District Conference Torquay
In a spring that has seen the wettest April and May on record we were afforded the most beautifully sunny weekend imaginable in Torquay the English Riveria.
The weekend started with the golf and bowling tournaments. Andrew and I particpated in the bowling, and enjoyed it enormously. In the morning we had walked around the harbour and enjoyed the glorious weather. Next to the conference centre are the Torre Abbey grounds and ruins. Currently being rennovated using Lottery funds, they were beautiful (see pictures ).
Friday night is traditionally club night and as there was just the two of us from The Brickhills we joined New Portnell and Wolverton and Stony Stratford clubs at their hotel for a delicious dinner and lively conversation. Luckily everything was well within walking distance so we were able enjoy a good drink with friends.
See all the pictures here
Wettest Marathon EVER
Milton Keynes hosted its' first Marathon and frankly we were not dealt the best hand for this first time event. It must have been the wettest day in the UK for several years.
So the Rotary Club of the Brickhills agreed to be responsible for Water Station Number 25 on the route which was run mostly on the glorious Redways of MK. Station 25 was just a mile from the end of the Marathon which ended with a circuit of the 'stadium:mk'.
Seventeen members of the club plus friends and family set up the station at 10:45 and the first runner hit our point at 12:30, there was then a steady stream of brave cold wet and tired runners until the last runner came through at 16:45. We gave out water, envouragement, congratulations, laughter and smiles to these wonderful runners. They were all shapes and sizes some very young and some who looked quite elderly. What they all had in common was to raise some funds for some excellent causes and the ability to make US ALL feel very humble.
Congratulations to all of the participants. We, the water givers were wet through to our underwear but the runners were wet through to their insides!! They were still able to thank us for what we did, which made us feel even more humble. All of us want to do it again next year. It was a honour and a priviledge to man water station number 25.
See all the photos here.
Sports Relief Mile in MK
Sports relief mile in Milton Keynes saw several members of our club participating in the fantastic event.
Members Helen and Phil R plus Daniel and Cameron and Julie and her son Elliot seen here on the left transversing the entire mile on his space hopper.
The image on the rights shows him having completed the course brandishing his medal proudly. Well done both all of you.
The Big Spring Clean
Saturday 21st April we were only just spared the April showers, for which we were very thankful as 12 of us including lots of willing children and one local scout, gathered at Grange Farm in Milton Keynes to collect litter in the redways surrounding the shops. We gave ourselves a 2 hour window to collect the rubbish and surpirsed ourselves by collecting over 24 bags of recyclable material and combustable rubbish.
Two members of the public stopped us to say how grateful they were that we were performing this task for their community and one popped across to the shops and returned with a box of chocolates for us. What a wonderful gesture, Thank you Sir!!! Then off home for a well deserved lunch. Thank you Sarah for organising this event, one I think we would be happy to repeat.
Rock Choir at Wembley
The world record was achieved for attendance at a club rugby match when The Saracens played the Harlequins at Wembley stadium on Saturday 31st March 2012.
Entertainment was provided for the audience by the superb 1500 strong Rock Choir and our very own Joanna was singing in the throng. It was a wonderful sight and even better sound, very uplifting and moving too. McFly then did a couple of numbers before the rugby started.
See all the pictures here
Bletchley Quiz Night
Bletchley Rotary club held their first quiz night on the 30th March 2012. Our club put in a team of 8 members, the maximum team size. of the 8 rounds we choose to play our jok er on the 'colours' round and we scored 8 correct. The best round we had was on the general knowledge round where we scored full marks. We did well though as we gianed the higest score and were the WINNERS. Thanks go to Neil and David who knew most of the answers. The rest of us earned our right to be there in subtle ways ( one or two answers!!!) A fun night and over £550 rasied for good causes.
See all the pictures here
Orienteering March 2012
A wonderfully sunny day in March saw most of the club with their families partaking of the first orienteering walk of the season. Whilst some of the Richardsons and Arnolds ran round in record time others like the Appletons and the Sheldons stopped off for coffee ( and some drank wine at 11:00 am !!!) half way round and consquently only just made it back before the deadline.
Great fun as always, to be repeated, but perhaps without the coffee stop!