KidsOut -  fun for young and old

Three days after our most enjoyable President's

Day, the Club was part of Rotary International’s Kids Out scheme, and took 24 disadvantaged children, aged 7-11, from Thriftwood School, Galleywood to the refurbished Marsh Farm Country Park. 

The farm is now under private management and they have installed a great deal more fun attractions for young people and added exciting elements like the Bird of Prey arena.

One of the school parties was lucky enough to attend and to pretend  to be trees so that the birds – falcons and harriers – could give their exhibition of low and high flying.  All done by volunteers and spectacular.

We had a safer demonstration and explanation talk which the kids loved.

All the usual farm animals were there – sheep, goats, cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and ducks.  And then there were the llamas, the alpacas – and the wallabies (that’s if you were quick enough to spot them bounding around their run).

And Pets Corner gave the children a chance to stroke horses, rabbits and guinea pigs and learn about all the pets.

Other fun delights were an aerial zip-line, much to the teachers' enjoyment, and climb-on model farm vehicles – tractors, diggers and a combine harvester – in the sandpit arena, and a  set of “Bouncing Bubbles” which rounded off the children’s day following the usual “must” – the tractor ride out to the estuary and back.  And a very windy ride it was too!

Trying to get the children off the bubbles was like rounding up the Calgary Stampede – not least because the Thriftwood staff (what wonderful people they are!) insisted on having a go to. Shoes off, jump on and everyone having fun.

My thanks to members, Peter Greene (and wife Wendy – herself experienced in dealing with disadvantaged children) and

Norman Wilson , who recently celebrated his 90^th birthday, and to Tina & Claire from Enjoycakes, Billericay for providing an excellent picnic lunch for the children and for all supporting the day.

The Club will be organising a tin-shake to help support the Kids Out financially.

Thriftwood school wrote to us with thanks for the day:

"We have shared all the photos taken (by Rotary on the day) with the children and they just loved it, it brought back so many memories of a wonderful day and they were very keen to share their memories with each other. Our thanks to you all for the disc and all your helpers for making the day so special for the children."

Trevor Bond