Bailey renew sponsorship of Mini racing team for 2014 season

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by Philip Lovegrove

Bailey announces renewal of its sponsorship of Mini racing team who will compete in classic Mini championships across the UK and Europe

‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/Bailey/">Bailey has announced its renewal of its sponsorship of the Team Bailey Racing team for 2014.
The group of drivers will once again compete in classic Mini racing championships across the UK and Europe with the Bailey Unicorn Madrid in tow with the team as base during race meetings.
Covering over 6,000 miles, the Bailey caravan will be following the drivers over the next few months to 11 race meetings across the UK and three in Europe (Belgium, Holland and Southern Spain).
During a special appearance on the Bailey stand at The Camping and Caravan Show at the NEC, Birmingham, the driving team featured one of their Mini cars, signed autographs, and gave away Bailey balloons.
Managing Director of Bailey of Bristol, Nick Howard, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Team Bailey Racing again this year, and wish them the best of luck for their trips around the UK and Europe. We can’t guarantee the results of their races, but we do know the caravan is a real winner.”
With this year’s team having its first ever female driver, Ella Blue, 18, as well as racing alongside Charlie Budd, 21, and Justin Cooper, 33, team leader, Jonathan Lewis, is looking forward to the year ahead.
The team leader of Team Bailey Racing was delighted with the support from Bailey of Bristol, saying: “This is a very exciting time for me and the team, and I wish to thank Bailey of Bristol for loaning us such a fantastic caravan which means we have a comfortable place to eat, sleep and relax in between races.
“Some circuits are quite remote, so having the caravan means we can stay on site, work on the cars all evening if required, and then enjoy a nice hot shower, a cool drink or a cup of tea. The caravan is a vital support for the team, and means we will be fighting for the race wins from the off,” he added.
For more information on the latest Bailey caravan and motorhomes, visit www.baileyofbristol.co.uk or follow them on twitter @BaileyofBristol.

Broad Lane Leisure offers you the chance to win!

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by Laura Diaz

Broad Lane Leisure celebrates caravanning by offering caravanners an opportunity to win £500 worth of Isabella vouchers

In celebration of the National Camping and Caravanning Week 2014 (26 May to 1 June), Broad Lane Leisure launched a contest giving caravanners the chance to win £500 worth of Isabella merchandise purchased at one of their dealerships.

Broad Lane Leisure is just as excited about National Camping and Caravanning Week 2014 as we are here at CaravanTimes! The company has made entry into the drawing easy and simple. All caravanners have to do is draw on their knowledge of our beloved vehicles and guess the caravan!

In order to enter, participants will need to visit the drawing website, take a close look at the caravan pictured and fill out the entry form. One of the fields asks participants to fill in the make, model and range of the caravan in question. Those contestants who correctly guess the type of caravan pictured will be automatically entered to win £500 worth of Isabella vouchers applicable at any Broad Lane Leisure dealership.

The winner of the £500 vouchers may utilise the prize to purchase any Isabella awning, accessories or furniture at any of the specified dealerships. One of Broad Lane Leisure’s premier brands, Isabella prides itself with having over 55 years of experience in the caravanning industry and proves it by providing clients with products of the utmost quality.

Such a coveted prize will surely allow the winner to kick off the summer season in the ultimate caravanning style. For terms and conditions, please visit the contest website. Entries for the prize draw close at midnight on 1 June, so make sure you do not miss your opportunity, fellow caravanners!

Bailey Approach Autograph wins 1st and 2nd in its class at The Caravan Club Motor Caravan and Drive Awards 2014

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by Joe Jeffrey

Judges define the Bailey Approach Autograph 765 as “A true family motorhome at an affordable price”

Motorhome manufacturer, Bailey of Bristol, have won first and second place, respectively, in its class, in what seemed to be nothing less than a display of dominance at The Caravan Club Motor Caravan Design and Drive Awards 2014.

Both the Bailey Approach Autograph 740 and Bailey Approach Autograph 765, were bestowed the honour in the Coachbuilt Motorhome £45,000 to £60,000 class and, despite being a relative newcomer to the motorhome market – having ventured into this field just three years ago – Bailey seems to be going from strength to strength, with three second places, two Class Winners and one Overall Winner since launching the range.

This year’s judges said it was “hard to find fault” with the winning Approach Autograph 740, and considered it to be “a beautifully presented, well thought-out vehicle” which offered “tremendous value for money.”

We can’t help but feel as though the twin parallel seat, fully-specified Alde radiator heating system, as well as elevated front lounge, helped the 740 rise to the top of the pile. And, as for the 765? Well the runner up certainly raised a few eyebrows, being described as “a true family motorhome at an affordable price.”

Simon Howard, Marketing Director of Bailey of Bristol, who collected the cut-glass trophy at the awards ceremony which took place at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London this week commented:

“We’d like to thank The Caravan Club for running this annual awards competition, particularly in light of the logistics involved. We really value the feedback we receive from the judges which is useful in helping design better vehicles for our customers in the future.”

Book Caravan Educates the Underprivileged

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by Laura Diaz

Moroccan author Jamila Hassoune, also known as ‘The Bookseller of Marrakesh,’created The Book Caravan to reach the underprivileged who reside in remote areas

Jamila Hassoune strives to overcome the challenges set upon access to education in remote Moroccan areas with The Book Caravan, a mobile library and education centre.

The poor distribution of education throughout our world is a secret to none. Millions of children and adults worldwide live their lives submerged in illiterate darkness. These unfortunate circumstances are prevalent in several areas of the Middle East. In 2006, a Moroccan bookseller took it upon herself to battle the status quo people in remote areas face daily.

Hassoune created The Book Caravan, a mobile educational resource, and began travelling through villages located in the High Atlas mountains of southern Morocco. The purpose of The Book Caravan is to not only serve as a mobile library, but also as an educational centre in which women and young people can learn how to express themselves through literature and cinema. Hassoune’s Caravan also holds workshops and seminars specialising in reading, writing and theatre.

Following her father’s example by opening her own bookshop in Marrakesh, Hassoune noticed there were very few avid readers since many viewed books as sacred objects and reading as a duty. That was the moment the bookseller decided to take her shop on the road. She sought to take books to those who could not go to them. Thus, The Book Caravan was born.

The Caravan is staffed by various authors, artists and journalists from Moroccan cities as well as from abroad. Each year, Hassoune recruits different intellectuals to assist in her humanitarian task, which has taken an importance unprecedented by many.

Hassoune is extremely vested in providing education and a voice to those who do not usually have such opportunities. She treats education as it should be treated: as a right and not a privilege. “Here in the Arab world,” she explains, “we are talking about citizens, but we don’t give to young students. We have to give them something. We have to teach them if we want them to participate in the decisions of the country, in cultural decisions…For me it was necessary to put those books in the places where you can’t find them. So The Book Caravan, it was like a trip, a mobile cultural space.”

The bookseller became an author with the publication of her book,The Bookseller of Marrakesh. Hassoune’s literary work recounts the tales behind her path to becoming a nomad bookseller, as well as her experiences with The Book Caravan.

The team at CaravanTimes is beyond pleased to see how these beloved vehicles are being used to bring education to so many. Hassoune’s project is of the utmost humanitarianism indeed.

Arthur Bostrom and the Pursuit of Exploring

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by Laura Diaz

Actor Arthur Bostrom is back at caravanning, but this time he is accompanied by “Perseus”

Arthur Bostrom shares his 2013 caravanning experiences aboard a Bailey Orion 430-4 as he looks forward to this year’s adventures with his new Bailey Pursuit 430-4.

You may recognise him as Officer Crabtree in ‘Allo ‘Allo, or as a cast member of the Birdsong stage production, which toured until August 2013. These days, Bostrom indulges in quite a different activity. He entered the world of caravanning last year seeking a convenient method of transportation as he toured the UK alongside the stage production. However, the actor soon discovered his love of caravanning ran deeper than that for a viable way to get around.

“My perception of caravanning has changed entirely. I grew up with tents; we had family holidays in tents,” the actor explained. Bostrom further claimed he had not been in a caravan “at all” and that he thought about getting one because he would be touring with Birdsong. The minute he set foot into his first caravan, he “couldn’t believe the interior…couldn’t believe the facilities.”

Having decided on purchasing the Orion 430-4, the new caravanner joined The Caravan Club to prepare for his half-year journey. Bostrom lived in his Orion, which he named Douglas, for 25 weeks. The actor stayed at a combination of Caravan Club sites as well as Certified Locations (CLs). Both were enjoyable to him in different ways. The toilet and shower blocks offered in the Club sites as well as the laundry amenities proved useful in his long travels. On the other hand, the ability to interact with the locals and wardens in the CLs was a priceless one for Bostrom as he enjoyed the stories his fellow caravanners shared.

Now, the actor has swapped Douglas for Perseus, a Bailey Pursuit 430-4. This caravanning experience will be brand new for him since he will be travelling for leisure purposes this time around. His plans include to “go further afield to explore more in the countryside.” Also, Bostrom plans to write a book, which will include his caravanning adventures, what he has learned, and selected stories from fellow caravanners he has encountered along the way. It will doubtless be an interesting read both for caravanning veterans and newbies alike! To pass the time between now and then though, you can check out Bolstrom’s caravanning blog.

Check out Bostrom’s interview here.

Toma Fund unveils caravan for children undergoing cancer treatment

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by Philip Lovegrove

Tyneside charity opens respite caravan in Berwick for children undergoing cancer treatment

Tyneside charity, Toma Fund, officially opened a respite caravan yesterday (May 21) to help families with children who have diagnosis with cancer.
Charity founders, Andrea and Dave Thompson of West Denton in Newcastle, unveiled the new home from home at Berwick Caravan Holiday Park with help from former Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper – a patron for the Toma Fund who has personally donated £10,000 towards buying the caravan.
The Toma Fund was set up by the Tyneside couple after their son, Jordan, lost his battle with acute myeloid leukaemia in September 2007, aged just 15, and Sophie Ela Atay (Jordan’s cousin) tragically passed away from neuroblastoma in March 2010, aged just 2.
After cutting the ribbon on the new caravan, Andrea spoke to the Chronicle Live publication saying: “It was a lovely day, the sun shone down on us and I said to someone, ‘Jordan is working his magic, giving us good weather.’
“We are over the moon with the caravan and cannot wait to start using it for what it is there for.”
With the holiday home open to families 42 weeks a year and set to run for five years with the funding, covering a specially fitted ramp for wheelchair access and running costs, the first family is already booked in for next weekend – and they can’t wait.
Speaking about her future aspirations for the caravan appeal, Andrea said: “I just hope that families will be able to gather a lot of memories for the future for those children who go on to live normal lives, that they can look back at some point and know they had a good break.
“For bereaved parents, it is about giving them some time on their own so they can get away from everything.
For more information on the charity visit www.tomafund.org or follow the twitter account @tomafund.
To see how the Toma Fund all started, click on the player below:

The Caravan Club to host annual event in Cheshire

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by Tom Walsh

The Caravan Club to hold annual event at historic Arley Hall

The Caravan Club will be holding its annual event in Cheshire for the first time in its 100 year history.

The National will take place at the prestigious Arley Hall from 23 to 27 May and will see numerous industry officials in attendance.

It represents a major coup for the north-west stately home which is spread across eight acres and is maintained in the style of a pre-war country house. An arboretum, known as The Grove is situated within the grounds and has a pathway a third of a mile long, making for a picturesque woodland walk.

The Caravan Club’s Len Short explained that there will be various entertainment ongoing throughout the weekend including a Proms-style night, complete with the Caravan Club Concert Band and Club Singers.

Len said: “This is an opportunity for those living locally to pop in as well as enabling those who haven’t been to Arley Hall before to come and sample what’s on offer with all the entertainment, organised events and truly wonderful atmosphere.”

We’re not sure about you, but this certainly sounds like an event not to be missed.

Further details can be found on the The Caravan Club’s website or on 01342 336666.

The Caravan Club announce winner of 2014 Motor Caravan Design competition

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by Philip Lovegrove

Lunar Landstar RL revealed as overall winner of 2014 Motor Caravan Design & Drive competition

The panel at the Motor Caravan Design & Drive competition, hosted by The Caravan Club, have announced the winners, with the top award going to… the ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/Lunar/">Lunar Landstar RL.
The competition, which set to test and evaluate the latest motorhomes, including design, level of comfort, construction and handling, takes place each year – with the Lunar model coming head and shoulders above the rest.
Also awarded first place in its class for van conversions from £40,000 to £50,000, the Lunar Landstar RL symbolises a landmark in the manufacturer’s history.
Boasting a wide range of high quality features and specifications, the luxurious motorhome really does make the journey as comfortable as possible, providing true comfort for the whole family.
Elsewhere, there were awards for the Lunar Vacanza (micro motor caravan), the Marquis Majestic 125 (coachbuilts costing up to £45,000), the ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/Bailey/">Bailey Approach Autograph 740 (coachbuilts costing between £45,000 and £60,000) and the ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/AS/">AS Burford (coachbuilts costing over £60,000).
The aim of the awards is to provide information that may help members of The Caravan Club make an informed decision when buying a new motorhome.
Speaking on the clubs website, The Caravan Club’s chairman, Grenville Chamberlain, said: “It is primarily for Club members that all of this work is undertaken, helping them with their buying decisions.
“Furthermore, The Club is also continually endeavouring to support the industry, and by making this information available it hopes to encourage members to make informed choices about today’s new motorhomes as well as tomorrow’s used vehicles,” he continued.
He added: “We are delighted The Caravan Club Motor Caravan Design and Drive Competition continues to receive such great support from the industry. Our congratulations go to all the winners in this Competition.”
For more information on the award winning Lunar Landstar RL, visit www.lunarcaravans.com.

Dalston Hall Holiday Park Expansion to Replace Golf Course

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by Laura Diaz

Carlisle City Council’s development control committee authorised Dalston Hall Holiday Park to replace its golf course with an expanded caravan section

Dalston Hall Holiday Park will embrace the growing trend in caravanning by expanding upon its site, it was announced Friday.

As reported by News & Star, the committee delivered the decision, granting the park permission to commence planning on the measure. The park’s plan includes the installation of 16 new static caravans for tourists to use during its season ranging from 1 March to 31 January.

Councillor Trevor Allison, representing Dalston, claimed the golf course became a target for possible replacement after losing considerable members in recent years. Oppositely, the park’s caravan business has experienced substantial growth, which, as the councillor argued, supports the need for a larger caravan area. His intention is for the caravan innovation to boost business both in Dalston and in Carlisle.

Opposition for the measure was not widespread, as the city council received only two letters of dissent and 12 supporting the plan. Dalston Hall Hotel was the main force behind the opposition, mainly due to concerns about the caravans being visible from the hotel which could “detract from the setting” of the building.

Kate Bellwood, the caravan park’s agent, claimed the hotel’s concerns in regards to the view were “not a planning matter.” In support of the statement, councillor Allison visited the hotel’s owners stating, “Planning is about economic development and making balanced decisions.”

The caravan park’s expansion plans do seem to include balanced decisions. For instance, the landscaping portion of the plans includes measures to positively impact the view from the hotel. These consist of planting new trees throughout the expanded caravan area to achieve a more visually alluring effect.

Another representative of Dalston, councillor Bryan Craig, contended, “This is quite beneficial in keeping Dalston a viable village.”

The expansion could indeed prove extremely beneficial to Dalston Hall Holiday Park, given that it already boasts shower facilities, a laundry room, licensed bar and evening meals.

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‘Milly Moo Right Now’ founders buy dream caravan to help poorly children

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by Philip Lovegrove

Couple who set up Milly Moo Right Now Foundation after their daughter’s tragic death four years ago, buy caravan aimed at helping children with leukaemia

A couple who founded the Milly Moo Right Now Foundation have reached their target and bought a caravan to help children with leukaemia.
Donna and Jon Reeve, of Chattenden, Kent, lost their three-year-old daughter Amelia -nicknamed Milly Moo – after battling the disease four years ago. In honour of their tragic loss, the couple set up the charity with the aim of buying a caravan to offer poorly children within the county, along with their parents and siblings, a chance to have a much deserved holiday during treatment.

The Medway husband and wife have done a remarkable job raising £30,000 so far and, despite their target initially being £40,000, the couple felt it was only fitting to purchase the caravan during the same week that marked the anniversary of Amelia’s death.
After collecting the keys to the static caravan at Allhallows Leisure Park last week, Mr and Mrs Reeve are planning to welcome their first guests in June.
Speaking to the Kent Online news publication, Donna said: “The last week has been so amazing, but very emotional. I think we are still in shock, it has all happened so quickly.
“We came up to visit the park to look at prices and by chance saw this caravan that was within our budget.”
She continued: “To have raised what we have in the time we have is amazing and we can’t thank people enough for their support.
“It has been such a hard, emotional rollercoaster for the whole family. But it has been lovely having Amelia’s charity and being able to talk about her.
“We are so excited to start welcoming families. So far it has been all about fundraising but it is nice to know we will be helping families now,” she said.
Donations have been coming in thick and fast ever since the foundation was set up with many people coming up with their own ideas to raise money.
Three friends came up with a self-planned idea of walking 64 miles from Chatham to Brighton on May 28 in order to raise money for the Milly Moo Right Now Foundation.
The best friends, who are spending three nights of camping along the route, have raised over £1,500 already – just short of their £2,000.
If you would like to make a donation for the Chatham to Brighton walk and help Milly Moo hit their £40,000 target please click here.
For more information visit the Facebook page or follow the charity onTwitter.

CRiS check a second hand caravan before committing to buy…

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by Joe Jeffrey
CaravanTimes speaks to the Central Registration and Identification Scheme (CRiS), detailing the importance of registering with the scheme.
Not only will a CRiS check tell you if a caravan has ever been written off by an insurance company, has any outstanding debts or is recorded on the Security Register, but it will also give any caravan owner peace of mind and ensure a caravan registered with the scheme can be traced in the eventuality that someone tries to fraudulently sell it.
In this video, Chris Jefferies of CaravanTimes talks to CRiS in further detail about online checks, and we go behind the scenes to the CRiS central hub to see how simple it is to check details concerning a second hand caravan, prior to committing to buy.
Visit CRiS at www.cris.co.uk to find out more.

The first UK futuristic rooftop caravan hotel is a growing success

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by Norah Lindsay

The Brooks Guesthouse in Bristol has recently installed Rocket caravan rooftop hotels in their hotel package, and in just under a month, the retro hotels have been a flying success.

Late last month, (27 April), a boutique hotel in Bristol, the Brooks Guesthouse was approached by the British aluminium caravan owners Retro Rockets, who proposed the idea of quirky hotel caravans on the roof of the hotel.

The installation process of the caravans was quite a sight, as the silver caravans had to be hoisted up by a crane into place. Being the first ever rooftop caravan hotel in Europe, Brooks Guesthouse’s ‘Rooftop Rockets’ hotel option has become the latest major Bristol attraction.

CaravanTimes got talking to Carla Brooks, co-owner of the boutique Brooks Guesthouse to see just how good the rooftop caravan hotels have been doing.

Carla said: “They have been booked out every night that they have been open since the 2 May and we have good bookings for the future but we still have availability.”

Carla adds that she would love readers of CaravanTimes to visit the one-of-a-kind caravans, and with rates from £99 per night for two people sharing and Bed & Breakfast, we think our readers will definitely be taking up the opportunity very soon.

There are three types of ‘Rooftop Rockets’ available, the 16ft Rocket from (£90-139), the 18ft Rocket from (£90-159) and the largest, 20ft Rocket from (£90-160).

Special features in the rocket include, flat screen TVs, Eco heating with individual room temperature control and Hans Grohe Eco showers.

The rooftop caravan hotels are so unique they have been identified as the first ever of their kind in Europe. We asked Carla how the decision to create the quirky hotels came about.

She said: “We were approached by Retro Rockets headed up by Peter Carrick and Andrew Brooks, my husband and co-director, went to see him and his work and we thought his product was fantastic. It is made In Britain, totally bespoke and extremely high quality, so we were delighted to support another family business in the UK.”

Talking more about the special features included within the caravans, Carla continues, “The interior  of the caravans have lots of design chic like pocket sprung mattress beds, goose down duvets, designer guild curtains and cushions, Hans Grohe power showers, and retro Roberts radio.”

Carla feels good about making the decision to add the popular new Bristol tourist attraction.

She says: “I feel it was the right decision for Bristol because it’s a city on the move up and up, it got voted the most popular place to live in the UK. The mayor George Ferguson is energetic and creative, as are destination Bristol who market the city and that coupled with our location being in St Nicks market makes for a great place to live and visit.”

For your chance to stay in a futuristic rooftop caravan hotel, visit the Brooks Guesthouse website. We dare you to try and beat CaravanTimes there.

For more great pictures, scroll through the slideshow below:


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes