June 2026 | Issue 791 | Page(s) 3 | Gaynor Cauter
The countdown is on to our 70th anniversary celebrations, but there is still time to book your place at Saturday night’s dinner on 11 July if you hurry. If you’re coming for just the Sunday at Brooklands on 12 July, you are still advised to book, if only to get the discount. Go to www.jaguardriver.co.uk/book2026.
Bookings are doing well for Sunday’s Concorde Experience and there are still runs left on the Test Hill in your own car, but don’t forget that the JDHT will also be doing passenger runs up the Hill in four of the Trust’s most iconic Jaguars – NUB 120, 77 RW, HDU 555N and the Project 7. See the Brooklands spread here in the magazine or go to www.jaguardriver.co.uk/book 2026.
And talking of Brooklands, there are still a few gaps in the Timeline so, if you have a saloon from 1966, 1986 or 2006, or a sports car from 1986 (i.e. an XJS), drop Tony a line at tony.merrygold@jaguardriver.co.uk.
Following quickly on from Brooklands, it’s just a few weeks to the JDHT’s big Cheshire Cats Jaguar Day at Oulton Park on Saturday 8 August and we will be there to support them. We already have quite a few members bagging places in our display area so if you’ve not yet booked, go to www.jaguardriver.co.uk/events, click on the Cheshire Cats box and book your ticket. When you’ve done that, email me at gaynor.cauter@jaguardriver.co.uk to let me know you’re coming – that way Steve Hawke and I can make sure you have a space.
I have also been asked by Nigel Webb to remind you that he will be holding two Open Days, back-to-back, at his private Mike Hawthorn Museum in Surrey on 1 and 2 August. Saturday is for Mk 1s and 2s, Mk IVs, Vs and Mk VIIs, VIIIs and IXs and the Sunday is for various manual XJRs, Coupés and C- and D-Types (real or otherwise!). See the Calendar for details of both events.
Finally, I am delighted to welcome two new faces to our Register pages. Nic Drukker is handing over the reins as XJS correspondent after years of loyal service to someone who knows more about the XJS than anyone in Jaguarland. Ian Evans is not only a member of the JDC, but Chairman of the XJS Club, to which we give our full support. I hope that Ian taking up the XJS page will encourage even more members with these beautiful sports Jaguars to get in touch at info@xjsclub.org.
Our other new face is Gino Cocozza, whom you will have seen in the Scotland reports with his late father’s Mk 2. As some of you will know, Bryan Mander had been holding the fort for the Mk 1 & 2 Register until his untimely death, so we’re particularly pleased to have Gino, who is as passionate about the cars as Bryan was, take over as Chairman. Turn to the Registers for Gino’s first contribution and please give him all your support by sending your Mk 1 and 2 photos and stories to gino.cocozza@sky.com.
Steve and I will be joining Areas 15 and 18 at Tatton Park on 6-7 June and on Saturday 20 June we will be at Silverstone for the best Jaguar Breakfast Club meet of the year – Supercharged Saturday. We had 620 cars last year, so who knows how many we’ll get this time?
Gaynor
