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Issue number 114

Volume number 4

Number 03

of this Rotary Year

The Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix District 1100 England

The weekly bulletin (aptly named)

‘’The Birdy’

By email to all members of Swindon Phoenix Rotary Club, and some members of Foothill Highlands Rotary

Club USA, Tappahannock Rotary Club USA, also Rotary Club Members in Australia, Indore and Bhopal

India and special supporters elsewhere

The comments expressed in this newsletter, if not credited to someone else, are the thoughts & opinions of the Editor and

therefore may not be the opinions of all the members of the Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix.

The Editor is going away hooray hoorah so we can all say what we like about him !

Oh NO you cant!

….. ‘cos his good mate PP Paul Parfrey will have the PC and remember the typed word is mightier than the insult and anyway on my return

……….revenge will be MINE!

As I am in demob mood, this is a small Birdy so your PC may not gasp aloud when this Birdy lands.

GOTTA SAY THO- Peggy and I are delighted with the input from Peter & Jenny—Alan Gill of Swindon Thamesdown and their friend Barbara, as well as Paul & Lynn on the jaunts they are arranging around Swindon which we will share with our American visitors in September many of which will be open to all members to join in!

Full details and round robins will be released very soon after our return from Germany.

That’s it try and miss me

BYEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Golds!

President

Elect

Geoff Beale

Secretary; P.P.

John Flanagan

Treasurer;

P.P. Tony Horn

PHF

DG Elect 2013/14

President

David Coe

President

Nominee

Nicole Price

Immediate

Past President

Peter Collis PHF

Next weeks host is PP Peter Collis and

the Editor will be PP Paul Parfrey

Editor; Past President Peter Goldsworthy. P.H.F. Sapphire Editor; Past President Peter Goldsworthy. P.H.F. Sapphire Editor; Past President Peter Goldsworthy. P.H.F. Sapphire

Twice Winner of RIBI District 1100 Bulletin of the Year Twice Winner of RIBI District 1100 Bulletin of the Year Twice Winner of RIBI District 1100 Bulletin of the Year

(((Runner up 2014)Runner up 2014)Runner up 2014)

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based in Old Town but as we learned shortly to be relocating from Newport Street to The Shaftesbury Centre in Percy Street. Catch 22 in Swindon is aimed at young people 16-19 years working at be-low Level 2 (GCSE grade C) focusing on functional skills, employability and work related skills. The lo-cal programme is focuses on young people with troubled lives, but are not “troublesome”. These are teenagers that have not been supported as they have been growing up and have effectively been ignored, they don’t cause trouble so they don’t get noticed. Jo and Laura high-lighted that de-spite Swindon be-ing relatively afflu-ent that there were areas of seri-ous deprivation.

Jo and Laura out-lined the students social enterprise project “Pig Town Products” where the students learnt to set up a busi-ness, making , marketing and selling fudge. Pig Town Products had a stall at the Old Town Festival and at the Dragon Boat.

Our guests shared a 3 minute video made by the stu-dents and shared the future developments and challenges for the Catch 22 project in Swindon. The presentation will be sent to all club members.

The budget for the project in Swindon is extremely small, Jo and Laura outlined the outside support they are hoping for that would help immensely, including community links for practical support, work experience, help with the developing the new premises in Percy Street (anyone fancy a bit of dec-orating ?) and access to equipment and resources to develop Pig Town Products.

Club Meeting 16th July

Host Chris Sims

Meeting number 3 of President Da-vid’s year.

A very good turnout for a particularly warm evening in July. Thank you to all who attended.

After apologies from the Host, a meal of kebabs with salad followed by some form of chop was enjoyed by a few, and struggled through by others. During the coffee break the Host who is currently on a health kick watched whilst President Elect Geoff Beale attempted to consume his bodyweight in biscuits. After the break the Host introduced our guests for the evening.

Laura Holmes and Joanna Ridley are the Project Manager and Business Manager for Catch 22 in Swindon. http://www.catch-22.org.uk/programmes-services/wiltshire-study-programme/

Catch 22 is a national charity specialising in working with disadvantaged young people, Laura and Jo manage the Swindon project, currently

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After many questions from the members present the Host thanked Jo and Laura the Host handed back to President David.

Round Robins being circulated

Theatre Trip (with beer)

Surprise Dining

Abingdon Vesper Dragon Boat - Possibly a Phoenix boat team?

Marshalling at the Horseless Steeple Chase on August 3rd

Nobody owned up to returning from holiday

Nobody owned up to a birthday

Next Week

18:15 Monthly Council Meeting followed by 19:30 B&F

Nigel & Julie Causton have been hard at

work publishing the poems that have

been donated by one of President Da-

vid’s clients who has very sadly passed

away.

This book of extraordinary poems will

now be sold to boost Swindon Phoenix

charity funds and the rights etc are ours

in perpetuity - the cost a reasonable

£5.00 per copy

Contact Nigel or David for copies or de-

tails.

Our thanks to Nigel, Julie and Nigel's

M.D. for printing this opportunity for us

to help others

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Just wanted to forward the first report of our clubs sponsored puppy 'Phoenix' As you can see she is progressing well and more updates will be forthcoming soon and in the near future a visit to a club meeting for a meet and greet. Will keep you all posted. Regards John

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Continuing our weekly

…Unnamed but shamed list

I would like to thank the following members for

sending me their latest potted histories.

However I cannot publish the booklet that all

members have said is so useful until I have the

rest of them in –

If your name is NOT on this list

then you are one of those still holding things

up……..!!!!!!

Rotarian Geoff Beale.

Rotarian Elliott Causton

Rotarian Nigel Causton

Rotarian David Coe

Rotarian Peter Collis,

Rotarian Ian Gill

Rotarian Peter Goldsworthy,

Rotarian Lynne Harper

Rotarian Tony Horn

Rotarian Dave Huggins

Rotarian Gail Light

Rotarian Andrew Whiting

Hon Member Kevin Brown

Rtn Nicole Price

Rtn Peter Newson

Rtn John Fisher

Who will be next?

Watch this space!

Trawling around the Internet I checked out the

Rotary Club of Tappahannock in Virginia and

spotted two of the invading yanks joining us in

September (I know Billy, you are not truly Yanks but

sorta Brits who happen to live on the wrong side of the

pond!)

So here they are Billy and Carole Croxton going

to ‘a bit of a do!’

The caption read; Bill and Carole Croxton, done

up to the nines for the Great Gatsby 1920's Ro-

tary District Conference Reunion at the Virginia

Crossings, Friday, April 25th 2014

Over here they will be hosted by President Da-

vid and Mandie so I guess they will talk about

cars now!

Eliot Causton shared with us that recently he and Joanne

went along and they had had their scan (his words!) and

they are expecting a little girl which he claims is the first

girl to be born since Phoenix was formed as his niece (Ian

& Natalie’s) was born just before we were actually offi-

cial! So as long as they call her Phoenix when she arrives

I am sure that will end any other claims.

If not President David will decide (wont you Grampy?)

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I know we are still basking in the summer heat wave!! but I wanted to take this oppor-tunity to let you know about the Swindon Santa Fun Run 2014, which this year is to be held on Sunday 7th December at Lydiard Country Park, Swindon

This will be the 3rd year in succession that the Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix has put this family fun event on to raise mon-ey for local charities.

In year 1 and 2, all the proceeds went to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance which is a fantastic organisation. Jointly the two events raised in excess of £11,000.

This year the event is raising funds again for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, but also the Swindon Down Syndrome Group which is also a very worthy charitable organisation here in Swindon.

All the income from the Child and Adult entry fees will be split 50/50 between the two organisations but everyone who en-ters this event and raises sponsorship money can choose for their sponsorship money to go solely to the Wiltshire Air Ambu-lance or the Swindon Down Syndrome Group or it can go to both (split 50/50). These options will be available on the Sponsor Forms when they are ready to be released.

You have received this email because you are one of my distribution lists or entered the Santa Run in 2012 and/or 2013 and we hope that you will join us all again this year.

I will be sending out within the next 4-6 weeks, the revised Sponsor Forms and any other information you may need . But in

the meantime please visit www.swindonsanta.org.uk for more details

Please see the attached Poster with all the details on, but if you would like to join in the fun then 'Save the Date', and we will look forward to seeing you in December.

Thank you, on behalf of President David Coe 2014/15

Paul

Paul Parfrey

Past President

Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix

HO HO HO!

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This was written by a black gentleman in Texas

and is so funny. What a great sense of humor...And creative!!!

When U Black, U Black When I was born, I was BLACK, When I grew up, I was BLACK, When I went in the sun, I stayed BLACK, When I got cold, I was BLACK, When I was scared, I was BLACK, When I was sick, I was BLACK, And when I die, I'll still be BLACK. NOW, You 'white' folks...... When you're born, you're PINK, When you grow-up, you're WHITE, When you go in the sun, you get RED, When you're cold, you turn BLUE, When you're scared, you're YELLOW, When you get sick, you're GREEN When you bruise, you turn PURPLE, And when you die, you look GREY

So why y'all be callin' us COLORED Folks?

Thanks Andrew for this

FIRST DRINK. I was reading an article last night about fathers and sons and mem-ories came flooding back of the time I took my son out for his first pint. Got him a Fosters ..... he didn't like it - I had it. Then I got him Carlsberg, he didn't like it so I had it. It was the same with Guinness and Cider. By the time we got down to the whisky I could hardly push the bloody pram home.

Thanks Lillian in Oz ...I liked this one!

A seven year old boy was at the centre of a courtroom drama yesterday when he chal-lenged a court ruling over who should have

custody of him.

The boy has a history of being beaten by his

parents and the judge initially awarded cus-

tody to his aunt, in keeping with the child

custody law and regulations requiring that

Jokes

‘on the w

ing’

family unity be maintained to the degree possi-

ble.

The boy surprised the court when he pro-

claimed that his aunt beat him more than his

parents and he adamantly refused to live with

her.

When the judge suggested that he live with his

grandparents, the boy cried out that they also

beat him.

After considering the remainder of the immedi-

ate family and learning that domestic violence

was apparently a way of life among them, the

judge took the unprecedented step of allowing

the boy to propose who should have custody of

him.

After two recesses to check legal references

and confer with child welfare officials, the judge

granted temporary custody to either the Eng-

land or Brazilian Football team, whom the boy

firmly believes are not capable of beating any-

one.

A Sheriff in a small town in Wyoming walks out in

the street and sees a blond haired cowboy coming

toward him with nothing on but his cowboy hat, his

gun and his boots.

He arrests him for indecent exposure. As he is

locking him up, he asks, "why in the world are you

walking around like this?"

The cowboy says: "Well it's like this Sheriff. I was

in this bar down the road and this pretty little red

head asks me to go out to her motor home with

her .... So I did.

We go inside and she pulls off her top and asks me

to pull off my shirt .... So I did.

Then she pulls off her skirt and asks me to pull off

my pants .... So I did.

Then she pulls off her panties and asks me to pull

off my shorts .... So I did.

Then she gets on the bed and looks at me kind of

sexy and says, .... . . .' Now go to town cowboy. ' .

. ……………….So here I am."

Son of a gun ! ! ! Blonde men do exist ! ! !

Thanks again to Lillian in Oz

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The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of

service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to

encourage and foster:

1)The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for

service;

2) High ethical standards in business and professions, the

recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and

the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity

to serve society;

3) The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s

personal, business, and community life;

4) The advancement of international understanding, goodwill,

and peace through a world fellowship of business and profes-

sional persons united in the ideal of service.

(It is not usual to read the numbers aloud when reciting the object)

That’s all Folks !- but remember, we are

a Rotary Club of the

For more information on Swindon

Phoenix Rotary on your pc

control + click on these hyper links

swindonphoenixrotary.org.uk

Previous bulletins

thephoenixbulletin.weebly.com

Our Santa Run

swindonsanta.org.uk

Dragon Boat Event

www.dragonboatswindon.org.uk

And now find us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/

SwindonPhoenixRotary?ref=hl

www.swindonepilepsy.org.uk

The Four-Way Test Of the things we think, say or do;

Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

A bit of advanced warning! The Future

August 3rd Horseless steeple chase @

Barbury Castle with Marlborough &

District Club

September 8th Start of the Yank Invasion! Visit by our friends—Rotarians from California and Virgin-ia September 9th Meet and Mingle with Yanks at the Golds home 5pm onwards September 10th Marlborough Tour with our special Yanks. (10th cont) In the evening they will

be at Club and be our speakers for the evening Partners very welcome September 11th to 16th Trip to Cornwall with Yanks (TRIP now FULL!) September 17th Dragon Boat Cheque presentations to charities ((Yanks too) Partners very welcome September 18th Day Trip out with Yanks organised by PP Alan Jefferies of Swindon Thamesdown RC & Gill & Barbara Owen September 19th Day Trip out with Yanks organised by Lynn Parfrey as-sisted by PP Paul

September 20th an evening Club Canal Boat trip with our special Yanks, organised by PP Mr Grumpy Newson and his carer Jenny September 21st President David and Mandie host a day for Yanks and Members alike 22nd Goodbye Yanks and thanks for the memories! n.b This list is by no means all that is planned, keep check-ing both the Birdy and the Website for up-dates.

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