A late call was made on Monday evening for an Ad-hoc day for today. With enough volunteers to help winch launch (no tug pilot available) the day was agreed.
DRE ready to go at 12:00 (Nick Jones)
Dan was up early, keen to get going! With Phil Morrison kindly stepping in as Duty Instructor and doing the briefing, with support from Graham Barden, Rob and myself, we were able to get Dan Hender (DRE) in the air at 12:00 on the dot. Launches followed by Ruth Comer (FZF), Pete Startup (230), Eric Alston (G29), Geoff Lawrence (HES), and Stewart Henshall (HMS).
The Ad-hoc WhatsApp group promptly jumped into life, as a large number of members (ed:more than 30 members watching from the comments on WhatsApp) followed Dan’s track on Glide and seek. Thank you for all your support and comments. Pete Startup followed Dan’s progress from the air, but he couldn’t catch up that slippery K6!
Nice field Dan (Dan Hender)
Dan finally picked a great field with superb access after 2 hours flying and a 70km journey. Pete (230) made it back to North Hill, after reaching Sherborne with a low save. Thank you to everyone who helped on the airfield and made this opportunity happen.
An ambulance..... (Sally Hender) 
and air ambulance .... (Sally Hender)
The retrieve was quite eventful, shortly after getting the trailer into the field next to DRE, an air ambulance, then ambulance arrived to assist, as a concerned local had made a call.
Lesson learned, ideally you should call D&D (Distress & Diversion) 01489 612691, with your registration letting them know you have landed in a field safely. This would have stopped the emergency services visit. (ed: with thanks to Martin Woolner who recently completed his FRTOL course and James Smart of course)
We have one happy boy in the back of the car! - Proud Mum Sally Hender
The other stories - Conditions were a little tricky with that strong northerly wind and cloudbase quite low at times.
Eric in G29 completed Tiverton - Chard - Dulverton 124 kms
Pete (230) flew for over 3 hours, turning Sherborne with a very low save. "Sent a Silver distance candidate off so thought I'd see what conditions were like. Pretty grim as it turns out, especially around Yeovil/Sherborne, lurching from one low point to another until getting back on to the high ground at Beaminster. Very well done to Dan Hender on his Silver today, he made the correct decision to head South and the (very slightly) better conditions - a great flight."
Geoff (HES) struggled with the difficult conditions but kept the winch driver busy.
Ruth (FZF) enjoyed an hour of local flying.
Stewart (HMS) collected local turnpoints for a few hours expanding his range from North Hill.
Congratulations Dan - Silver Distance and thanks to all who helped make it his special day. - Chairman Nick
