Happy New Year! No, I’m not late for 2008, I’m actually wishing you a happy new year for 2009. Why? Because even though it is currently January 2008, I am sitting in a 2009 prototype caravan. I’m so excited about it but we’re all sworn to secrecy because the mystery van is not yet launched. The good news is you’ll be able to read all about it in our May issue, published on the 28 March.

This weekend, a family from our Caravan Reader Panel met us at a secret location to be the first (and only) caravanners in the UK to see this van to tell us what they thought about it. Thank you Gloria, Lee, Melissa, and Alice! It was a very exciting project for all of us, and we felt rather privileged. Our thoughts and suggestions will be fed back to the manufacturer and changes may possibly be made to the design before the van is launched to the public.

I’m so excited about this family-friendly lightweight van I could burst, but you’ll have to wait for the May issue to find out about it. But in the meantime, if you would like to be one of the chosen few to preview new caravans before anybody else, why not drop us an email and join our Reader Panel? Novices and ardent enthusiasts are equally welcome. Just be sure that you can keep a secret.