 5 to 12.

Mini

Tennis

Saturdays

9.00-9.45am: 5 to 8 year olds

9.45-10.30am: 9 to 12 year olds

WJs £8.15 per session

To book, please email cedarsreception@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Junior Tennis Academy

We run a 12-week course for WJs and Juniors. Learn skills, tactics with our tennis professionals in classes for players of all ages from 5 to 16 years. The next Academy term dates are Sunday 8 September to Sunday 24 November.

Woodcote Juniors £195.00 per course

For more information and to book, please email barry.hewer@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Squash

At Pall Mall

Mini Squash (beginners)

Saturdays 9.00-10.00am

For Juniors aged 7 to 10 taking their first steps on a squash court and learning hand-eye coordination skills and the basics of holding and swinging a racket in a fun environment.

Junior Squash (beginners and improvers)

Saturdays 10.00-11.00am

This class is aimed at Juniors aged 10 to 14 who have the ability to hit a squash ball consistently and already have the skill to start to have three or more shot rallies.

Junior Squash (intermediate and advanced)

Saturdays 11.00am-12.00 noon

This class is aimed at Juniors aged 14+ who have a good basic knowledge of squash and are able to construct rallies and play full matches.

Drop-in sessions for WJs and non-WJs: £12.50 per session. For more information please contact simon.white@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

At Woodcote Park

Mini Squash (beginners)

Saturdays 9.00-10.00am, six-week term sign up.

For Juniors aged 6 to 10 taking their first steps on a squash court and learning hand-eye coordination skills and the basics of holding and swinging a racket in a fun environment.

Junior Squash (beginners and improvers)

Saturdays 10.00-11.00am, six-week term sign up. This class is aimed at Juniors aged 10 to 14 who have the ability to hit a squash ball consistently and already have the skill to start to have three or more shot rallies.

Junior Squash (intermediate and advanced)

Saturdays 11.00am-12.00 noon, six-week term sign up.

This class is aimed at Juniors aged 14+ who have a good basic knowledge of squash and are able to construct rallies and play full matches.

Mix-In Session (all standards)

Wednesdays: 5.00-6.00pm

Advanced Sessions

Sundays: 1.00-2.00pm

Drop-in sessions for WJs and non-WJs £12.50 per session.

For more information please contact oli.pett@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Ballet

Lessons follow the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. New joiners are very welcome to come and join us in our relaxed, friendly and fun environment. Classes are grouped based on your child’s ballet grade. Classes start from Year 6 (grades 4, 5 and 6).

For more information and to book, please contact Jenni Hay at jenni@jhballet.co.uk

Walled Garden Events

Walled Garden End of Summer Party

Wednesday 28 August, 4.30-6.30pm

Suitable for 4 to 8 year olds

Includes party food and drinks, entertainment and party bags.

WJs: £20.00

Non-WJs: £25.00

For more information or to book, please email bookwalledgarden@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Walled Garden Halloween Arts and Crafts

Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 October, 10.00am-3.00pm

Make your own Halloween arts and crafts. This is a walk in event and there is no need to book.

Walled Garden Spook Fest Party

Thursday 31 October, 4.30-6.30pm

Suitable for 4 to 8 year olds

Includes entertainment, games, party food and drinks and party bags.

WJs: £20.00

Non-WJs: £25.00

Bookings will open at 10.00am on Wednesday 11 September. For more information or to book, please email bookwalledgarden@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Walled Garden Santa’s Grotto (ticketed event)

Saturday 7 December, Sunday 8 December, Saturday 14 December, Sunday 15 December, 10.00am-2.00pm

Ten minutes with Santa, one present per child included and a family photograph taken by Santa’s elves.

A maximum of six children per booking.

WJs: £20.00

Non-WJs: £25.00

Bookings open at 10.00am on Monday 4 November. To book, please email bookwalledgarden@royalautomobileclub.co.uk. Booking on a first come first served basis.

Walled Garden Christmas Arts and Crafts

Saturday 7, Sunday 8 December, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December, 10.00am-2.00pm

Make your own Christmas arts and crafts. This is a walk in event and there is no need to book.

Walled Garden Christmas Parties

Wednesday 11, Thursday 12 and Friday 13 December, 4.30-6.30pm

Suitable for 4 to 8 year olds

Includes entertainment, games, party food and drinks and party bags.

WJs: £20.00

Non-WJs: £25.00

Bookings will open at 10.00am on Wednesday 6 November. For more information or to book, please email bookwalledgarden@ royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Events

Events listed on the following pages which have not previously been advertised will open for booking at 10.00am on the following dates:

Tuesday 16 July – Bookings open for September events

Tuesday 23 July – Bookings open for October events

Tuesday 30 July – Bookings open for November events

Tuesday 10 September – Bookings open for Christmas and New Year events

Bookings should be made via the Club website: www.royalautomobileclub.co.uk/events

HOW TO BOOK

ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF BOOKING

If you are unable to book via the Club website you can make a booking by emailing the Events Team at events@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Please note, however, that bookings received by email may not be processed as fast as the online bookings, which are recorded automatically.

Your email booking request will be acknowledged within five working days.

Bookings must be made in writing. We cannot accept bookings (or cancellations) via the telephone.

GUESTS AND CHILDREN

All guests must be accompanied by a Full Member.

If a guest price is not shown, this indicates that the event is for members only.

If a child price (WJ/Non-WJ) is not shown, then the event is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.

BOOKING ON BEHALF OF OTHER MEMBERS

If we do not receive written instructions for charging another member, all places at the event will be charged to the lead booker's account.

CANCELLING A BOOKING

To ensure as many members and guests as possible have the opportunity to enjoy the events programme, please

make any cancellations as soon as possible.

We will always endeavour to resell cancelled places. However, if we are unable to sell your place(s), your account will be charged the full amount unless you have cancelled at least 14 days in advance.

Most motoring events and some other events have a longer cancellation deadline and this will be clearly stated on the event cancellation terms, found in your confirmation letter.

Events may sometimes be cancelled or postponed due to circumstances beyond our control. We will give you as much notice as possible.

PALL MALL ACCOMMODATION OFFER

You can receive 10% off the price of an overnight stay at Pall Mall with certain events, indicated by this symbol.

Please note: this offer is subject to availability and T&Cs PM offer applies WP offer applies

WOODCOTE PARK ACCOMMODATION OFFER

You can receive 20% off the price of an overnight stay at Woodcote Park with certain events, indicated by this symbol.

Please note: this offer is subject to availability and T&Cs

September

Piedmont Italian Wine Dinner

Woodcote Park

Wednesday 4 September, 7.15-10.30pm

Piedmont is renowned both for its gastronomy and for some truly exceptional wines. In addition to famous names such as Gavi, Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera d’Asti, the region also produces some fantastic sparkling wines and sensational dessert wines. During this evening we will taste some of the best wines from this region of Northern Italy, led by master sommelier Nigel Wilkinson who will host the event and guide us through dinner with a specially-created menu.

M: £130.00 G: £149.00

Includes: Welcome drink, four-course dinner served with a selection of Piedmont wines

Dress code: Jacket, no tie

Behind the Scenes of Pall Mall

Pall Mall

Monday 2 and Wednesday 11

September, 10.00am-12 noon

Delve into the inner workings of Pall Mall with Maintenance Manager Tony White. Discover the history, secrets and stories of the clubhouse whilst venturing behind the scenes: from a unique panoramic rooftop view of London to the depths of the boiler room, a whole new experience of Pall Mall awaits you.

M: £55.00 (due to the small capacity, this is a members-only event)

Includes: Exclusive tour of Pall Mall clubhouse followed by a glass of Champagne

Dress code: Club dress code. Flat shoes are advisable.

Jazz Night in the 19th Hole with J&J Jazz

Woodcote Park

Tuesday 10 September, 7.00-10.00pm

Hear some of your all-time favourite jazz hits such as All Of Me, Autumn Leaves and All The Things You Are, covered by musical power duo J&J Jazz. The singer's warm lilt will create a relaxed atmosphere for an enjoyable dinner in the 19th Hole. The pure sounds of the electric guitar will fill the room with gentle ambience, and create memorable moments for the senses.

M: £60.00 G: £69.00

Includes: Welcome glass of Champagne, two-course dinner, pay-bar, relaxed jazz music

Dress code: Casual

A Blue Badge Guided Tour of Dorking and the Dorking Caves

Woodcote Park / Dorking

Friday 6 September, 10.30am-4.00pm

“Nowhere are finer caves for the preservation of their liquor than in the sand here,” said John Aubrey when describing Dorking in 1673. During this event we will visit these man-made tunnels, hear stories of smugglers and contraband, and see the evidence of those who have used them in the past, in the form of discarded bottles and graffiti. Above ground, in Dorking, we will undertake a short walking tour of the town, visiting the impressive parish church and the only surviving house in which a Mayflower venturer lived. We will also hear how Dickens described parts of the town, and there's another literary connection here too: when Daniel Defoe visited in 1724 he proclaimed that “some learned physicians have singled it out for the best air in England”.

M: £76.00 G: £86.00

Includes: Brunch, coach transfers, a Blue Badge Guided tour of Dorking, tour of Dorking caves

Dress code: Casual

WP offer applies

Literary Lunch with Jack Sheffield

Woodcote Park

Wednesday 11 September, 12.00-3.30pm

Club member Jack Sheffield, the author of the Teacher series of novels, has added the University series to his body of work. Sheffield is a former headteacher, cultural fellow of York St John University and senior lecturer at Leeds University, and his first novel sold more than 100,000 copies. His talk will cover his route to becoming an author.

M: £57.50 G: £66.00

Includes: Welcome glass of Champagne, two-course lunch with Club wine, talk and Q&A. Books will be on sale.

Dress code: Casual

100 Years of the Long Bar

Pall Mall

Saturday 14 September, 6.30-11.30pm

Join us as we transport ourselves back to the Roaring Twenties to celebrate a century of elegance, sophistication and unforgettable memories in the Long Bar. It's time to dust off your flapper dresses, polish your dancing shoes, and get ready for a night of opulence at our Gatsby-themed soirée.

Please note that, due to the expected high demand for places at this event, they will be allocated by ballot. Full details are available in the event listing on the Club website.

M: £100.00 G: £120.00

Includes: Welcome drink, three-course dinner with wine

Dress code: Black tie

Books for Brunch with Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC

Pall Mall

Thursday 12 September, 11.15am-1.45pm

The former Old Bailey judge and author of bestseller Unlawful Killings lifts the lid on our legal system and asks whether it delivers criminal justice for those involved – a topic examined in her new book, Rough Justice. Joseph examines four gripping trials she presided over and excavates matching historical cases of murder and intrigue. Are the lessons of the past yet to be learned?

M: £55.00 G: £65.00

Includes: Champagne, brunch, discussion and Q&A

Dress code: Club dress code

Boutique South African Wine Tasting

Pall Mall

Monday 16 September, 7.00-10.00pm

South Africa is producing truly amazing wines in areas such as Paarl, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Breedekloof and Franschhoek. Master sommelier Nigel Wilkinson will guide us through superb wines from producers Wildeberg, Vuurberg, Waterkloof, Le Riche and Daschbosch, all selected to accompany a bespoke menu.

M: £150.00 G: £173.00

Includes: Welcome drink, four-course dinner including a cheese course with paired wines

Dress code: Club dress code

La Dolce Vita

Pall Mall

Friday 20 September, 7.30-10.00pm

Prepare for an evening of pure Italian charm and la dolce vita. Be whisked away by the enchanting melodies of a jazz band, evoking the essence of Italy. Delight in the culinary wonders of the country, enjoyed in the sophisticated surroundings of the Terrace Room with its beautiful outdoor space. This is the perfect chance to mingle with fellow members and unwind with friends on a summer evening. Please note there is no reserved seating at this event, and we will have a pay-bar available.

M: £63.00 G: £73.00

Includes: Welcome drink and a selection of Italian aperitivo foods

Dress code: Club dress code

An Exclusive Evening with Damian Darkko

Woodcote Park

Wednesday 18 September, 7.00-10.30pm

The presenter, producer, publicist and Luxury International Magazine ambassador Damian Darkko has made waves with his work, alongside the likes of Ariana Grande and Dame Judi Dench. Join the 'high speed socialite', who raced from London to Portofino in a Bentley GT Continental, for his insight on luxury and authenticity.

M: £90.00 G: £104.00

Includes: Champagne reception, three-course dinner with Club wine, talk and Q&A

Dress code: Jacket and tie

A Private Tour of Spencer House

Pall Mall

Monday 23 September, 10.40am-2.00pm

Spencer House is rare in its survival, among the many great aristocratic city palaces that once adorned London. Built between 1756 and 66 by the first Lord Spencer, the house was meticulously restored in the late 1980s by RIT Capital Partners, under the chairmanship of Jacob, 4th Lord Rothschild. The eight magnificent state rooms are a showcase for the Classical tastes of the 18th century: John Vardy’s Palm Room on the ground floor is a theatrical Palladian set piece, while the first-floor rooms, designed by James ‘Athenian’ Stuart, feature some of the earliest Neoclassical interiors in Europe. The rooms are furnished with an impressive collection of paintings, sculpture and furniture and, thanks to generous loans from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate, and Leeds Museums & Galleries, several objects original to the house can once again be appreciated in their intended setting.

M: £85.00 G: £95.00

Includes: A private guided tour of Spencer House, a glass of Champagne followed by a two-course lunch at the Club with Club wine

Dress code: Club dress code

The Kings of Swing Show with Colin Roy Woodcote Park

Saturday 21 September, 7.00-11.30pm

A sparkling salute to the iconic Hollywood superstars! Back by popular demand, London West End star Colin Roy brings you The Kings of Swing show, an outstanding tribute to the exquisite music of the famous singers of the jazz and swing era. This ultra-stylish show has something for everyone – a real feel-good treat. Colin Roy doesn’t only deliver Rat Pack favourites from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.; he also performs a comprehensive selection of classics. With far too many songs from the Great American Songbook to list, the show includes favourites such as Beyond The Sea, Fly Me To The Moon, Let There Be Love, My Way and Mack The Knife. This musical journey is simply unmissable –book quickly to avoid disappointment!

M: £86.00 G: £99.00

Includes: Welcome glass of Champagne, three-course dinner with Club wine and entertainment Dress code: Jacket and tie

© Jarrold Publishing / Spencer House

PM offer applies

September Ladies’ Supper with Louise Camby: Tracks to my Grandfather’s Success Woodcote Park

Thursday 26 September, 7.30-10.00pm

Join us as Club member Louise Camby speaks about the life, work and music of her late grandfather, Johnny Douglas, the highlyacclaimed musical director, composer, arranger and conductor. During his life, he recorded more than 500 tracks with the Decca label, 80 for RCA, and 25 on his own record label, Dulcima. He also wrote the music for 37 films, including the 1970 film The Railway Children.

M: £33.00 G: £39.00

Includes: Welcome drink, one-course supper and talk. Additional drinks can be purchased at the event.

Dress code: Casual

Lunch

with…

General The Lord Dannatt Pall Mall

Wednesday 25 September, 12.30-2.30pm (drinks reception from noon)

General The Lord Dannatt is one of our most respected army voices and, during his own service, which included two stints in Northern Ireland, plus time in the Balkans, he was awarded the Military Cross. As well as 40 years in the Armed Forces, he has held the role of Constable of the Tower of London and assisted the Help for Heroes charity, of which he was a founding member. At such a decisive time for the world, share in Lord Dannatt’s wisdom over lunch about the military priorities of the UK and NATO, in addressing today’s clear and present danger that the state of the world represents.

M: £86.00 G: £98.00

Includes: Drinks reception, two-course lunch with Club wine, discussion

Dress code: Club dress code WP offer applies

Dinner with Paralympic Champion Aaron Phipps MBE: Blood, Sweat and Wheelchairs

Woodcote Park

Friday 27 September, 7.30-10.30pm

Aaron Phipps MBE is a Paralympic wheelchair rugby champion. His team went from fifth in the world, in the middle of a pandemic, to the best. Phipps tells his story, from contracting meningitis as a teenager to attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro unaided in a wheelchair, and winning the elusive gold medal in the only full-contact wheelchair sport. He is an award-winning professional speaker and his story moves audiences across the globe. Be prepared to look at disability, life, love and endeavour through a different, and very entertaining, lens. Phipps will join us having just returned from representing Team GB at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

M: £75.00 G: £86.00

Includes: A welcome glass of Champagne, two-course dinner with Club wine, talk and Q&A with Aaron Phipps MBE

Dress code: Casual

Cigar Supper, in Association with C.Gars Pall Mall

Thursday 26 September, 7.00-10.30pm

What is now, by any measure, one of the Club calendar’s signature events, and a landmark in the diary, will also be the beneficiary of the Terrace Room having had a makeover last year. On arrival, devotees, old and new, will be asked to step outside for a pre-supper cigar and refreshment. On conclusion of the evening’s culinary element there will be a digestif served to be enjoyed with a post-supper cigar back on the terrace. An evening at which the like-minded can celebrate their passion and advance their understanding of what is behind a good cigar, and how to pair one with a drink that dovetails.

M: £99.00 G: £115.00

Includes: Drinks reception, two-course dinner with Club wine, cigars, digestif

Dress code: Jacket and tie

October

Autumn Fashion Show with Carole-Ann Geddes

Woodcote Park

Thursday 3 October, 2.00-4.30pm

Join us for an afternoon of fashion; stylist and image

consultant Carole-Ann Geddes will showcase a collection of autumn 2024 trends and colours in a catwalk show. The collection shown will be from exclusive French brand Elora (not available on the high street), as well as Danish smart and casual clothes. During the show, Geddes will talk about colour and trends, giving you inspiration for the upcoming season.

M: £15.00 G: £18.00

Includes: Welcome glass of Champagne, fashion catwalk followed by the opportunity to shop!

Political Salon Supper with Rt Hon The Lord Kinnock

Pall Mall

Wednesday 2 October, 7.00-10.00pm

Back in 1992, Neil Kinnock was leader of the Labour Party and on the cusp of entering Downing Street. His thoughts will have returned to those times in the lead up to the recent General Election and everything that comes when the public votes. Join Lord Kinnock for this political salon to consider the post-election landscape, compared with more than 30 years ago, and what he envisages the future might hold. Share in his own reflections on a political career that carried him to within touching distance of the highest office.

M: £86.00 G: £98.00

Includes: Drinks reception, two-course dinner with Club wine, discussion Dress code: Club dress code

Art Surrey Art Fair at Epsom Downs Racecourse Epsom Downs Racecourse

Friday 4 October, 5.30-9.00pm

Art Surrey invites members to enjoy a private view of works by more than 90 of today's most exciting artists. Over a drink, fellow Club member Carol Caiger will give tips about buying artwork for your home and lead a tour of must-see artists before the private view opens at 6.00pm; then explore the fair at leisure.

M: £17.00 G: £19.00

Includes: Welcome drink, talk and tour, free time to explore, goodie bag, pass to re-enter the fair any time over the weekend. Members to make their own way to the racecourse. Dress code: Casual

The Comedy Store at the Country Clubhouse

Woodcote Park

Sunday 6 October, 7.15-10.30pm

Soho-based The Comedy Store was opened in 1979 by Don Ward and Peter Rosengard, and to this day promises to make you ‘laugh until you cry’. So get the tissues ready and join us at the country clubhouse, where three of London’s finest Comedy Store comedians will provide entertainment after dinner. Please note that this event is not suitable for those under 18, or for the faint-hearted.

M: £73.00 G: £84.00

Includes: Two-course dinner with Club wine and comedy show Dress code: Casual

The Criminal West End Walking Tour

Pall Mall

Wednesday 9 October, 9.50am-1.30pm

We don't have to look too far from Pall Mall to find evidence of fraudsters, including a Member of Parliament; a debtor who turned to pornography to escape poverty; a prosecution for a false marriage register; and an assault and suicide connected to a Royal Palace. These might be some of the most beautiful buildings in London, but behind the scenes there are stories that would not be out of place in a soap opera.

M: £79.00 G: £89.00

Includes: Walking tour with Blue Badge guide, headsets, two-course lunch at the Club with Club wine

Dress code: Club dress code (sensible footwear advised)

Falesia Wine Tasting

Pall Mall

Monday 7 October, 7.00-10.00pm

Falesia wines come from a boutique vineyard in the Algarve, which has been voted one of the best in the region. The family vineyard is the most southerly and closest to the sea in Portugal, and is blessed with a blend of the elements: year-round sunshine, cool sea air, and perfect schist-based soil combine to create unique wines.

M: £155.00 G: £179.00

Includes: Arrival drink, tasting wines and canapés, followed by two-course dinner with wine Dress code: Club dress code

Quiz Night in the 19th Hole

Woodcote Park

Thursday 10 October, 7.15-10.15pm

Gather your team, choose a name, and brush up on those general knowledge skills. Quiz nights at the Club always promise spirited competition, so get stuck into this fun and sociable event in the 19th Hole. The ultimate prize is the glory but winners will also be awarded a bottle of Club wine per person.

M: £40.00 G: £46.00

Includes: Welcome drink, two-course dinner and quiz, pay-bar available. Teams should be no fewer than four people and no more than eight.

Dress code: Casual

Sommelier-led Fine Olive Oil Tasting Woodcote Park

Wednesday 9 October, 4.30-7.00pm

Fine olive oil has been known for its culinary delights and many health benefits since ancient times. Just like fine wine, good olive oil is defined by terroirs and olive varieties. Join us for this tasting, which will span classic olive producing regions, covering well-known varieties and the differing taste profiles of six representative premium extra virgin oils. Experience the breadth of the olive oil taste spectrum and discover how to pair your oil at home in a guided tasting by a certified olive oil sommelier, who can answer all your questions.

M: £80.00

Includes: Sommelier-led fine olive oil tasting served with taster bites for food pairing, a glass of Club Champagne to finish

Dress code: Casual

WP offer applies

WP offer applies

Lunch with... Ian Henderson, Author of the Second Sight Report that Proved Critical in the Post Office Scandal

Pall Mall

Tuesday 15 October, 12.30-2.30pm (drinks reception from noon)

Ian Henderson is the author of the report that was key to proving the sub-postmasters' innocence; hear his account of the struggle to clear those accused.

M: £86.00 G: £98.00

Includes: Drinks reception, two-course lunch with Club wine, discussion

Dress code: Club dress code

Roger W. Smith Watch Supper

Pall Mall

Thursday 17 October, 7.00-10.00pm

A watch by Roger W. Smith sold at auction last year for nearly $5 million. A protégé of the world-famous horologist, George Daniels, Smith sought to perfect his methods himself and, now based on the Isle of Man, produces timepieces of remarkable value, sold at auction to reaffirm their worth. All this is a long way from taking up watchmaking at school, a pathway which included Smith, in 2011, being awarded the Barrett Silver Medal of the British Horological Institute for outstanding development or achievement in horology; recognition of his 'dedication to and successfully continuing the finest traditions of English and British watchmaking'.

M: £90.00 G: £99.00

Includes: Arrival drink, two-course dinner with Club wine, discussion

Dress code: Club dress code

An Evening with Phil Manzanera: Revolución to Roxy Pall Mall

Wednesday 16 October, 6.30-8.15pm

Revolución to Roxy reads more like a 17th century novel than a rockstar’s memoir. The Roxy Music guitarist has lived a colourful life and his childhood is every bit as fascinating as his 50 years with one of the UK’s most influential bands. In the book, Manzanera talks about exchanging technicolour Latin America for a monochrome, Beatles-obsessed 1960s Britain.

M: £29.00 G: £35.00

Includes: Arrival drink, talk and Q&A

Dress code: Club dress code

Murder Mystery Dinner – Killer at the Casino

Friday 18 October, 6.40-9.45pm

Join Moonstone Murder Mysteries this October, stepping back to 1920s Chicago to see if you can catch the killer at the casino! Gangsters like Al Capone are running riot, and when a Mafia don took a hit on a casino owner, a little birdie of a blackjack dealer caught wind and intercepted, much to someone's disapproval. Has our canary sung his final tune? Inspector Rutherford requires your help to solve the case before it's too late. Moonstone Murder Mysteries is an internationally-acclaimed company, having run four sell-out London residencies and performed across Europe and the UK. Be prepared for suspicious suspects, plot twists and plenty of red herrings along the way!

M: £89.00 G: £99.00

Includes: Welcome drink, three-course dinner with Club wine

Dress code: Club dress code

Masterpiece of Whisky: The Dalmore Tasting and Dinner

Woodcote Park

Thursday 17 October, 7.00-10.00pm

Unwind and savour the complexity and depth of The Dalmore Highland Whisky with our exclusive tasting event, showcasing the artistry of cask maturation across three expressions. Immerse yourself in the rich history and craftsmanship of The Dalmore while enjoying delectable dishes crafted to complement and enhance the flavour of each dram.

M: £95.00 G: £109.00

Includes: Arrival drink, three-course tasting menu with paired whisky tasting

Dress code: Casual

Pall Mall

WP offer applies

Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers with Siân Walters Pall

Mall

Monday 21 October, 6.30-8.00pm

The art of Van Gogh is celebrated in a major exhibition opening this autumn, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery. Join us for an introductory talk with gallery lecturer Siân Walters. The exhibition will feature many of Van Gogh’s best-loved paintings, such as Starry Night over the Rhône and The Yellow House, focusing on his period in Arles and Saint-Rémy.

M: £29.00 G: £35.00

Includes: Welcome drink, lecture and Q&A at the Club Dress code: Club dress code

Club Dinner Dance with New Band, Alibi

Woodcote Park

Saturday 26 October, 7.00-11.00pm

We are excited to introduce our new five-piece band, Alibi. With a fresh line-up, Alibi will provide an enjoyable musical experience as members and guests savour a three-course meal. Members will be seated at tables according to their booking (for example, if you book for two people, you will be seated at a table for two). Don’t miss this delightful evening of music and dining.

M: £69.00 G: £79.00

Includes: Three-course dinner, dancing Dress code: Black tie

WJs Halloween Cupcake Decorating

Woodcote Park

Thursday 31 October, 10.00-11.00am

Let those little fingers get spookily sticky! Come along to Woodcote Park for a funfilled cupcake session, where our chef will demonstrate fun ways to decorate scary tea-time treats. Your child will decorate six cupcakes during the morning, and there will be the opportunity for them to sample their handiwork to ensure that they have achieved truly tasty results. You will take a box of four cupcakes home with you to enjoy on Halloween!

WJ: £22.00

Includes: Hands-on cupcake decorating masterclass with Club chef, all equipment and boxed cupcakes to take home. This is an interactive family event and we encourage parents/guardians to be involved. Recommended for age 7+.

Dress code: Casual

WP offer applies

PM offer applies

November

Autumn Lecture with Major General

Jonathan Shaw CB CBE

Pall Mall

Wednesday 6 November, 6.30-8.15pm

Major General Jonathan Shaw was educated at Trinity College Oxford where he read Politics and Philosophy. He then joined the British Army and fought in the Falklands campaign with the Parachute Regiment, going on to serve with the SAS and SBS, and eventually becoming the Director of Special Forces in 2003 as well as the Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment. He saw active duty in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan and served in Whitehall in many staff appointments, his last being the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (International Security Policy) which latterly involved being the first head of Defence Cyber Security. Shaw will share his insights into the evolving global security situation, covering technology, geo-politics, cultures and climate change. His challenge for us all is to think differently if we are to face these challenges with the right mindset.

M: £32.00 G: £36.00

Includes: Arrival drink, lecture, Q&A

Dress code: Club dress code

Annual Fireworks Night Woodcote Park

Friday 1 November, 6.30-9.00pm

Gasp in awe and delight as a thousand multi-coloured fireworks light up the sky above Woodcote Park. At ground level there will be rides, activities, music and wandering entertainers. There will also be a delicious selection of food on offer – the perfect autumnal family outing at your country clubhouse!

Please note that, due to the very high demand for places at this event, they will be allocated by ballot. Full details are available in the event listing on the Club website.

M: £33.00 G: £37.00

WJs: £20.00 Non-WJs: £24.00

Woodcote Junior/Non-WJ rates only apply to children aged 12 and under on the day of the event.

Includes: Entertainment, rides and activities, fireworks display and bonfire, a food and drink item per person. Additional food and drinks will be available to purchase on the night.

Dress code: Casual

Literary Lunch with Chrissie Manby: The Excitements Woodcote Park

Friday 8 November, 12.00-3.30pm

Best-selling novelist Chrissie Manby has written 42 books under a variety of pseudonyms. She also had a long-running column in The Independent. Join Manby in conversation with social historian and literary agent Simon Robinson, talking about The Excitements, her first novel as C.J. Wray. This comic mystery, inspired by Manby’s friendship with WRNS veteran Patricia Owtram, who is 101, follows the Williamson sisters, Britain’s most treasured World War Two veterans. Even in their late 90s, they continue to search for their next ‘excitement’. This time, it’s a trip to Paris to receive the Légion d’honneur and, suffice to say, mayhem ensues. Special guest and Légion d’honneur-holder Owtram will join us to talk about her Second World War experiences.

M: £57.50 G: £66.00

Includes: Welcome glass of wine, two-course lunch with wine, talk and Q&A. Books will be on sale at the event.

Dress code: Casual

Live Music in the 19th Hole Woodcote Park

Thursday 7 November, 7.00-10.30pm

Enjoy a Thursday night out with dinner and dancing until late (ish). Let your hair down with an informal two-course dinner in the 19th Hole followed by live music provided by The Duo 2 Fine, dancing and a pay-bar.

M: £55.00 G: £63.00

Includes: Sparkling arrival drink, two-course dinner, live music and a pay-bar available throughout Dress code: Casual

WP offer applies

Churchill Literary Lunch with Professor David Reynolds

Pall Mall

Wednesday 13 November, 12.00-3.00pm November marks 150 years since the birth of Winston Churchill, "the greatest of all English men".

To celebrate, join us for a historical literary lunch.

Professor David Reynolds is an emeritus Cambridge University professor of international history as well as an acclaimed broadcaster and author of, among other books, From World War to Cold War: Churchill, Roosevelt, and the International History of the 1940s and, most recently, Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the leaders who shaped him. As an undoubted Churchill expert – a fellow of the British Academy as well as Christ’s College – Reynolds will share with members his view of a colossus of English history, a century and a half since his birth.

M: £79.00 G: £89.00

Includes: Drinks reception, two-course lunch with Club wine. Selection of books will be available to purchase.

Dress code: Club dress code

A Night of Laughter at Pall Mall

Pall Mall

Friday 8 November, 6.00-10.30pm

The Comedy Store has been a mainstay for comedians at the top of their game, as well as a champion for up-andcomers, since 1979. This event presents The Comedy Store’s Best in Stand-Up show. Three of the best comedians currently working on the UK scene will come together to give the Mountbatten Room a night it won’t easily forget! Expect adult themes and taboo-busting belly laughs and join us for what promises to be a special night at Pall Mall.

M: £80.00 G: £92.00

Includes: A glass of Champagne on arrival, two-course dinner with Club wine, comedy show

Dress code: Club dress code

Christmas Canapé Academy with Matthew Marshall

Woodcote Park

Thursday 14 November, 6.30-8.30pm

Join the Club’s Executive Chef for a hands-on canapé academy. Matthew will demonstrate how to make canapés and you will work alongside him making your own. You will also get to try some pre-prepared canapés. The event will finish with a glass of Champagne and the opportunity to discuss your creations with fellow members.

M: £69.50

Includes: Hands-on canapé making with Executive Chef, Matthew Marshall, canapés and Champagne

Dress code: Casual

Lunch with… Timothy Everest MBE

Pall Mall

Thursday 14 November, 12.302.30pm (drinks reception from noon)

Tony Blair at least partly owes his sartorial elegance to Gordon Brown, who shared that a particularly wellmade suit of his was by Timothy Everest. Other clients include a third Prime Minister in David Cameron, Tom Cruise, Mick Jagger, Ralph Fiennes and more. Over lunch join Everest, awarded an MBE for services to tailoring, to look back on his life and the bespoke secrets he learnt first from the legendary Tommy Nutter that make men and women feel like a million dollars.

M: £90.00 G: £99.00

Includes: Arrival drink, two-course lunch with Club wine, discussion

Dress code: Club dress code

Ultimate Rugby Quiz (Show) in the Long Bar

Pall Mall

Friday 15 November, 8.00-10.00pm

Join us for an evening of stand-up theatre by British comic actor Stewart Wright (Doc Martin, Smack the Pony, Bridget Jones’ Diary), who brings moments from international rugby to life in the form of a quiz. Benoit Kirby, the evening’s referee, will delight you with his talents, which include juggling, bagpipes and singing. The evening will feature Cliff Morgan, Jim Telfer, Rassie Erasmus, Bill McLaren and more. Put a team together or come solo and enjoy a drink before kick-off.

M: £30.00 G: £35.00

Dress code: Long Bar dress code

Festive Fair

Truffle Dinner in the Great Gallery

Pall Mall

Sunday 17 November, 6.00-10.30pm

We have collaborated with Zak Frost of The Wiltshire Truffle Company for a seasonal truffle dinner. What started as a family business selling their own truffles – growing wild around their farm and hunted with their dogs –turned into a successful business which now supplies truffles to chefs worldwide. Over the years the Frosts have turned a hobby into one of the world’s largest truffle companies. Frost is one of the world’s foremost authorities on hunting and sourcing truffles; his company supplies almost all of the leading restaurants in the UK, including Heston Blumenthal and the Fat Duck, Alain Roux and The Waterside Inn, Pierre Gagnaire and Sketch, Simon Rogan and L’Enclume, Bjorn Frantzèn and Harrods. We invite you to enjoy a tasting dinner highlighting white and black autumn truffles, paired with a selection of wines. Includes: Champagne on arrival, five-course tasting dinner with wine

M: £325.00 G: £370.00

Dress code: Black tie

Woodcote Park Festive Fair

Woodcote Park

Saturday 16 November, 11.00am-3.30pm

Now a festive favourite in the Club calendar! Come along to browse the fabulous selection of stalls selling crafts, jewellery, clothing, quirky gifts and unique items. To add further festive cheer, why not drop in to our children’s craft workshop and finish with a visit to Father Christmas and his elves? Due to parking restrictions, we ask members to book in advance into one of the sessions to ensure an even spread of attendees throughout the day.

Bookable sessions: 11.00am-12.30pm, 12.30-2.00pm and 2.00-3.30pm.

M & G: Free WJ and non-WJ: Free

Dress code: Casual

Annual Rugby Dinner With... Ugo Monye

Pall Mall

Wednesday 20 November, 6.30-10.45pm

Ugo Moyne is our special guest during the Autumn Internationals, making it a perfect time not only for him to share stories and experiences from his professional career, but also to review England’s clashes with New Zealand, Australia and World Champions South Africa, four days ahead of the Red Roses playing Eddie Jones’s Japan. As a popular broadcaster, Monye is up to speed across all matters of the global game. He will be in conversation with Alex Payne, an experienced rugby broadcaster and host of the number one podcast, The Good, the Bad and the Rugby, alongside England legends James Haskell and Mike Tindall, which features some of the biggest names across rugby, as well as the wider sporting and pop-cultural realms.

M: £120.00 G: £135.00

Includes: Arrival drinks, three-course dinner with Club wine

Dress code: Black tie

Taylor’s Port Tasting

Pall Mall

Monday 18 November, 7.00-10.00pm

The Fladgate Partnership, a producer of port for more than 330 years, is home to the port houses of Taylor’s, Fonseca and Croft. Taylor’s is one of the oldest of the houses, running since 1692, and best known for its vintage ports which are blended from the wines of three of the firm’s estates. Taylor’s is also recognised as the most important producer of Aged Tawnies and has one of the most extensive reserves of cask-aged port wines. The house created LBV and pioneered Dry White Port when it invented Chip Dry in 1934. Taylor’s has recently been instrumental in the creation of two new port categories by releasing the 50YO Aged Tawny and Very Very Old Tawny Port, which is aged for 80 years.

M: £125.00 G: £143.00

Includes: Arrival drink, tasting with cheese, two-course dinner with wine

Dress code: Club dress code

WP offer applies

The Heritage of Gilbert and Sullivan: Afternoon Lecture

Woodcote Park

Friday 22 November, 3.00-5.00pm

The Victorian works of Gilbert and Sullivan have been part of our theatrical heritage for more than 150 years. The perfect collaboration between the writer W.S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan over a 25-year period produced 14 shows – a world record which no other writers have achieved. The beautiful music of Sullivan is so well-matched to Gilbert’s witty, satirical lyrics and librettos, ensuring the show’s ongoing, international popularity. Join author, lecturer and lifelong G&S enthusiast Bernard Lockett at this afternoon lecture, which will consider the historical background and provide an overall assessment of the works, as well as an examination of the importance of the social and political satire. Videos of show excerpts by the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company will be included.

M: £45.00 G: £52.00

Includes: Champagne afternoon tea buffet, Gilbert and Sullivan lecture

Dress code: Casual

Christmas Calligraphy Workshop

Woodcote Park

Thursday 21 November, 10.00am-1.00pm

Dive into the festive spirit with a Christmasthemed modern calligraphy workshop led by experienced tutor Judy Broad. This holiday-inspired class will be filled with festive letterings and projects; you will start by practising some Christmas words and phrases, moving onto some creative projects to inspire you to use your calligraphy this Christmas. By the end of the session, you will experiment with coloured inks, writing on baubles, gift tags, wrapping paper, Christmas cards and more! (Suitable for those who have taken a previous beginner’s class or who have some calligraphy experience.)

M: £91.00 G: £105.00

Includes: Refreshments, calligraphy Christmas workshop, Christmas stationery, penholder, nib and inks

Dress code: Casual

Christmas Wreath-Making Workshop

Woodcote Park

Wednesday 27 November, 2.00-4.00pm

Create the perfect Christmas wreath at this hands-on event using a mixture of festive foliage and decorations. Emma from Sweet Lavender will guide you in making your own masterpiece. Discuss your creation over a glass of Champagne before taking it home to enjoy over the Christmas period.

M: £75.00

Includes: Refreshments, hands-on workshop, glass of Champagne, wreath to take home

Dress code: Casual

The Dolly Show at Pall Mall Pall Mall

Friday 22 November, 6.00-11.30pm

We are delighted to welcome multi-award-winning singer and comedienne, Kelly O’Brien, as Dolly Parton, straight from the West End. Quoted as being one of ‘the best in the world’ by BBC One and voted the number one Dolly Parton tribute by the Agents Association of Great Britain, O'Brien is undeniably one of the best impersonators you will ever see. She is a brilliant vocalist and cabaret artist and has been performing as Dolly all over the world for more than 15 years. Just back from touring Australia, O'Brien will perform hits like Jolene, 9 to 5, Here You Come Again, Islands in the Stream and I Will Always Love You, with banter in between. After the show, you can dance the night away to music from The Dolly Show DJ.

M: £85.00 G: £95.00

Includes: Arrival drink, two-course dinner with Club wine, The Dolly Show (piano cabaret), DJ Dress code: Club dress code

offer applies

A Comedy Evening with Dominic Holland Woodcote Park

Saturday 30 November, 7.30-10.15pm

Dominic Holland is an award-winning standup comedian and the author of nine books and counting, including his non-fiction series of comic essays Takes on Life, a series of anecdotes which will form the spine of this show. These essays cover his life and yours, teasing out the idiosyncrasies which plague us all – hard-hitting questions like, “when is it time to wash a towel?” and “when is an onion finally peeled?”. The best humour is found in things we can all relate to. Described by The Sunday Times as “the UK's master of observational comedy”, this will be an evening which is inclusive and great fun for all ages. After the show, there will be a book signing of Open Links and both volumes of Takes on Life.

M: £66.00 G: £76.00

Includes: Welcome drink, two-course dinner with Club wine, comedy talk and book signing

Dress code: Casual

Delamotte Champagne Tasting Woodcote Park

Thursday 28 November, 7.15-10.30pm

Founded in 1760, Maison Delamotte represents one of Champagne’s best-kept secrets. Located in the village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger within the renowned Côte des Blancs region, it is sister to the legendary house Champagne Salon, with whom it shares so much DNA. The vineyards lie upon some of the most hallowed grand cru sites, where the ancient chalky soils allow Chardonnay to express its true vivacity and freshness. The resulting Delamotte Champagnes are known for their great consistency, delicacy and exceptional character. Join us for a special evening with Cristian Rimoldi, Maison Delamotte’s export director, as he guides us through the four cuvées that Delamotte has been continually developing throughout its impressive 260year history. This is not only an opportunity to taste, but also to gain a unique insight into one of the world’s most-revered houses and the true art of Champagne.

M: £120.00 G: £138.00

Includes: Welcome glass of Champagne, three-course dinner with tasting Champagnes

Dress code: Jacket, no tie

December Events – Save the Date

Here are the dates of some of our most popular Christmas and New Year events so you can save the dates in your diary.

Full details will be published on the Club website on Friday 30 August with bookings opening at 10.00am on Tuesday 10 September.

Christmas Opera in the Great Gallery

Pall Mall

Sunday 1 December, 6.30-10.30pm

Fine food, Champagne and refined opera – what could be better? Join us for an evening of splendour with the distinguished company of singers from the English Touring Opera. The group promises to wow you with beautiful opera classics that will leave you feeling festive and inspired on a cosy December evening at the Club.

Bollinger Tasting

Pall Mall

Monday 2 December, 7.00-10.00pm

Bollinger wines are defined as much by the vines they come from as they are by the blending process and the House’s century-old barrels in which they mature. Come and try wines that so impressed the Court of England that the House has been awarded the Royal Warrant since 1884.

December Ladies’ Lunch

Woodcote Park

Wednesday 4 December, afternoon

Entertainment for the December lunch is to be confirmed and will be communicated soon.

Members Christmas Party Night

Woodcote Park

Saturday 7 December, evening

Kick start your Christmas celebrations with one of our annual festive favourites! Carols, quizzes, food, drink, dancing and games… What more could you ask for?

Carols in the Rotunda

Pall Mall

Wednesday 11 December, 5.30-7.00pm

Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate Christmas in the merriest of ways: singing carols at Pall Mall with the Club Choir and in the company of dear friends and family. Feel part of something festively special as the rotunda fills with the sound of the season’s most-loved and most traditional carols.

Christmas in the Mountbatten Room

Pall Mall

Wednesday 11 December, 7.15-9.30pm

What better way to bring Christmas to life than with a sparkling tree in the rotunda, carols, mulled wine, mince pies? After carols we invite you to join us in the Mountbatten Room to enjoy a three-course dinner with Club wine with your family and friends.

WJs: Family Christmas Sing Along

Woodcote Park

Thursday 12 December, late afternoon

Calling all young families: join the Club Choir for a jolly afternoon spent singing along to well-known Christmas songs.

Christmas Carols at Woodcote Park

Woodcote Park

Thursday 12 December, early evening

Warm up those vocal chords and join us in the cosy surroundings of the Cedar Room for an evening of traditional Christmas carols with the Club Choir.

Join the Christmas Party: 'A Licence to Thrill’

Woodcote Park

Friday 13 December, evening

Let the Club take the stress out of organising your work Christmas party. Book a table and invite your colleagues along as we embrace the glamour of a James Bondthemed party. All you have to worry about is having a great time!

Club Christmas Dinner Dance

Woodcote Park

Saturday 14 December, evening

Dust off your dancing shoes and gather your friends for the Club Christmas Dinner Dance at the country clubhouse, where you can dance the night away to live music.

Members Christmas Quiz Night

Woodcote Park

Wednesday 18 December, evening

Brush up on your general knowledge for this seasonal quiz, which will include some festive Christmas-themed questions.

New Year’s Eve Rock ‘n’ Roll Party

Woodcote Park

Tuesday 31 December, evening

See out the old and bring in the new in true Woodcote Park fashion at the New Year’s Eve party, which will have everything you need to ensure your evening goes off with a bang. This year’s theme: ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll!

New Year’s Eve in the Fountain Brasserie

Woodcote Park

Tuesday 31 December, evening

Suitable for families, come and celebrate New Year’s Eve in the laid-back atmosphere of the Fountain Brasserie. Later on, join the party upstairs to see in the New Year.

Activity Group Events

To book any of these events, please visit the Club website.

The Activity Groups cater for all levels and there is room for both social time and serious competition, whether internally or against other clubs. The Groups provide you with opportunities to learn new skills, refresh your ability in games played in years gone by or refine and improve your talents through classes and coaching.

The Activity Groups section of the Club website contains comprehensive up-to-date information about all the Groups and how you can take part.

CLUB CHOIR

Singing Workshop and Supper

Pall Mall

Tuesday 17 September, 6.30 for 7.00pm start

If you would like to experience the amazing feeling of singing with other people, then come and join the Club Choir for this singing and social event which is open to everyone including guests. No auditions are required. Join us at 6.30pm for a social half hour with a glass of wine before spending just over an hour singing with our Musical Director, Ian Holiday, followed by a buffet supper and wine. The song will be revealed on the night but the illustration might help you to guess!

M: £42.00 G: £52.00

Includes: Buffet supper, Club wine and singing

To book your place, or if you have a question, please email choir-support@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Christmas Concert Rehearsal Dates

Pall Mall and Woodcote Park

We are delighted to welcome new singers to the Club Choir for our Christmas performances and no audition is required. Singers may attend rehearsals at both or either clubhouse and we hope that you will be able to take part in all three performances (one at Pall Mall and two on the same day at Woodcote Park).

If you would like to participate or to find out more information, please email choir-support@royalautomobileclub.co.uk

Pall Mall rehearsals, 6.45-8.45pm

Wednesday 6 November

Tuesday 12 November

Wednesday 20 November

Tuesday 26 November

Wednesday 4 December

Performances

Pall Mall on Wednesday 11 December (rehearsal 4.30pm, Carol Concert 6.00pm).

Woodcote Park rehearsals, 7.30-9.30pm

Tuesday 5 November

Wednesday 13 November

Tuesday 19 November

Wednesday 27 November

Tuesday 3 December

Woodcote Park on Thursday 12 December (rehearsal 4.30pm, Family Carols 5.00pm, Carol Concert 7.00pm).

RUNNING

Woodcote Park

The Running Group at Woodcote Park continues to meet every weekend for an outing of 8 to 10km. The runs are open to runners of all levels.

The Group is also planning to put on a 3km/5km race in September, in a repeat of the popular event which took place in 2023 (see photograph). The date and precise format are still being decided and details will be published on the Club website and sent out by email. The event will be an excellent opportunity for families to enjoy a run together followed by refreshments.

FILM

Pall Mall and Woodcote Park

The Film Society arranges for films to be screened at the Pall Mall and Woodcote Park clubhouses on a regular basis. Following a busy schedule during the first half of 2024, during which 15 films were screened including the very popular Amadeus and the Apartment in the Mountbatten Room, the Film Society looks forward to outdoor screenings of Hello, Dolly! at Woodcote Park on Friday 30 August and Lost in Translation at Pall Mall on Sunday 8 September, as well as screening The Battle of Britain at Pall Mall on Sunday 15 September to coincide with Battle of Britain Day.

For the latest information on forthcoming screenings please visit the Activities section of the Club website.

GARDENING AND NATURE

Visit to the Chelsea Physic Garden

Tuesday 3 September, 1.00pm

Join us for a visit to the historic Chelsea Physic Garden on the edge of the Thames. The garden is the second oldest botanic garden in the UK and was established by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries in 1673 to grow medicinal plants. It has a diverse plant collection with more than 4,500 species of edible, useful and medicinal plants. Our visit will include a guided tour of the Garden. Members should make their own travel arrangements and meet at the entrance to the Garden on Royal Hospital Road.

M & G: £15.00

Includes: Entrance to the Garden and a guided tour

PHOTOGRAPHY

From the Ocean to the Stars with Paul Colley

Woodcote Park

Thursday 26 September, 7.30pm

Paul Colley will present his ongoing journey in photography: transitioning from ocean and river conservation work to full-blown astrophotography. He will describe a four year journey that started with a desire to photograph the Milky Way and ended with him designing and building his own observatory, an endeavour which is empowering him to capture images of deep space objects.

Colley will show both the fascinating technical details of his approach to astrophotography and the stunning images that now embellish his portfolio.

M & G: £10.00

For further information and to book, please visit the Events section of the Club website.

The Life and Career of Award-Winning Photographer

Dazeley BEM FRPS

Woodcote Park

Tuesday 8 October, 7.30pm

Following his hugely popular talks based on his books

London Unseen and London Theatres, Dazeley returns to talk about his varied career, which has included advertising, fine art work and publishing books. He will also be discussing his new book, Monochrome, sharing thoughts on the platinum print process and taking photography back to its origins. We can be assured of a very enjoyable presentation and viewing a superb selection of images. Copies of his books will be available for purchase.

M & G: £10.00

Includes: A glass of Club wine and tea or coffee

For further information and to book, please visit the Events section of the Club website.

Exploring London With Your Camera: Twilight on the Banks of The Thames

Thursday 5 September, 7:00pm until approximately 9.30pm

The Photography Group is organising six photo walks this year, covering different areas of London and embracing the theme that ‘London is a series of villages just ready to be explored’. Each walk will be guided with plenty of suggestions on particular points of interest for photography.

As daylight begins to fade, we will look for interesting photographic possibilities around the Shard, Guy's Hospital and Southwark Cathedral before crossing London Bridge to explore the twilight vistas available from the north riverbank path of the Thames as far along as Blackfriars Bridge, such as Tate Modern, Bankside and The Millenium Bridge.

Taking advantage of the bridge's fantastic views, including the Houses of Parliament, the Southbank Centre and St Paul's Cathedral, we will cross back over the River Thames to continue on the south riverbank path towards the Royal Festival Hall and Waterloo station.

This will be a relatively slow walk over a modest distance to allow plenty of time to set up some truly breathtaking shots, but to keep us moving: miniature tripods – yes; full size tripods –definitely not!

M & G: Free

For further information please visit the Events section of the Club website.

RAC FOUNDATION

Driving tests for driverless cars

FRIENDS OR FAMILY joining the lengthy queue to take a driving test this year? Surely it can’t be long before the cars will be driving themselves?

Over-excitement about the imminent arrival of self-driving cars has turned out to have been just that. Although the publicity may have subsided somewhat from its peak a few years ago, earlier this year the Government quietly stewarded new laws through Parliament to enable the legal use of self-driving technology on Britain’s roads.

Trials of automated driving have already taken place at various locations around the country, but these required the presence in the vehicle of a ‘safety driver’ monitoring the vehicle’s behaviour and ready to take control should the need arise. The new powers in the Automated Vehicles Act –which completed its parliamentary passage and gained Royal Assent in May – create a framework for setting and policing the safety standards automated systems must meet. It is based on an extensive four-year

The Automated Vehicles

Act completed its parliamentary passage and gained Royal Assent in May.

review undertaken by the Law Commission published in 2022, to which the RAC Foundation provided expert advice.

There is general cross-party support for the approach to accommodating automated driving, not least the ambition to make the UK the location of choice for the developers of this technology. If driverless vehicles can cope with the conditions in our congested cities, so the argument goes, then they will be able to cope with conditions pretty much anywhere else.

The nearest the plans came to being contentious was on the issue of how safe a driverless vehicle should be in order to be judged safe enough. The intention is that automated vehicles must achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or higher than, that of careful, competent human drivers. ‘Why not safer still?’ ran the argument.

Ultimately, though, the even more difficult issues that now need to be resolved include how to turn that judgement into a technical standard, capable of being tested, and by what process that test will be applied.

Human drivers have to pass an online theory test and a practical driving test observed by an official examiner. Arguably the majority of testing of an automated system could be conducted in a virtual environment, which would be far more extensive than the 40-or-so minutes of the current practical test.

The Automated Vehicles Act of 2024 may mark a significant milestone on the way to automated driving but the destination is still some years away.

CLASSIFIEDS

The Club’s free online classified advertisements can be seen on the Club website: just look for ‘Classified Advertisements’ in the main menu after you have signed in. Please email communications@royalautomobileclub.co.uk to arrange an advertisement on the website or in Pell-Mell & Woodcote. Magazine entries are charged at £50.00 per edition and the deadline for the next edition is noon on Monday 19 August.

PROPERTY TO RENT

South of France Villa

Situated between the historic villages of Cabris and Speracedes, near Grasse, this beautiful villa boasts magnificent views to the Mediterranean. The principal villa hosts four guests and the guesthouse two guests. Facilities include a large heated pool and finely appointed, excellent quality bathrooms and gourmet kitchens. Available Thursday (PM) 29 August to Friday (AM) 7 September 2024 Please contact Bill Owen Email: 113000.610@compuserve.com US Tel: 00 1 917 331 5190

Six-Bedroom Country House in North Cornwall

Luxury country house close to Watergate Bay and Mawgan Porth. Far-reaching country views. Dog friendly. Swedish hot tub, large enclosed garden, and spacious oak gazebo. Unique, unforgettable multi-generational holiday let which sleeps 12 (plus two infants). Wonderful in any season. Changeovers: Fridays or Mondays. Discount for Club members. Email: tg23219@gmail.com Tel : 07788 911971

Luxury

Lodge on Golf Resort near Dartmoor

Overlooking one of five golf courses, Conker’s Lodge offers smart, relaxed and flexible self-catering holiday accommodation for six. Access to the on-site Ashbury resort offers 99 holes of golf, swimming, racquet sports (incl. Padel), snooker & crafts, for a small daily fee. Perfect too for Dartmoor walks and the North Cornwall coast. Weekly bookings prioritised, shorter stays accommodated. Discount for Club members.

Email: conkerslodge@yahoo.com Tel: 07967 684458 / 07971 185792

Villa Linnazello, Italy

Stylishly restored with modern furnishing, this villa has four bedrooms (all air-conditioned), two bathrooms, an open-plan kitchen/living room with a fireplace and a view of Argentario, a swimming pool, and a secluded garden. Available to rent at any time of the year, Villa Linnazello is just a 45-minute drive from Rome Fiumicino airport and one hour by car or train from central Rome.

Email: book@linnazello.com Tel: 07798 524502

www.linnazello.com

Luxury Six-Bedroom Cotswolds House

Luxury waterfront six-bedroom, six-bathroom home in the Cotswolds near Lechlade set in 850 acres of countryside. Golf, tennis, swimming, spa, gym, paddle boarding and biking all close by. Available throughout the year to rent including Christmas and New Year. Contact Karen Lewis.

Email: karenpaulinelewis@hotmail.co.uk Tel: 07950 464419

Treglasta Manor –North Cornwall

luxury

Luxury four-bed farmhouse for up to eight guests near Boscastle. The nearby beaches of Trebarwith Strand, Crackington Haven and Widemouth Bay allow easy exploration of the beautiful shoreline. Enjoy elegant interiors, original period features with contemporary comforts, log burner, and a cedar hot tub with panoramic views of the countryside. Friday or Monday check-ins. Discount available for Club members.

Email: hello@treglastamanor.co.uk

Tel: 07776 172601

www.treglastamanor.co.uk

PROPERTY, CARS AND YACHTS FOR SALE

1998 Jaguar XK8 For Sale

Presented in lovely sapphire blue, this 1998 4 litre V8 XK8 is in good condition but with some bumps and bruises, sensible miles at 83660 with MOT until October 2024. Luxurious magnolia leather with matching tonneau cover, prestigious plate included in sale. Drives superbly. £11,995 ovno. Location near Woodcote Park clubhouse. Email: nicksearch9@gmail.com Tel: 07974 431364

Timeshare For Sale

Two-bed townhouse (can sleep six) at Four Seasons Country Club, Quinta do Lago, Algarve. Week 48 available in perpetuity. Discounted green fees at Quinta do Lago golf courses. £3,000. Email: pbennett389@gmail.com Tel: 0208 943 0543 / 07815 714478

Golf Villa for Sale

Golf villa. Beautiful, peaceful, gated domain on a prestigious golf course in the south of France. Easy reach of Nice and Cannes. Two bedrooms, twolevel property in pastel painted terrace. Overlooks 11th green through pines. Two terraces for al fresco dining, dining and sitting room, bathroom, shower room, two WCs, fitted kitchen and garage. Master bedroom with terrace. Communal pool and right of play. Euro 540,000 for direct sale. Contact Peter Linghorn.

Email: phtlinghorn@gmail.com Tel: 07866 551028

SERVICES & MISCELLANEOUS

Tailored Yacht Charters

Looking for your next holiday? I’d be happy to help! I work for Hinde and Kitch, a London-based yacht charter broker, delivering tailored holidays on the finest yachts around, from romantic Greek Islands to the sensational Seychelles. We offer a personal approach, assigning a specialist broker throughout your journey, and only work with yachts and owners we know and trust. All budgets and yachts accommodated. Email: info@hindeandkitch.com Tel: 07502 432646 www.hindeandkitch.co.uk

Eight Healthcare

Discover Eight Healthcare: exclusive health concierge services. Enjoy round-the-clock access to GPs, comprehensive health screenings, and expert advice from dieticians and personal trainers. Let us simplify your journey through the private healthcare system, including navigating insurance complexities. Enhance your wellbeing today. Email: enquiries@eighthealthcare.com Tel: 020 7459 4676 www.eighthealthcare.com

Foxbrush Leasehold Management

Are you frustrated with how your service charge is being spent? Fed up with your managing agent ignoring your emails? You are not alone. We understand the pains of being a leaseholder because we’ve been there ourselves. That’s why Club member, Cambridge

graduate and former management consultant Edward Williams founded Foxbrush. Find out more about block management and consultancy on our website.

Email: info@foxbrushproperty.co.uk www.foxbrushproperty.co.uk

Independent Jewellery and Watch Valuation Service

Is your jewellery and watch insurance valuation up to date?

Could you be under or overinsured? If these questions sound familiar, Enlightened Services Ltd will provide you with a costeffective and reliable solution. With experience at Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Bonhams, we offer impartial and unbiased valuations from the comfort of your preferred location. We cover the South East area. Valuations for insurance, probate, family division and post loss assessment.

Email: aurelia@enlightened-valuations.com Tel: 07553 922781 www.enlightened-valuations.com

Piano Teacher

Club member Junko Kobayashi is a classical concert pianist who was a pupil of the great pianist Louis Kentner, and who herself has published several CDs and has given numerous concerts in the UK and abroad. An experienced teacher, she offers lessons in St John’s Wood to prepare for Grades 5 to 8 and at diploma level. Adults who would like to revise their piano skills are also welcome. Zoom lessons possible.

Email: k333junkokobayashi@ btinternet.com www.junkokobayashi.com

Pettitts Travel Bespoke Opera Breaks

Experience opera in some of the world’s most stunning settings in Europe. Enjoy Carmen, Aida or La Bohème in ancient Arena di Verona on a four-day city break, with flights, hotel and opera tickets from £880pp. For the perfect ending, extend your trip to include Lake Garda. Speak to one of our travel experts for advice on booking any of our 12 featured European opera houses and many performances.

Email: info@pettitts.co.uk Tel: 0203 988 5094 www.pettitts.co.uk

Pettitts Travel Bespoke Holidays to India

Visit vibrant India with Pettitts Travel, specialist tours around India for more than 35 years. Embark on a curated journey with a private driver, where your holiday is tailored to your interests, desired locations and preferred level of comfort. For something different, Sri Lanka is an ideal alternative for wildlife and history. For the best experience speak to our experts to book a luxury holiday.

Email: info@pettitts.co.uk Tel: 0203 988 5094 www.pettitts.co.uk

Caiger Art: Bring Wow Factor to Your Home

Newly moved or redecorated? Are you looking for stunning artwork to complete your space? With a decade as Art Advisors, we offer our clients budget-friendly art buying guidance. Our experience allows us to work with you to source the perfect artwork. We also have

amazing pieces available to buy online, to view by appointment in Ewell or at your home. Contact now for a free advice call.

Email: carol@caigerart.com Tel: 07828 513885 www.caigerart.com

Rolex and Patek Philippe Watches Pre-owned

We have in stock for immediate purchase many of the rarest items in watches, coins, stamps, manuscripts, and sport, film and music memorabilia. We have over £50M in stock right now, which makes us the largest dealer in the world in high-end collectibles. Also we can find any item you are looking for, as we have been in this business for over 45 years, with worldwide contacts. Club member since 1995.

Email: ant@paulfrasercollectibles.com Tel: 07700 702962 www.paulfrasercollectibles.com

Singing Tuition with a Friendly Expert Tutor

Club member Ben Costello, a singing teacher, musical director, examiner and adjudicator, offers singing lessons in Surbiton (home visits by arrangement), teaching all ages in a variety of musical styles and genres. Ben also really enjoys working with adults who may be exploring their singing potential or are in a choir and want to pass that audition! Enhanced DBS clearance. ISM-registered teacher. Email: maestrocostello@gmail.com Tel: 07889 659324 www.bencostello.com

Opus Oléa Finest Quality

Olive Oils

Multi-awarded extra virgin olive oil

with a sublime taste profile. Produced with scrupulous hygiene and quality standards by a Club member in Greece. No chemicals used in our sustainably cultivated olive grove. High in polyphenols. Not comparable to supermarket oils. Please order directly from our website www. opuslivewell.com. Club discount on six-packs (WELCOMERAC). www.opuslivewell.com

Estate Planning Direct LLP Will-writing

At EPD, we understand that planning for the future is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your loved ones and ensure that your wishes are carried out. Our experienced legal professionals take the time to understand your specific needs and goals, and provide a seamless and comprehensive Will-writing and estate-planning service that will bring peace of mind to you and your family.

Email: david@estateplanningdirect.co.uk Tel: 07836 272000 / 01323 811870 www.estateplanningdirect.co.uk

Vita Cura Live in Care

Experience the comfort and security of professional, compassionate, live-in care in the comfort of your own home. Our dedicated caregivers will provide personalised assistance with daily activities, medication management and companionship, ensuring a high quality of life while maintaining independence. We will tailor our services to suit your unique needs, whether long term or short term.

Email: enquiries@vitacura.co.uk

Tel: 020 3900 2300 www.vitacura.co.uk

CLUB CURIOSITY

Look above you to see history recorded in the Motor House.

THE MOTOR HOUSE – the historic building you pass on the left just after entering Woodcote Park – is now home to the Club’s fleet of historic vehicles, ranging from the stalwarts of the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run to roadside assistance vans from the 1960s.

Woodcote Park owes much of its layout to Richard Evelyn, brother of the 17th century diarist John, who built the mansion with which we are familiar today. The estate then passed down through his family to the sixth Lord Baltimore, Frederick. He led a debauched and reckless life and was forced to sell his estates to Thomas Monk in 1767, who sold Woodcote Park to George Nelson just three years later.

Constructed as a barn and stable in 1770, the Motor House was once part of a cluster of farm buildings including a granary, courtyard and farmhouse. Made of red brick with a pitched pantile roof and rustic clad exterior, the Motor House originally featured an upper floor which today is

In 2017, the barn won the Surrey Heritage Award for best practice in historic building conservation and restoration.

indicated by a band of deepened colour along the brick walls and square holes which once contained the floor beams.

Although his tenure lasted just eight years, George Nelson left his mark on Woodcote Park with the surviving barn – which brings us to this edition’s ‘Club Curiosity’. Look up when you are next in the Motor House and you will see, carved into a beam, Geo.Nelson, Esq: Dec.7th 1770.

The barn was converted for its current use in 2016 and the following year won the Surrey Heritage Award for best practice in historic building conservation and restoration. The change followed a tradition of repurposing barns and stables on country estates into motor houses after the demise of horse-drawn vehicles.