Millenium Dream Rides - May 2000

I suppose that the most apt famous statement that you could apply to the Millennium Dream rides at the NEC (with just a few slight alterations) would be, “Never before in the history of Sporting Bears have so many given so much to so few. Just when everyone thought that the rides could not get any bigger Bears have pulled off a show stopping success. Last years total of around £15,000 looks to have been surpassed by a significant margin. Early indications are that we will have about £18,000 when credit card charges etc are deducted. This apparent increase of £3,000 on last years total becomes even more remarkable when you consider that the 1999 figure included a donation of £500 direct to BEN from the Ferrari main dealers and the proceeds of the XJ 220 ride, some £600 which again BEN were responsible for. Neither of these contributions was possible this year and so the true increase in rides income, if the provisional total is confirmed must therefore be over £4,000. What contributed to this increase of almost 30% of income? Well for a start those Bears who were there on any or all of the three days, (build up plus two show days) worked their socks off. Those who drove did so with good humour and rarely said no when asked to do “Just one more ride.” They brought a stunning variety of cars, which created a display any show organiser would be proud of. Crowds around the garage area must have numbered 2 to 3,000. The money grabbers took the money, whilst booking rides, checking the forms were signed, and handled almost every conceivable question about the cars and their drivers. They took bookings on an average of over 1 every minute and often had to cope with crowds 3 and 4 deep at the desks. Despite this some even found time to agree to pose with admiring punters for photographs.

The garage gang had their work cut out coping with a constant influx of passengers, 200 more this year than last. They also yet again managed to get a quart into a pint bottle when once more they discovered that I was often inumerate as proved when the expected 50 cars turned out to be over 60 on both days. Some how they shoehorned them into the carefully measured and marked bays and used every available space. The way they kept the cars moving should be studied by the M25 designers. Outside Bears joined with the NEC security and traffic officers to move the cars safely around the immediate vicinity of the hall. And finally the show organisers who combined with Nick Whale Sports Cars provided us with facilities, which get better every year The final factor was the weather. At 6 am on the Saturday it was persisting it down and things did not look good. By 9 am it had stopped and that was the end of the rain for the weekend. The sunshine that followed added to the spectacle and enticed many to go out in an open car. Whilst the Rides boomed the club stand also played its part. With a display of a wide variety of cars and Heather’s regalia corner many passers by were persuaded to buy Bears goodies and some signed up to club membership. Colin in the mean time made his customary raid on all the other stands to encourage those he could catch to buy a raffle ticket for a bear. By fair means or foul he raised most of the £400 total for this activity. 

Memories of the two days are many; 

•  Kim measuring up the stand for the location of the Bear Cub Crèche for next year. 

•  John Palmer sitting unflustered and calm dealing with the Credit Card vouchers in the midst of all the pressure on the booking desk. 

•  Andy’s face when the models in the sprayed on leather cat suits walked by the stand.  Sir Stirling Moss driving one of the ride cars. 

•  The crowed outside cheering every time the Fiat 500 went out on a ride. 

•  Sonia waiting anxiously for Hugh to return from a ride with a passenger due to have her baby in the next few days. All Sonia could say until he returned was that Hugh did not have his Marigolds in his tool kit. 

•  The look of shock on Rita's face when her “Hawaiian” birthday became known and was marked by a surprise ride in the Cobra. 

•  And for me the feeling of pride for the whole gang when we became aware of the amount we had raised. A

s I said at the end of the day we failed to reach the magic £20,000 target so they will have to try again next year. We now know it can be done because on Sunday we raised over £10,000. In the mean time my personal thanks to everyone involved. Those who travelled long distances, and in some cases stayed for all three days to help, and particularly the Midland Bears who once again put a phenomenal amount of time and effort into making the activity such a pleasure and success for everyone. 

Mick Bryan.