Tabler Magazine Winter 2015 by Round Table

MAGAZINE FOR THE WORLD’S GREATEST YOUNG MEN’S CLUB

Bond is back!

EIGHT-PAGE SPECIAL ON THE SUPER SPY

Small screen stars

TABLERS SHINE ON BBC HIT SHOWS

A year at the top

JT ON BEING RTI PRESIDENT

Feeling festive?

SLEIGH TIPS PLUS XMAS GIFTS AND TIPPLES

Plus much more in your award-winning Tabler magazine RTI Magazine of the Year 2015 Autumn 2015

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Autumn 2015 Welcome to the latest edition of the award-winning Tabler! Round Table International bestowed that honour upon us in the summer – and it’s one we aim to live up to! On the back of Discover Month, the new promotional advert and video, we’re continuing to put Round Table firmly on the map and in the minds of the public. Tables and Tablers will be at their most visible over the next two months with firework displays, Children in Need collections, Movember parties and then Santa Sleigh runs as Round Table members and the Round Table family come out in force. We think nothing of giving up our time for others, and this past month RTBI has made significant strides for the army of volunteers, which you can read about in Table news. We’re also focusing on icons – with a homage to the quintessential Brit James Bond in the week Spectre hits the big screen. Our own icon Marcus Jones shares his passion for one of Britain’s best-loved vehicles, while international icon JT reflects on his year at RTI President. There’s also a few festive treats in this edition plus the regular round-up of news from Tables, RTCW and the RT Family. Have a great Christmas and see you in 2016! Macca

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Publisher Round Table Editor: Lee McLaughlan

Editorial Editor: 0121 456 4402 Phone: 0121 456 4402 Fax: 0121 456 4185 Email: media@roundtable.org.uk

Contributors Spencer Burrell Nicole Carroll Steve Cross Marcus Jones Lee McLaughlan Nicola Pinder Harry Prince Karen Winchcombe Stuart George

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All material appearing in Tabler magazine is copyright unless otherwise stated or copyright may rest with the provider of the supplied material. Tabler magazine takes care to ensure information is accurate at the time of printing, but the publisher accepts no responsiblity or liability for the accuracy of any information contained in the text or advertisements. Views expressed are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher or the editor.

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Tabler AutumnEdition 3

SUPER MIRFIELD GO SALO OR BUST

ST AUSTELL ROUND TABLE’S ANNUAL BANGER RALLY FROM CORNWALL TO SOME EUROPEAN HOT SPOT WAS ANOTHER HIT AS HUNDREDS TOOK PART IN A RANGE OF MOTORS AND FANCY DRESS! Mirfield Round Tablers took the plunge in an old Rover and dressed in Super Mario outfits – much to the amusement of half of Europe. The quartet of Reuben Baker, Karl Ashford, Paul Blakely and Rob Grooby (who wanted to celebrate his 40th birthday in style) revved up a £150 Rover 75 2.0 CDTi, which had just 65,000 miles on the clock. It breezed the 3,000-mile journey, taking them through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Austria and back through Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France and finally England.

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Reuben said: “We struggled to find suitable costumes and decided on our choice at the very last minute. Mario seemed very fitting with having two tall thin people, and two shorter, chunkier people! Everywhere we went we ended up with people asking for selfies though (I bet we had no fewer than 30 at the Eiffel Tower). It was almost like we were celebrities in Paris!

“As with most cars carrying three or four people, space is limited. It’s amazing how much you can fit in the boot of a Rover 75 though. The finishing party on Monday night saw momentous amounts of alcohol and food consumed. I don’t think anyone can fault the Italians’ ability to make a fantastic pizza, and some great beer to wash it down.

“We’ve been recognised by every single culture, with people waving and asking questions throughout the entire journey! In all, the experience has been totally out of this world. There’s been some incredibly long days, and some very short sleeps – we had three hours kip on the first night (ferry crossing).

“The party went on late into the night, and I’m not aware of one single falling out – the Round Table does seem great at achieving this. For anyone considering doing it, I think all four of us would certainly say – just do it! We’ll certainly be back!”

“We all came on this journey with good expectations, but it has been better than we ever expected.

MEMBERSHIP SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS, OR QUESTIONS WELCOME ON 07828 192415 OR EMAIL MEMBERSHIP@ROUNDTABLE.ORG.UK.

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ROUND TABLE (RTBI) HAS ENTERED A NEW ERA AFTER AN AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH GROUP MEMBERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS (NCVO). The Association has also secured agreements with sister organisations in Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Discussions are ongoing for Tables in Scotland. The move is an important development for RTBI as in addition to recognising the contribution Tablers make to their communities, it establishes RTBI’s credentials as a leading organisation in the voluntary sector, and provides significant benefits to individual members and Tables. NCVO alone has 11,000 member organisations and champions the voluntary sector and volunteering, providing expert support and advice. Group membership means that every individual Tabler can enjoy the benefits of membership. In practice this means free access to a huge library of

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GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

Tabler AutumnEdition 5

CITY SLICKERS WE ALL LOVE A BIT OF A PUDSEY AND THIS YEAR WILL BE NO DIFFERENT AS THE ROUND TABLE FAMILY JOIN FORCES IN THE ANNUAL COLLECTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE SECOND BUSINESS NETWORKING CLUB FOR ROUND TABLE WAS LAUNCHED IN BIRMINGHAM IN SEPTEMBER.

This year will also see Tablers from Area 14 officially take on a Guinness World Record as they aim to paint 750 faces in just four hours with a team of five. Trial runs have been done and the guys are ready with 680 needed to take the record but Area chairman Lee Freeley has set them a stiff test.

The club follows a successful scheme in Norwich which regularly sees over 70 blokes meeting once a month to network and socialise. The brainchild of Andrew Kerry of North Walsham and District Round Table has been adopted by Round Table HQ and we hope to launch a number of clubs in the next few months.

As ever, the BBC are indebted to the support we provide in raising thousands and backing the Rickshaw Challenge. But not all the cash raised gets credited to us so BBC Partnership assistant Laura Mills has provided details. Pudsey is back once again and this year, we’re asking Tablers around the country to rise to our fundraising challenge. Over the years, we have had some issues ‘tracking’ the money you have donated. Do not fear, this does not mean we have not received your money, it just means we cannot add it to the official Round Table overall total. This year it would be great to track all the Round Table money, get a fantastic Round Table total and give you the recognition you truly deserve. THERE ARE A FEW EASY WAYS OF DOING THIS: 1. Pay in the money you raise at your local Coinstar machine, using stealth code 1081. Find your nearest machine at www.coinstar.co.uk 2. Use the paying-in slips on the fundraising packs assigned to Round Table. These can be obtained from Caleb Watson (caleb.rt776@googlemail.com). Please note, if you are using a paying-in slip from a fundraising pack not assigned to Round Table we will not be able to track it. 3. If you are paying in money in any other way, please email Pudsey@bbc.co.uk with all the details of the payment and state you are from a Round Table club. The more details we have, the easier it is to track!

The Birmingham launch saw members and non-members alike listen to former National Membership Officer and Solihull Round Tabler Brad Parkes give a talk on public speaking. Details of future business club meetings can be found at www.roundtable.co.uk/business-clubs If you interested in starting a business lunch club in your area, contact Richard Holland on Membership@roundtable.org.uk

CAN YOU BACK THE RICKSHAW CHALLENGE? YET AGAIN THE ONE SHOW WILL BE RUNNING THIS ANNUAL EVENT WHICH SEES PRESENTERS AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE BENEFITTED FROM CHILDREN IN NEED RIDE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND TO THE BBC STUDIOS IN LONDON. At the end of each day Tablers and the RT family have been on hand to help boost the coffers and witness the One Show presented live (at some locations). This year’s route and end-of-day destinations all in November are as follows. Drop the comms team a message if you can support this and we’ll let the right people know! Fri 6th – Padstow Sun 8th – Taunton Tue 10th – Winchester Thur 12th – Chatham

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Sat 7th – Okehampton Mon 9th – Bristol Wed 11th – Brighton Fri 13th – Elstree

RECORD YEAR FOR

SLEAFORD BEER FESTIVAL GLASSES WERE BEING RAISED TO TOAST THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BEER FESTIVAL YET AFTER MORE THAN £15,000 WAS RAISED – SMASHING ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS. Now in its fifth year – and second in the town – the Sleaford Beer Festival saw more than 2,500 locals come flooding to sample the range of beers on offer over two days. The event, which saw more than 50 volunteers lend a hand, also saw the launch of the SHOCK Sleaford campaign in training people how to use defibrillators. This was run by East Midlands Ambulance Service and saw 30 people trained in how to use these life-saving devices. And there was keen interest in the ‘Drivers 4 Defibs’ calendar that went on sale featuring a number of naked truckers from the area. Proceeds from these calendars have funded two more units. The event included a beer festival with a selection of 40 real ales, 19 ciders and four continental beers on tap.

Basildon’s George Petty became RTBI’s youngest Tabler when inducted on his 18th birthday in July by National Vice President Mark House. Have you got a young lad joining Round Table in a special way? Let the Tabler magazine team know by emailing Media@roundtable.org.uk

Tablers…

lend me your ears! EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ROUND TABLE BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK – THAT’S THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF THE FORUMS. It is early days for the Regional Forums, but the feedback has been excellent. Those who have attended have left energised from the sessions, having discovered, learned and shared experiences with fellow Tablers. Filling in gaps on the history of Round Table, creating programme ideas, learning new communication skills and having the chance to understand the 10-year strategy and role the board and the team at Marchesi House play in delivering that. It is also a great open forum to discuss issues like the age rule, honorary members and capitation. What has become evident is that many Tablers want to find out what support they can get for their Table, their Area and also themselves, and how they can help one another. We all know that Round Table means different things to different people, but it is clear from our initial visits to the Regions we are all very proud to be members of this great Association. The first tranche of forums ended in October and we are listening as we look at options for presenting on Table nights as well as weekends. Details of the 2016 schedule will be released in due course but members are urged to attend and make the most out of their membership. Please look out for emails and letters from the National Programme Committee about Regional Forums near you in the next few months. Tabler AutumnEdition 7

BOOTS AND BIKE AT THE READY DIG OUT YOUR HIKING BOOTS AND WASH OFF LAST YEAR’S MUD FROM YOUR BIKE AS HIKE & BIKE IS BACK FOR 2016. Billed as the ‘best value Round Table weekend away’, the lads from Area 9 (Yorkshire to the rest of us) are ready to lay siege to a small section of Derbyshire from 24th–26th April. Hike a few miles (18 to be exact), solving the challenges and clues and then do it all again the next day but on a bike – and you do it in teams as well just to make it a real humdinger. Priced at just £115 per entrant (Yorkshire remember), this gets two nights in the YHA Castleton Centre, packed lunches on Saturday and Sunday, plus a meal on the Saturday night. Places are filling fast – so saddle up and book your space. You can find out more by searching Area 9 Hike and Bike on Facebook or email rabakeruk@hotmail.com

WHAT DID WE DISCOVER? THE CURTAIN HAS COME DOWN ON THE FIRST DISCOVER ROUND TABLE MONTH, WHICH SAW 58 CLUBS TAKE PART IN THIS YEAR’S EVENT.

A significant start that also included the biggest marketing and promotional campaign undertaken by the Association in a number of years, with a range of platforms across social, outdoor and traditional media. This came on the back of a national survey of men aged 18–45 across the UK and Ireland that revealed only 27 per cent were aware that Round Table was a male-only organisation.

The campaign also witnessed the launch of a 30-second TV-ready advert, that has been shown to more than 100,000 viewers on the Community Channel and had 35,000 views on YouTube.

The video was launched in Norwich, in the building where the very first meeting of Norwich Round Table took place.

More than 32,000 men aged 20–40 received promotional texts, Telegraph Man ran an article with more than 1,000 shares and both Facebook and Twitter saw Round Table heavily promoted.

AND NEXT YEAR WE’LL DO IT ALL AGAIN – A MONTH DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION OF ROUND TABLE WITH MORE CLUBS INVOLVED AND FEELING THE BENEFIT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE HASHTAG #DISCOVERROUNDTABLE ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO LIKEWISE TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM. IF YOUR CLUB DIDN’T TAKE THE PLUNGE THIS YEAR, THEN BE SURE TO TAKE PART IN SEPTEMBER 2016.

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Ready,

Steady, Grow! MOVEMBER WILL BE MARKED BY ROUND TABLE’S VERY OWN PIRATE ANDREW SIMMONDS TAKING PART IN HIS VERY FIRST RUN – AFTER UNDERGOING HOURS OF TRAINING. National Community Development Officer Simmo has been using his connections with Conference table-toppers Forest Green Rovers to get in peak condition for the 10k MoRun event in Bristol on 14th November. A new diet of Quorn, abandoning the booze and hours of training have paved the way. Simmo said: “For a while now I have been wanting to set myself a physical challenge. Working hard every day in the property management business, spending time at home with my family and Tabling is great but I wanted to do something outside of my comfort zone and when I heard about the

MoRun in November, supporting men’s health, I thought I’d give it a go. “To be honest I’ve never run for a bus so a 10k run is a big deal and I knew I’d need some serious help. As a proud sponsor of Forest Green Rovers FC they were the first place I turned and luckily they agreed to help train me. “The serious point to this is to encourage participation in these events, not only to raise vital charitable funds, but also to raise awareness for men’s health and wellbeing. It’s also an excuse to shed some pounds and get a little fitter. “I’m raising funds for Round Table Children’s Wish. If you feel generous, donate via www.virginmoneygiving.com/simmo”.

AREA 14 VICE CHAIRMAN DR ADAM CONNOR IS LEADING THE DRIVE TO HOST MOVEMBER PARTIES. HE HAS GOT THE BACKING OF THE CHARITY, WHO WILL PROMOTE ROUND TABLE AND GUIDE ANYONE WHO HAS GROWN A TASH TO THESE CELEBRATORY EVENTS. So, are you up for hosting a party and boosting awareness of Round Table? This is a community service project with a strong element of membership opportunity – plenty of good news and social media feeds in this one! To get involved, email Adam Connor on dradamconnor@gmail.com with subject MOVEMBER.

NEW MEMBER BENEFITS STRUCK A GREAT DEAL OF WORK IS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES AT ROUND TABLE HQ TO PROVIDE EVEN BETTER VALUE FOR YOUR ROUND TABLE MEMBERSHIP. This past month two deals have been struck with leading ‘experience’ retail Red Letter Days and Go Outdoors. The deal with Red Letter Days sees members receiving a discount of 15% off their products (excluding existing offers and promotions). To benefit simply enter the code ROUND15 on their website redletterdays.co.uk. Go Outdoors, the UKs biggest outdoor store, is offering members an extra 10 per cent discount off the discount card price on goods. Show your Round Table membership card in stores or mention your membership number when calling 0330 008 1555. Tabler AutumnEdition 9

BIG WHEELS

KEPT ON TURNING! STARTING AT THE FALKIRK WHEEL COULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE FOR A BUNCH OF FUNDRAISING CYCLISTS RIDING ALL THE WAY TO LAND’S END. The ride, in aid of Anthony Nolan, featured former Tablers who are now members of Larbert & Falkirk 41 Club. The challenge was all the more special given the fact that a past Falkirk Round Tabler who joined the Anthony Nolan register at a clinic we ran back in 2006 became a match for someone in 2012. We were very fortunate to meet the recipient on our cycle ride at Warrington Wolves rugby league ground, while he and his family have since come up to Falkirk to meet the donor for the first time. We have already had an article published in the Anthony Nolan magazine and the full details of our trip are displayed on our website at www.falkirkroundtable.co.uk/Pages/Charity-Cycle.aspx. You will see also on this page a video of our trip which is well worth a watch if you have 30 minutes to spare!

Fancy a trip to France, Romania, Holland, Germany or even Southern Africa? Then you’re in luck as IRO Studley has a free place on offer to attend one of their AGMs in 2016. These are incredible opportunities to meet like-minded Tablers and have one of the best experiences of your time in Round Table. If you want be in the draw to get a free place then email international@roundtable.org.uk

However, if you fancy a taste of European Tabling sooner then why not book into CTM, which is being held in Luxembourg in January?

It’s a great way to kick start 2016. www.ctm2016.lu

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NEVER BEEN TO CONFERENCE? YOUR FIRST ONE IS ALWAYS THE MOST MEMORABLE AS NOTHING BEATS BEING A CONFERENCE VIRGIN (AND HOW OFTEN CAN MANY OF US SAY WE’RE VIRGINS NOWADAYS?)

After stewarding at Cardiff Conferences in the noughties (in return for a free party pass) and seeing what fun they were, I never ventured as far as paying to attend. ‘Regrettably’ because having seen how much fun they were, I never got as far as paying to attend until Torquay and now lament my wasted years.

I remember my first one…though it is a tad vague! The evidence is the photos taken by the phone fairy – because you couldn’t possibly/would never [delete as applicable] have taken them – and the varied contents of the Conference welcome pack, supplemented by the cream of the Conference freebies. My first ‘proper’ Conference was Torquay in 2012, which I attended in true ‘Ponty Boy’ style – four to a room, with a change of Travelodge on the third night because the price went up by a tenner.

And the lessons from Torquay? 1 some Tablers are far too accomplished at prancing around in stockings and high heels 2 no matter how thinly you spread the cost of a Travelodge room, it is never worth it 3 never miss the opportunity to go to Conference – it is the best Tabling weekend, bar none.

I’ve never missed another one since! So what will Cŵl Cymru 2016 in Cardiff bring next year? A great conference venue, two stunning 4* hotels (one of which has already been booked up) and the chance to immerse yourself in Welsh culture. Booking for National Conference - Cŵl Cymru 2016 – is now open at www.cwlcymru.com. My advice is don’t delay. So what of the Torquay Chilli? Those who attended may recall packets of chilli seeds amongst the freebies. I discovered mine lurking at the bottom of a rucksack about 12 months later and into a pot they went. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened and the pot languished on the windowsill, forgotten by all (me) except the houseplant watering fairy. A further 12 months or so later, amazingly, a green shoot appeared. This developed into a straggly, stringy, uninspiring green thingy – but no self-respecting chilli was ever going to be seen on there. Incredibly, yet another 12 months later a single flower turned into a tiny red chilli. It was replaced a few weeks later with a proliferation of flowers – well, four. I was surprised by the discovery of a humungous green chilli lurking amongst the leaves!! The question? To consign it to the next con carne to grace the George household, or wait to see if it turns red??!! Answers on your Conference booking form please! For those of you who have never made it to Conference, don’t wait to see if it turns red – get yourself booked in. To those who know that Conference is a great weekend – see you in May! Stuart Gerorge Conference 2016 Chairman

1st - 4th September 2016

one night - £169 two nights - £219 three nights - £259

In 2016, RTBI's annual sporting weekend is coming to Oxford – the home of so many great stories. Area 50 Isis look forward to welcoming you to create our own story ofEarly fun,bird fellowship and maybe play a few sports too. discount for first 100 RTBI bookings Punting

FRIDAY Just 25 remain. Golf Real Tennis £20 refund when payment is made.

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Tabler AutumnEdition 11

AREA 35 TABLERS GRAB THEIR PASSPORTS AS THEY EMBARKED ON THEIR FIRST ‘AREA’ INTERNATIONAL TRIP TO KRAKOW IN POLAND. While a number of Tables have gone to foreign shores (City of Birmingham recently went to India, Shirley are active in World 94 and Solihull are off to Barcelona in February), there had never been an Area trip. Expertly led and organised by Sherpa Charlie Eurell (CoB Chairman), the trip involved four days of entertainment in the Polish city, to which Charlie is a frequent visitor – however it hasn’t improved his Polish! His knowledge of the city’s nightlife was impeccable with some excellent bars visited throughout the four days. Highly recommended for a quality night out is the Jewish Quarter, while CK Brower is renowned for its 5-litre pipes of beer (of which four were consumed)! During the stay we had a tour of the famous salt mines which was followed by some macho gun shooting including an AK-47, an Uzi and an MP5. If you were inclined there

was also a World War Two sniper rifle and also a genuine ‘Dirty Harry’ Magnum .44. An hour away is Auschwitz, where the true horrors of World War Two are revealed. On the final day we conducted our own city tour on ‘mobility’ scooters. The sight of 11 guys rip-roaring around the old city and the castle and formation driving must have left the locals bemused. It added up to a memorable weekend, with talk of 2016 already in the offing and to a venue with a Round Table to boot! We all roomed together in a hostel (none of this luxury nonsense), which kept the cost to a bargain for all the tours, transport and accommodation. Cheap as dumplings, as the Poles might say.

NO PASSWORD – #FACT ARE YOUR DETAILS CORRECT? LOG IN TO MEMBERS AREA NOW.ON 0121 456 4402. HESI HOUSE NO WORRIES USE YOUR FACEBOOK PROFILE. STILL STUCK? CALL MARC

12 Tabler AutumnEdition

HOUSE

ABOUT THAT THEN! YOU CAN’T HELP BUT LOVE KEITH LEMON AND HIS TAKE ON THROUGH THE KEYHOLE – HAVING A NOSE AROUND THE HOMES OF THE RICH AND NOT-SO FAMOUS. SO WE THOUGHT WE’D TRY OURSELVES, ALTHOUGH WITHOUT TRYING ON THE OWNER’S UNDERWEAR! It’s not quite Hello! – but we did find this gem of a house, owned by a genuine rocker, actually up for sale if you have a few bob spare!

Of course, it wouldn’t be a perfect house if it didn’t have a bar, so pull up a stool in ‘The Horse and Cart’ and enjoy a pint within staggering distance of your bed.

Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris is putting his eight-bedroom Essex mansion up for sale if you want to a live a genuine rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.

There are ales on tap and a full range of spirits (obviously you’d have to buy them!). It also has a pool table.

The house dates back to 1427, and while it does retain some very traditional features which may not be to all tastes – this Grade II listed house comes with all the modern comforts a rock star requires. Inside the house it is a veritable fun palace, so it could be hired out for lavish parties or the odd stag do or six. It could even hold a mini-NSW given the facilities! It boasts a very impressive games room with air hockey, a pinball machine and an array of arcade games that would give most man caves a run for their money. It also has its own cinema to watch whatever kind of movie takes your fancy. It has a media room and, given it’s a rock and roller’s house, an editing suit.

The more energetic can indulge in the gym or the incredibly ornate swimming pool to let off some steam. Outdoors… well, there’s plenty on offer given it has nine acres of land. Steve is a huge football fan and was actually scouted for West Ham as a youngster. No issues holding a match here as it has a full-sized football pitch which features home and away dressing rooms. If you’re good enough, you could even join his own football team – The Maidonians. However, if football isn’t your thing, then pop along to the floodlit tennis court or mooch around the stables. If you’re interested, the house is currently up for £3,950,000, which is a steal compared to the £7,000,000 price tag it was given back in 2012. Apparently Steve spends too much time abroad so has no purpose for his Essex mansion hence, the huge price cut, so why not grab a bargain? If you fancy making an offer then contact Hamptons on 01483 572864

Tabler AutumnEdition 13

. . . s i s a m t s i r h C r All I want fo

e l S a t n a Sa AS WE LURCH TOWARDS CHRISTMAS FASTER THAN A EUROSTAR TRAIN LEAVING CALAIS, MORE THAN 100 TABLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE GEARING UP TO GET SANTA AND HIS ELVES READY FOR ACTION. FOR ONE TABLE IT’LL BE A JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR FIRST YEAR ON THE ROAD HAVING SPENT HALF OF THE YEAR BUILDING A SLEIGH. CHIEF ELF STEVE CROSS UNWRAPS THE NEWEST GIFT TO THE GOOD PEOPLE OF WINCHESTER… Deprived of watching Clarkson, May and Hammond create amazing vehicles out of heaps of scrap, several members of Winchester Round Table have taken it upon themselves to bring a Tabling tradition back to the self-titled ‘UK Christmas Capital’.

How have we done it? Taking #domore to the extreme, we travelled the country to test drive milk floats at a dairy in Leicester, ‘borrowed’ a local fire engine and firemen to cut it up, engaged with 41 Club to build the wooden frame, learnt how to wire outside electrics, sourced a life-sized prancing reindeer for the front, got laughed off the phone by many insurance companies and learnt just how solid a historic vehicle can be. We rein(deer)’d in the costs Costing around £1,500 all in, we’ve been immensely grateful to local construction firms, bus operators, car breakers and electricians who have donated most of the costs, and for the huge amount of patience and support available for people to teach us practical skills.

We’ve spent most of the summer designing, sourcing and constructing the city’s first-ever Santa Sleigh to help raise more money for charity on top of our annual fireworks, to support more local causes and raise awareness of Winchester RT.

With top speeds of 13mph (well, before we added all that wood) it’s hardly worthy of the Top Gear test track, but it’s something that will hopefully inspire a few very young guys staring out of their windows wondering who on earth these blokes bringing Santa Claus down the street are – just like they did for me in the 90s.

A milk float was acquired as the chariot of choice and we can’t wait for the vehicle that used to carry white stuff to be driving through flutters and snowballs of a slightly different kind.

I was told we used to learn our practical skills from the elder males in our family, but with the way the world’s changing, that might be the future place for Round Table through our charitable challenges.

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. h g ei Top Tips for Budding Elves: * Engage with your local community There’s connections, skills and an abundance of free materials available if you look in the right places and keep asking. We’ve found so many people who are willing to be a part of creating something even when we’re not all Handy Andys. And it’s helped us find lots of charities that we can help too. * Build for the future If you’re going to put in lots of effort, make it worthwhile. We’ve spent more time and money creating something that will last for 5–10 years, but the next few years will be so much easier as we’ve got everything planned and in place. Each year a bloke can easily take charge, follow the spreadsheet actions and make this happen without much effort at all. * Know that no is never an answer ‘You have nowhere to store it’, ‘you don’t have the skills’, ‘they’ll never let you drive it on the roads’, ‘you can’t afford to do it’ – well, Tablers across the UK have done it all before, and so can you. Take your idea forward and uncover all the solutions. * Talk to Tablers Most of us are guilty of not looking outside our own Table regularly. We’ve spent ages on Facebook, meeting Tablers, phoning 41 club members, asking for as much advice as we can and everyone is happy to help and share. *** Is your Table running a Santa Sleigh this year? Then let us know so we can offer addition PR support. Email comms.officer@roundtable.org.uk with subject Santa Sleigh.

Steve Cross has devised a new app for all Santa Sleighs. Don’t miss an opportunity to spread the festive joy this December.

iReindeer? Download the App Help raise even more funds for your Santa Sleigh charities by using the new RT Santa Sleigh app. Download it this winter for your Android and iPhone devices, and the exact position of your sleigh will be updated every few minutes automatically using GPS positioning, just like the sat nav in your car. You can post updates directly to Facebook and Twitter or include an embedded map on your website, making sure local residents know exactly when they can expect Santa Claus outside their windows. Enhance the magic of Christmas by getting even more people in your community to look out for Santa Claus and your charity collections, and help us build a live map of Santa Sleighs in the UK. Don’t forget to make the most of your sleigh by connecting with local people using social media, including lots of hashtags and tagging local news feeds. You can download the app from 1st December from the Apple Store and Google Play Store. Tabler AutumnEdition 15

RTI president DON’T FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH!

WITH THE PASSPORT, WASHBAG AND SUITCASE NOW TAKING A REST, TABLER CAUGHT UP WITH OUR VERY OWN JASON THOMSON (JT) TO REFLECT ON HIS PAST YEAR AS ROUND TABLE INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT. Now you’ve had a couple of months to take stock, sum up the past year as RTI president and how it has developed you? I feel that I have improved in my knowledge of RT personally, also it has actually made me a more relaxed person as in I don’t get stressed so easily these days and I think it’s because of all the experiences and challenges of the year. How does it differ from being RTBI president? The most obvious is the fact that RTI is a small board covering a vast area of the world, the communications across the world are different and the vast planning required for the travelling. However, I think the biggest difference is the traditions, not only of each Association but of the countries and the communities you visit.

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In some quarters you’ve picked up the nickname ‘world God’ but it seems apt as many nations treat the role with reverence. How do you feel about that?

Israel for the amazing experiences

On all Association visits I was well looked after and some would treat my arrival at an event with great and overwhelming reverence!

Your year was impacted by the Nepal earthquake and the All4Nepal campaign. Tell us more and what’s the latest?

Tabler is going to put you on the spot, but what were the top five moments of the year? This is very difficult and something I get asked a lot. Every trip had a special memory/experience for me but if you’re forcing me to choose (yes we are! Ed.) Nepal trip, especially afternoon tea with the President of Nepal in his home My Asia tour across Singapore, Sri Lanka and then India

Russia and meeting future Tablers and new Association Sweden and the World Meeting

This was a significant disaster that we all heard about. I created the All4Nepal campaign idea by joining together six organisations for the biggest collaboration ever. There is the RT Family worldwide plus Agora and WoCo Foundation. This is a campaign to rebuild the education system and with donations, pin badge purchases and other initiatives we are just about to hit €300,000.000, which again is a significant milestone in the history of fundraising globally like this.

Currently we are building temporary learning centres to get children back into classrooms. These buildings will then be made into full classroom buildings. We are also reviewing schools that have received damage to see if we can repair them or if they need knocking down and rebuilding. This is a slow process but we are making a great impact with many schools already back in the education stream, so keep the money coming in and help make a difference by educating the future of Nepal by going to www.all4nepal.org

Round Table is growing around the globe. Can you tell us more? The Round Table movement is growing with some great extension work that’s been happening and we have many new potential Associations being worked with like Russia, Canada, Australia and Spain for instance. RT India is the fastest growing Association, having opened 20 new clubs in the last year. Even after the disaster in Nepal, these Tablers still keep producing amazing Tabling and I had the honour of bringing 22 guys into a new club – yes 22 – which is the most I have ever inducted at once!

Finally, as an organisation, how is RTI relevant to RTBI and every member? In many ways, it helps with the governance and supporting the Association, as well as developing Association to Association experiences. International Tabling is something that takes Tabling to another level. It is out there for every member and I strongly encourage every member to go and attend an international event. I promise you won’t regret it and you will get experiences and memories above possibilities as a tourist and make friends in places you didn’t think possible. Tablers that have travelled always say, ‘I wish I had done this earlier’ – don’t be one of them!

TRAVEL stats Countries visited

29 countries

a, Miles travelled? No ide

but 36 trips in my year… Unbelievably none. Bags lost?

er lost I’ve been lucky as I’ve nev elling a bag in any of my RT trav rs! yea the r ove Days abroad?

165 days out of the UK.

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NOTHING TO FEAR IN THE DEN VERY FEW FACE THE DRAGONS AND COME AWAY HAVING NOT BEING SINGED! BUT DEESIDE ROUND TABLER STEVE SHICKELL NOT ONLY MANAGED TO SURVIVE IN THE FACE OF THE MULTI-MILLIONAIRES BUT ALSO CAME AWAY HAVING SNARED ONE OF THEM AND A SIX-FIGURE INVESTMENT IN THE MAGLOC DOG LEAD CONNECTOR. STEVE AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER TONY GARLICK WERE THE LAST ENTREPRENEURS TO ENTER THE DEN IN THE RECENT SERIES OF THE HIT BBC TV SHOW AND HE LIFTS THE LID ON THE PROCESS FROM SENDING THE APPLICATION THROUGH TO GOING TOE-TO-TOE WITH THE DRAGONS. The Beginnings

The Pitch

In applying we were either brave or mad! Tony and I have been working on the product for four years while also holding down full-time jobs. I’m a UK sales manager and can be all over the country working 80 hours a week so having time to work and sell Magloc was difficult.

We went back to Manchester for the show in April and were in for filming from 6.45am. There were five pitches in all that day. You are all in the same room and one by one you get called through. Once they’re gone you don’t see them again! You’re called for a pre-interview and asked about which Dragons you would like to work with. That’s about 10 minutes and then you go in and pitch, which is the first time you see the Dragons, while host Evan Davis wasn’t there at all.

The product we knew was a good one (Pets at Home sold it). We had a website, production and a distributor. We had a patent, which we spent every penny on, which left us in a position of not being able to invest in marketing so I suggested we apply to Dragons’ Den and see if we could get an investor. We needed to get on TV and if got an investor then that would be a bonus. Getting on TV We put an application form in and then got a call to go to an audition in Manchester in February. Neither Tony nor I had a pitch in mind so we had to come up with one. It’s as much about you as it is about the product. We got a call back saying we’d got through and had to fill in more forms.

Before we went in we were talking to each other, but were not aware there were hidden cameras and prior to going we chinked two glasses of water together. That was cut and used at the end after we pitched! We went in seeking 100k for 20 per cent of the business and we were in there for probably 45 minutes and getting asked lots of questions. It’s important to know your figures! On TV you see 10 minutes at best. I wouldn’t say we were nervous – it was just that air of uncertainty as to what you’ll be asked. Dragon Deborah Meaden dropped out early as did Sarah Willingham. Peter Jones liked it, but felt he wasn’t the ideal investor.

That left Nick Jenkins, who was our first choice, and Touker Suleyman. Touker came in with 100k for 40 per cent. Nick then matched it, leaving us a dilemma. Forty per cent was our ceiling. As Nick was the one we wanted, we were happy to accept his offer. Post Pitch We had a lot of interest after the show with sales of about 10 a minute and we sold 1,500 in two days! We’ve met Nick and also had another director join in, Ian Martin, who was at Moonpig with Nick. Each has have 20 per cent of the business. We have redesigned, rebranded and repackaged and have a lot of other business plans and applications for the Magloc in the pipeline. It’s pretty full on at the minute, especially with a fulltime job as well that pays the bills. But who knows what it may achieve in the future? Steve, who joined Table 10 years ago and has one more year left before being ‘chucked out’, is offering Tablers a 25 per cent discount on the product with the code rtbi25. To take advantage go to www.magloc-uk.com

TOP TIPS FOR THE DEN! Be realistic with the valuation of your company Have a product already selling and making a profit Be in business 18 months at least before going to the Den

Get a patent – without one your product has no real value Be charismatic – they’re not just investing in your product but you as well Tabler AutumnEdition 19

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S R E W S MATT AN L L A C S S WHEN GLOUCESTER TABLER MATT BENNETT RESPONDED TO A LOCAL BBC ADVERT FOR LOCAL PROFESSIONALS TO ASSIST WITH A LOCAL BIG BUILD, HE COULDN’T HAVE PREDICTED HE WAS ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE THE MOST UPLIFTING MOMENT OF HIS LIFE.

As a structural engineer, Matt sums up his job as ‘making things stand up – or not fall over’. Using Twitter to submit his details to the BBC, he received no initial reply and even began to write off any involvement in the project until four weeks later he got a call from a BBC researcher for hit TV show DIY SOS. Even then, Matt expected that to be the end of it. “The BBC researcher thanked me for my interest but explained that a fellow structural engineer had also volunteered but I would be kept on file, just in case,” he explained. But two weeks later, a slightly stressed BBC researcher rang Matt back to ask whether he could still help the BBC DIY SOS team in Cheltenham. At this point, the scale of the project was explained. Matt added: “The foundations were being dug on the day I received the call, so instantly I was behind on this project. “The film set had been booked for the following Tuesday, as well as manufacturing slots.” The next three days became a whirlwind of design, several site visits, chats with the BBC team and a few midnight finishes. This was before filming even started on site! After being placed on call for the first three days of filming, the first two days passed without incident and the team invited me to see all my designs being installed on the third day of filming – the BBC do not hang around! “After arriving on site, I was asked to sign in and passed three pretty familiar looking blokes,” he said.

“You know when you recognise someone but can’t name them? So a quick Google later and I’m on casual nodding terms with Chris, Julian and Billy from the DIY SOS team. “My time in the sun had arrived. After a quick hello to show presenter Nick Knowles, I was being shown my contribution to the show; three beams, a lintel, a purlin prop, dormer window and a new staircase. Without thinking, I was now on camera with project manager Mark Millar, stammering my way through an interview.” The best bit was still to come, with a reveal days later where Matt got to meet the beneficiary of the BBC’s efforts, which had seen around 350 volunteers working together over a 10-day period. Gathering at 10am, the family were shown around the house for the first time. The volunteers all walked into the street from the meeting point and stood outside the house to await Nick and the team along with the family. The work was being done in aid of 17-year-old Scott, who suffered a series of strokes caused by a tumour. This had left him paralysed from the chest down and wheelchair-bound for life. He was also training to be a Paralympic athlete. Scott had never had his own space or been able to get around the house without assistance, so the adaptations gave him an improved open-plan living space with ramps to get in and out of the house. But it then dawned on Matt – he hadn’t just helped a random family. He said: “I had to pinch myself. I actually knew this family but didn’t know until I met Scott’s mum face-to-face. Some 16 years before, mum, dad and baby Scott came to my wedding. “They were friends of my wife and I had not seen them since. It was a great feeling knowing I’d helped a family who were present on the best day of my life.” * THIS EPISODE OF DIY SOS WILL BE SHOWN IN JANUARY 2016.

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THE EPITOME OF THE MODERN MAN? RICHARD ALDHOUS

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EVERY NOW AND AGAIN A MOVIE CHARACTER EMERGES TO INSPIRE AND EXCITE THE MALE POPULATION. IMMACULATELY MASCULINE, PERHAPS DEVASTATINGLY DYNAMIC AND OFTEN COOLLY CHARISMATIC, THE DELIVERY IS OFTEN REPLICATED AND LOVINGLY LAUDED BY US MERE MORTALS WITH JAMES BOND, THE PARODY IS, ULTIMATELY, EASIER TO PULL OFF. BUT IS BOND JUST A CHARACTER AT THE MOVIES AND LITTLE MORE? DOES HIS INFLUENCE END WHEN THE CREDITS ROLL? OR IS 007 TRULY THE EPITOME OF THE MODERN MAN?

Tabler appraises the effect Daniel Craig – and his forerunners – have had on the male psyche. The remarkable reality of Bond is that every generation born since World War Two has grown up knowing and admiring the brimming, bristling confidence of 007. As spy mainstays go, he has evaded capture where others have fallen – the MI6 sleuth exemplifying a brand of suave manliness that we‘d surely all want to believe we had in us. And of course, sure, we can hang off trains, motorcycle over helicopters, scale the Golden Gate Bridge. Yes, we can dive 1,000 feet down into the sea in something resembling little more than a tuk tuk, and, if offered the opportunity to bungee jump off the Contra Dam, we’d be there in a flash – we just need to put the bins out first. It’s a credit to all those who have produced and directed Bond over the years that his persona has remained constant and uncomplicated. Since Sean Connery stepped out as the first official Bond in 1962’s Dr No, society’s attitudes have changed, perceptions have widened (and narrowed in places) and the world of the action hero has reinvented itself many times over. Yet Bond, the man, remains as relevant today as he ever was. Wind back to the start and author Ian Fleming’s image of Bond was, in his own words, “a compound of all the secret agents and commando types I met during the war”. In visual form many have commented how the image for the hero was similar to the author’s own, but comparisons have also been drawn with American composer, pianist and singer Hoagy Carmichael. Despite the performer’s success, perhaps that’s where the comparison ends; two years before his death in 1981 he surmised, somewhat harshly, that he was underwhelmed with his contribution in life and could have achieved a lot more: “I’m a bit disappointed in myself… I’ve been floating around in the breeze”. That’s never a criticism that can be levelled at Bond, but does the modern man still aspire to be the sharp-dressed, gun-toting recluse? The image of swanning about as the modern-day lone ranger is certainly an appealing one, but it goes against an inherent human desire to settle down. We like a night on the sofa, and does anyone want to wake to the sight of a masked gunman prising open one of the Velux windows? Yet if Bond, to a Western audience, is perhaps a fantasy too far, his impact across previously less developed social climes shouldn’t be dismissed. When, for instance, in the 1960s, Dr No was screened in the conservative Islamic society of Yemen, his arrival triggered genuine change.

Sean Connery’s unapologetic womanising led to men-only cinema audiences throwing off the shackles, whistling and cheering at romantic scenes. The government responded by banning female matinee attendance but did invite the fairer sex to accompany their husbands to evening screenings – something previously unheard of – as calming influences. And the reform has stuck. And while even in Western culture the reaction to every new release from the franchise is for men (and women) to rebel against their conformist existence, the reality very rarely stretches beyond ordering a Dry Martini for a post-cinema drink. Give it another round and it’s back to craft beer and a packet of bacon Frazzles. But that’s not to say we shouldn’t learn from Bond. In one way he is most definitely the epitome of the modern man – someone who pursues fairness and respect, who defends the needy and suppresses bullies. We’d all stand up for that. Consider too the fact that he carries with him impeccable manners, and as far as technology goes, he knows his way around the latest gadgets even before those nerds at Apple. And the modern-day stylists find him manicured, muscle-bound and immaculately mannered in a way not seen even two decades ago when Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan were leading the line. And consider the dark arts that Bond plays by too – he has occupied more double beds than hotel inspector Alex Polizzi, he carries a reckless, nihilistic slant, and he never cleans up after himself. Indeed, when Fleming first pushed Bond into the public consciousness, the hero’s arrival was met with suspicion and fear – a deviant, non-conformist who would shoot first and think later. They judged his actions as being indicative of the wider social ills that accompanied a carefree generation. But what would be the alternative? Movie life is escapism – unless we invest in a hero, what do we have? So, given the chance, would we want to be Bond… the thrill, the excitement and the danger backed by a first-class lifestyle and the world’s most beautiful women? Or the underpaid, overworked 9–5 paper shuffler, bored witless with a cacophony of kids and a clock-watching wife? The answer? Of course we’d want to be Bond… but only if Q could conceal about our Savile Row suit a switch that would ‘Quantum Leap’ us back to normality. In one minute dodging enemy fire across a Jakarta rooftop; the next, transported back to the serenity of the sterile office environment – a computer, a lukewarm coffee, and two cinema tickets that evening for Spectre.

Tabler AutumnEdition 23

THE CAR'S A BOND FILM WITHOUT A SHOWPIECE MOTOR IS A RARITY. A FEW DO EXIST (USUALLY WHEN THE ULTIMATE SPY IS LOAFING AROUND ON A YACHT), BUT 007 IS ALL THE BETTER FOR FOUR WHEELS AND A THIRSTY CLUTCH. WE LOOK AT SIX OF THE MOST ICONIC CARS TO HAVE GRACED THE BIG SCREEN WHICH, LET’S BE HONEST, IS THE CLOSEST WE’LL EVER GET TO THEM! SHAUN CURRAN

Aston Martin DB5

Lotus Esprit S1

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

For many people’s money, the Aston Martin DB5 remains the model that encapsulates the essence of a Bond car, occupying a unique place in the history of 007. It was by no means the original Bond motor – that was Dr No’s Chevrolet Bel Air – but once introduced for the third film, 1964’s Goldfinger, it revolutionised the franchise. Driven with swaggering surety by Sean Connery, it was the first car kitted out with Q’s gadgets – bulletproof windows, machine guns and, of course, ejector seat – becoming truly iconic in the process. Used again in Goldeneye and Skyfall, it began a 50-year relationship between Bond and Aston Martin.

Who else but James Bond could be in possession of a car that, when required, had the ability to turn itself into a submarine? Futuristic and exotic even before it had plunged into the water, the Lotus Esprit S1 holds the accolade of being the centrepiece of one of the greatest chase scenes in Bond history. As Roger Moore was pursued by cars, a motorbike and a helicopter in Sardinia during The Spy Who Loved Me, the mechanical dashboard beautifully transformed as it delved underwater to reveal submarine instruments and dials. Faced by its torpedoes and surface-to-air-missiles, the baddies didn’t stand a chance.

A truly classic Bond Car, the V8 Vantage continued Aston Martin’s love affair with Bond after the previous success of the partnership, most notably with the DB5. Based on the preceding model V8, it was hailed upon construction as “Britain’s First Supercar” thanks to its top speed of 170mph. Perfect, then, for Timothy Dalton to take for a spin as part of a classic chase scene in Austria, and equipped with gadgets ranging from standard fare (rockets, missiles, lasers) to a new radio scanner, designed by Philips, capable of intercepting civilian and military radio frequencies.

(Goldfinger)

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(The Spy Who Loved Me)

(The Living Daylights)

THE STAR

AMC Hornet

Toyota 2000 GT

It might go against the grain for Bond to be driving – shock horror – an American car, but the combination of US steel and British style brought about not only one of the most celebrated scenes in Bond history, but an actual world record.

It wasn’t the most gadget-filled of Bond cars, but the Toyota 2000 GT was definitely one of the most beautiful; and one of the rarest, too: only 300 of the Toyota and Yamaha collaboration were ever made, meaning one will cost you around £250,000 these days if you’re looking. Labelled the first-ever Japanese supercar, it featured in You Only Live Twice, itself filmed in Japan, with two specially built convertible versions (because Sean Connery was too tall to fit into the original coupé).

(The Man with the Golden Gun)

Roger Moore drives an AMC Hornet two-door hatchback, produced by the American Motors Corporation, in The Man with the Golden Gun, and the most famous scene – Bond’s infamous corkscrew jump over a broken bridge in Thailand – made the Guinness World Records in 1974 as ‘the first astro spiral used in a movie’, a computer-designed stunt that was captured in one take.

Images from: Interview Hub and Ian Muttoo

(You Only Live Twice)

Aston Martin DB10 (Spectre) The latest Bond opus Spectre hits the screens this month, and if another testosterone-fuelled Daniel Craig adventure wasn’t enough to get your juices flowing, then there is a brand new motor to feast your eyes on. Not just any motor, either: to celebrate 50 years of the Aston Martin partnership, a specially commissioned car has been constructed, with only 10 in existence and none for public sale. A bespoke two-door grey coupé, it gives a glimpse of the future design direction for the next generation of Aston Martins, and once again proves that when it comes to cars, nobody does it better than James Bond.

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RE E GLA H T M D A AN OST Y FRO AWA E CAMER RLD’S M L O H IE OF T G THE W PY, DAN S IN E Y L A B N L A O P GNIS ND E LID RECO LIFTS TH IM TICK A H IG CRA MAKES T ANNOY EM T A A H H T F TH S W ING NE O VE H O . T T THE MOS INLY PRO ITY THE HIM D CERTA E MAJOR ’S L H E WOU UE FOR T ILE THER S H S V I O E ,W AN LERS E’D ALL L B A T OF E’ W ‘LOV ONE

SO AIG… CR EAL REV ALL

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S E T A H

S E V LO LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY

“ I love it. This is a very vibrant and stimulating place to be and it’s easier for me to be here than in London where I’m much more recognisable it seems. Here no one really pays any attention to me except if I stand in one place too long. So I keep moving. (Laughs)

”

BOND’S ASTON MARTIN

“ I literally have to pace myself. I was driving an Aston Martin around Rome and I’d be numb not to get excited about that. ” (In 2013, Craig had a £150,000 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster delivered to his £4m mansion as a gift to himself for his 45th birthday – Ed)

COOKING

“ I do everything (in the kitchen)...I enjoy spending time with Rachel (Weisz). We love to cook together. ” GIVING EVERYTHING TO PLAYING BOND

“ If you’re going to do that sort of stuff, you’ve just got to get it right. You’ve got to give it your best shot. When you’ve got all that talent, everyone gunning to make it good, you’ve got to get it… For fxxx’s sake, it’s a Bond movie. You want people to go, ‘Whooah!’ A sharp intake of breath during a movie is never a bad thing.

”

NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO BARS ANYMORE

“ Back in the day, you could go and have a drink in the bar, get drunk, fall over, have a good time and no one would know about it. But now everyone’s got a camera. Not that all I want to do is get drunk in a bar, but that’s an example. So you can’t live a normal life any more. Because it will become public knowledge that you’ve gotten drunk in a bar or skinny-dipped on a beach or something. Things that normal people do occasionally. I’ve got to be high class... Which is sad, because I like bars.

”

BEING PERCEIVED AS GRUMPY

“ I’m rubbish at grinning on demand and so I’m branded as mean and moody when I’m photographed. I’m just not that person. (Laughs) So people have a perception that I’m grumpy all the time.”

ABUSE OF WOMEN

“ I grew up in an environment of girls... I have a problem with any kind of power prevaricating, especially if directed against women. It happens every day, every minute, every second of every minute that someone remains a victim.”

COMPUTERS, SMARTPHONES IN THE BEDROOM

“ There’s nothing technological allowed in the bedroom... If the iPad goes to bed, I mean, unless you’re watching porn on the internet, it’s a killer. We have a ban on it.

”

PERFORMING LIVE ON STAGE

“ Standing up in front of people and pretending to know what you’re talking about is hard enough in any profession. It’s just a big deal, certainly for the first couple of weeks; it’s like a very foreign place. And hopefully then it settles down, and you can start feeling kind of comfortable with it and making it better — and continue to make it better as the run goes on.

”

REWRITING BOND SCRIPTS

“ You swear that you’ll never get involved with shit like that, and it happens. On Quantum (of Solace), we were fucked. We had the bare bones of a script and then there was a writers’ strike and there was nothing we could do. We couldn’t employ a writer to finish it. I say to myself, ‘Never again’, but who knows? There was me trying to rewrite scenes – and a writer I am not.

”

GOOGLING HIMSELF

“ You can’t win... I’m no enemy of the internet, but that way for me madness lies. It started for me on Casino Royale very early on. It suddenly exploded because the stuff spread everywhere. I made the mistake of going online and looking. I’ve had bad reviews in newspapers, but these were very strange personal attacks. I can’t enter into the argument. All you’re gonna do is get into the same language if you’re not careful and the same language is gonna be, ‘I hate you!’ ‘No, I hate you.’ There are better things to do.

”

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“OPEN THIS, FLICK THIS, TWIST THIS, AIM THIS, BOOM” A DUMMY POSITIONED 20 FEET AWAY BEGINS TO DISINTEGRATE. FROM PENS TO WATCHES TO JETPACKS, 007 HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE GADGET REVOLUTION, THOUGH TRY ASKING FOR A CAR INVISIBILITY CLOAK AT YOUR LOCAL ASTON MARTIN SHOWROOM. SHAUN CURRAN

MOBILE PHONE

JETPACK

(Tomorrow Never Dies)

(Thunderball)

The film may not have been the most compelling adventure in the series, but Tomorrow Never Dies has some of the best gadgets seen in the franchise – none more era-defining than the new fandango mobile phone. It brought Bond right into the modern world – Pierce Brosnan was the first Bond to have his mum on speed dial – and in spite of its outdated looks it could do things Steve Jobs could only dream of. With a stun gun, fingerprint scanner, detachable explosive, lock pick and swish touchpad remote control for his BMW 750iL, it was the ultimate pocket pilot.

Of all the gadgets ever employed by Bond – and there have been dozens, all with varying degrees of success and popularity – the jetpack used by Sean Connery in Thunderball is probably the most iconic. After killing Colonel Jacques Bouvar at a French chateau, Bond surprisingly reveals the pack with the sort of telling mixture of comic timing and realism that defines the super spy, before making his way to his Aston Martin DB5. “No well-dressed man should be without one,” he deadpans afterwards, and in an instant, Bond history was created.

THE BRIEFCASE

CIGARETTE AND TOOTHPASTE BOMB

(From Russia with Love)

(Licence to Kill)

When many people think of defining Bond moments, the briefcase in From Russia with Love immediately springs to mind. If Dr No introduced Bond on the big screen, From Russia with Love, the second film in the series, began to lay the foundations of what we could expect going forward: cars, girls and gadgets, the most memorable of which was a killer briefcase that set the bar for future tools.

Gadget lovers everywhere appreciate the assassination attempt on Sanchez, played by Robert Davi, in Licence to Kill, like few other stunts in Bond films.

Looking like a standard issue, the briefcase actually included a folding AR-7 sniper rifle, 40 rounds of ammunition, a throwing knife, a bottle of tear gas disguised as talcum powder and 50 gold sovereigns. 28 Tabler AutumnEdition

It has all sorts of ingenious elements to it: a large format camera disguising a high-powered rifle that is smuggled into a party via a gift set – a double disguise – which, once Bond has scaled down the side of the building in true style, can only be fired by setting off an explosion. How do you get the dynamite past security in the party when wearing a tuxedo? A tube of toothpaste and a pack of Lark cigarettes, of course.

CAR INVISIBILITY CLOAK (Die Another Day) James Bond and his fast cars go together like his shaken not stirred Martinis, but in five decades of guns, missiles, rockets and ejector seats, only once has the car managed to disappear from view in the middle of a car chase. Step forward the Aston Martin Vanquish in Die Another Day, which literally becomes invisible as Pierce Brosnan drives it, using tiny cameras and screen to essentially reflect what the other side could see, and make Bond into an old-fashioned cartoon superhero who could disappear on a whim.

LASER WATCH (GoldenEye) Watches had been a key part of Bond’s arsenal long before 1995, but that year’s GoldenEye took the concept to hitherto unknown levels of gadgetry. Roger Moore might have owned a watch with a rotating saw attached to it in Live and Let Die, but Pierce Brosnan went one better with a watch armed with a laser and remote detonator. An Omega Seamaster Professional – the first non-Seiko/Rolex gadget watch – it cut through the floor of a train compartment with consummate ease. It was also a favourite feature of the GoldenEye video game of the same year.

RING CAMERA (A View to a Kill) Serendipity has always been a hallmark of Bond’s character and a key trait for him to utilise as he goes undercover to root out evil, and no gadget represents this better than the ring camera used in A View to a Kill. Investigating Christopher Walken’s character Max Zorin, he attends a garden party under an assumed identity (obviously), which he films with a ring camera that is so small it looks barely feasible even by today’s standards – although the shutter noise means he could have done with a digital version.

CROCODILE SUBMARINE (Octopussy) Arguably the most ridiculous of all the personal gadgets seen in over 50 years of Bond films, the crocodile submarine seen in Octopussy has its own special place in the series’ history. Although not the first time animal camouflage had been used by Bond, Roger Moore’s getaway vehicle, Maud Adams’ Indian floating lair has ensured its place in history for its sheer preposterousness. A spectacle, for sure, although we can’t quite imagine Daniel Craig ever wrapping himself in it somehow…

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FEATURE

NOT ALL ICONS ARE THE IT IS THE END OF THE LINE FOR A PIECE OF BRITISH MOTORING HISTORY AS THE LAST LAND ROVER DEFENDER PREPARES TO ROLL OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE. NATIONAL PRESIDENT MARCUS JONES IS AN AVID ADMIRER OF THE VEHICLE THAT CAN BE FOUND ALL OVER THE WORLD AND PAYS TRIBUTE TO THIS LEGEND OF THE ROAD… COUNTRYSIDE…DESERT…JUNGLE…ARCTIC! There are not many icons that the whole world will recognise and also have a love affair with at the same time. My journey with this icon started over 15 years ago. I still have strong memories of watching the Saturday afternoon movie with my grandfather when I was a young lad and John Wayne would be using a MK1 in WW2 movies.

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The Land Rover Defender, celebrated for 67 years, will see its journey come to an end this year. Nothing is more British than the Land Rover Defender. Not warm beer, not even an understanding of cricket’s LBW rule or the baffling urge to have a lovely cup of hot, milky tea when the temperature is nudging 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. This must be why the official retirement of this venerable but muchloved automotive fossil has practically triggered a bout of national mourning. So many orders have been placed for the last original Defenders that production, which was to end later this year, looks set to continue into 2016.

THE BEGINNINGS Working to the constraints of rationed metal, paint and fuel, Rover built the first prototype Land Rover in 1947. It was designed by Maurice and Spencer Wilks. It used a Jeep chassis and a Rover P3 engine (ask your granddad), all of which was encased in hand-built aluminium panels. The colour? Green of course, but only because there was loads knocking about after the war. Known as the Series I, it was the first incarnation of the silhouette we’ve come to know and love over the last seven decades. Complete with power take-offs and four-wheel drive, the first production Land Rover hit the mud in 1948, and it was a winner from the off. Full of patriotism, people bought them in their droves. Then they discovered they were rather good at traversing any landscape placed in front of them. That’s when Rover knew they were on to a winner. In 1965 a more-powerful 67-hp 2.25-litre fourcylinder engine was introduced and it would power Land Rovers for the next two decades. Indeed, with shorter gearing, a louder engine, and mushier brakes, there’s little obvious change in dynamic progress.

The 1980 109-inch station wagon that Land Rover has provided has some non-metal interior surfaces and radical innovations such as columnmounted wiper and turn-signal stalks, plus a fully synchromesh four-speed manual transmission. The quality of the cabin plastics are as low as you would expect from a vehicle manufactured during the dark days of British Leyland, but despite being powered by the same 2.25-litre engine (now with 77 hp!) it felt considerably more modern to drive on-road. Land Rover switched to a new, non-Series-based naming strategy in 1983 to mark the radical shift to an entirely new chassis with coil-sprung suspension components at each corner. Yes, the Series III successor is a Defender, but that designation came later, in 1990, not long before Land Rover tried another of its periodic relaunches in the States and the marketing department ordered names instead of numbers. Before then, the pre-Defender was just known by its wheelbases: 90, 110, and 130.

McCarthy’s PhotoWorks / Shutterstock.com

FROM PAST TO PRESENT DAY And so to today…I am confident the three modern Defender Special Editions are faster and more agile compared to their predecessors. The steering is far tighter than in even the early Defenders, and the gruff-sounding Ford-sourced 2.2-litre turbo-diesel provides vastly more surge than even the V-8. Three run-out models are being offered. The Heritage Edition plays most directly on the Land Rover’s long history, with a retro green-andwhite paint scheme and Series-style front grille. The Autobiography gets two-tone paintwork, stitchedleather panels inside, and a modest power increase (from 120 hp to 148; zero to 60 mph is claimed to take “just” 12.7 seconds). Finally, there’s the Adventure Edition, with the radioactive orange of the car we drove channelling the spirit of the former Land Rover G4 endurance challenge. It’s the toughest looking, replete with a full off-road kit including sill guards and an expedition-spec roof rack.

The basic Land Rover has long been one of the automotive cults the British seem particularly susceptible to falling under the influence of; each one is as proudly eccentric as any Caterham, Morgan or TVR. If this Land Rover had evolved at anything beyond the very gradual rate it did then much of its charm likely would have been lost, an issue its lifestyle-focused successor will have to face head-on. There’s a final twist to the tale. Although there’s no official confirmation, will there be a new kid on the block supporting the DNA of a defender in 2018?

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NSW 2015

IT’S A PERMANENT FIXTURE IN THE ROUND TABLE CALENDAR BUT THIS YEAR’S NATIONAL SPORTING WEEKEND (NSW) HAD EXTRA SPECIAL RESONANCE AS IT RETURNED TO THE ‘HOME’ OF ROUND TABLE. Louis Marchesi’s vision was on the doorstep with hundreds of Tablers from across the UK, Ireland and overseas partaking in the revelry. Spencer Burrell, NSW 2016 chairman and next Olympic boxing hopeful (!) gives his take on events – and he doesn’t hold any punches! On Thursday 3rd September at 12noon it started – thing my team and I had worked for over 18 months to organise. The trouble was it started with two Scots (one real, one adopted) who had been travelling (drinking) since 05:55! Registration had started, Rachel Waddison (Chairman of Area 51 Ladies Circle) had prepared her team of Circle and Tangent volunteers for the experience of booking Tablers in. The bar was open and we were up and running. 32 Tabler AutumnEdition

That first afternoon went with a blur, and before we knew it the coaches had shown up for the first history tour around Norwich. We had always wanted to give members of RTBI a chance to see where Round Table began and the local 41 Clubs were more than happy to arrange this. It was great to have Peter Marchesi at the home of Round Table and I would like to thank him for his time. Friday was an early start. A quick breakfast as the golf and Lotus tour left early. The golf was held at Dunston Hall which, for those who could lift their heads after Thursday, gave them fantastic views over Norwich and the Norfolk countryside. Whilst 22 guys were hacking around the golf I experienced something I do not think I will forget in a long time – our President, Marcus Jones, being thrown around the test track at the Lotus HQ, Hethel. The image that will stay with me is of a bright yellow Elise, with a white helmeted head and 60 laughing Tablers.

It was back to the UEA for a few drinks and meeting up with the rest of the guys. The Ladies Circle team were still working hard. Now for me from about 6pm NSW became very serious. I had to leave the University and travel to the Open (Friday night venue) where I would find out what time Darren Barker and I would be fighting. The next six hours felt like a day, sitting around looking at the ring girls, watching the other fighters. Darren and I had started our training on 15th June, it was hard but what a feeling to stand in the ring and hear “Darren, Darren, Darren!” Thanks guys! Saturday – the big day. Fifteen sports and 350 guys taking part. Praise to 41 Club, who did not let us down; 8am briefing room was full of stewards. What a venue we had at the Sportspark. We had always wanted to give Tablers access to as much sport as possible (it is a Sporting Weekend) and it was great to hear as the day went on that guys had taken part in a number of different sports – not just one. The scores came in and David Barley our very own CEO started to audit the results. We suddenly realised that our own Area actually had a chance to win the Victor Ludorum.

The tug-of-war was finished so it was off to get dressed up for the gala dinner (after a few beers). A short coach ride to St Andrews Hall and we were greeted by eight lovely ladies. Although a tad cold, it was a “warming” sight. The evening flew by with everything from a raffle to a brass band. As was fitting, the turkey mascot was served with a few greens and a puff pastry “lid”. The awards were presented (those that were returned) and Area 14 were crowned yet again, maybe next year Area 6. What a sight it was to stand on that stage and look out over 350 guys and know that we had done it! The weekend finished on Sunday 6th September how it started at 11:53am with two Scots in the bar! There are so many people who helped in our weekend and need to be thanked but to highlight a few. Thank you to: the Ladies Circle, Tangent and 41 Club volunteers (we have a great family in our Area), Ed Watton, my team of NSW 2015 guys, my wife Allison Burrell, but a huge thanks to Darren Barker for agreeing to stand in the ring with me. Spencer Burrell NSW 2015 Norwich Chairman Tabler AutumnEdition 33

WITH THE MEMBERSHIP AGE OF ROUND TABLE BEING 18 TO 45 HOPEFULLY THIS ARTICLE WILL BE OF BENEFIT TO SOME OF YOU. I’M GOING TO BE TELLING YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT POSSIBLY NO ONE HAS SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT BECAUSE IT’S NOT THE KIND OF THING THAT IS DISCUSSED GENERALLY, WHICH WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE MANY MEN I SAW WHILST WORKING IN A SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC BACK IN THE 90S WHO WERE FACING UNNECESSARY CIRCUMCISION. There are different beliefs and religious practices culturally about circumcision and this article is aimed at those who find themselves uncircumcised. So yes, this article is about the health of your penis. In fact, it’s not just about the health of YOUR penis but maybe the health of your son’s penis too. There was a chap called Tom back in 1998 who attended the clinic where I worked for a check-up.

The thing that had brought him to the clinic was the discomfort he felt when having sex as his foreskin would not retract fully and would become sore and split around the opening and sting when he was having a pee. On a few occasions during sex his foreskin had fully retracted and then become stuck in this position causing him great upset, panic and discomfort – in fact he attended A&E about it on one occasion. The consultant he had seen in the clinic brought him into my room asking me to tell him about balanitis and circumcision. The doctor’s parting words to Tom were “Don’t worry about it, we’ll whip it off for you”. Tom was quite partial to his penis, sore split skin and all, and was a little alarmed at the laid-back approach to just “whip it off”. The long and short of this tale is that Tom kept his foreskin through education and a change in behaviour.

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So, here’s the important bit. Firstly what is balanitis? This is the term given to any inflammatory condition of the skin covering the head (glans) of the penis. Where sexually transmitted infections have been ruled out as a cause of presenting symptoms, one has to consider hygiene practices. The foreskin should be fully retracted to expose the head of the penis and washed thoroughly every day to remove the build-up of shed skin cells, skin oils and moisture, otherwise known as smegma. This needs to be done from an early age. Please note however, that in terms of normal genital development in boys, the foreskin is fused to the glans until the age of about five. The best way to address this with your son would be to suggest something like ‘get your end out’ or ‘pull your winky skin back a bit’ when in a nice warm bath.

They should do this themselves as they know how much they can pull it back by. Even if initially you are a little uncomfortable talking about it, it will get easier and may be very beneficial for your boy in the long term. Over the following days and weeks they should be encouraged to repeat this practice until they can fully retract their foreskin revealing the whole of the glans of their penis. This should then become part of their regular hygiene routine. There will always be the exception to the rule with this and in a very small number of boys as they grow up, the foreskin will remain fused wholly or partially to the glans, if you are concerned about this I would recommend a trip to the local sexual health clinic.

LA PINDER ERAPIST, NICO WITH SEX TH

The other very important piece of advice that doesn’t seem to be widely known about is the need to slightly pull back the foreskin when peeing, not a lot, just to allow the urethral opening access to the outside world so as to not be ‘peeing through the foreskin’ as it were. If you pee through the foreskin, some urine may become trapped and cover the glans of the penis and if that urine remains there for a long time, it can become an irritant and may cause the appearance of sore patches over the glans. So back to Tom. After applying steroid cream for a few weeks to calm down the sore split skin, he was advised to work on pulling back his very tight foreskin whilst in the shower using a bland emollient cream such as Diprobase, little by little, day by day until he could fully retract it. He did this and benefited greatly not only in terms of his health and comfort but also sexually. Whilst I have told you about Tom, I have heard similar tales so many times, I thought it useful to share this with you. I hope this knowledge prevents at least one unnecessary circumcision. With nearly 20 years of experience in the field of sexual health Nicola has an established private practice and also works on behalf of the NHS as a Specialist Psychotherapist. If you have been affected by this article, have a look at www.nhs.uk and search ‘STI Clinic’ or contact Nicola for some confidential advice via www.nicolapinder.co.uk

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Round Table Family

Seventy AND proud AS MOMENTOUS OCCASIONS GO, OUR 70TH CHARTER CELEBRATIONS IN SEPTEMBER ARE UP THERE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. 41 Club took over the Armouries in Leeds to mark this auspicious milestone. The event comprised a traditional lunch, a brass band, excellent food, good speeches and even some “Lancaster Bombers” thrown in to make the event one of the best ever. However, something else happened that day as the “special relationship” between Round Table and 41 Club was strengthened further by the attendance of the Round Table Board and the presentation of a commissioned artwork to 41 Club from Round Table. The inscription reads, “Celebrating 70 years of Continued Friendship with the Members of Round Table”. The gift itself was presented by Round Table National President, Marcus Jones, and will travel with me to major events during this 70th year for 41 Club members to view, before being displayed in our Archive Room at Marchesi House as a visual reminder of our friendship. On other fronts my year continues apace and by the time you read this I will be halfway through my year, although I can’t believe the time has passed so quickly. Another highlight for me this year has been the Chartering of a new 41 Club, Woolton in Liverpool. Woolton is made up of retiring Tablers looking to start a new, younger, 41 Club in their area.

Sadly some of our clubs do have an older membership now and if you’re leaving Table and find that’s the case with your local 41 Club then talk to them about setting up a new “active” 41 Club in the Region. Every one of our Regions has a National Councillor, contact him and he will be delighted to help you in any way he can. Last year 41 Club started a Classic and Cherished Car Rally and repeated the exercise again this July. The event attracted an entry of 40 cars and was a great success. I mention this because I had a classic car when I was in Table and we would welcome Tablers to join us to share in the fellowship. Next year’s event is already in the planning stage and will be held in the South West, hopefully allowing a visit to the famous Haynes Motor Museum so get the 911 tuned up ready to join us! I look forward to seeing some of you on my travels. Yours in continued friendship. Terry Cooper 41 Club National President

HOE DOWN TO BRUM NEXT YEAR! Calling all cowboys and cowgirls…get saddled up for the 2016 41 Club and Tangent Conference in the ‘wild west’ of Birmingham. The set piece events will be at the historic Council House and iconic Edgbaston Cricket Club with the conference hotel less than 10 minutes stroll from the newly opened New St Station and the fabulous Grand Central. Find out more at www.41clubconference.co.uk where you can also book in.

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Round Table Family Hello Tablers As Tangent President and supporter of RTCW, I have managed to get along to some of your events, and meet some of you. The Biggest Wish gala dinner was inspiring, Birdman was very wet and salty, and as Karen’s sidekick at NSW I lost a boot, a camera and half a tooth! Another highlight was the 41 Club 70th Charter at Leeds Armouries, entering on a vintage motorbike and sidecar with LC President Zoë – unfortunately we weren’t allowed to drive it in, but had to be pushed! But back on more familiar terra firma, I have been visiting Tangents from Scotland, Wales, East Anglia, down South and up t’ North, I have attended 89 events, and at not quite halfway through the year I am confident and still hoping to beat John Payne’s 177! I believe that working as the 4 Club Family is the way forward for the four clubs. Have fun one and all and I hope to meet more of you along the way. Alex Voller Tangent National President

News from Ladies Circle! It’s an honour being part of Ladies Circle means that there is always lots going on, from celebrating fabulous milestones that Circles have achieved to the formation of new Circles. I was so honoured to represent LC GB&I at Ladies Circle International AGM in Iceland. All who attended had a fantastic time and it was certainly Lichfield’s time as they won the privilege to hold 2017 International Mid Term Meeting.

I look forward to the coming months including supporting Round Table Children’s Wish and supporting Children In Need on 13th November, as well as having the honour to be at the Remembrance Day parade in London. Finally, feel free to book in to my presidential ball on 28th November – there are still a few places. Book in via www.zoegaskill.co.uk

Our September Council Meeting was exciting for many reasons; it was the first time it has been held in Marchesi House plus we had so many areas represented (24 out of 27) and observers who were able to take part in the discussion items.

Yours in Friendship

It was great to have the inspiring message to Adapt, Adopt and Improve.

Zoë Gaskill National President 2015-2016 Tabler AutumnEdition 37

Round table Children’s wish

AMBASSADORS’ DAY ON SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER, RTCW ARE HOLDING AN AMBASSADORS’ DAY AT MARCHESI HOUSE. THE DAY IS BEING HELD FOR CURRENT AMBASSADORS TO SHARE IDEAS AS WELL AS BEING FOR ANYONE WHO HAS RECENTLY SIGNED UP TO BE ONE OR IS INTERESTED IN BEING AN RTCW AMBASSADOR. One of the key things that enables RTCW to grow the number of wishes and the support for charity, is to have people who can help raise the profile of the charity. If you would like to find out more, contact Karen – Tel: 01202 514515 karen@rtcw.org

WISH KIDS

ROUND-UP

Josh, from Bournemouth

IT’S A BUSY SEASON AT ROUND TABLE CHILDREN’S WISH. WE STILL HAVE MANY WISHES BEING GRANTED DURING THE AUTUMN AND WINTER.

was over the moon when he had his wish granted. Josh, who loves Lego, wanted a family holiday to Centre Parcs because it reminded of happy times before being diagnosed with lymphoma. Going to Centre Parcs grew Josh’s confidence to do things he never thought he would be well enough to do again.

Once again, we say a huge ‘thank you’ to all those Tablers and Round Tables up and down the country for supporting the charity and helping us to grant wonderful wishes to some very poorly children. It’s great to see more and more Tables becoming part of the wishes that we grant in the name of Round Table, with lovely feedback from you, about what a humbling experience it is to be involved. One of our current strategies is building links and relationships with children’s hospices. If you have one in your area, do let us know, just in case any have been missed. When new ones develop, we don’t always hear about them straight away, so do get in touch. One of the highlights has obviously been The Biggest Wish in July, which recognised 25 years of Round Table Children’s Wish and the role of Round Table in our history. Such a fantastic, memorable day for everyone. A huge thank you to Sean and the team and all those who came along on the day to support the families and generally help out. 38 Tabler AutumnEdition

Evan, from Harrogate has cystic fibrosis, which means he suffers on a daily basis and will do for the rest of his life. Evan, who is a huge Harry Potter fan, wanted his wish to be all things Harry Potter so we sent him along to the Harry Potter studios in London, for a full VIP package. Huge thanks to Harrogate Round Table for making this an extra special wish by arranging a visit to a local owl sanctuary and presenting him with his own Harry Box and two personal Harry Potter wands. This wish shows how RTCW and RT working together can create a handcrafted, unique wish.

Maddie, from Wiltshire enjoyed a fantastic VIP day and meet and greet with Jesse J. Maddie is an inspirational young lady who has over the years suffered three different cancers and a heart condition. Sadly, Maddie will not see adulthood and with just months to live, she is making the most of the time she has left. To have her day in London with Jesse meant everything to her especially as she was able to take her best friends and her family.

BADGES OF HONOUR

Virgin Money London Marathon BALLOT RESULTS HAVE NOW BEEN RELEASED BY THE VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON ORGANISERS. IF YOU WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING UP A CHARITY PLACE WITH ROUND TABLE CHILDREN’S WISH, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH. WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PLACES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER OUR SUPPORTERS. They will be offered on a first-come, first served basis. Each runner would need to put down a £150 registration fee when they sign up, then fully commit to raising a further £1,650 minimum sponsorship. Funds will help us to make cherished memories and magical moments come true for many children suffering with a life-threatening or terminal illness. If you successfully secured a ballot space, we would still love to hear from you and would very much welcome you to join the RTCW team. You will receive the same benefits as a charity place runner, which includes support and information about the event, a running vest, London hotel information and fundraising advice and ideas. Ballot runners do not have to raise a set minimum, but anything you raise for us would be so appreciated, not only by us, but also by the children and families we are able to help.

A VERY RARE AND SPECIAL JACKET OWNED BY FORMER ROUND TABLE AND 41 CLUB PRESIDENT VAUGHAN HARRIS IS BEING RAFFLED BY HIS WIFE JILL TO RAISE FUNDS FOR RTCW IN HIS MEMORY. The jacket is unique as it will be covered in pin badges from across the Round Table world – with more badges being added by the week! If you want to be in the raffle you can contact Jill via Facebook, who will allocate you a number. Tickets (donations) are £5. Buy a ticket via www.justgiving.com/Jill-Harris2

If you did not enter the ballot, then that is no problem at all, you can still get in touch to secure your charity place with us, with the fundraising commitments mentioned above. We are a very small, friendly and supportive charity and our marathon team of runners are very important to us. If you would like to join us on Sunday 24th April, whilst taking part in the experience of a lifetime, please get in touch with samantha@rtcw.org or call 01202 514515. We look forward to seeing you in April!

If you want to add to the badge collection, which has a link to the Round Table family, then don’t hesitate to send it. If you have a badge to donate, please post to: RTCW, 857 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH9 2BG.

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Christmas Gift Guide CHRISTMAS – ALL WRAPPED UP! WHAT DO YOU FANCY IN YOUR STOCKING THIS YEAR? IF YOUR ANSWER IS A BLONDE IN A BOW, YOU’RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT THE WRONG GUIDE. HOWEVER, IF YOU’RE LACKING INSPIRATION FOR WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO GET FROM YOUR NEAREST AND DEAREST THIS YEAR, THEN RTBI’S RESIDENT SHOPPING GURU – NICOLE CARROLL – HAS GOT A FEW IDEAS FOR YOU.

Coffee solves everything. Without it, we feel depresso. There is nothing worse than a colleague producing a cup that isn’t to your taste – so use this mug to make sure they make it the correct colour every time. Iwantoneofthose.com, £6.99

Sweets are the perfect way to stuff out a stocking and Chewits bring out the sweet taste of nostalgia. At just £2 a throw, you can afford to eat a couple before the big man empties his sack in your house. Asda, £2.

We can’t even deny that this is childish, and we think the picture says it all. This could prove an interesting after-dinner game to play with your Mum this year. Prezzybox.com, £8.95

UNDER £20

We’re not sure how often this actually happens, but if you have an unfinished wine bottle, you need to save that tasty grape juice. A wine condom should provoke some interesting conversation. £11.99, Firebox.com

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Batman! Now that’s in your head, you can get your very own Batlight and wear your pants over your trousers (last part optional). £14.99, IWOOT.com

Rugby mania took over the UK with the Rugby World Cup, so naturally we’re a fan of this Wanna Ruck mug from BrilliantlyBritish. £12.50, BrilliantlyBritish.com

UNDER £50

Drones have made the headlines this year. Own your very own flying machine (and spy on the neighbours – joking) with the Arcade Orbit Nano Drone. £39.99, mobilefun.co.uk

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Beards have been a constant during 2015 but nobody wants facial fuzz with its own ecosystem. Get groomed with this beard and moustache care set including beard soap, beard balm, moustache wax and a beard comb. £29.50, notonthehighstreet.com

The popularity of Christmas jumpers shows no signs of stopping, so add to the collection with this little beauty. We are particular fans of a reindeer in its own scarf. £35, BrilliantlyBritish.co.uk

CHRISTMAS TIPPLES Nothing beats a little festive tipple to warm the cockles during the depths of winter. We’ve selected a handful to wet the whistle. BEERS

Harveys Christmas Ale (ABV 7.5%) Christmas pudding in a glass is how Sussex brewer Harveys describe their festive tipple. It is heavily hopped, dark and strong and guaranteed to get granddad tipsy quite quick with an ABV of 7.5%. They do advise to treat this beer with RESPECT! This award-winning beer is available on draught in December in the area but also available by the bottle all year round. (£25.08 for 12 bottles) www.harveys.org.uk

Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale (7% ABV bottle) The UK’s oldest brewer is in the mix when it comes a drop of ale this December. The simply named Christmas Ale is a 7 per cent, complex cockle-warming winter ale. The nose is reminiscent of raisins, dates and molasses while it dances on

the tongue to the taste of leather, vanilla, apricots and a hint of rustic Armagnac on the finish. An awesome after-dinner drop and the perfect accompaniment to the sticky pudding sweetness of festive fare. Also available on draught 5%. www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop Chiltern Brewery

WILDCARD

Christmas Mince Pie Martini (20% ABV) Not an ounce of pastry in sight for this unique take on a traditional Christmas favourite. Simply pour over ice and drink. Suitable for vegetarians too! £12 for 500ml bottle from Marks & Spencer. www.marksandspencer.com

Glad Tidings Winter Stout (4.6%) Brewed with four malts, two spices (nutmeg and coriander) and fruit (orange peel) for a truly complex and exceptionally well-balanced stout. Glad Tidings is a festive season stout and is ideal as a winter warmer for family and friends over the Christmas period. Available in October, November and December only (£2.95 a 500ml bottle). www.chilternbrewery.co.uk/buy/gladtidings-winter-stout

The 1927 Range

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WINTER SPORTS BE A DAREDEVIL AND DITCH THE SLOPES THIS WINTER. THE ONSET OF WINTER SEES THE SALOPETTES AND SKI GEAR BEING BROUGHT OUT FOR SOME ALPINE ACTION AND THE APRÈS SKI. BUT HOW ABOUT SOMETHING A BIT MORE DARING THIS SEASON THAN JUST GLIDING YOUR WAY DOWN THE SLOPES? WHY NOT GET THE PULSES RACING BY DITCHING THE SKIS FOR ONE OF THESE ADRENALINE BUSTING WINTER ALTERNATIVES. SHOVEL RACING ANYONE?

THE CRESTA RUN ST MORITZ

Just like Table – it’s only open to men. Take your chance on the world-famous bobsleigh on this ultimate adrenaline rush as you hurtle down a wall of ice! Running since the 1880s, today’s beginners get five rides for 600 Swiss francs (approx. £400) and are only ‘beginners’ on the very first day! Expect speeds in excess of 70mph but just make sure you don’t become a member of the Shuttlecock club! www.cresta-run.com

SNOW KAYAKING

SHOVEL RACING

Who needs water when you can ride the snowflakes! Grab a paddle and your kayak and head for the slopes. It’s been around for over a decade and even has its own world championship. Colorado’s Rockies have become the home of this crazy pastime – but it takes some hunting down!

And you thought it was only for shifting the white stuff! Think again as the Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico hosts the annual shovel racing championships – open to kids, men and women – amateur and professional. Splash out $35 to enter and a few more dollars to get access to the slope and away you go!

COLORADO

Check out the action on YouTube (search 2104 Monarch Mountain).

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NEW MEXICO

www.angelfireresort.com

LA TYROLIENNE ORELLE, FRANCE

Fly like a bird above a glacier on this zip wire perched between two points in the French Alps. Starting 3,230 metres up on the Col de Thorens, strap in and then spend the next two minutes reaching a speed of up to 105kph over the next 1.3km! €50 a pop and you must be able to ski to reach the start! www.la-tyrolienne.com

ICE DRIVING EUROPE

Get behind the wheel and test your motoring skills to the full in an Aston Martin DB9, Lamborghini Gallardo or a Ford Focus trying to avoid looking like Bambi on an ice lake! It’s a chance to go all Top Gear with a range of venues and operators across Europe. www.icedriving.com

Jne Valokuvaus & Martynova Anna / Shutterstock.com

SKI JUMPING AUSTRIA

Fancy yourself as the next Eddie the Eagle? Then jump on a plane to Austria, zip up your suit, wax your skis and soar! We’ve seen celebs (ahem) give it a go in The Jump…well have a go yourself. Saalfelden offers four jumps starting from 15m through to 85m to leap off. Take a two-day course and learn to fly! www.saalfelden-leogang.com/en/activities/winter/skijumping/

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Tomatin.com

Please enjoy responsibly.

Experience the Softer Side of the Highlands. The smooth, rounded hills sheltering the Tomatin Distillery reflect the softer side of nature in this quiet corner of the Highlands. Here, bubbling pure spring water, tender barley and gentle patience all go into creating our 12 Year Old, a deliciously sweet and smooth malt with hints of apples, pears and subtle sherry.