The Jensen Owners' Club

Save the date!

The FIA have approved the weekend of 16 & 17 June 2018 to Le Mans, I am therefore looking at quotations from possible hotels for the following weekend (23 & 24 June).

I will post again when I have more details confirmed.

Stuart Allan
International Weekend Organiser

Hi Stuart ,
Well at least for once in many years the JOC will avoid holding the International on Father's Day, which I personally have found difficult to cope with. So far so good......
May I then suggest that you leave the choice of venue to the JOC Committee - we need to consider the rest of GB rather than the Home Counties!
Cheers,
Shiraz Kid.

Hi Stuart,

Best Western at Lichtenwalde (just around the corner) will have 84 rooms available

jj

JOC International abroad, now there's an Idea,,

colin7673 wrote:JOC International abroad, now there's an Idea,,

Didn't someone suggest that before?

Hi Shiraz and all

The month of June is always a crowded one with the “prospect” of nice weather and long day length but the 2016 International didn’t clash with father’s day and the 2017 event was in Derby which is not really the Home Counties.

The Club Committee (of which I am a member) is involved with planning the weekend; our needs particularly with respect to the car park do preclude a lot of otherwise excellent venues. The biggest challenge in recent years has been that of weddings, conference centres which were often little used at the weekends are now registered for ceremonies which the owners have found very lucrative and prices have risen as availability has dropped.

I am grateful for the suggestions made by members of possible venues (and speakers and entertainment), even if not suitable for our next event I do keep them filed. I have no problem with organising an event outside the UK if folk want that, I am heartened by the numbers travelling to Saxony in September and will be there myself. Conversely there are always quite a number of members who travel down for the day who would not be able to join us, and some who do not wish to drive on the “wrong” side of the road. The AGM would have to be accommodated away from the International as I think that has to be in the UK, but that could be managed.

Stuart Allan
International Weekend Organiser

Stuartjensen wrote:Conversely there are always quite a number of members who travel down for the day who would not be able to join us

The corollary to that is that you would get quite a number of mainland European members travelling for the day to join such an International event which they do not do at present.
My personal view is that the UK event should be renamed as the JOC National Weekend, rather than International, and then we should look to have a rotating European event later in the year, late September could be good slot which would rotate around different countries in Europe e.g. Germany, Netherlands, UK, Switzerland, France, possibly Denmark. Each one gets their "turn". Every 5th or 6th year there would be a JOC National Weekend and also a European weekend in the UK, but separated by a few months.

Point taken Chris,

Europe is quite a big place though and I expect there is a limit to how far even the most avid Jensen driver would travel for the day. I accept though we may see local members "dipping their toes in the water" who might then decide to join in subsequently.

Takling to my French friends, I understand there is no tradition of hiring hotels for weddings ( the ceremony is at the Town Hall and you can choose to have a church event later) if theis means not having to compete that would be a big plus!

I will raise this (and your other points in private correspondence) at the next committee meeting.

Chris_R wrote:

Stuartjensen wrote:Conversely there are always quite a number of members who travel down for the day who would not be able to join us

The corollary to that is that you would get quite a number of mainland European members travelling for the day to join such an International event which they do not do at present.
My personal view is that the UK event should be renamed as the JOC National Weekend, rather than International, and then we should look to have a rotating European event later in the year, late September could be good slot which would rotate around different countries in Europe e.g. Germany, Netherlands, UK, Switzerland, France, possibly Denmark. Each one gets their "turn". Every 5th or 6th year there would be a JOC National Weekend and also a European weekend in the UK, but separated by a few months.

What a great idea Chris. Seeing how many members who are willing to travel 600 miles from Calais in September means this could be a great idea. I have no idea how many people who came to the International this year at Derby but I suspect it was about the same who are willing to travel to Saxony so why not try it?

Maybe the first year we try somewhere not to far across the water so those who are nervous realise it is nothing to worry about. How about Bruges in Belgium?

Personally the Black tie thing on a Saturday night does nothing for me so I only ever go for the Sunday.

We are a car club after all lest get in them and drive them to an International in Europe.

Steve

Stuartjensen wrote: The AGM would have to be accommodated away from the International as I think that has to be in the UK

This could be done at an 'Open Day'..

I am sorry, but.....

I can not understand why the JOC haven't done this before, the last time this was mention, Zac had a word with Jens and two years later 92 cars are going to Saxony Germany. The JOC Committee must take note of this and learn by it.. We have been told that the committee are 'Open to Ideas'.. Really??

When the committee spoke about taking the International aboard just once, they were worried about the event losing quality, but not willing to work with members from other countries to make sure this doesn't happen, but ARE willing to work with the Dutch JOC Club for La Mans... Where's the difference?

We are always told that the committee members are volunteers and work very hard for the members, some do. We are also told that the club is successful because of its members. We have also been told the JOC is a UK Based Club, but have International Reps and Registrars, but as a club, should the leaders ( Committee ) sometimes lead, instead of being led.. After all, the money that is in the JOC accounts got there but the JOC Members.

Personally the Black tie thing on a Saturday night does nothing for me so I only ever go for the Sunday.

Actually the dinner dance is not black tie, we have avoided a dress code though many members do choose to adopt black tie. Every year some members attend the dinner dance but not the weekend and some come for the weekend but not the dinner dance. As we have about 100 attending every year it would seem to be valued by a sizable proportion of the membership but there is of course no compulsion

This could be done at an 'Open Day'..

Absolutely, as per my posting this was not a reason why we ought not travel overseas just an observation and the Open Day would appear to be the best alternative, or possibly Concours on the years that is not held at the International.

Stuart, can I add my bit please? Although not a JOC member, I have been a regular attendant of the Internationals since 2008. I think it is a waste of time to have the AGM at an International event. The AGM is mainly of interest to the UK members, non-UK participants, member or not, are barely interested. Imagine Het Jensen Genootschap Holland having the AGM at our autumn weekends and/or International meeting. Have it at a National event.
Also the concourse is mainly of interest to UK-members and not International participants, there are only a few, if any, people from abroad. On top of that it interferes with the socializing which is what it is all about.
In all the years that I attended, the most enjoyable meetings were the one when there was no concourse at all and the one last June in Derby when it was fairly limited.
Kees Oudesluijs

P.S.
An International weekend up North, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Northumberland, Scotland etc. would attract many International participants. Also consider Cornwall or Wales.

Kees, you can add your bit any time you want!

I will certainly take your points forward to the Committee meeting, I think the AGM is held to the International for no better reason that it is the best attended meeting. It may be that this could be incorporated into say the Open Day without great issue.

We do of course have some concours entrants from outside the UK, and indeed winners. Indeed I seem to recall you winning an award at Derby?

As a Scotsman I naturally concur with the idea of exploring the further reaches of the UK, I will see how the committee feels.

Stuart Allan

Hi Stuart,
Indeed I won the best J-H outside the concourse award!!
Non-participating!!
Cheers,
Kees