Ray
and Caroline have offered to run a tombola stall for the group as well
as selling
all our unwanted items at car boot sales. If you have donations for
the tombola and
items for sale, please bring them along to our Wednesday meetings or
telephone
Ray 01983 857153
FOR FUN DAY 2011 - See the gallery page
At our 2011 annual funday, Radio solent, who had made a donation to our group through their Community Chest Scheme, interviewed some of the group. The interviews were broadcast on the 'The Julian Clegg Breakfast Show'. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and the kindness of BBC Radio Solent, you can listen to the article by clicking on the buttons below the old fashioned "Wireless".
FUN DAY 2010
We
held our 2010 annual funday on Wednesday September the first. Thanks to
the stalwart efforts of fund raisers,particularly Fiona, we all enjoyed
a marvelous picnic prepared by the golf club. There were not quite so
many things to do this year as Sacha and Troy had to go home early.
We were very lucky to have Julie Hoskyns to judge for us and she joined
in with the spirit of the day and seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself.
The Wight Crystal Trophy was up for grabs. Julie was unable to separate
Diddy and Mo, so awarded the cup between them equally. They will each
hold the trophy for six months.
In the driving class the winner was Mo. Close behind were Neil and Caroline
who were second and third respectively.
The day also gave our AB Whips a chance to 'av a go. Keeley showed Pat
how it should be done.
A cracking cone course set by Mo and Jo was hotly contested. It was really
close this year with Jeannette beating Mo by just ONE second. Eileen who
is slightly handicapped as she can't see where to go, came home third.
I think Pat did even more pointing than usual for Eileen but you can see
from the pictures how much fun it was for everybody.
Many thanks are due to the hard working committee who arranged the day and to Christine for the photographs.
On Tuesday 12th July 2011 a group of us set off to the The New Forest. We traveled in a small convoy of cars and our thanks go to Wightlink for their generosity in reducing the fares for us all. After a short and very pleasant drive through the New Forest we arrived at the home of the New Forest group, chairperson, Mary at Holmans, Bisterne Close, Burley.
Despite the threat of rain, we all sat in the beautiful garden and enjoyed the company of our hosts. The plan was to have a drive, then a picnic lunch followed by more driving. Because of the weather forecast, we did all the driving first before our picnic. The drive was a circular route along narrow lanes through the forest of about 3 miles. While each drive was out our hosts lavished upon us, masses of cake and tea or coffee. The variety of homemade cakes was a wonder and each one a mouth watering delight!
All of our people had a drive before setting off back to Lymington for the return ferry. It was a most enjoyable day as always when we get together with the New Forest Group. Our grateful thanks to Mary for her hospitality and to the whole group for making us so welcome and making it possible for us.
Jill
was presented with a hand painted glass vase and a collage of pictures
covering the time she was Chairman of the group
Picture shows
Jean, Jill, Peter and Jo with Leo.
Carriage Driving in Queensland Australia
In the local newspaper 'The Jimboomba Times', we had seen an advertisement stating that the Jimboomba Pleasure Drivers meet every week on a Sunday morning about 1 mile out of the village. Jeannette and I went along at 9.00 o'clock one Sunday morning. The group was described as people interested in anything to do with horses in harness so we did not quite know what to expect. It said some people attend with heavy horses used, not for work anymore, but for pleasure. When we turned up there were three or four horseboxes and the same amount of ponies with various traps. It was explained to us that the group do not meet in the summer months because of the extreme heat and all but three of them left as we arrived.
Robert and Sheila were about to sit down under a shelter from the sun to enjoy a cup of coffee. They greeted us warmly and offered us coffee and we soon became involved in conversation about ponies, carriages and the RDA. They, and a friend of theirs called Nancy, were amongst a hardy bunch who attended all year round and started early to avoid the heat of the day. Bob told me how he built his own trap from parts of various vehicles, cobbled together, the oldest part being the shafts that were nearly 100 years old.
Their pony, Akki, was untacked and grazing in whatever shade he could find. Robert told us how Akki was a rescued pony and how he had trained him to respond to voice commands. He said that he had a high verandah at home where he stood and threw carrots for Akki to find. He directed him by shouting 'left two, back three, right one' and so on. Sheila told me how she thought Akki had saved Robert's sanity after he suffered a 'sort of breakdown' after a serious illness. When Bob went to collect Akki, he brought him home in the back of his ute. (Utility vehicle or pick up truck). Akki was told to jump in the back, and that is what he did!
They offered to tack Akki up and put him to so that he could take Jeannette for a ride. Putting to was as follows: 'left two, stand - back three, stand, OK good boy' and it was all done! Robert then proceeded to drive Jeannette around a very large park with some gum trees and pretty coloured trees in the background. Later he gave the reins to Jeannette for her to take control and she drove for twenty minutes or so through the same parkland setting. Nancy was taking her pony, Kasper for a drive at the same time.
Upon
her return, Robert and Sheila offered to get lunch for us. They had unloaded
a large gas barbecue from the back of their ute and were busy frying free
range eggs from their own chooks and toasting bread. We declined their
kind offer despite their insistence that Sheila would drive into Jimboomba
and get some sausages and bacon for us. Nancy, who had never travelled
outside Queensland could not believe that the IOW was so small and had
so many people living on it. Some cattle stations in Queensland are nearly
as big as the Island!
"I guess you had to leave to make room for all those folks to move
about a bit", she said.
We
enjoyed their company and good conversation, leaving just before their
lunchtime. I had spread the gospel a little about the RDA but they were
already aware of the benefits of carriage driving for people with disabilities.
One of their members had just one leg and one arm. He had taught his pony
to help tacking up by lowering its head! We were unable to find a RDA
group in southeast Queensland that had facilities for carriage driving
and so were delighted to meet the Jimboomba Pleasure Drivers. Their kindness
and generosity were so much appreciated by us both.
NEW GALLERY NEW GALLERY NEW GALLERY NEW GALLERY NEW GALLERY
We now have a new button on the left - 'GALLERY'
This
was included because the photographs on the site were all found on odd
pages. One click on the Gallery button will now take you to a page where
you will be able to find all the pictures of the IOW Group and some of
their activities.
If anyone has any pictures relating to our group, please email them to
me if you would like to see them displayed in our Gallery.
Sacha, all scrubbed up.
Sacha, Jo and Colin
| Colin
and Jo are pictured 'all dressed up' for the Bank Holiday May Day
celebrations at Havenstreet. Now we have seen how smart all three of you can look, we'll expect to see it every Wednesday! Congratulations to all three of you on such a magnificent turnout and especially to Jo for sharing the photograph with us. |
Elaine
and Clive driving 'Charlie'
| Elaine
is a relative 'newcomer to the IW Group. She and her husband, Eddie
have been coming along on Wednesdays for just over a year now. Elaine
had lost all her confidence after a riding accident left her seriously
injured. Elaine is very modest about her progress but the group
can all see how much her involvement has restored much of that lost
confidence. Charlie, Elaine's own pony, was thought to be a likely candidate to pull a trap and with the help of Clive, he was soon dragging old tyres around his paddock. Eddie thought it would take many weeks before Charlie was suitable to go into harness, but he was surprised when Charlie was between the shafts within a few sessions with Clive. He didn't expect to see Elaine driving herself so soon! Eddie tells me that none of this could have happened without the help and support of the RDA group and Clive. I'm sorry Eddie, it seems we have let you in for a load of expense - carriage, harness, shoes as well as losing Elaine to Charlie for hours on end. |
16th
July 2008.
Unable to use our regular venue and Brickfields being full of Happy Campers, we were unable to 'drive' today. Instead we met at 10:30 at the tea rooms of Quarr Abbey. It was a glorious day, bright warm sunshine in a beautiful setting. Many of the group commented on the various 'scents' which wafted across the gardens as you walked through them, principally Sweet Pea I think. Good company, good coffee and good wholesome scones etc., ensured that we all enjoyed our morning. No substitute for driving but most enjoyable all the same. Many people speculated about the foundation of the Abbey along with many other questions that came to mind. I have included a link to Quarr Abbey dot co dot uk below.
This
site will give all the information anyone could want regarding the Abbey.
I will be asking all of you questions next time we meet there so study
the site well!
Click
above to visit Quarr Abbey.
Articles
for sale and wanted.
These pages will be viewed by more and more people.
I am happy to use the pages to advertise 'stuff' for members
of the RDA and to include a 'Wanted' section.
If you want to use this facility, then please call or email me.
Peter
01983 562444
peter@iwcn.co.uk
COLLECTING TINS
We are looking for businesses who would be kind enough to display one of our collecting tins. The committee have already made stalwart efforts to place some of the tins but we could do with more tins 'out there'. They are used by people to put their small change in, and therefore the more places they are seen, the more funds we will raise.
If you can help with a location we can use - please call or email me.
Peter
01983 562444
peter@iwcn.co.uk