GWENT caravanners are doing their bit to to inject millions of pounds into Welsh rural businesses while enjoying weekend rallies.

John Hinwood and his wife Moira were typical when over a week ago they did their shopping in Monmouth while rallying in the town.

Nothing strange in that - except that they are doing it all the time along with around 400 others in Gwent who are members of the local centre of the Caravan Club.

Retired electrician John lives on a council estate at Cwmbran and is the publicity officer of the Gwent centre.

Ironically, caravanners were unable to contribute to the countryside economy for several months last year when the very places they make for on their rallies were closed to them by foot-and-mouth disease restrictions.

But a campaign by the Gwent centre to boost membership even further and by the national club itself to promote caravanning as an activity which makes a serious contribution to local economies throughout Britain - £14.2 million in Wales last year, it reckons - is aiming to get the message across.

So it isn't a case of caravanners taking all their equipment and food with them, then? "Obviously you take some food," said Mr Hinwood. "But we help out farmers by putting something back into the community when we are in their area. We spend money in their towns.

"We were at a rally in Monmouth the weekend before last. There were 29 caravans, we paid the site owner a fee and then my wife and I were shopping in the town.

"A lot of people who leave to go on the rally on Friday do not have time to do their weekend shopping so do it in the places where the caravan is."

Mr Hinwood said the benefit of club membership meant that caravanners could more easily rally in places as a group.

Rallies took place in all parts of Britain and even abroad. Every centre had a rally book and, as a Caravan Club member, you were entitled to apply to any other centre to join their rally.

Many Gwent members kept their caravans at sites away from their homes but others, like chairman John Morris and his wife, Jennifer, parked theirs close to home.

Mr Hinwood said the camaraderie of the club was one of its attractions. Not only did members spend money in rural communities but they also raised it for charity - in Gwent £3,000 was donated recently to Drybridge House at Monmouth, formerly an old people's home but now a community centre, and two wards at County Hospital, Griffithstown. "What I like as someone who lives on a council estate is that I get to see different views," Mr Hinwood said. "It means I am not looking at a concrete jungle every weekend."

Foot-and-mouth prevented Gwent caravanners supporting the countryside between February and July last year because. Even after that there were some restrictions. But this is a mere blip in the fruitful relationship between the country and the caravanners. It's not always sweet, hence the need for the club's campaign.

Club spokesman John Par-sons said some areas recoiled in horror at the thought of accommodating caravan rallies, which were mistakenly equated with static caravan parks in coastal areas.

"That's their decision," he said. "What we want them to do is to possess all the facts before they make an emotional judgment."

Caravan Club director-general Trevor Watson said: "Not enough is known about how the club contributes to the economy in in general and the rural economy in particular."