BLOG: Unsung Heroes - Anita Peake

by Gar Cole

Episode three in our new series ' An Unsung Hero ' is dedicated to Anita Peake , wife of Admin Mike.

Mike & Anita enjoying a drive in Poppy

Now Anita is part of the wives' club, not quite as interested in cars as their husbands but happy to give them a weekend pass to come and play cars with me. This is something I'm always grateful for as I know there are many things they could be doing at home. Anita was the one who encouraged Mike to get involved with classic cars almost 20 years ago when they purchased Poppy the Herald convertible.

Poppy has featured heavily in their lives ever since; being a sensible lady Anita carefully chooses which tours to join us on; if it's forecast wet and the only accommodation on offer is Mike's ancient tent she gracefully declines to join us but always makes sure Mike has ample sausage plait and lemon drizzle cake loaded in his car before sending him on his way from home.

Mrs P is a front line NHS worker (much respect) and is often working when our tours and shows happen but it's always a joy when she joins us. It must be said a nice hotel certainly makes the tours more appealing to the ladies of the group. I can't understand why they don't like the idea of a row of tents in a field listening to a large group of middle aged men snoring.

Last year Mike decided to fully respray Poppy - not in a garage, but in a canvas tent perched on the driveway of their immaculate home in oh-so-posh Royal Wootton Bassett. The neighbours' net curtains were set to permanent ' twitch '. Most wives would have put their foot down but Anita gamely said ' sure go ahead ' - well that's what Mike told us at the time.

​However a few months later with the driveway covered in red overspray Anita may have regretted that. Being the supportive wive she is she tolerated parts of the car being painted and then left to dry in the conservatory.  It's such a lovely smell while you're cooking the Sunday dinner!

Realising it would be nice to have the car finished and usable before the end of 2019, Anita and the girls gamely helped Mike with body prep, sanding, fitting parts and trim and keeping the tea coming (according to Mike). I particularly love the photo of Anita in the boot; lo and behold Poppy was all shiny and ready for the New Forest tour of September 19. Anita joined us on tour (once luxury accommodation was booked first) and a great weekend was had by all.

On our last very wet and windy tour of the Yorkshire Moors in November Anita wisely jumped into the most modern car in the fleet (mine) and we enjoyed sweets as well as a working heater and CD player! We tried not to be smug at the others with their misty windows and below-par heating.

Anita, those of us who know you adore you to bits and respect the work you do and of course the brilliant support you give the group and hubby Mike. I think we all agree that in the not too distant future Mike should be treating you to a holiday in the sunshine, somewhere hot with no tents, no cooking and definitely no rubbing down of paintwork on old cars 😀