August 31st 2009 – Ringway Wonder 2 GC152DM – Cache #88
Bank Holiday Monday and I was again in Harrogate shopping, so I did some caching on the way home. This first one was an easy find but the second one I looked for I had to give up on, it is hidden in a Church yard where there was someone cutting the grass around the gravestones, so I left that one alone
I think 1989 was the first year that I was WASH booking officer for Wharfedale 18 Plus. Now the booking officer doesn’t really have a lot to do, they just have to arrange who is going to be in which caravan, and get the booking forms all filled in with names and membership numbers, signed by the attending members and then sent off… ermm… what a load of cobblers. The reason to be Booking Officer is so you can have your choice of people to share the caravan with, so I sorted my caravan out and let all the rest of the group decide among themselves where they were sleeping.
Do you need to tell the WASH committee who is in which caravan ? supposedly, but I used to go and give them a list when I got there of who was in which caravan… and even then we didn’t always stick to it !
Membership numbers and attendee signatures – made up and forged. We just never took the booking process seriously.
WINNING WASH
ONCE AGAIN the dust has settled after the 6th WASH weekend, which for the 4th year running was a complete sell-out. This year’s event provided more variety of entertainment than ever before and seemed to be well received by all members attending.
The highlight this year was no doubt the surprise appearance of Radio One’s Steve Wright, who generated a superb, if somewhat messy, Saturday night atmosphere, and gave 18 Plus some much-welcomed publicity on his afternoon radio show the following Monday.
The Naked Gun - 1989's film
His performance was well supported by top singing star Hazell Dean and hypnotist/illusionist Brodie Fry, as well as a host of bands and up-and-coming cabaret artistes, which was held together by DJs John Dean, Howard Neill and a newcomer to 18 Plus circles, Mick McGinley, who has twice been voted top DJ of the year in the finals held at Stringfellows in London.
So what of the largely unknown incidents which happen at events such as WASH like the group of boy scouts who appeared over a sand-dune and startled the Saturday afternoon horse-riding trip? Reports indicate that the horses ended up in Heacham (two miles away), with the unfortunate riders taking a close look at West Norfolk turf. Full marks also should go to Gordon’s gin, whose advertisements at the cinema provided some of the biggest laughs of the weekend and furnished the perfect trailer to the exclusive showing of The Naked Gun. Whilst mentioning the cinema, for members who have never experienced the atmosphere of 500 plussers in one theatre – you would need to see it to believe it!
WASH ’90 will take place on the weekend of 19-22 October, when it is hoped that improvements to the Holiday Centre will increase the capacity to over 700. Full details will be distributed in May. The WASH ’89 committee would like to thank all members, and especially their booking agents, for attending WASH ’89.
THE ISRAELITE, WASH CHAIRMAN (Plus News January 1990)
Steve Wright Posse Member Mr Mad covered in a nasty mess of brown sauce and custard on stage
and Leeds Central’s Austin covered in a nasty mess of shaving foam and silly string in the toilets
The dates of WASH 1989, Oct 20-22 almost proved to be a problem for two Wharfedale members, as for the first year it actually fell on the half term holiday for teacher Neil H. The problem was that he and his fiance Sherry were due to get married that half term.
The solution was for them to get married in a very ‘quiet’ ceremony on the Saturday Morning… just them, Best Man, one Bridesmaid and their families… then the Best Man drove them all down to Hunstanton early in the evening where all their friends were waiting to carry on celebrating their Wedding.
The WASH Committee were good enough to give Wharfedale an extra caravan for the newlyweds to spend their first night of wedded bliss in.
A Confetti shower for the newlyweds as they arrive at Searles
Radio One DJ Steve Wright presents Neil & Sherry with a celebratory bottle of Champagne
In a strange coincidence WASH 1989 brought about another Wharfedale wedding. Neil & Sherry having a ‘private’ caravan meant that another pair from the Wharfedale group – Richard G and new member Sarah were alone in the caravan they would otherwise have been sharing with the happy couple. Love must have been in the air as they got together that weekend and were married a couple of years later…
Click to go to
Previous Year 1988
Next Year 1990
“Agadoo doo doo, push pineapples, shake the tree
Agadoo doo doo, push pineapples, grind coffee”
Yes 1988 was the year Black Lace hit WASH…
WONDERFUL WASH
The fifth WASH event at Hunstanton was a sell out with 620 people attending the weekend. Demand was so high this year that all tickets were sold seven weeks prior to the event. In fact we had to turn away 70 – yes, seventy people who wanted to come.
OVERBOARD - 1988's film
The entertainment line-up was the strongest ever for WASH and featured the following acts:-
DJ’s – Enzo, Dick Ropa and 18+ Legend John Dean
Bands – Five Card Trick returning for the third time !
Hit Sixties band Vanity FareParty band “Black Lace”
The excellent Real Thing just back from a tour of Germany.
Cabaret – Andy Leach, a comedy magician from New Faces.A surprise to the weekenders was the appearance of comedian Mike Reid from Eastenders.
Daytime entertainment included the WASH challenge shield, a car rally, sauna and solarium. Over 240 people went swimming in the local Oasis Centre and over 400 attended a private screening of Goldie Hawn’s latest film “Overboard.” Horseriding and a golf driving range were also close to hand.
On behalf of the WASH Committee I would like to thank all members for attending and making the event the success it has now become. Work is already advancing for WASH ’89 next October, and an even more spectacular event is being planned. Capacity will be increased to 700 members, but an early booking is advised. I look forward to seeing old and new faces at WASH ’89. Everybody Have a great year !
COLIN T, WASH ENTERTAINMENTS (Plus News, January 1989)
Black Lace
On Friday night, after Five Card Trick had played their set there was the strange sight of the dance floor being cleared apart from a handful of people crawling round on their hands and knees – looking for a lost contact lens ! The lens belonged to Nicola P from Leeds Central group, and after a few minutes the lens was sucessfully located and the dance floor filled up with dancers again.
1988 was the year of Wharfedales infamous “Uncle Git’s Flaggon Waggon Session Tour” to ‘celebrate’ all the events we went to in that year we produced hundreds of little leaflets which we then proceeded to leave all over the venues we visited, tables, floors, walls we just littered the places !
Over the year we travelled over 4,400 miles, went to 33 events and deposited over 6,000 of these leaflets (Caister alone got 1600 !) Any photograph of a Yorkshire Area or National event from that year will likely have one of these in it somewhere. They became a sort of cult item, people who neither knew us or had any idea what it was all about were making collections of them.
(At least Searles did clear them up… at Caister ’89 there was still one stuck high up on Neptunes Palace wall – and they weren’t adhesive, it was just stuck on by wetting it with beer !)
WASH was littered with 400 of the leaflets in 1988
Roger on the WASH dancefloor showing several Flaggon Waggon leaflets (ringed in red)
I guess the SUnday lunchtime entertainment must have finished a bit earlier than planned becasue we all got down to the Princess Theatre a bit before the film was due to start. As we were all sitting there with a stage in front of us it was not long before Jonathan from Spalding, ever the instigator of amusements, got a few more Plussers got onto the stage to entertain us… with an acapella version of the Time Warp, complete with all the actions, fortunately the film came on before they could start on another song.
A Saturday evening stroll along a popular cache sequence on the banks of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. The canal towpath is designated path number 66 in the National Cycle Network
Being me I parked my car at the wrong end and did them in reverse order
When we woke up at home on the morning of WASH it was to the news of the Great October Hurricane that had swept across from the West Country to the Wash leaving a trail of damaged buildings, felled power lines and fallen trees in it’s wake. Up in Yorkshire it had just been a bit of a windy night, but breakfast TV was showing all these scenes of destruction and we were a bit concerned about what we would find when we got to Hunstanton. When we got there though the only signs of the bad weather were a few puddles in the grass between the caravans – and they drained away quickly in the sandy soil. We went down into Kings Lynn on the Saturday Morning and there were a couple of closed roads where bits of chimneys and roofs had been blown down into the street, but Hunstanton and Searles had escaped any damage at all.
WINDY WASH
ITS FAIR TO SAY THAT THE SELL-OUT 4th WASH WEEKEND PROVED TO BE A SEVERE TEST OF THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE’S NERVES. With less than 36 hours to go, the main Saturday night band decided that they would not be appearing, and then on the eve of the event the great October Hurricane struck ! However, the committee (and caravans) stood firm. Edwin Starr was booked to fill in the Saturday night gap, the gale eased and WASH’87 was on its way. Thankfully, the weekend itself went without a hitch, with Edwin Starr, sixties band Marmalade and top comedian Lennie Windsor providing the highlights. As in previous years, great emphasis was placed on variety of choice. The ‘new’ event of WASH ’87 was the booking of the Princess Theatre Cinema in Hunstanton town centre for the exclusive use of those attending the weekend. Believe me, a cinema packed with nothing but 18 Plussers makes Saturday morning matinees seem like a pensioners’ outing !
A note for your diaries – WASH ’88 will take place14th – 16th October 1988.
THE ISRAELITE, WASH’87 Chairman (Plus News February 1988)
W.A.S.H. 87
Wash, the three day intensive mega-sesh weekend attended by some twenty Wharfedale members got off to a flyer for some members as they forged ahead battling their way through hurricane debris to set up base camp in Hunstanton. Thornbush arrived in the evening with much needed red cross supplies (food and blankets) towed in his market barrow. The evenings activities soon got underway as the Roland Vincent Roadshow started spinning the discs and the clubhouse opened its doors for the opening nights sesh.
The Git was in fine form throwing many an ale down his and other peoples necks. The southern gits soon got a pasting from his tongue as he proceeded to stand on the tables imitating a drunken town cryer in full swing. Steve Wright arrived very late on Friday evening after picking up his Danish mistress Marette from the airport, leaving his other mistress Hilary out on a limb. Fortunately Hilary was rescued by the debonair and valiant Greedo Myers who provided some scorching lead solos on the guitar along with Fil Bettis and Steve Wad, Wharfedales other guitar maestro’s. They stole the show on Friday night even surpassing the brilliant performance put in by the band “Five Card Trick”.
Saturday morning got off to a flyer, or should I say Granny Andrews got off to a flyer when she was chucked yet again (this time by a horse) and didn’t we all know she’d come off. Whinge, whinge ! I’m sure it was the old windbag who’d caused the hurricane the previous day. Keep your mouth closed next time Granny ! The lunchtime entertainment was provided by mega TV star Lenny Windsor “The Insulter”. Though some Wharfedale members mistook Lenny for our own insulter – Zippy Hebditch. Meanwhile the sportier members invaded the nearby sports centre for a game of squash and a free swim in the magnificent pool complete with water slide.
Thornbush set the spirit (and drank most of it) for the evening by organising an exclusive fondle party (or was it fondue…) where much homemade Gluwiehn was consumed. The highlight of the evening and probably the whole weekend was the storming performance put in by the great showman ‘Edwin Starr’. A packed dance floor gave a rapturous reception to this superb entertainer and everyone certainly went away H-A-P-P-Y.Crocodile Dundee, the first WASH film show
Sunday started for some with a refreshing early morning sauna, while the drunken gits were still re-arranging their brains and balance systems from the previous night sesh. The Git meanwhile had decided to install some air conditioning into one of the vans and proceeded to walk through a glass door. Upon hitting a wall of fresh air he realised this was detrimental to sustaining a stewed head and general feeling of blatheredness, thus a gaping hole was soon replaced by a manly wooden door. Sunday afternoon was a packed programme of entertainment with Marmalade that ancient super group putting in a fine performance and many encores. The sportier members were limbering themselves up for the free showing of Crocodile Dundee by thrashing it out on the squash courts. Zippy made a tit of herself (or was it showed ?) by playing without a bra. The final evenings entertainment was provided by The Glitter Band who dazzled everyone with the volume of their jackets. A fine weekend (weak-end may have been more appropriate by the amount of sin-ing that went on) was rounded off in style with a drinking and strip party. Daley took first prize in the strip competition parading his wares about the van after a ceremonious shredding of his manly
Y-fronts.
What a weekend, roll on WASH ’88Richard the Git, (Wharfedale Group Magazine “The Session !”, Spring 1988)
Five Card Trick : ably supported by Austin in full Freddie Mercury costume on vocals with Greedo Myers & Steve Wad on inflatable guitars.
(note: the lead singer is wearing the same outfit as he did in 1986 ! – he did have a new jacket for 1988 !)
Back in the days before computers and desk top publishing software we got a hand drawn ticket for the Oasis Centre from the WASH committee.
One of the best 18 Plus weekends away this year took place last week at Hunstanton, Norfolk, where more than 500 plussers gathered from all over the country for WASH (Weekend Away In Sunny Hunstanton). First-class accomodation in luxury caravans, superb on-site facilities including saunas, jacuzzi and solarium, and exciting nightlife made this a weekend to remember. Nearly 20 Wharfedale Members attended this event which is fast becoming one of the most popular in the 18 Plus calendar.
Wharfedale Group press release
Edwin ‘H-A-P-P-Y’ Starr entertained on Saturday night
Marmalade for lunch on Sunday
The Glitter Band, sequined jackets and star shaped guitars
Click to go to
Previous Year 1986
Next Year 1988
Back in 1986 there were a lot of very tired Southerners at WASH as there was far too much sitting up watching TV into the early hours.
Earlier in the summer Yorkshire TV, whose region covers the WASH area, had bought the rights to show a Satellite Music TV show called ‘Music Box’ which broadcast from about midnight until normal programmes began again at Breakfast time. Music Box was an MTV like jukebox of pop music videos, there are multiple channels showing this sort of stuff these days, but back in ’86 satellite TV was in its infancy and music video’s were things you only saw on Top of the Pops.
Those of us who lived in the Yorkshire TV region had been watching this late night TV for months, so we could just ignore it as being part of the ‘normal world’ we left behind when we arrived in Hunstanton – but for those from other TV regions it was something incredible, the like of which they’d never seen before, and it was strange to wander back through the campsite from a party at 3:30 – 4:00 am and see through the curtains caravan loads of people sitting open-mouthed staring at the TV watching the music video television most of them had only heard about previously.
Q. What is WASH ’86?
A. An 18 Plus Weekend on Friday, 17th to Sunday, 19th October 1986,Q. Where is it?
A. The venue for WASH ’86 is Searles Holiday Centre, Hunstanton, Norfolk, one of the premier Holiday centres in East Anglia.Q. What is the accommodation?
A. You will be staying in luxury four and five berth caravans all of which have mains electric and gas, flush toilets, cooker, fridge and colour televisions. A real home from home.Q. What will be the entertainment?
A. In the last two years it has been our intention to provide top quality entertainment and this year will be no exception with the added bonus of much more variety.Q. Will the entertainment be in more than one venue?
A. No. All the entertainment will be in the Sundowner Hall, which also has a quieter bar and restaurant. Free movement between the two rooms is encouraged.Q. What about the afternoons?
A. The site has all the usual facilities which should keep most of you active. You call do a little shopping in the supermarket, have a session in the sauna solarium or jacuzzi, or if you are feeling especially active try horse riding. It is also once again out intention to arrange use of the very popular Oasis Leisure Centre in the town centre.Q. How do I book?
A. Full booking details and other information will be sent to all group chairmen in the country, however, if it is best that the information be sent to some other person then please return the cut off slip and they (or you) will be placed on our mailing list. If further information is required please contact Keith Israel on 0485 42135.Q. How much is it?
A. Due to the success of WASH ’84 and ’85 and by popular request we have extended the weekend to include Sunday night entertainment and accornniodation at the all inclusive price of £18.50. I advise early booking as tickets are limited. It is also possible to stay on for the following week. The all in price for Friday 17th October to Saturday 25th is £27.50).Advert for WASH ’86 that appeared in the Spring Summer edition of Plus News
Thirteen Wharfedale 18 Plus members and two Shipley 18 Plus members are looking forward to the WASH ’86 weekend at Hunstanton on the WASH this weekend. There are three packed days of activities including disco’s in the evenings with top DJ’s and well known bands, accomodation is in luxury caravans and the whole weekend costs less than £20
This weekend Wharfedale 18 Plus enjoyed one of the many mega events in the 18 Plus calendar, the WASH 86 gathering in Hunstanton, Norfolk. Wharfedale 18 Plus Chairman Steve Wad soon made a big impact getting on stage to perform a song with Peterborough band “Five Card Trick” on the Friday night. On Saturday night the featured band were Oddysey and then on Sunday night the “Oldest Swinger In Town” Fred Wedlock entertained the over 600 Plussers from all over the country. Steve Wad was once again involved when he was hypnotised by one of the worlds top comedy hypnotists Johnny Hillyard, Mr Hillyard also brought out a rare tap dancing talent from Tom Dosser of Leicester 18 Plus. There were plenty of parties to go to way into the small hours, Barnsley 18 Plus even attempted the world record for the number of party goers in one caravan.
Wharfedale 18 Plus Press Releases
Above : Wharfedale Chairman Steve Wad on stage with Five Card Trick.
The song was Anita Dobson’s “Anyone Can Fall In Love” – the Eastenders Theme Tune. (Remember the lead singers jacket for later)
Above : Tom the Tap Dancing Dosser (and friend) .
(He wore that hat from when I first met him back in ’86 to the last time I saw him at WASH ’98, see the section on Dossers for more details on Tom)
Oasis Squash Racket Hire Ticket.
It wasn’t all drinking and dancing, before the days of the Princess Theatre Film Shows the afternoons were spent in more energetic pursuits at the leisure centre.
Above : Horse Riding on the beach was a popular activity in the early years
Jonathan Hillyard – top comedy hypnotist – did something that turned out to be not so funny after all, He got one of his volunteers in a trance and gace him an onion to eat telling him that it was a nice rosy red juicy apple. When he had had a few bites Mr Hillyard said “What would you say if I told you that you were eating an onion ?” to which the unfortunate volunteer said “I’m not eating an onion, I’m allergic to onions”. After going white, Mr Hillyard spent a few minutes reinforcing the hypnotic suggestion that it was an apple, I’ve often wondered whether the poor chap did have a bad reaction to the onion, or whether the power of the mind kept him feeling alright.
Click to go to
Previous Year 1985
Next Year 1987
What It Says
Twenty things you didn’t know about the WASH Weekend.
The venue for the weekend ,Searles Holiday Centre, was featured and recommended by I.T.V.’s Wish You Were Here holiday programme.
The entertainment at WASH’86 will include named bands, comedy, hypnotism, discos & more.
At WASH’85 a quantity of real ale was supplied by Searles as the organisers thought it would go down well. Searles provided an amount which they estimated would last the weekend. It was all consumed within two hours of opening on Friday night.
Every caravan is within three minutes walking time from the dance hall.
In 1986 the weekend will be extended to include entertainment and accommodation for the Sunday night at no extra cost.
The weekend has a resident streaker.
More surprises are planned for WASH’86.
Opinions about the weekend were invited from groups after WASH’84. All replies received rated the weekend a success and prompted comments such as “Brill’,’ “Ace” “Had a fantastic time” “A superb atmosphere”.
In 1986 WASH information & booking forms will be sent to every group in the country.
The bar prices are probably cheaper than your own local.
Ticket sales increased by 20% from 1984 to 1985. A similar increase would result in the event being sold out.
The staff at Searles rate the WASH Weekend as the best throughout the Summer season.
Bruno Brookes joined 18 plus at WASH’84.
Fancy Dress is encouraged at WASH’86.
Nearly 60 groups from 5 different areas have attended the two previous WASH weekends.
All entertainment is in one venue.
You can stay at Searles the following week.
The 5 most popular afternoon activities over the past 2 years have been 1 The Oasis fun pool 2 Horse Riding 3 car rally 4 Searles jacuzzi, solarium etc 5 curing hangover.
Appearing at WASH’86 is Johnny Hillyard Europe’s No.1 comedy hypnotist of whom Radio One’s Steve Wright said “has been banned because he has people seeing through other people’s clothes. If you are listening Johnny, tough, but keep up the good work”
The “bouncer” employed by Searles throughout the Summer season and also the WASH Weekends is a young, tough, mean judo expert who also wears a dress (she is a lady)
PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS AMONGST YOUR GROUP AND THEN PLACE ON YOUR GROUP NOTICE BOARD. FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE WEEKEND CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE ISRAELITE
The organising committee look forward to seeing you at Hunstanton in October.
