Do you own a military vehicle and live in the UK? 
If so, please take part in our MVT military vehicle Census and help us understand what is out there in terms of military vehicles in the UK 
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MVTcensus

This is our first attempt to try and understand how many military vehicles are in private ownership in the UK. The purpose of this is to understand what is out there, gain a better understanding of the hobby and help us lobby government on key issues. Since our purpose is "Keeping our mechanical veterans alive" knowing what is out there will help us understand what needs to be protected. This census is delivered as a result of work recently conducted by the National Army Museum, who recently conducted a survey of all military vehicles in museums.

This survey is anonymous if you would like it to be, however if you would like to enter a draw to win a year's free membership of the MVT you will need to put your contact details at the end of the census, this is entirely optional.

The MVT is sponsoring Tankfest  the 27th June -29th June 2025.
 
This is a major commitment for the MVT as we have teamed up with the Tank Museum to sponsor the reenactor area. This is multi period area and we have had a request to provide extra vehicle to enhance the displays put on by various reenactor groups depicting WWI, WWII Allied, Axis, and Post War Dioramas.
 
Vehicle have to be there on the Thursday the 26th and are to remain static during the show so cannot be moved, they will be incorporated withing the reenactors display. Break down is Sunday evening or you can remain on site until Monday if you wish. The choice of vehicles will be ultimately be down to the reenactor groups and museum as  to what is appropriate to that display
 
Exhibitors will get 2 wristbands giving free access to the show, for all 3 days and near bye off site camping is available for both tents, caravans and motorhomes if required.
 
We have also been given a large addition area next to the MVT display trailer to show other vehicles and these can be of any era. These will be chosen by the MVT.
 
Those interested in attending show with your vehicle in the first instance should send an email with your contact details and a picture of your vehicle that you wish to exhibit to Keith Nicholas, Dorset Area Sec.  Email: [email protected]. We will then be in contact when the vehicles have been short listed.  If you have any further question please contact Peter Hamblin [email protected]

One of the best supported weekend of the whole year sees hundreds of MVT members out with their vehicles supporting the RBL Poppy Appeal. Here are some of this year's activities from up and down the country.  Lest we forget.

The MVT were invited to present a tribute to the 80th Anniversary of DDay, as part of the Federation  of British Historic Vehicles Village at this years Classic Car Show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. There was a great turn out of vehicles of all shapes and sizes and the MVT display was one of the most popular in the show. A wreath laying ceremony at 11 o'clock on Remembrance Sunday was well attended and  the weekend was great promotion for the Trust.

The John West Rosebowl awarded for acheivements for the Council of Management went to Steve Parker.

The John Keedwell Award for the Post War vehicle that has travelled the greatest distance  to MVT events went to Paul Sennant and his Leyland.

The Annual General Meeting of the MVT was held on Sunday 20th October at the Sywell Aviator Hotel,  the home of our hosts, South East Midlands MVT.  In addition to the  formal business of approving accounts and appointing auditors, Tim Hawkes and Steve Parker were relected as Trustees and we welcomed 5 new Trustees: Chris Allsop, Bradley Johnson, Susie Newbould, Brian Slingsby and Jonathan Holmes. Annual Reports reflected the highly successful year that we have enjoyed; the highlight being the thousand strong MVT attendence in Normandy in June and the formation of four new Areas in South Yorkshire, Northern Ireland Dorset and Derbyshire. Our Annual Awards and Trophies were awarded  and we discussed our exciting plans for the forthcoming year including the digitising of our MVT Library which will see the first 150  WW1/WW2 manuals, books and documents being scanned by experts and made available as a unique resource for all to access. We also look forward to exhibiting at the NEC in November at the Classic Car Show, and fostering stronger ties with the National Memorial Arboretum and Tank Museum, in addition to taking the MVT trailer to an even bigger range of events up and down the country. .

For the first time, the meeting was streamed via zoom which meant that members unable to make the journey could observe the proceedings.

Many thanks to our President Richard Beddall for chairing the meeting and Neill Elliot and his Area Members for such a warm welcome to such a fantastic venue.

The MVT Annual General Meeting will be held at Sywell Aviation Museum on Sunday 20th October 2024 at 1pm. Location:  Sywell Aerodrome, Wellingborough Rd, Northampton NN6 0BN.

Many of our members took part in thr recent commemorations to mark teh 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden.

A large contingent were involved in the 5-yearly XXXCorps run from Leopoldsberg to Bemmel following the route of XXXCorps in real time. In what proved to be a unique and unforgettable experience the highlight was teh incredible welcome of the Dutch people in every community they travelled through and stayed in.

More members took part in events based in Oosterbeek and Arnhem, many joining ABWO for their attendence at Ginkel Heath for the mass parachute drop and the  famous "Race to the Bridge" from Renkum to the John Frost Bridge in Arnhem.

A group of the Council of Management laid a wreath on behalf of the MVT at Oosterbeek Cemetery and witnessed the moving Flower Laying ceremony where hundreds of local children laid flowers on the graves of the soldiers that they tend year round. They were later joined by our patron James Holland.

The MVT are proud to have supported the Overlord Show 2024 and helped them raise money for SSAFA

The MVT were proud to support YWE 2024 by sponsoring the Valentine DD Tank and sending the PR trailer.  Many of our members attended the event with vehicles and displays, helping make the weekend a huge success.

The MVT are proud to have supported the Commemorative Convoy from Basingstoke to Hungerford - a great weekend was had by all.

During our visit to the Hill 112 memorial in Normandy, it was pointed out that the Churchill tank was in need of restoration. Less than 2 weeks later, the MVT were proud to have coordinated and sponsored a repair by gate Guards Restorations. Before and After!

350 vehicles and over 1000 people signed up to be part of the #MVTDDAY24 community  and took part in the commemorations in Normandy to mark the 80th Anniversary of the greatest seaborne invasion of all time and the beginning of the liberation of Europe. 

Our members supported a range of commemorations from major National Events with hundreds of vehicles, to small ceremonies.

Many MVT Members, up and down the country,  joined in the  Federation of British Historic Vehicles Drive it day to raise the profile of historic vehicles everywhere.

The MVT are proud to announce that we are now official partners of the NMA, our national site of  remembrance whose main objectives are to  honour the fallen, recognise service and sacrifice, and foster pride in the British Armed Forces and civilian community.

Our name appears on the supporters board at the entrance to the visitor centre and we appear on their website  www.thenma.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are/sponsors-and-supporters#

We continue to support the development of their new welcome area and will keep members updated.

The South Wales Safety Training Day was held on the morning of Saturday 16th March at The Tank School, Little Trostrey Farm, Usk, Monmouthshire.
 
There were 10 MVT members who completed the training (including the Sarah and Bill Swan who travelled across from London) who are now proudly sporting 2024 MVT Safety Marshall Vests. Alastair Scott, who kindly let us use his land, also took part in the training.
 
The aims of the course were :

• to learn and practice manoeuvring vehicles safely
• dynamic risk assessment during manoeuvres – recognising and avoiding obstacles, members of the general public/pets etc
• practical exercise in fire fighting – with hands on experience of different types of fire extinguisher, and when to use them

 
It was a successful day,  with all attendees performing very well.

Thank you to everyone who came along and made it an enjoyable day, and to the local area who provided the catering during the morning and to Karen Everest for her organisation.

The  200th edition of our award-winning WINDSCREEN Magazine has been published!

 In 1943, a young girl called Jean Gibson, wrote a poem to the crew of a Lancaster Bomber that she knew. The crew was tragically lost before they ever received it, but 80 years later, her son, one of our Council of Management members, Richard, found the poem and tracked down the relatives of the Bomber crew. The full story has been feaured on both local and national media

-BBC article: 22 January 2024 BBC West Midlands Article
ITV Calendar article 15 January 2024 BBC 'Calendar' news article