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  1. Top Camping Brands Crowned at 2024 Owner Satisfaction Awards

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    The winners of this year’s 2024 Owner Satisfaction Awards, run in partnership with Practical Motorhome and Practical Caravan magazines, have been revealed.

    A total of 25 awards were presented at the event on Thursday 7th December at Edgbaston Stadium, the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

    Awards were based on the satisfaction rating given to top camping brands by customers who completed this year’s Owner Satisfaction Survey, which ran from February to October 2023.

    The awards showcase the best in camping equipment from tents and awnings to caravans, motorhomes, folding campers and trailer tents.

    Rob Ganley, Editor-in-Chief of Camping & Caravanning, the monthly magazine of The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “We’re pleased to reveal the findings of our Owner Satisfaction Survey of tents, trailer tents, awnings, caravans and motorhomes. More than 11,000 campers took part in our 2024 survey and shared their experiences of the camping units they’d bought and used in the last three years. Don’t buy your next unit before checking out our findings over the years online.”

    Sarah Wakely, Editor-in-Chief of Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome at Future Publishing, said: “Our motorhome Owner Satisfaction Awards began in Practical Motorhome magazine back in 2004, and we’re delighted at how they’ve grown over the years to now encompass both caravans and – thanks to our partnership with The Camping and Caravanning Club – tents, trailer tents and awnings.

    “Over the years we’ve helped thousands of motorhomers and caravanners make the right purchase for them, and we’re proud to continue to do so.”

    To learn more about the 2024 Owner Satisfaction Awards visit www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/owner-satisfaction-awards. The results from the surveys and analysis will be published in the January 2023 issue of Camping & Caravanning magazine, together with issue 474 of Practical Caravan magazine (on sale 28 December) and issue 281 of Practical Motorhome magazine (on sale 4 January). To view the full list of Gold and Silver award winners in this year’s caravan and motorhome categories visit: www.practicalcaravan.com or www.practicalmotorhome.com.

    Here’s the full list of the winners (categories and brands):

    Tent Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024 winners

    Best Budget Tents (up to £300): Wild Country

    Best Mainstream Tents (£300-£999): Berghaus

    Best Premium Tents (over £1,000): Karsten

    Best Backpacker Tents: Wild Country

    Best Family Tents: Berghaus

    Best Traditional Pole Tents: Coleman, Eurohike (joint winners)

    Best Inflatable Tents: Berghaus

    Awning Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024 winners

    Best Caravan Porch Awnings: Isabella

    Best Caravan Full Awnings: Isabella

    Best Motorhome Awnings: OLPRO

    Folding Camper Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024 winner

    Best Folding Campers: OPUS

    Trailer Tent Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024 winner

    Best Trailer Tents: Camp-let

    Caravan Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024 winners

    Best Manufacturer of New Caravans: Adria

    Best Manufacturer of Pre-owned Caravans: Eriba

    Best Supplying Dealer for New Caravans: Salop Leisure

    Best Supplying Dealer for Pre-owned Caravans: Salop Leisure

    Best Caravan Manufacturer (UK New and Pre-Owned): Coachman

    Motorhome Owner Satisfaction Awards 2024 winners

    Best Van Converter Manufacturer: Consort Motorhomes

    Best Van Converter Dealer: Wellhouse Leisure

    Best Manufacturer of New Motorhomes: Hymer

    Best Manufacturer of Pre-Owned Motorhomes: Hymer

    Best Supplying Dealer of New Motorhomes: Todds Motorhomes

    Best Supplying Dealer of Pre-Owned Motorhomes: Meridian Motorhomes

    Best Motorhome Manufacturer (UK New and Pre-Owned): Bürstner

  2. Auto-Trail Campervans – Expedition

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    Expedition – With a wealth of practical features and a robust 140bhp engine, the Auto-Trail Expedition campervan range offers unbeatable value, empowering you to embrace the active and adventurous lifestyle you have always dreamt of.

    66 – The Expedition 66 is a 5.99m compact campervan featuring two travelling seats and a large rear lounge, which come night turns into a comfortable double bed.

    67 – The stylish Expedition 67 features four travelling seats and a compact rear lounge, measuring in at 5.99m.

    67 ‘Flex’ – All the features of the standard Expedition 67 with the convenience of a rear drop-down bed.

    68 – The Expedition 68 is Auto-Trail’s first foray into the world of dedicated sports campers, created specifically for cyclists to travel and transport their bikes, equipment, and themselves. Up front is the lounge and dining area with a fixed double bed over a garage at the rear.

  3. Auto-Trail Excel

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    Excel – The latest offering from Auto-Trail featuring narrow body Coachbuilt motorhomes over four models with exceptional payload across the board without compromising on features or storage capacity.

    620 G – With a length of 6.2m and a 130bhp Ford engine, it strikes the perfect balance between driving convenience and comfortable living. Offers four seatbelts and three berths, with the rear boasting a fixed transverse bed above a generous garage that provides ample storage. At the front, a versatile half-dinette can be converted into a single bed.

    675 B – With a length of 6.75m and a 170bhp Ford engine, this motorhome offers four seat belts and two berths, with the rear boasting a large bathroom with ample storage cupboards. The spacious front dinette easily converts into a large double bed at nighttime but provides a fantastic social seating area in the day. 

    690 L – With a length of 6.9m and a 170bhp Ford engine, this is one of the longest models in the range. This motorhome offers four seat belts and three berths, boasting a large rear U-shaped lounge that converts into either two singles or one large double bed. At the front of the motorhome, the half-dinette can also covert into a single bed.

    690 T – Coming in at 6.9m and a 170bhp Ford engine, this motorhome offers four seat belts and three berths, featuring raised twin beds to the rear over a spacious garage. These beds can also convert into a large transverse double when required. At the front, the half-dinette converts into the Excel’s signature single bed.

  4. WADEBRIDGE Motorhome & Campervan Show, Royal Cornwall Showground 28th-30th June 2024

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    Come and and take a look at new and used motorhomes, campervans & caravans from all your local and regional dealers.

    You can stay and enjoy up to 5 nights camping and enjoy 3 nights of fantastic live entertainment, a licensed bar and a variety of food options.
    Don’t forget, your day ticket price is included if you’re staying with us!

    Camping starts from Wednesday 26th June until Monday 1st July.

    For day visitors, the show starts on Friday 28th June until Sunday 30th June 2024

    Explore Cornwall

    Cornwall presents a wealth of activities waiting to be explored. Embark on exhilarating water sports, delve into the stories of historical landmarks, and meander through charming gardens. Indulge in relaxation upon sandy beaches, create lasting memories at family-oriented attractions, and partake in guided tours unveiling Cornwall’s hidden treasures.
    The possibilities are abundant, promising an enriching and memorable experience for all who venture here.

  5. BBC Children in Need Competition Winner

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    Lucky winner of BBC Children in Need’s ‘text-to-win’ competition collects keys
    to his all-electric Wellhouse Toyota Proace campervan worth £80,000

    · Steve Sherwin, a teacher from Kent, has received the keys to the all-electric Wellhouse Toyota Proace Matino campervan (worth £80,000) he won after donating £10 in a ‘text-to-win’ competition for BBC Children In Need’s Appeal.

    · The campervan prize package, which also included a year’s free insurance from Caravan Guard and VIP tickets to see Adele in concert, raised £574,030 for BBC Children In Need’s 2021 Appeal.

    · Production delays caused by the pandemic and global supply chain issues meant the official handover of the campervan to the winner was not possible until now (June 2023).

    · The campervan, made in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, by converter, Wellhouse Leisure is a 100% electric Toyota Proace with a 75kW battery. It sleeps four people with a luxury specification that includes: kitchen with fridge, sink and cooker; two double beds; a pop-up roof; LED mood lighting; programmable heating; a 150W solar panel; alloy wheels; sat-nav; and a lithium leisure battery. The sliding rear seat and swivelling cab seats create a cosy lounge when camping, or maximum storage when travelling.
    · This is the second campervan from Wellhouse Leisure that has been offered in ‘text to win’ campervan prize package competitions for BBC Children in Need’s Appeal. They have, together, raised £1.674m.​

    Steve Sherwin will be able to enjoy his Wellhouse Toyota Proace Matino campervan all-year round thanks to a luxury specification that includes a kitchen with fridge, sink and gas cooker, a rear seat that unfolds to become a double bed, a pop-up roof containing another double bed, a programmable heater, plus a 150W solar panel and lithium leisure battery. Electronic gadgets can be charged using the 12v or 240v sockets and USB points, plus, for extra privacy, there’s dark tinted rear windows.

    “It’s an insane prize and I know I’m very fortunate – and grateful,” said Steve Sherwin. “The idea of having the freedom to finish work on a Friday and head off in my campervan is what I’m most excited about. I’ve been lucky enough to choose my own specification, and David Elliott from Wellhouse Leisure has been sending me regular video updates of it in production, and introduced me to the active community in the Wellhouse Leisure Facebook group,” he continued.

    David Elliott, CEO and founder of Wellhouse Leisure commented: “It was a pleasure to see how pleased Steve Sherwin is with his new campervan, and an honour to help the BBC Children in Need Appeal again, and to raise so much money to help those who need it most.”

    Neil Menzies, Partnerships Director at Caravan Guard said: “We were delighted to support BBC Children in Need’s Appeal for a second year with a year’s free insurance cover. We’re sure that Steve will have many happy adventures in his campervan, safe in the knowledge he has cover from an award-winning insurance provider to insure his freedom.”

    This is the second campervan from Wellhouse Leisure that has been offered in ‘text to win’ campervan prize package competitions for BBC Children in Need’s Appeal. They have, together, raised £1.674m.

    More details of the Toyota Proace Matino by Wellhouse Leisure are available at www.wellhouseleisure.com.

  6. Bailey announce the death of Stephen Howard, owner of their company.

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  7. Thetford launches renewed website

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    At the start of the new RV and camping season 2023, Thetford launches its renewed website. From both a service point of view and a commercial point of view, the website is adapted to the requirements of this time.

    Service wizard

    Market research showed that Thetford clearly received two different types of website visitors: a group with a service demand and a group with a commercial need. Visitors with a service request often query about how a product works, how to maintain a product or how to fix a product. Wendy Dujardin, Services Manager at Thetford: “Not every end-user is aware of their product model. In the past they had trouble finding the right one and therefore finding the right answer to their questions. A service wizard is now supporting our customers, leading them to all relevant documentation per product series, all in one place. This will help our end-users to become far more self supporting in case of service questions.”

    Improved customer journey

    Next to an improved customer journey on the service side, the renewed website also offers a more inspirational commercial journey. Norbert van Noesel, Marketing Manager at Thetford: “Although Thetford offers no direct sales to end-users, we like to guide our customers to have the best RV and camping experience and find the right products to support this experience. This is more than just showing products, it’s about bringing people in an inspirational environment. Our new approach from areas of use, supported by lifestyle photography, creates a refreshing visual design.”

  8. New Bailey for Kay Bailey as her father’s company celebrates its 75th Anniversary

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    Kay Taylor (nee Bailey), daughter of company founder Martin Bailey, and her husband Phil have purchased a new Alicanto Grande Evora from Chipping Sodbury Caravans.

    It’s a new Bailey for Kay Bailey (now Taylor) as her father’s company celebrates its 75th Anniversary. Kay and her husband Phil purchased their new Alicanto Grande Evora from Chipping Sodbury Caravans, part exchanging their existing Unicorn Cabrera in the process. As part of a double celebration, their good friends David and Margaret Young also purchased the same model from the same retailer at the same time!

    Sadly, Martin passed away twenty years ago, but Kay’s mother, Joan Bailey, is still in fine form at the age of ninety-three. She was also present at the recent handover of the two new caravans, which was carried out by Jamie Pickford, the owner of Chipping Sodbury Caravans.

    Martin Bailey started his working career as an apprentice cabinet maker at A. G. Farmers in Bristol, where he trained to become a fully qualified carpenter joiner. Following the outbreak of World War II, he was then seconded to the Bristol Airplane Company, where he learned new sheet metalworking skills working on planes such as the Bristol Blenheim and Bristol Beaufort. After the war, Martin returned to his trade as a cabinet maker and set up his own joinery business producing furniture. His career path took a different turn shortly after that when a neighbour asked for his assistance in building a caravan in his backyard. After this successful trial, Martin quickly realised that he had all the engineering skills necessary to design and manufacture caravans on a commercial basis and the premises in which to build them. The rest, as they say, is history…

  9. Bailey of Bristol caravans and motorhome complete epic journey to the Sahara Desert and back

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    Bailey of Bristol leisure vehicles have successfully completed a 9 days and 2,735-mile intercontinental caravan and motorhome adventure to the Sahara Desert. The Sahara Challenge was the latest in a series of marathon endurance tests designed not only to demonstrate the strength and durability of Bailey products but also to show the fantastic time and truly special places you can visit during a touring holiday.

    This time the company took two Bailey caravans (a pair of Phoenix+ 642 models) pulled by Ford MS-RT Ranger tow vehicles and one Ford-based Bailey motorhome (an Adamo 75-4T) from the ‘World’s End’ in southwest Portugal through Spain and across the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco. Once in Africa, the team travelled south over the Atlas Mountains to the northern edge of the Sahara Desert before returning home.

    Some of the iconic sites and landmarks visited along the way included the cities of Rabat, Marrakesh or Casablanca, the ancient Fez Medina, the UNESCO heritage site of Aït Benhaddou or the rugged scenery of the Dades Gorge.

    This is the second time the Bailey Team has taken on this challenge after the first attempt in March 2020 was halted for safety reasons following the arrival of Coronavirus.