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Mick the Rocket’s cycling heyday
                                         DEBBIE MITCHELL
                                            FITNESS CLASSES       Eighty-year-old Mick Fisher from Rodbourne has fond memories of the
                                                                  sport of cycle speedway which gripped the town after World War II – and
                                                PILATES           even has a county champion’s trophy to show for it.
                Would you like to ...                                                               “Cycle speedway started in
             • tone up?  • lose weight?     Monday, 7.45pm - 8.45pm                               London after the war, racing
            • get some nutrition advice?    Tuesday, 8pm - 9pm                                    around the bombsites,” said
             • enjoy a healthier lifestyle?  at Peatmoor  Community Primary School                Mick,  a  rider  for  the  Rod-
           • improve your overall fitness?  Thursday, 7pm - 8pm                                   bourne Rockets.
            Contact me for more information   at Isambard Community School                          “We built a track in 1948
             about 1-1 training sessions,
           small group sessions with friends   £30 for 6 week course,                             at  the  bottom  of  Morris
               or bigger group classes:    booked and paid in advance                             Street,  where  Mannington
              kettle bells, circuits, pilates.  Contact Debbie Mitchell on                        Rec is now, using ash from
             Off-peak discounts available                                                         the railway.”
                Tel: 07828 714018        01793 722152 or 07745 422365                               Rival  clubs  in  the  town
                                                                                                  included  the  Kingsdown
                                                                                                  Aces,  Purton  Panthers  and

                  Reiki Tania Holistic Therapist                                                  Gorse Hill Foxes.
                                                                                                    He also has memories of
            v	Holistic (Swedish) Massage                                                          numerous  friendly  matches
            v	Indian Head Massage                                                                 such  as  one  against  Rod-
            v	Hot Stone Massage                                                                   bourne’s Monkey Club, and
            v	Pregnancy Massage                                   Photo: Richard Wintle www.calyxpix.com  said one of their riders was so
            v	Deep Tissue Massage                                 heavy that he needed a reinforced bike. Mick said: “We raised £21 at that
            v	Reflexology                                         match, which was two weeks’ pay in those days.”
            v	Reiki Healing Treatments                             Competitions were sponsored by the News Chronicle, a national paper, with
            v	Reiki with Crystals                                 a silver helmet awarded to county champions and gold to the national winner.
             ITEC, CThA, Reiki Mastership                          Mick, who is pictured holding the silver helmet he won in 1950, said:
             Member of Guild of Beauty Therapists                 “I was presented with it by Zena Marshall, the British film actress who went
               Based in Oakhurst, Swindon   Call 07501 058650 or email:  on to play Miss Taro in the James Bond movie, Dr No. Barrie Telling, who
              Mobile service is also available  [email protected]  won it the year before me, got his from Petula Clark.”
                    www.reikitaniaholisticsanctuary.com            Sadly,  Mick  missed  out  on  the
                                                                  chance to win the gold helmet. He
                                                                  said:“I went up to London for the na-
                  I                                               tional finals, but I was disqualified for
                                                                  breaking the tape on the starting line.”
                                                                   Mick’s cycle speedway career came
                                                                  to an end when he started National
              Slimming                                            Service in 1954.
                                                                   The  August  Link  reported  how
                  W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W
                  Worldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorldorld
                  World                                           Mick asked well-wishers at his 80th
                                                                  birthday  party  to  make  donations
                                                                  to Swindon Pathfinders. £1,000 was
                                                                  raised towards a ski trip for disabled
                                                                  children, including his granddaughter  Mick battling on the track with Barrie
                                                                  Louise who has cerebral palsy.  Telling, left. Photo: Barrie Telling
              Join a warm and friendly group near you today...
                                                                   Journo gets on his bike for the NSPCC
           MONDAYS 5.30pm & 7.30pm   St Johns Church, Thames Avenue
           Haydon Wick, Swindon SN25 1QQ.  Consultant: Sharon 07841 119082                   Swindon Advertiser reporter Scott
           TUESDAYS 6.30pm  Abbey Meads Community School, Hugo Drive                         D’Arcy is taking part in a 100-mile
           Abbey Meads, Swindon, SN25 4GY.  Consultant: Paula 07733 082579                   round  trip  of  Wiltshire  in  aid  of
           TUESDAYS 7.30PM   Tregoze Primary School, Sleaford Close                          the NSPCC.
           Swindon SN5 6JU. Consultant: Corinna 07938 617048
           WEDNESDAYS 10am Moose Hall, Eastcott Hill, Off Bath Road,                           The 25-year-old is also hosting a
           Swindon  SN1 3LS.  Consultant: Steve 07791 041411                                 charity curry night at the Bombay
           WEDNESDAYS 5.30pm & 7.30pm  St Francis School, Taw Hill  FREE                     Lounge in Old Town on Tuesday 27
           Swindon SN25 1UH. Consultant: Heather 07816 860840  online                        August, ahead of the Wiltshire 100
           THURSDAYS 9.30am, 11.30am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm  St Johns Church   support             cycling event on 8 September.
           Thames Ave., Haydon Wick, Swindon  SN25 1QQ. Cons: Sharon 07841 119082              The  ride  will  start  and  end  in
           FRIDAYS 9.30am Community Room, St Francis School, Taw Hill                        Devizes and is expected to take Scott
           Swindon SN25 1UH. Consultant: Heather 07816860840                                 up to ten hours to complete.
           SATURDAYS 9.30am  Freshbrook Community Centre, Worsley Road
           Freshbrook, Swindon  SN5 8LY.  Consultant: Lou 07784 098022                         Those  wishing  to  attend  the
                                                                                             curry night should let Scott know in
             0844 897 8000                SW                      Reporter Scott D’Arcy gets geared up   advance. Mail: sdarcy@swindonad-
             www.slimmingworld.com      on                        for his charity bike ride. Photo: Dave   vertiser.co.uk.  Back  him  at:  www.
                                                                  Cox/Swindon Advertiser     justgiving.com/darcysj
           38 swindonlink.com • September 2013



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