Co-pilots named!

Wing Commander Gooding names co-pilots for outward and return legs. "Flying Officer Jenna Hackworthy" will be providing the co-piloting duties on the outward trip to Rome and Private Walker (Ashley) will be driving back to the UK with the Wing Commander.

Suitable pictures to follow!

Big thanks to Ashley Walker for design fantastic artwork for the Trip

Corporate sponsors - a big thank you - Update 20th Dec 2011

Myrtle and her friends would like to thank:

John Tucker and Exeter based Radmore and Tucker for their generous 500 pounds donation to the Myrtle Mini "Woodenspoon" appeal. www.radmoretucker.co.uk

Ian Rae of Alphington "Fast fit" for the supply of Motor Services to Myrtle in advance of the trip making her safe and well.

To www.fifthconsultancy.com for their very kind donation of all accommodation charges incurred on the trip to Italy. Value 1000 pounds

Brittany Ferries have agreed to a discount on our Ferry crossing - thank you -

Fancy a free European Holiday and a Six Nations ticket in Italy?

Fancy a free holiday ? And a ticket to an RBS 6 Nations match - co pilot required for the outward leg required! Contact the Wing Commander for more details - leave Ide on the evening of the 3rd Feb 2012 return via own steam anytime after the 11th Feb 2012. Cleanish driving licence required, great iPod tunes, small suitcase and sense of humour

Myrtle Mini route to Rome announced

Wing Commander Gooding has plotted the route to take in the beautiful French Countryside but also avoiding the Swiss and Italian Alps.

The Exeter to Plymouth bit is the easy bit of the 1230 miles Myrtle will cover - France will host Myrtle for three nights and Italy two.

The full trip can be found by clicking on the following link but the tabulated form is below:

http://g.co/maps/exrn6

	Start point	End point
4 Feb 2012	Roscoff	Loches
5 Feb 2012	Loches	Le Puy
6 Feb 2012	Le Puy	Gap
7 Feb 2012	Gap	Varazze, Italy
8 Dec 2012	Varazza	Pisa
9 Feb 2012	Pisa	Rome
10 Feb 2012	Rome	Rome

The charity challenge - Ide to Rome

Imagine the scene a Friday night at the Poachers Inn, sat in front the fire are “Wing Commander “Isambard” Gooding and Tony “Basil” Stearman landlord of the esteemed real ale The Poachers Inn boozer just outside Exeter in the delightful village of Ide near Exeter.

“So Mr G how are you getting Rome for Italy v England rugby match, no idea not booked my flights yet came the reply” .....a pause ensued the fire crackled and Basil said “Well you could drive the mini and meet me at the Colosseum on the Friday before the match...if it makes it that far”

The gauntlet was laid down, pistols at dawn and generally male ego laid bare.

The Wing Commander has taken up the challenge. Along with Myrtle his 1988 classic 998cc mini he and a co-pilot will be leaving the Poachers Inn on Sat 5th Feb 2012 and aiming to meet Tony Stearman in Rome the following Friday at 3.00pm at the Rome Coliseum and has 6 days to get to Rome!

The Wing Commander is also President of Wessex RFC in Exeter and a Devon Rugby Referees Society Referee.

The trip partly getting “Isambard” to Rome for the Six Nations Italy v England clash will also be raising money for the Exeter Leukemia Fund www.elfcharity.co.uk and the Rugby www.woodenspoon.com.

The Exeter Leukemia Fund (ELF)is a charity which supports the excellent work of the Haematology Centre at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E). ELF does this by providing funds for enhanced patient care, state of the art equipment and research.

The trip will take in the road to Rome via the Fosse Way and Watling Street to Dover, crossing the Channel into France by Eurotunnel. Via the “Devonshire Regiment Cemetery in the Somme, through the Champagne vin yards, the lakes of Switzerland and the Alps of Italy, Myrtle will visit Pisa and Florence before making her entrance into Rome, (hopefully) 6 days later.

The trip will take in as many French and Italian Rugby clubs as time allows.

To audition for the co-pilot spot and to get involved in this worthy cause - after all I do need to get to Italy to watch a rugby match contact the Wing Commander at nigelgooding@me.com