The ASMMOC has around 30 members as of January 2026. Lets meet some of them and hear their moggies story.
Above: Sue and Trudy at Thornbury Animal Sanctury in June 2024.
Our Chair, Sue Fairest, with Trudy the Traveller
I’d always been interested in ‘old’ vehicles and spent many a happy weekend at historic and classic events, watching both car and motorbike classic racing as well as rallies and displays. I promised I’d treat myself to a classic car when I retired and started looking in 2020. I considered various models and ages but realised whenever I spotted a Morris Minor….. I smiled. So the decision was made. I joined the Around Sheffield Morris Minor Club early on in my search and gradually became the longest standing member who didn’t actually own one!
I travelled up and down the UK in my search and eventually purchased ‘Trudy’ in early 2024. I’m not a mechanic of any level so took my time to find a car in good condition which, hopefully, I can keep up to scratch.
Trudy is a 1963 Morris Traveller ‘Delux’ and still has her original 1098cc engine. She passed the 100,000 milestone on 17th August 2025 and the club helped me celebrate as we were out at the annual Sheffield ‘Classics on the Moor’ event on that day.
Trudy has had bodywork, interior and woodwork restored over the last few years but all work undertaken has been to match, as closely as possible, her original specification.
Her first owner was Major Richard Hutchinson, purchased on 13th June 1963 in Devon. After two further owners in Devon she moved to Yarmouth, Norfolk, then to West Lothian in Scotland, and then to Hampshire. I’m her 6th owner, based in Sheffield, Yorkshire.
Trudy has an original ‘A’ plate, which is quite rare as it was only registered in the London area in 1963. The old pre-fix numbers were not used nation-wide until the ‘C’ plate two years later. Trudy is now listed on the MMOC Dual Personality Register as she is one of those cars produced between 1961 – 63 with a mixture of the ‘old’ parts’ and newer parts following the upgrade in engines etc at that time.
Since purchase the only problems I’ve had was a new battery required and the driver’s door catch. Any pot hole or speed bump, even driving around tight corners, could cause the door to fly open! A new catch was purchased and, fingers crossed, all now sorted.
Since purchase she’s been out and about locally and was on the MMOC stand at the NEC Classic Car Show in 2025. This was my longest journey to date in Trudy but now have the confidence to plan longer trips, possibly down from Yorkshire to the south coast for the Goodwood Revival meeting.
Sue Fairest, Chair