MAJOR AWARD

For Morris Minor Owners Club.

The Morris Minor Owners Club received a prestigious award at the Practical Classics Restoration Show Virtual Awards ceremony. The National Car Club Award for Best Lockdown Restoration was made by Practical Classics Editor Danny Hopkins in recognition of the efforts of Morris Minor Owners Club members in restoring the last Morris Minor saloon to leave the production line. During 2020 tremendous efforts were made to fully restore the historic vehicle despite the restrictions imposed due to Covid 19. The vehicle was completed and returned to Cowley in Oxfordshire where it was originally built on the 12th November 1970 just in time to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary and ahead of the introduction of the latest lockdown.

In presenting the award Danny Hopkins on behalf of the judging panel praised the collective effort of MMOC members in seeing the project through to completion despite the challenging circumstances.

Andrew Stone, MMOC Chairman and Director and Ray Newell MMOC Secretary and Director participated in the virtual ceremony and discussed the restoration process. In accepting the award on behalf of the Club Ray Newell thanked Danny Hopkins and his fellow judges for their efforts and congratulated the other nominees on completing their restorations.

Ray was keen to stress that while the award was an important accolade for the Club it was also a fitting acknowledgement for the members who worked on the restoration, the professional partners who completed some of the critical work and others who supported the project by contributing parts and services.

He noted that it was particularly fitting that in presenting the award the judges recognised the collective effort made by many people.

In concluding his comments Ray stated that he looked forward to seeing the car at the 2022 Practical Classics Restoration Show in order to share with other like-minded enthusiasts the results of all the hard work undertaken by those involved.