Far North Focus
March 2026
Chris & Murray Squire’s 1964 4/72 Riley
Who’s Who for 2025/2026
Chairman
Club
Committee: Tom Deverall, Keith Lyndsell, Naomi Mason, Christine Squire, Margaret Deverall, Murray Squire, Winston Matthews, Steve Edwards, Dave Duirs, Claude Ilton
The full list of the elected officers is circulated with the minutes of the 2025 Annual General Meeting. The full list of the elected officers is circulated with the minutes of the 2025 Annual General Meeting.
If at any time you see things at the Clubrooms requiring maintenance, please let Steve know. Ph 09 401 6239
Calendar of Club Events 2026
If at any time you see things at the Clubrooms requiring maintenance, please let Steve know. Ph 09 401 6239
March 2026
The events previously included for March have been cancelled, as many Members will be away at the Vero Rally.
15th-21st March Vero Rally in Nelson.
April 2026
11th Monthly Meeting 1.00pm with Parts Shed open at 2pm.
18th Brian Parker Rally- Chris & Murray Squire
May 2026
9th Monthly Meeting 1.00pm with Parts Shed open at 2pm
10
Changes:
Please note that Tom has a new email address, which is in the Who’s Who.
And, Murray Squire now has his correct phone number in Who’s Who.
That should help callers, no end! My apologies.
March Monthly Meeting:
There isn’t a meeting this month as many head south, to Nelson. But there is no reason why those looking after our patch while others travel, can’t organise a get-together for the month.
Feel free to let me know if you decide to organise a gathering and I am happy to email the details to Members.
Email or text details to: 4ed.focus@gmail.com
0221008119
A Heads Up
18th April we have the Brian Parker Rally.
It’s our 50-year celebration of the run.
To commemorate this milestone, the run will end at the Clubrooms early afternoon and we will have a catered lunch, served.
As in days gone, Members will be asked to prebook their participation in the run and/or attendance for the meal and pay for their meal. It will be BYO.
The entry form is included in this newsletter.
If you know of ex Members, who would like to attend the meal or go on this run,
please contact Murray & Chris Squire, who are organising the run.
We can arrange for ex members to travel on the run, if they wish. It would be great to host ex members to take part in the rally/meal.
There is the entry form for this rally at the end of this Focus.
Focus Presentation
I will send this Focus as 2 attachments… which I dare say you have cottoned on to!
The main body of it will come first with the photos in the second attachment.
Changing the document to PDF, has presented me with challenges the last 2 months and until I have my issues sorted, I am resorting to Plan B. Instead of demolishing the computer with a heavy object, which is where I got close to last month, an easier option is being taken, this round.
After the rally in Nelson, I will get my computer [& my quite possibly my intellect] checked, in the hope of solving my issues with intellect being the more difficult to solve, I suspect. Then of course, remembering how I solved my initial problem the following month, will present further challenges!! All this is to ensure your patience has opportunities to be exercised.
Our Club’s Facebook Page
Now, as if the PDF situation isn’t enough already…
Our current Face Book page does not have the availability for members to add photos, comments etc. plus of course there is the realistic acceptance that no one person will always, forever, be able or wanting to, manage the site.
As in other aspects of life, we must think of succession.
A new page/account has been set up using the Club Treasurer’s email address. Using this email address, means the Facebook page remains within the club, regardless of people changes. The details for the account will be saved in club records to ensure its continuation.
Many thanks to Murray and Chris for setting this new account up. I’m sure there are tweaks to happen to the page which they will manage, to get it close to ideal.
YOUR task now is to find it on Facebook. The new site looks like this.
How to get there…
Go to your main Facebook page.
Find the Search symbol… right hand, top corner of your page…looks like a magnifying glass.
Type in: Vintage and Classic Car Club Far North
Then search through the options which come up for the page.
Click JOIN
Now, spend the rest of your time inviting lots of your contacts or adding your own photos, comments etc. You can do this!
Finally, return to the jobs you should have been doing, instead, of ‘playing’ on your device for ages!!
[If you are about to demolish your device because you can’t find this first page, please hold tight and ask for help from one of us, we will invite you to join.]
Many thanks to Chris and Murray, who have been extremely busy this last month and will be again next month, for taking time now to get this site sorted, so we can all add club photos, as well as the Nelson rally pics.
And many thanks to Rosco & ‘our Raewyn’ for having had the vision to set our initial page up and for having managed it for a very long time. It’s been appreciated, Rosco.
PS. After years managing it, Rosco passed the job onto me as Editor, and any evaluation of my efforts with the page, have a ‘D’ report card rating. Hence my total delight when Chris and Murray showed much aptitude and buckled under persuasion, to create the new site.
Thanks to you all, for countless hours of your time spent with these sites.
From the chair…
It was decided at an earlier meeting, that there would be no meeting or events for March, as there will be many members absent while attending the Vero International Rally in Nelson.
We have 6 vehicles and 12 members representing the Club at the international VCC rally.
Steve is representing our Club as Vice President in Christchurch, for the National Executive meeting taking place 7- 8th March, then travelling to Nelson to take part in the rally.
Three lots of our crew are headed further south after the Nelson Rally and we wish them well.
With the Clubs new constitution coming on stream next year, we have been asked to elect a representative for the Northland district, which covers Auckland to Kaitaia. If you are interested in finding out more about the job or filling this role, please call me for more details.
The Brian Parker Rally is on the 18th.
I hope everything goes well and we all get to Nelson and back with no hitches! Look forward to seeing everyone at April meeting with ‘Nelson’ stories.
Tom
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
Tony Robbins
Northern Captain’s Catch up.
It is the countdown now for those of us heading to Nelson for the 2026 International Vero Rally.
It doesn’t feel that long ago that Claude asked me, (it was December 2024 by the way!) what would I be doing on the 15th Feb, 2026?
My head was thinking ahead to the following year, 2025, when dear Marg said, ‘She’ll be doing the washing!’
Then Claude asked us about this rally in Nelson, in 2026! And here we are.
Lots of us preparing to head 1000ks south!
Some of us, have gone!
I’d like to thank Murray and Chris for taking over the Northern Captains run for me and what a great run it was, thanks Guys.
It was a perfect day with 11 cars and 25 of us gathering in Waipapa…
… for a run with gravel and dust to a magnificent lunch spot, overlooking the Hokianga, at Horeke.
Congrats go to Terry, Sue & Bev for taking out the 1st placing for the run.
2nd equal were the Mason’s & Ilton’s.
As there is no monthly meeting in March, sit back and put your thinking caps on please.
It’s very hard to find somewhere we haven’t been on runs and you may know of places of interest to visit which we haven’t thought about.
Let us know if you have some hidden possibilities.
Thanks. Marg D
The Okaihau hill.
Omnium gatherum…
Happy March, everyone.
The year is certainly rolling along rapidly and here’s hoping you have been able to be out enjoying the great spell of weather we have had recently, along with the companionship of family and friends.
“Don’t let yesterday, take up too much of today.” Will Rogers
Next Club Meeting
14th February 2026
Parts shed will be open.
2nd Saturday every month
Far North Caffeine & Classics
Another well attended gathering
The Far North Branch of the VVC does have a policy that pets are not brought to any Club events. We do ask that this policy is respected please.
which also hosted the Morris Minor’s on tour and they took away the ‘greatest distance, travelled’ prize.
Southern captain’s Run
Marg Ilton
A cracker of a morning greeted a wonderful number of Members who gathered at the Waipapa Mitre 10 car park for this run, which Chris and Murray had prepared, to let Margaret & Tom ‘off the hook,’ while they dwelled over which best outfits and pairs of shoes, they should pack for the Nelson trip… or something along those lines.
We missed several of our ‘regulars’ but did know that Dorothy & Dave were fighting off the sandflies near the start of the Heaphy Track, north of Karamea, while holidaying prior to the Nelson rally and thinking of us out driving for the day. They too had a spot which is as lovely as where we would discover our run finished.
We left Waipapa, waved SHW 10 farewell at Puketotara Road and meandered through gravels roads whilst gathering answers for a very carefully written run sheet, which involved spying & recording silent checks, plus ‘local’ clues.
Not much talking in our vehicle ‘cos’ its either idle chat or find the answers!! Can’t do both.
The car did take on a life of its own in one patch of very robust corrugations but the driver had it all under control I was told, & I thought best to concentrate on finding the next clue and not offer my thoughts on the situation, ‘cos we would have then missed lots of clues, plus lunch probably!
It was a great drive through lovely country and on roads we had only ever travelled in the reverse direction, so we enjoyed the drive and views.
We rejoined SHW 1 at the Waihau valley end of Pukeiti Rd & travelled to Hariru Rd, just north of the turnoff to Waimate North. A road which was new for me. It was a great drive through the Remuera Settlement towards Kaikohe, where we branched off and travelled along the back of Lake Omapere to Okaihau.
Once in Okaihau we followed the Horeke Road to… you’ve guessed it, Horeke. And that was also a fantastic drive. Lots to see and appreciate, enough challenges to make us concentrate with some untravelled parts of the road, for us.
Horeke was perfect. The tide was near full, the day sunny and the view from the café, was just stunning.
Thanks Chris and Murray for a perfect run and day out.
Everyone loved it.
50th Brian Parker Memorial Rally
Saturday April 18, 2026
Entries close: 10 April 2026
Meet at the FNVCCC Clubrooms at 9.45am for a 10.00 am start.
The Rally is approximately 55km long and includes some gravel roads.
Duration approx. 1hr 45 mins
The winner will be the vehicle with the most correct answers. There will be a catered lunch at 1pm at the FNVCCC clubrooms. Members to pay $35.00 per person for lunch. Bring your own drinks.
Conditions of entry: Only Club-eligible vehicles, entered by financial members of the VCC of NZ, will be considered for prizes.
Any vehicles of financial club members may enter the rally but only Club Eligible Vehicles will be considered for awards.
Driver’s licence and Club membership cards must be carried.
If the winner is from another Branch, a miniature trophy will be awarded so the original remains with the Far North Club.
All Members attending, please complete the entry form
Brian Parker Memorial Rally Entry Form 2026
Name of Entrant: .......................................................
Membership No: .............................................
Address: ..........................................................................................................
Ph No: …......................................
Driver’s name: …...............................................................
Passenger names: ...................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................
Make, model, year of vehicle:
Email your entry form to Chris no later than 10 April 2026 mandcsquire@xtra.co.nz
Or text a photo of your entry form to 0212530136
If you have problems ring Chris: 0212530136
Meals
Name/s………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Number of Meals @ $35 pp ………………………………
Please direct credit FNVCCC bank account: 38-9001-0577961-00 and include the word LUNCH and your name in the transaction. OR
Pay Chris with cash at the April meeting or on the rally day.