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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

Secretary; P.P.

John Fisher

The Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix District 1100 England

weekly bulletin

The Birdy’

Immediate

Past President

Geoff Beale

Issue number 207

Volume number 5

Number 01 of this Rotary Year (excluding special issues)

Next weeks host is

Rotarian Anne Pileggi

Editor; P P Peter Editor; P P Peter Editor; P P Peter

Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy.

P.H.F. Sapphire P.H.F. Sapphire P.H.F. Sapphire

Sub Editor 2; PP Peter

(Grumpy) Newson PHF

Your Editors are delighted to welcome our

New President Nicole Price

to her post and to wish her a wonderful and successful year

on behalf of all the Birdy’s readers.

Also in this NEW Rotary Year, I cannot resist pointing out that this

year’s International Rotary Theme has the

proper BLUE and Gold Rotary Roundel in it!! (but I don’t believe it will be worth entering the Birdy in another

RIBI competition as there will probably be some other reason

we will be disqualified !)

President

Nicole Price

President Elect

Nigel Causton

Club Treasurer

PP David Coe

Sub Editor; PP Paul

(Scoop) Parfrey PHF

Sub editor 3; Rtn Chris

(Super Scribe) Sims

Swindon Phoenix Rotary Club

Honoured Recipient;

2016/17 Pride of Swindon

Team Award

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July 2016

Host Rotarian Chris Sims

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The President is GONE

Long live the President!

Welcome President Elect Nigel

Presidential Handover – 29th June 2016

For club handover the members of Swindon Phoenix Rotary club, our partners and our guests squeezed into the a couple of Marriott’s smaller function rooms, there was some unsightly bulging, but more about President Geoff’s time on the ‘Rebecca’ later.

President Geoff welcomed our many guests, apolo-gies for not listing all the partners in attendance: -

Alan and Shirley Fletcher and Nutmeg

Honorary Rotarian Kevin Brown and Anita

District Governor Tony Horn and Jacqui

Dave Owen

Ian Price

Denzil and Geraldine (Nicole’s Mum & Dad)

Leanne and Jessica Price (daughters)

Margaret Sims ‘Hello Mum’

Steve and Julia Coleman

The Host said Grace.

May we give thanks for this food, for life and health and every good.

May we, more blessed than we deserve.

Live less for self and more to serve

A buffet curry was served and greatly enjoyed by all.

After a break for coffee we started the handover.

President Geoff passed the presidential jewel and the club charter to incoming President Nicole Price.

Nicole accepted and then passed back to Immediate Past President Geoff for his last speech.

President Geoff Beale’s outgoing speech.

They say that things come in threes, well in the last 7 days the UK has opted to leave the EU, the English football team has left the European Football Champi-onships, and tonight I shall be leaving the President seat for the last time.

I really can’t believe that my 12 months have gone by, it seems to have been a very quick year. Just as you into your stride, your time is up and someone else is waiting in the wings to take over.

I have really tried to promote our club, and Rotary itself, at every opportunity in my year – and you have all also done this as a club, notably on meeting nights when we have had a guest speaker. On each occa-sion our visitors have left with a different perception to the one they had when they arrive. We have been described as “incredibly friendly and welcoming” –

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“informal and not at al stuffy” and “a fun bunch of people who are obviously passionate about working for their local community”. We all know that this is the case, but how good is I that others are now pass-ing on this message to their circle of friends and fami-ly. We have made a good impression on a lot of peo-ple again in the last year, and we have delivered a ringing endorsement of what Rotary is all about.

We must continue to educate people about who we are and what we do to shed the public image that Rotary is still a male only dining club.

It has been a busy, but enjoyable year that I will al-ways look back on with immense pride. I am so proud to have led this great club and now join the other names of Past Presidents in the clubs history. But its time to hand over the baton to Nicole who will be our first lady president and will bring new enthusiasm, and new ideas during her Presidential year. I’m sure she will do a magnificent job, and we all need to sup-port her, as I’m sure her shy and retiring husband, Ian, will also do.

There have been a whole host of highs for me during my year and I shall reflect on a few with you now.

The Dragons Den initiative that I undertook with the proceeds available from last years Dragon Boat Race was a particular favourite of mine. I see the Dragon Boat event as an event in the community, run by peo-ple from the community for he benefit of the commu-nity.

It was an absolute pleasure to share out £3,000 amongst 6 local concerns, where the money made a significant difference to all of them. One of these con-cerns was the Richard Jefferies Museum by Coate Water, used the £600 we gave hem to completely revamp their garden, and to build a platform where the miniature railway from Coate Water can now stop. The Mayor is formally opening this new platform on 31st July. Mike Pringle has extended an invite so that 12 Phoenix members can attend. The local radio, newspaper and TV will be there too, I hope some of your will join me there on the day.

In March of this year, our club won a Pride of Swin-don Team award at a ceremony at Steam. I felt in-credibly proud leading the delegation that attended the ceremony, its great that we have been formally recognized on a plaque in the new Central Library in town.

Also in March, we had Tony Horn’s District Confer-ence in Weymouth. I was a wonderful weekend; the sun shone the whole time. Tony’s address to Confer-ence was superbly delivered a real high point; I hope he felt supported by all that went from our club.

The presentation of the weekend for me was from Leona McKee, who is a member of the Swindon Epilep-sy Support Group, Leona gave a moving account of how epilepsy marched into life out of nowhere and com-pletely took over, leaving her with an incredibly debili-tating condition. Her talk put a lump in most people’s throats, as she spoke candidly about the impact of epi-lepsy on her. Leona went through some very dark days, but after major surgery on her brain, she has ben sei-zure free ever since. Her life has turned around, and she is just about to finish her University degree, and is getting married next year. Leona still attends the SESG monthly meetings, and is a wonderful role model and an inspiration to those suffering with the condition.

Our very own Steve Weisinger, who has a similar story to Leona, and is also a great support to a number of people at the SESG and has been for many years now.

Last month saw us set sail in Rebecca – the 60-foot barge we take out on the Kennet and Avon Canal, tak-ing different groups out each day between Great Bed-wyn and Hungerford.

Now despite having clocked up nearly 27 years service in the water industry, and being a very competent swimmer, I do not like he motion of boats – so I tend to avoid them at all costs.

Having said that, I accepted that in my Presidential year, I should lead from the front so I signed up to b on the barge for the whole week. What happened? I loved it!! This might well have been my favourite activity of the year.

The groups we carried each day were great company, and once again the weather held out – despite Pete Newson being on board. I have learn first hand that both Chris Sims and Steve Coleman are incredible cooks – as I put on around 8 pounds in weight over 7 days, and a lot of that was down to huge fry-ups every morning, which I couldn’t say no to.

I would strongly recommend any that haven’t been in-volved with the barge to try and be there in 2017. I will definitely return, now I have my sea legs.

I said ahead of my year that I wanted club members to bring in some interested guest speakers along to club meetings – and you duly delivered. I can’t go through every one of them, but a few have stuck in my mind for their entertainment level and interest. Alan Nix MBE cam along early in my year to talk about the joys of mo-toring. Alan is such a natural speaker, and hugely funny too. His presentation had a variety of photographs cov-ering Swindon back in the 1950’s and 60’s, which a lot of us could relate to. Remember the Baptist Tabernac-le ?

Gavin Jones, the Chief Executive of Swindon Borough

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Council cam along to our club too, and gave a vey open talk. We also had Paul Godfrey come along, who is an armed response officer for Wiltshire Po-lice, who talked to us through his arsenal of weap-ons, and the occasions when he had ben called on to attend incidents in and around Swindon.

Dave King, formerly of the Swindon Advertiser joined us one night and talked about Rotary and the media. It transpired that he was one of the people that started up the Pride of Swindon Awards.

In October last year, during Breast Cancer Aware-ness Month, we welcomed Valerie Sanders to our club. Valerie had been diagnosed with breast can-cer, and she gave us a detailed talk on the impact of her diagnosis and the treatments she had re-ceived.

We have also had Paul Rodgers and Kelly Morgan join us to talk about their boxing exploits – both do a lot of work in the community, and boxing has given some kids a direction in life and got them off the streets.

A lady called Wendy Loames gave a jaw dropping talk about loan sharks and how they operate. Un-scrupulous people charging extortionate levels of interest on loans that people would never be able to pay back.

All of these people were hugely engaging, and they contributed to make our evenings of real interest. Finally, who can forget Lynne Harper’s ukulele band performing for us?

Maybe she’ll have a CD out in time for Christmas, or we might see her on the Pyramid stage at Glas-tonbury next year.

Skittles nights, where chunky chips and dodgy bowling were the order of the day. We won a few games and narrowly lost a few others, but we al-ways had fun and we socialized well with the Rota-ry clubs that we played.

Aside from all the social activities we have under-taken in the last year, we have continued to raise a substantial amount of money for charity.

From last years Dragon Boat Event I allocated £1,000 to our international project – Silver Bells in Kenya. Gail Light went on to hold a quiz night for Silver Bells, which raised a further £650 for this cause.

The remaining money from last years Dragon Boat event, which totaled £3,000, went to 6 local caus-es.

The Barbury Horseless Steeple Chase in August

last year raised £1,500 which we donated to he Wilt-shire Air Ambulance.

Our Santa Run in December, which attracted over 500 runners made £6390.

Club 1000, which is brilliantly looked after by Nigel Causton, raised over £4,000 during my year and has generated a staggering £26,500 since it’s inception.

My fun weekly raffle generated a further £844 for Rotary Foundation.

As you can see we continued to raise great amounts of money for charity during the year, and we did it as a group.

We attracted some wonderful PR on the back of this in the local press, free magazines, Facebook and Twitter and we have a new found talent Elliot Causton broadcasting on Wiltshire Radio ahead of the Dragon Boat event.

It’s been a team effort in my year, and I’m sure this will continue throughout Nicole’s Presidency. Get behind her and lets continue the great work.

Thank you very much.

Geoff Beale

President Elect Nigel Causton accepted his new jewel and said a few words, mostly about squeaky bum time as the 12 months of Geoff’s Presidency have flown.

Next our new President Nicole Price took the floor to deliver her inaugural speech as President.

President Nicole Price’s speech: -

Now to my year – your first Lady President!

Will I rock the boat?

Well that depends….

I hope we will build on what I feel is a vibrant club, with a cooperative and enthusiastic membership. I am delighted with the approach, ideas and sugges-tions already made by my incoming Council and would like everyone to share and participate in club activities.

This coming year should be FUN, bring FELLOWSHIP and FUNDS – funds to be raised and funds to enable us to support worthy causes.

I like the logo:

ROTARY – WE’RE FOR COMMUNITIES

I hope that by participating locally in events orga-nized by others and by us we can raise our profile and achieve our goals.

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I’m grateful to everyone who has taken on a lead role, or who continues with one.

Just to reiterate the members of my council are: -

President Elect and 1000 club organizer – Nigel

Club Secretary – John

Club Treasurer – David

Admin Committee Chair – Paul

Foundation – Darren

International – Paul and Golds

Club Service and Project chair – Grumpy

Media, PR and RYLA – Elliot

Membership – Chris

Hotel Liaison – Lynne

Mentor and Advisor – Golds

Almoner – Barbara

As I said at last week’s club assembly our aims are: -

Ensure involvement and participation of members

Keep a balance between Service and Fellowship

Contribute in a variety of ways to local initiatives to enhance awareness of Rotary within the community

Encourage flexibility and challenge tradition when appropriate

Obtain structured feedback on activities to devel-op and / or amend our approaches

Maintain the core values of Rotary

Fund Raising 2016 – 2017

Foundation – End Polio Now

Guide Dogs

Aqua box / Shelter Box

International – Jaipur Limb Clinic

Swindon Carers Centre

Already we have seen ideas put forward and actions taken. Lets keep up the impetus.

Lets hope all goes well and I look forward to your sup-port and patience through out the year ahead.

I have a little gift in the for of a ‘Save the Date’ which I hope will keep you all informed of all the events, both fund raising and fellowship!

Please join me in raising our glasses to the Swindon Phoenix Rotary Club.

President Nicole Price

Nicole invited Susanna Jones the CEO of the Swindon Carers Centre to give a brief outline of the role of the Swindon Carers Centre.

Swindon Carer Centre

SCC is a charity established to provide support to un-paid carers in Swindon

Our mission: to improve the well being of carers in and around Swindon, creating a community where carers are recognized, valued and supported

We currently support more than 3,000 carers, including 700 young carers from the age of 5 years old

Who is a Carer ?

A carer is a person who provides unpaid support to a family member, partner or friend who would otherwise be unable to manage without this support due to ill-ness, frailty, physical or learning disability, mental ill health or substance misuse.

Many don’t see themselves as carers, they may be hus-bands, wives, partners, parents, siblings or friends. However, by providing unpaid care and support they are in fact carers.

About Carers

Carers don’t choose to be Carers even though they do it willingly

The role can happen gradually over time or suddenly without warning

It is estimated that carers save the UK economy £132 billion a year in care costs

Carers have their own health issues – 1:3 report depres-sion, 1:2 disturbed sleep, 1:4 back and other strains, 3:4 worse off financially

2011 Census

580 Young carers – but we know 75% remain hidden

19,500 carers – an increase of 24% since 2001

4,369 do caring tasks for more than 50hrs a week

2,680 do caring tasks for 20-49hrs a week

12,431 do caring tasks for 1-19hrs a week

Carers UK research in November 2015 estimate thee are now more than 21,000 carers in Swindon, who save the Swindon purse £395 million per year

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Queen Mary

Meeting closed…..

Impact of Caring

Physical, Psychological/Emotional, Social, Financial

Importance of Fund Raising

£15.50 pays for an Aromatherapy session for a carer

£45 pays for 3 hours of respite care to enable a carer to attend a self-help group/course/talk/therapy session or just have a break away from caring

£48 pays for a coffee morning for carers, once a month for a year

£210 would allow a carer to have 6 counseling sessions

£240 pays for a professional facilitator to deliver a 6-week course to Carers (e.g. Coping with caring for someone with men-tal health issues)

£300 pays for lunch for 30 carers

£500 pays for a local theatre trip for 30 carers

Thank you Susanna Jones

Briefly we turned to any other business, but not before a level of abuse was directed at the Host regarding the currently vacant position of President Nominee. Dave Coe, Ian Price and particularly Darren Crannis deserve a “special mention”

Editors note; the best quote of the night concerning the vacant President nominee position was directed at the host whose Mother was sat two seats away from him…

“Go on Chris, make your Mum proud!”

The monthly draw for Lucky Lucy was performed.

Peter and Peggy Goldsworthy held a quiz to guess the amount raised from the Champagne Draw and Pro-gram sales from the Dragon Boat event based on a picture of the notes and coins, Char-lotte Causton was the closest with a guess of £1080 versus the actual total of £1089.65.

Finally we had a number of Rotarians returning from holiday:-

Alan and Shirley Fletcher re-turned from Tenerife, Nutmeg returned from Meadow Croft

Dave and Mandy Coe re-turned from a cruise on the

Respecting the new Presidents role in her other

life she was presented with an official cane to

keep naughty boys (and girls.. Equal opportunity

Rotary!) under control during meetings Darren

immediately volunteered to be first to be

flogged—no one thought that was a bad idea at

all!

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Dear Peter, and fellow Rotarians,

Re: Oakfield Project

Thank you for placing in the Birdy

Our Oakfield forthcoming event 13/7/16 our Come Dine with Oak-field...luncheon an annual event based on a chosen themes by the young people and then young people with staff plan and organise a luncheon, cook, and serve, for VIP's and honoured invited guests including the Mayor of Swindon, who are proud to say are regular visitors to Oakfield events and only this week attended our year 11s presentation...see evening advertiser...

As our young people are on their final preparations we would be delighted to know if you will be attending...

As Money raised is for our chosen charity Calm...we wish to be able to keep a tight ship and budget...

K/Rgds

Fellow Rotarian Paul Wainwright Sent from my iPhone

Editors note; Peggy and I are going if you would like to join us, let Paul or Michelle know asap so they can plan ahead

This pic in by email from PP Paul Parfrey.

The hired Garage is nearly full of our clubs equipment and there is another large Gazebo

to go in there that Grumpy & Jenny are drying out for us! (Paul assures us that there is

space set aside for it)

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Phoenix Rotary Charity of the Year – We are delighted to be

chosen as Phoenix Rotary’s charity of the year! Here is SCC’s Susanna, Fiona and SCC Chair of Trus-

tees Ian with the new Phoenix Rotary President, Nicole Price

Whilst going through photos for new officers on

the front page, I came across this one of our

newly installed Club Secretary taken last year

during the Past Presidents Dinner and have to

share it with you.

Here is PP John Fisher monkeying around with

Animal. (we would have been an unlucky 13 at

the table but Animal wearing the late PP Bob

James medal made up the numbers)

(by the way to avoid any confusion John is on

the right of the picture!)

There will be a special edition of the Birdy featuring the Dragon

Boat Event as soon as time permits and to that end please could all

members (yes, YOU!) send me your thoughts, happy

of course and quotes or points of interest on the day

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Finally! Some advice

You can actually use!

DO NOT wash your hair in the shower!

It's so good to finally get a health warning

that is useful!

IT INVOLVES THE SHAMPOO WHEN IT RUNS DOWN YOUR

BODY WHEN YOU SHOWER WITH IT.

WARNING TO US ALL!

Shampoo Warning!

(I don't know WHY I didn't figure this out sooner)!

I use shampoo in the shower! When I wash my hair, the

shampoo runs down my whole body, and printed very clear-

ly on the shampoo label is this warning, "FOR EXTRA BODY

AND VOLUME."

No wonder I have been gaining weight! Well! I got rid of

that shampoo and I am going to start showering with Dawn

Dishwashing Soap. Its label reads, "DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS

OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE." Problem solved! If I

don't answer the phone, I'll be in the shower!!!

Thanks Lillian in *Oz

(well she will be back down *there later)

A fleeing Taliban, desperate for water, was plodding

through the Afghan Desert when he saw something far off

in the distance.

Hoping to find water, he hurried toward the oasis only to

find a Royal Marine selling regimental ties.

The Taliban asked, "Do you have water?"

The soldier replied, "There is no water, the well is dry.

Would you like to buy a tie instead? They are only 5

pounds."

The Taliban shouted, "You idiot infidel! I do not need an

over-priced tie. I need water! I should kill you, but I must

find water first!"

"OK," said the soldier, "It does not matter that you do not

want to buy a tie and that you hate me. I will show you

that I am bigger than that, and that I am a much better

human being than you. If you continue over that hill to the

east for about two miles, you will find our Officers Mess. It

has all the ice cold water you need.. "

Cursing him, the Taliban staggered away over the hill.

Several hours later he staggered back, collapsed with de-

Jokes

‘on the B

irdy’s

win

g’ hydration & rasped...

"They won't let me in without a bloody tie!"

A Mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper, Gui-

do, has cheated him out of $10,000,000.00.

His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the

job in the first place. It was assumed that Guido would

hear nothing and would therefore never have to testify

in court.

When the Godfather goes to confront Guido about the

missing $10 million, he takes along his lawyer, who

knows sign language.

The Godfather tells the lawyer, "Ask him where the

money is."

The lawyer, using sign language, asks Guido, Where's

the money? Guido signs back, "I don't know what you

are talking about."

The lawyer tells the Godfather, "He says he doesn't

know what you are talking about."

The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido's head

and says, "Ask him again or I'll kill him!"

The lawyer signs to Guido, "He'll kill you if you don't

tell him."

Guido trembles and signs back, "OK! You win! The

money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed

at my cousin Bruno's house.."

The Godfather asks the lawyer, "What did he say?"

The lawyer replies, "He says you don't have the balls to

pull the trigger and you can go and get stuffed."

*DON'T YOU JUST LOVE LAWYERS**?*

Thanks Chris Durie also in Oz

FIVE RULES FOR MEN TO FOLLOW FOR A HAPPY LIFE:

1. It's important to have a woman who helps at home, cooks from time to time, cleans up, and has a job.

2. 2. It's important to have a woman who can make you laugh.

3. 3. It's important to have a woman who you can trust, and doesn't lie to you.

4. 4. It's important to have a woman who is good in bed, and likes to be with you.

5. 5. It's very, very important that these four women do not know each other

Thanks Mike Slipper

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FOR YOUR DIARY

28th August – President At Home

at the home of Nicole and Ian

7th September – (with Partners)

Dragon Boat cheque presentation

night

5th October – (with Partners) Spe-

cial Guest Speaker who is a com-

mentator for 5 live at the coming

Olympics

27th October – Past Presidents

Dinner in which Nicole is invited

as special guest of the P.P’s

12th November – North Petherton

Carnival

27th November – the WINGS will

be hosted by Ian Price at the

home of Nicole and Ian

4th December –

Annual Santa Run

18th December –

‘Phoenix Christmas Do’ at the

home of Nicole and Ian

2017

29th January – (with Partners)

Special Fundraising Evening to

celebrate Burns Night

15th February – (with Partners)

Special Guest Speaker Al Sylvester

who walked from Lands’ End to

John O’Groats amongst many oth-

er adventures

18th March – Friends of Swindon

Young Carers Ball at the Cotswold

Four Pillars Hotel

April (date tbc) Know Your Blood

Pressure Day

13th to 19th May – Annual Barge

Week with a possibility of a sec-

ond week from 20th to 27th May

25th June – Annual Dragon Boat

Event

Other items will be added as this

list is not exhaustive!

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 21st Century

Find more information on Swindon Phoenix Rotary on your pc;

Just control + click on these hyper links below

swindonphoenixrotary.org.uk

Previous bulletins thephoenixbulletin.weebly.com

Our Santa Run swindonsanta.org.uk

Dragon Boat Event www.dragonboatswindon.org.uk

Ffind us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SwindonPhoenixRotary?ref=hl

On twitter https://twitter.com

Swindon Phoenix Rotary Club

Pride of Swindon

Awardee 2016/17