New Minibus presented at Charity Cricket Match

After we had done a lot of fundraising we were presented with a Ford Transit adapted minibus in the characteristic Lord’s Taverners green. The presentation was made at a charity cricket match, where wealthy donors could mingle with celebrities and members of the England cricket team.
kscan_0020Here Terry Wogan is chatting with Roy, who was our Chairman at the time, and a keen cricket fan.
kscan_0021Terry also signed autographs for fans. In the background you can see some members of the cricket team, and also the marquees, where tea and cakes were served.
 

Oxford Narrowboat Trust canal barge Venturer in 1996

Oxford Phab have had several wonderful holidays on board the Oxford Narrowboat Trust boat – The Venturer.
Steering-Venturer
 
Any of our members who wished had the opportunity to steer the craft.
A skipper came with the boat, and he knew the Thames very well, including all the places we could moor, and put down a ramp to get wheelchairs on and off. The boat has a lift, making the cabin, where slept, cooked, ate and sat around chatting accessible to all.
Venturer-interior
The large windows provide a good view from inside the cabin of swans, ducks, other wildlife and other boats.

Programme 1995

These old programme entries are here so prospective new members can see the things we have done in the past, and to bring back memories for those who took part.
6-Jan-1995 – Ordinary Club
2-Jun-1995 – Ordinary Club
9-Jun-1995 – Ordinary + video
11-Jun-1995 – Heartbeat Hike in London
16-Jun-1995 – Ordinary + Badminton
23-Jun-1995 – PAC AGM + Disco at Morris Motors Social Club
30-Jun-1995 – Caribbean Night – Myrtle’s Miraculous, Mouthwatering Morsels
7-Jul-1995 – Barbecue at Joe and Helen’s
15-Jul-1995 – Day trip to Thorpe Park
21-Jul-1995 – Trivial Pursuit and Ordinary Club
28-Jul- 1995 – Victoria Arms pub trip

6-Oct-1995 – Ordinary Club and Teresa and Mark will tell us about their round the world holiday

13-Oct-1995 – Games Marathon at Wesley Memorial

14-Oct-1995 (Sat) – Coffee Morning

20-Oct-1995 – Ordinary Club

27-Oct-1995 – Meal out at Longwall (Beefeater) Garsington Road, Cowley – 7pm start

3-Nov-1995 – Ordinary Club and Video Evening

10-Nov-1995 – Bowling at Aylesbury – 7:30pm

17-Nov-1995 – Murder Mystery Evening

24-Nov-1995 – A.G.M.

1-Dec-1995 – Ordinary Club and Badminton

8-Dec-1995 – Ordinary Club and Christmas Decorations

14-Dec-1995 – Carol Singing – 6pm at Wesley Memorial to sing in town

15-Dec-1995 – Ordinary Club

16-Dec-1995 – Coffee Morning

22-Dec-1995 – Christmas Dinner at Wesley Memorial

Programme 1994

These old programme entries are here so prospective new members can see the things we have done in the past, and to bring back memories for those who took part.
14-Oct-1994 – Ordinary Club, plus Murder Mystery and Suspense !!
15-Oct-1994 (Saturday) – Coffee Morning – please bring cakes and items to sell. 10am onwards. In the afternoon we are going to Alan Aubin’s Farewell party in Epson
21-Oct-1994 – Ordinary Club
28-Oct-1994 – Pub trip – The Britannia, London Road, Headington
4-Nov-1994 – Party to Celebrate Teresa and Mark’s marriage (please bring a pud or a salad). Disco
11-Nov-1994 – Cinema trip – you must tell Mary or Dot by Tuesday if you wish to go.
18-Nov-1994 – Ordinary Club (two babies due this week !!)
25-Nov-1994 – Chinese Meal at Wesley Memorial
2-Dec-1994 – Ordinary Club, plus something festive
9-Dec-1994 – Cake Making and Ordinary Club
10-Dec-1994 (Saturday) – Coffee Morning 10am – please support this fund raising event
16-Dec-1994 – Christmas meal – details to follow.
 

Programme 1993

These old programme entries are here so prospective new members can see the things we have done in the past, and to bring back memories for those who took part.
29-Jan-1993 – Ordinary Club (video evening)
5-Feb-1993 – Games Evening at Wesley Memorial
26-Feb-1993 – Birthday Party (Simon and Lucy) 6:30 to 8:00
26th to 28th Feb 1993 – Training weekend at Felbury House
5-Mar-1993 – Visit to Banbury PHAB club
12-Mar-1993 – Curry Evening at Wesley Memorial
13-Mar-1993 (Saturday) – Karaoke Night at Hounslow PHAB
19-Mar-1993 – Britannia Pub, Headington
2-Apr-1993 – Barn Dance at Wesley Memorial
2-Apr-1993 – Ordinary Club
16-Apr-1993 – Ordinary Club
Note that I don’t have a full programme for 1993 – I will update this post if I find more.

Annual Report

This poetic annual report was probably from 1993, as that is when Oxford Phab was registered as a charity. If I can find the date I will update it.

Its Oxford PHAB here
with all that we do
on Friday evenings
all year through.
Games evenings and videos
there's lots to be found
a hive of activity
and laughter all round
A film at the cinema
and outings to pubs
just for a drink
and maybe some grub.
A holiday most years
and trips to the coast
for a days excitement
is had by most.
Fundraising we need
we really must start
with street collections
and walks in the park.
To get a minibus
thats our main need
to gain independence
and freedom indeed.
Our main achievement
we're finally there
we've gained charity status
for people who care.
We meet at Wesley Mem
in New Inn Hall Street
in the centre of town
new members we'll greet.

Club Holiday in Holland

We had a club holiday in Holland from April 18th to 26th 1992.
We hired an accessible coach, which took us from Oxford to Harwich on the 18th. A little group of us went to the Captain’s Bar, where there was a good live group. We then boarded the ferry, travelling overnight to Hook of Holland.

Sunday 19th – arrival in Holland, Floriade and Ten Anker.

We awoke on the ferry at about 6am,  got up and had breakfast (bacon and eggs, for those who wanted). When to ferry arrived we left the ferry, boarded our coach and headed for Zoetermeer. There we were lucky enough to see the Floriade – an exhibition and garden festival which is only held every ten years, in a different location each time. The 1992 Floriade was on a huge site, large enough for us to lose some members, in those pre-mobile phone days, and then to lose the search party.

Map of the 1992 Floriade – click for more information and pictures from the official site.


There were massive displays of tulips and pansies, as well as exhibits from many countries and a tram to get us around.


Once we were all assembled our coach took us to Egmond aan Zee, where we unloaded outside Ten Anker.
 
Holland-Ten-AnkerTen Anker – where we stayed. It has been rebuilt, as you can see from Streetview, but the street is still there.
Unfortunately Ten Anker, the house we were staying at, was – to put it mildly – not very clean. We were also late in the day, so we rushed to the restaurant at the Lido, where we paid 50 Guilders per person  for a 2 course meal, for example soup and schnitzel with paprika (Zigeunerschnitzel). We then returned to Ten Anker to clean thoroughly, before finally turning in for the night.

Monday 20th –  Egmond aan Ze

Reg, our coach driver had a rest day, after all the driving he had been doing, so we explored Egmond aan Zee,
 
holland-jajJohn, Ann and Julie by the seaside in Holland.

Tuesday 21st – Madurodam

We took the coach to Madurodam, where we spent the day, returning to eat cauliflower cheese.

Wednesday 22nd – Amsterdam

We had a little trouble parking in Amsterdam, but succeeded, and visited the Vincent Van Gogh Museum, walked to Leidseplein, and went on a boat trip on the canals.

Thursday 23rd – Zaanse Schans

As we were in Holland we had to see Windmills and Zaanse Schans is the place to do it.

John and Janet strolling round the preserved buildings

Friday 24th – Alkmaar and Bowling

Another Dutch speciality is cheese, and the best place to experience this is the cheese market at Alkmaar. I think we then visited Spaarndam and saw the statue of the of the boy plugging the dike with his finger. In the evening we went bowling, followed by a disco.

Saturday 25th – Aquarium, pancakes and partying

We visited the Aquarium at Bergen aan Zee, then returned to Egmond, to go into town and have real Dutch pancakes. We then did some tiding and had a party.

Sunday 26th – Cleaning and return to England

We made sure Ten Anker was spick and span before we left, had breakfast in town, and drove to Hook of Holland. We returned on the Stena Line MV Koningin Beatrix to Harwich, and finally back to Oxford.

Programme 1990

These old programme entries are here so prospective new members can see the things we have done in the past, and to bring back memories for those who took part.
16-Mar-1990 – General Club Evening
23rd-Mar-1990 – Drinks at the Shotover Arms (meals at the bar if you want one) 7:30pm – 11pm
23-Mar-1990 – Pizza evening at Phab
30-Mar-1990 – General Club Evening
6-Apr-1990 – Drinks at The Bystander Inn (meals at the bar if you want one) 7:30pm – 11pm
13-Apr-1990 – Good Friday – no Phab
20-Apr-1990 – Get ready for Jumble Sale and Coffee Morning
21-Apr-1990 – Jumble Sale and Coffee Morning (Could every club member bring some JUMBLE)
27-Apr-1990 – General Club Evening
4-May-1990 – General Club Evening
6-May-1990 (Sunday) – Car Boot Sale at the Oxsrad Sport Centre
7-May-1990 (Bank Holiday Monday) – Heartbeat Hike in London (Sponsor forms from Mark)
11-May-1990 – General Club Evening
18-May-1990 – Robin’s Birthday
20-May-1990 (Sunday) – Telethon ’90 Games Marathon
25-May-1990 – General Club Evening