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May 2024 May 2024

BERE REGIS SCOUTS I left college in 1962 and joined the Met Office as an observer. After initial training
in London I was posted to RAF Little Rissington on the Cotswolds. It was here that a
certain young lady spotted me as I emerged from the Flying Wing building to look
up at the sky estimating the cloud height. Diana thought I was some kind of poet
Big Bere Breakfasts or philosopher as I looked upwards in a bemused state coming to grips with my
newfound skill. She was persuaded by her work colleague to go and sell me some
Prior to the amazing Scout expedition to Borneo last year, the participants, all raffle tickets and to this day I swear that she won me in a raffle!
Explorer Scouts, helped raise money with the hugely successful monthly Borneo
Breakfasts. The next expedition, planned for Nepal, is some years away and The rest is history as they say, and we have been happily married for 60 years this
fundraising hasn’t started yet. year. She has been the love of my life ever since and I must say it takes a very
special person to put up with me! We married in 1964 and spent our first three
The Borneo Breakfasts not only
raised funds, but also became a years in a caravan. Samantha our eldest daughter soon arrived and I managed to
very popular social event for the subsidise my modest met office salary by doing some part-time gardening for the
local squire. We eventually sited our caravan on a beautiful park overlooking a
community. Hence, this year, a
bunch of oldies, who call lovely Cotswold valley. However, facilities were very basic and we were pumping
themselves “Recycled Scouts and water from a well until mains water arrived.
Guides”, have taken up the In 1968 my father fell gravely ill and I was given a compassionate posting back to
challenge of putting on a North Devon to be near him in his final months. We were able to buy our first
monthly breakfast, thus raising bungalow and really felt we were moving up in the world. It was soon after that
funds for the Scout Group, and Diana became an Avon lady. She called on the wife of the Area Manager for
providing that all important social Betterwear who promptly offered her a job selling brushes mops and polishes. I
gathering. joined her on her first day and found that I was quite effective in the job. So much
so that a few months later I was offered the Area Manger’s job for Dorset which is
why we came to live in Bere Regis in 1970.

For us our time here in Dorset has been a very special part of our lives. We have
The April ‘Big Bere Breakfast’ saw made so many good friends and done so many happy and joyous things together.
the team serve 130 breakfasts We have put down roots and have been made to feel so much part of the
and raise a profit of over £400! community. Miranda was born in 1972 and our family was complete. Family has
been so important to us both and our wonderful grandchildren Danny, Evie and
The ‘Big Bere Breakfast’ is held Robert have brought us great joy!
every month (except August and
December) on the 2 Saturday I was soon to change jobs again joining Canada Life and spending the next 35
nd
from 9am to 1130am at the years in the insurance industry. It was a job I embraced and loved. Many clients
Scout Hut. A full range of became good friends, and I was able to build a rewarding career leading the
breakfasts are served from the company on a couple of occasions. I loved it!
monster Full Breakfast to light My interest in swimming was still there and I started playing water polo first for the
bites on toast and vegetarian newly formed Blandford team and then down in the River Brit for Bridport. I also
options, ranging in price from £3 had a few years playing for Bournemouth. I joined the PTA at the Bere Regis
to £7.50. Payment can be by Primary School and encouraged by teachers Bryan Clarke and Jane Phillips took
cash or card. the first of my swimming teacher’s qualifications. But what was I to do with these

Come and join us next on Saturday 11 May. new-found skills? Form the Bere Regis Swimming Club of course! I had already
th
been teaching swimming at the school when I put posters up in the village inviting
Ian Ventham everyone to a meeting at the school in 1976. Enough people turned up to that
inaugural meeting for the Bere Regis Swimming Club to be born and for the next

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