Page 36 - link magazine

Sport and Leisure

Modern Guides, making a real difference to girls’ lives

Jo Sully, the joint County International Air Tattoo, Fairford; slacklining; Whilst we’re very good at
Commissioner for Girlguides • attending Big Gig, a Guides only • practical skills - learning how providing great new opportunities
Wiltshire North, writes that concert at Wembley featuring Jess to change tyres or build flat-pack and experiences for our young
people still have the idea that the Glynne, Matt DeFreitas and Fleur furniture; members, we’re not so good at
movement is all about knitting and East amongst others; • adventure events and camps of shouting out about it.
knotting. But that’s not the case. • outdoor activities - zorbing and all shapes and sizes, from a local Guide units across Swindon are
Guides have changed unit-based camp at Cotswold both bursting with enthusiasm and
with the times in ways Water Parks, to participation also with members. We’re desperate
people don’t realise, but in an international camp not to disappoint all the girls who
we still rely on volunteers attended by 1,500 from all want to join which means we need
to become inspiring role over the globe; more volunteers to come forward
models for our young • participation in ‘Strategy,’ and be part of the fun.
members. a camp/activity hike which So many adults who join in say
Recently Guide units challenges 10 to 14 year old they get just as much out of guiding
in the Swindon area Scouts and Guides to work as the girls. No matter how much
have been involved in together, navigating a route time you have to give, there’s an
many exciting and varied to complete activities and opportunity for you.
activities such as: scoring points as they go. See more information about
• exploring STEM (science, Peatmoor Guides came ninth guiding in Swindon at: www.
technology, engineering, out of 235 teams and are girlguidingwiltshirenorth.org.uk
and mathematics) still grinning from ear to ear where there are links to the
activities at the Royal about their achievement. Facebook page and blog.
Helmet saves the life of West Swindon cyclist

Clive Heard from Common Platt catapulting Clive across a garden, to pick up her car and to try and but you just don’t know what might
was innocently riding to work on a leaving him with multiple fractures understand what had happened a happen. It’s incredible that the
cycle path next to Covingham Place of his collar bone, cracked ribs and few hours earlier. “As a keen cyclist driver was able to turn right angles
roundabout early on 4 July when a lots of bruising. myself, I cannot understate the need on the roundabout and hit Clive so
fast moving car made a 90 degree The car windscreen was smashed to wear a helmet to protect yourself. hard.”
turn on the adjacent road, mounted by the impact of the helmet It might be inconvenient to put on, Police investigations continue.
the curb and hit Clive whilst driving protecting Clive’s head, although
over his bike. the spectacles he was wearing were Climbers ready for Kilimanjaro
He was carried on the bonnet for pushed into his face cutting his eye.
20 metres as the car went through Clive, still hampered by the in aid of genetic eye disease
a low wall, hitting a tree and damaged collar bone, said: “There’s
no question that if I wasn’t wearing
the helmet, I would have sustained
serious head injuries, perhaps worse.
“Luckily I was just about conscious
enough to ask somebody who came
to my rescue to call Amanda, my
wife, to tell her what had happened.
The paramedics turned up to
stabilise me before taking me and
Amanda to Great Western Hospital
where I had a CAT scan and an
X ray. Amazingly, after patching
me up they sent me home as the
hospital was ram-packed.”
Amanda said she and Clive had Ian Lawrence, Dan Hopkins and Becky Prince
Clive with his wrecked helment to take a taxi back to Covingham Three intrepid treckers set off for how the altitude will affect us.”
Tanzania in mid-October to climb Dan has quite limited peripheral
Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money vision and is registered as SSI
and awareness of the genetically (severely sight impaired), struggles
inherited disease Retinitis in crowded environments and is
Pigmentosa, for which is there is no virtually blind in the dark.
cure or treatment. Ian said: “We went to Ben Nevis
Ian Lawrence, Becky Prince and which was incredible preparation
their friend Daniel Hopkins who has for both of us. Because of RP, Dan
RP have been training hard over the found the terrain really difficult
last year as well as raising money to and I found it took a lot of
take part in the expedition. concentration communicating with
Ian said: “We’re all generally fit, him to ‘watch that boulder’ or ‘take
Becky is a tennis coach, I run, and the path on the right’ for over nine
Dan has been climbing the stairs hours.’”
of his house as well hiking up hills The team have reached their
around Wanborough where we live. fundraising targets but to boost the
“We’ve also been doing specific charity RP Fighting Blindness, go to
exercises, though you never know www.justgiving.com/IRLawrence
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