🎨 RALLY REPORT: Masterpieces, Model Planes, and the Great £5 Heist at Shotley!

North Essex Centre | "Paint Your Wagon" at The Rose, Shotley | 10th–12th July 2026

After a beautifully trouble-free journey, we followed the shiny new rally signs straight through the pub car park and onto the expansive rally field. We were instantly greeted by Brian, who guided us to a prime pitch, closely followed by Vicky and Rob. Vicky handed Sandy a surprisingly hefty rally envelope—hinting that this was going to be no ordinary weekend!

With the summer heat blasting, we tracked down a rare patch of shade for a hard-earned cuppa. That’s when Brian spotted a minor disaster: my caravan-to-car power lead had been dragging on the tarmac (likely a casualty of a local pothole) and a couple of the internal wires were completely frayed. He asked if I happened to have a soldering iron handy. I looked at him and said, "Frayed not!" 🧵😂

Bad jokes aside, Brian absolutely saved the day, working in the baking hot sun to fix the lead for us. A massive thank you, Brian! The rest of the afternoon was spent happily relaxing and greeting the rest of the units as they rolled in.

🎒 The Kit: Trains, Brains, and Plasticine!

When we opened those oversized rally envelopes, we discovered the ultimate creative toolkit: a pristine white model train, two carriages, paints, and brushes for the "Paint Your Wagon" challenge. But the real curveball was the quiz bag. Instead of trivia questions, we were handed two blocks of plasticine and a handful of cocktail sticks!

On Friday evening, we retreated to the comfort of The Rose. The fish and chips were so delicious we immediately booked ourselves in for Sunday lunch, while safely confirming they’d be screening the big England game on Saturday night.

🛠️ Saturday Workshop: Enter the Artists

By Saturday morning, the event tents had transformed into a full-blown art studio. Jessi was busy leading the model aeroplane painting, while Niki showed the adults the intricate art of crafting Scooby-Doo keyrings.

Sandy and I gave both tasks our absolute best shot, but looking at the incredible talent around us, we knew we weren't taking home any trophies! The kids on the field were in absolute their element, pouring pure determination into their designs. Meanwhile, Steve and Maria’s grandson was successfully running his dad ragged. Remembering I had a spare model plane back in the caravan, I gifted it to the young flyer—and it kept him happily airborne for the rest of the weekend!

                    🎨 THE SUNDAY SHOWDOWN 🎨
      The judging table was an absolute sight to behold! 
   From meticulously detailed Union Jack locomotives to a 
  brilliant gallery of plasticine creatures (including crabs, 
    pigs, and flying bugs), the field's imagination blew 
                       everyone away.

🎁 The Chinese Auction (No One is Safe!)

Saturday evening brought us all back to the event tents for communal dining. Being slightly underprepared, Rob and Maz incredibly stepped up, whipping us up some delicious food and side dishes. You two are superstars!

With dinner cleared, the chaos of the Chinese Auction began. For anyone who hasn't played, it’s a high-stakes variation of a raffle where prizes are constantly traded and stolen. No one was safe!

The absolute star prize of the night was a box containing a crisp £5 note. It changed hands a dozen times, and in a move of pure, unadulterated competitive spirit, I snatched it right out of a junior's hands right as the timer expired! 😈 To ensure I wasn't barred from the club for life, I promptly handed it back to the delighted junior as soon as the game officially ended.

To top off a brilliant night, the football fans among us joined the locals in the pub to watch England clinch a spectacular 2-1 victory after extra time. Come on England!

Flag, Food, and Final Thoughts

Sunday morning hosted the grand judging. The sheer array of skill on display was amazing (as you can see from the tables!). Prizes were joyfully distributed, followed by Flag, and a quick update from Mike about the exciting holiday rallies lined up for next year.

We wrapped up the weekend back at The Rose, where a spectacular roast chicken Sunday dinner absolutely hit the mark before we hit the road home.

What a truly fantastic weekend. Rob and Maz’s imagination clearly has no boundaries—the entire rally was packed with non-stop laughter, creativity, and great company.

A massive thank you to our incredible hosts and helpers: Rob, Maz, Brian, Vicky, Jessi & Niki!

Report by Dave & Sandy