The Freebird Times - Issue 1

2
Contents
2 Inside this issue
Welcome
3 Freebird Club founder, Peter Mangan,
kicks off the first issue.
5 How to read the Freebird Times.
Travel
6 Dave Ryan takes us on a tour of Southern
England.
9 Intrepid 50-something Dermot Higgins
tells us why he?s cycling around the world on
a push bike.
10 Gaetano Forte relaxes in the beautiful
surroundings of Lake Zurich, Switzerland.
Let's Cook
12 Making scones and clotted cream while
listening to singer Doris Day!
Tech Savy
16 Learn how to screen share.
Living & Lifestyle
19 Go green when brushing your teeth.
21 Start a new career instead of retiring.
23 Soothing remedies for sore skin.
9
19
Cover photo: Founding team Peter Mangan and Nga-Hong Lau by Sean Lawlor
Editor : Olive Keogh
Design & Layout : Deeksha Gautam
(C) 2017 Published by The Freebird Club. All rights reserved
23

3 Welcome
Peter Mangan, founder and CEO of The Freebird Club
Welcome to the first edition of
The Freebird Times. This digital
magazine is our way of engaging
more fully with both our
members and those interested
in learning more about The
Freebird Club.
For the uninitiated, The Freebird
Club is a new travel-based social
network for those over 50. It is a
membership-based club,
whereby members can travel
and stay with each other in the
context of a trusted social
community of peers.
It offers a whole new way of
travelling for mature adults, a
potential new source of income
for hosts and a fun and
accessible way to meet new
people and enjoy social and
cultural interaction in later life.
Our mission is to connect and
enrich the lives of older people
through meaningful travel and to
foster an age-friendly and
inclusive world in the process.
This Club is designed to be a fun
place to hangout with
like-minded people who share
the view that life and the world
around us are to be enjoyed
regardless of age. As you will see
in our member profiles, people
share their interests and
passions on the website so they
can get to know a little bit about
each other in advance of
potential stays. We want people
to connect through
commonalities and shared
interests. This Club is about
people, not just places to go. We
already have Freebird members
in 36 countries worldwide and
membership is growing daily.
Here in our digital magazine,
you will find all kinds of
interesting articles chosen to
appeal to the more mature
reader .

Welcome
5
We have a very interesting and
information-rich feature about
travelling in the South of England
written by Freebird Club
volunteer, Dave Ryan , while Club
member, Gaetano Forte, shares
his experiences of staying with
hosts Luisa and Joseph Roesli in
Switzerland.
We will also show you how to
screen share with Skype to keep in
touch with family and friends and
share our recipe for scones, an
essential and delicious part of a
traditional British afternoon tea.
Don?t forget to come and check
out our website:
www.thefreebirdclub.com. There
you will find wonderful welcoming
hosts in amazing destinations
around the world. If you are not
yet a member we would love to
have you on board. Better still,
why not tell your friends and
family who are also over 50 about
us?
This Club is built around
"
great
people enjoying the potential that
a longer life presents. The
Freebird Club is driven by its
members and we are open to
suggestions about what content
and features you would like to see
in future editions. Please feel free
to send us your ideas. We hope
you enjoy this first edition of The
Freebird Times ? and remember,
it?s never too late to have the time
of your life!
Happy Travelling.
Enjoy the issue!
Peter
Peter Mangan, Founder & CEO,
The Freebird Club
"THE FREEBIRD CLUB IS ABOUT PEOPLE, NOT JUST PLACES TO GO. "
"
Peter with his father Owen , who helped inspire what has become The Freebird Club

5
Welcome
How to Read The Freebird Times
While most people know intuitively how
to turn pages in a printed publication,
the techniques for reading a digital
publication are a little bit different. We
want to make your read as easy as
possible and have made a short video to
help you navigate the magazine with a
few simple clicks.
If you still prefer to read a paper version,
you can simply download and print it.
9

6 Travel
7
GOING SOUTH
TFC volunteer Dave Ryan brings us on a journey through the South of England.
The counties of southern England
are recognised as a
mouth-watering combination of
rural tranquility, coastal cliffs,
nestled coves, forests full of
intrigue, national parks and
desolate moorland ? all
complemented by a rich historical
and cultural heritage.
If your travels ever take you to the
South of England there is a wide
variety of things to do all fuelled by
a variety of gastronomic options
showcasing the best of English
food. A good meal is often followed,
of course, by a trip to one of the
many hundreds of lovingly
preserved versions of the
traditional English pub! They vary
greatly in style and character and
many serve local tipples, such as
the scrumpy (a type of cider), the
county of Somerset in particular is
famous for.
There is also a wealth of regional
cultural festivals to enrich your
experience across many fields
including music, food, literature,
drama and the arts. In terms of
gathering information on the
options available, you?ll find that
each county/town has its own
official tourist information website
as do the events themselves. The
VisitEngland.com and
artsfestivals.co.uk websites are
also handy for information for your
trip. There are so many choices ?
but here are a few examples to
whet your appetite.
Minack Theatre
If you are spending time enjoying
the considerable charms of Devon
and Cornwall, look out for the
remarkable Minack Theatre hewn
out of the cliff-face above the
waters of Porthcuron Bay in the
1930s. It has seating for 750
View of Pulteney Bridge in Bath, England
Rainforest Biome, Eden Project, Cornwall
5

7
Travel
people and presents plays, operas
and musicals during the Summer
months. Bring your own cushion
and a warm blanket would also be a
useful accessory.
Newquay is host to multiple
Summer /Autumn festivals
(literature and film, not just
surfing!) and the spectacular Eden
Project is not just a daytime
pleasure but also a location for
performances in Spring and
Summer held in a broad grassy
arena much admired for its
originality.
Padstow in Cornwall is famed for its
harbour and gastronomic charm ? a
destination for many given the fame
of local restauranteur and TV chef,
Rick Stein. It is also at the heart of
regional cultural tradition. One of
its variety of events is the famed
Obby Oss Festival which is
celebrated annually on May Day. It
is thought to be the oldest dance
festival in Britain involving troupes
of local dancers, a maypole,
costumes and general fun and
merriment.
The Hunting of the Earl of Rone
festival takes place in Combe
Martin, Devon, each year and
re-enacts a 400-year old manhunt
with full costumes and general
chasing around. A must for Agatha
Christie fans is the annual Festival
in mid-September (in Torquay) with
all manner of exhibitions, author
talks, murder mystery dinners and
jazz. Also of note is the literary
festival held each May in Fowey
over three days with a
concentration on the works of
Daphne du Maurier.
Somerset
The county of Somerset has always
evoked England?s pastoral heritage
but the tranquillity is breached
every year or so (if the fields
recover in time!) by the
Glastonbury Festival. It has been in
existence on Worthy Farm since the
1970s. With its roots in flower
power, alternative lifestyles and of
course music, the festival has
evolved into much more than a rock
music festival with all types of
music catered for from classical,
jazz and blues to folk, rock, dance
and soul ? a veritable feast for the
senses. There are also many
themed areas covering food,
meditation, politics, comedy,
literature and arts & crafts. Bring
your wellies in case it rains and
leave the mudsliding to the youth!
Also, look out for music and
literature festivals in Bristol and
Bath ? notably Bath?s annual
International Music Festival in
May/June featuring jazz, classical
and world music; Bristol?s Upfest,
Europe?s largest street art and
graffiti festival and Bristol?s
Slapstick Festival celebration of
silent film and comedy held every
January.
The counties of Hampshire, Dorset
and Wiltshire overlap with the
ancient English kingdom of Wessex,
the location of Stonehenge and the
region where King Alfred saw off
the last of the Vikings.
The Isle of Wight, just off the coast,
is host to festivals throughout the
year ? especially literature and of
course sailing (Cowes Week in
August). Also in the locale, Longleat
House hosts not just the famous
safari park but also events/concerts
over the Spring/Summer months,
while near Winchester, the
Watercress Line is one of the most
famous steam-powered railways in
England.
The rather odd Tichborne Dole
Festival takes place in the
eponymous town each March and
locals line up to be ?doled out? an
allowance of a gallon of flour in
ceremonies dating from the 12th
century. Recognised as the most
Hastings.

8
Travel
traditional event in England, the
annual Chippenham Folk Festival
Weekend (May) carries over 200
separate events celebrating
traditional English music,
storytelling and dance ? including
Morris dancing, ceilidh and maypole
ceremonies.
Sunny South East
The South-East comprising Surrey,
Sussex and Kent has by tradition,
been the holiday destination for
Londoners from Victorian times
with heritage coastal towns serving
the multitudes including Brighton,
Bognor, Margate, Ramsgate and
Tunbridge Wells. Brighton is
perhaps the best known destination
and hosts a diversity of events
throughout the year, the most
notable being the Brighton Festival
in May, now recognised as the
largest festival in England.
Also noteworthy is the annual
Burning the Clocks celebration at
the winter solstice.
Nearby, Broadstairs is famed for its
Folk Festival and Dickens Festival,
while Canterbury runs a two-week
Festival of Theatre and Music in
October. Cantebury Cathedral is
the mother church of the worldwide
Anglican community and one of the
oldest and most historic religious
sites in England. Pilgrims have been
visiting Cantebury since the Middle
Ages and it forms part of a World
Heritage site and combines a mix of
Gothic Romanesque architecture
and English Gothic architecture.
Not to be missed is the annual
Whitstable Oyster Festival in July ?
its oysters have been famed since
Roman times and the festival
incorporates parades,
performances, fireworks,
oyster-eating competitions and The
Landing of the Oyster ceremony. If
scallops are more your thing, the
ancient town of Rye, overlooking
Romney Marshes, hosts Scallop
Week in February each year.
Kent is the centre of the
now-vibrant English wine industry
with multiple tasting/tour
opportunities in one of the 400+
vineyards producing more than four
million bottles of wine per year.
Hastings is not only the site where
King Alfred lost England to the
Normans, but also the location for
the annual Jack-in-the-Green
festival with three full days of
festivities that culminate in the
Release of the Spirit of Summer.
Founded in the 1930s the
Glyndebourne Opera Festival is
recognised as the spiritual home of
English Opera with a season
running from May to August. The
opera house sits amongst rolling
green hills surrounded by luscious
gardens. The season is at the centre
of the high society calendar and is
an opportunity to dress up, mix with
the gentry, listen to wonderful
music and have a lavish picnic on
the lawn.
The county of Kent is also the
location of the famous White Cliffs
of Dover and to the equally famous
gardens of Sissinghurst Castle
created by the legedary British
gardener, Vita Sackville-West. This
must-see garden is now maintained
by the National Trust and is
described as ?Historic, poetic,
iconic; a refuge dedicated to
beauty.?
Happy holidays!

9
Travel
Go Go Dermo!
Dermot Higgins is aiming to become the fastest person over 50 to cycle around the globe and he
hopes to set a new Guinness World Record in the process.
Dermot?s Route
Start: Madrid
Route: Cycle across Europe, into
Asia via Russia, Kazakhstan and
China.
Progress along Australia?s
southern coast arriving in
Melbourne in time for Christmas.
Cycle the length of New Zealand.
Cross the United States.
Fly across the Atlantic to Portugal.
Finish: Madrid
It?s going to take him nine months.
He will spend an average of eight
hours a day in the saddle. He will
start his odyssey in Madrid, Spain, in
June 2017 and will hopefully end
there in one piece over 30,000km
later on Easter Sunday 2018. Most
of his sleeping will be under canvas,
he will have no back-up support and
he will need to cycle 160km six days
a week to meet his goal on time. Is
the man completely mad?
?Well yes, I suppose you do have to
have a degree of madness to take on
something like this,? he says. ?I know
there will be a lot of energy and
effort and probably pain involved,
but circumnavigating the globe is
something I?ve wanted to do ever
since I read Around the World in 80
Days by the French author Jules
Vernes when I was a child.?
Dermot (55) leaves Ireland the day
after he retires as a teacher after 35
years. He is doing his trip on a
shoestring budget of ?20 a day with
a little bit of help from a small
number of sponsors including The
Freebird Club which will provide
him with a comfortable bed with a
Freebird host on his rest day each
week.
As a teacher and an active
environmentalist, Dermot is
passionate about educating people
about protecting the planet. He
?Travelling around the
globe, under my own
power will be my life?s
ambition realised", said
Dermot. "Having the
opportunity to promote
the Global Goals is the
icing on the cake!?
plans to make stops along the way
to visit schools and environmental
projects to spread the message of
the UN?s Global Goals for
Sustainable Development, a series
of ambitious targets aimed at
ending extreme poverty, inequality
and tackling climate change.
Throughout his trip Dermot will be
working in partnership with the
Irish aid organisation, Trocaire, a
global charity which shares his
interests and ideals. He is hoping his
epic journey will raise ?20,000 for
the organisation through donations.
Dermot is no stranger to taking on
tough challenges as he has always
been involved in adventure sports.
He runs, cycles, hikes and kayaks
and says he has effectively been in
training for his world trip for most
of his life.
Asked what aspects of the trip
might test his resilience most he
says, ?being wet, miserable and
uncomfortable, having an accident,
camping in the wild and coping with
adverse weather conditions such as
headwinds.? But this ironman is not
dwelling on what could go wrong.
His focus is 100% positive and he
can?t wait to get started. The
Freebird Club proudly salutes its
adventurous ambassador and adds
its voice to his campaign?s slogan:
GoGoDermo!
If you would like to support Dermot,
log on to gogodermo.com

10
Travel
May 2017
Day 1
I arrived at Zurich Airport
yesterday and followed my host,
Luisa's, very clear instructions:
Take train S2 on Gleis (platform 1),
destination, Zieglebrucke. Go to
the last stop. Sit upstairs on the left
and you will get a view of Lake
Zurich as you travel along. She
wasn't wrong. It is a stunningly
beautiful train ride. Fast, punctual
and picturesque.
Luisa met me at the station and we
drove to her house along a scenic
route which is full of picture
Diary of A Freebird
Freebird Club member Gaetano Forte visited hosts Luisa and Joseph Roesli at
their home overlooking Lake Zurich in Obstalden, Switzerland.
postcard images. We arrived at the
house and were greeted by Luisa's
husband, Joseph. Over a cool beer,
we started chatting and did not
stop until well into the evening.
They are a fascinating couple who
are so hospitable and warm, that I
immediately felt I had known them
for a very long time.
Sitting on the terrace, we had a
Raclette, a famous Swiss dish of
grilled cheese poured over
potatoes with pickles, chili and sun
dried tomatoes. Delicious. The rosé
wine was very slippery and I went
to bed in a mellow mood. I woke in
the night and looked out the
window at the stars. Because the
area is away from light pollution
they were spectacular. This is a
really magical place.
Day 2
Woke up to the sound of the birds
and the sun streaming in the
window of my loft room. Sat down
to a breakfast of farm fresh eggs,
ham, home-made bread and coffee.
Lots of chat around the table.
Really important decisions to be
made, like where should we go for
our picnic. Looking across the lake
to the imposing cliff with its
spectacular waterfall, we decide to
travel to the top, by car I hasten to
add, and look at the view from
there.
On arrival we make a short walk
along a road through farmland
populated by cows grazing
peacefully in the sunshine. The
land is fertile and pristine. The
smell of new mown grass is sweet
and sublime.
At the top we stop at the viewing
platform and gaze at the view
which is really beautiful. There are
boats on the lake, pleasure craft,
water buses, kite surfers, water
skiers and swimmers.
Below us, an eagle soars on the
thermals. This is nature at its best.
Alongside the natural lake, there is
a canal, built to combat flooding,
which links to Lake Zurich. The
only sound is cowbells and
birdsong.
Back in the car for a short hop to
our picnic spot. We find a patch of
green and pull up some small logs
and spend an idyllic hour sharing

11
Travel
food and conversation surrounded
by wild flowers. It doesn't get
better than this. We visit a small
reservoir where there is a
hydroelectric power plant,
completely underground, which
generates electricity for the
surrounding area with no impact
on the environment whatsoever.
Then it's back to the house for a
well-earned beer and a lie down.
Enjoying yourself is very tiring, you
know! As we approach the house,
we see a neighbouring farmer,
stripped to the waist, cutting grass
with a scythe.
I'm pressed into service to help
with dinner. I have to do one of my
favourite things - make a fire! The
wood is carefully chosen from the
store room. Joseph has a wood
stack which is neat and tidy with all
logs of the same size. We take our
chosen specimens up to the top of
the garden and light the fire.
Day 3
Another great sleep and another
day in Paradise begins. This time it
was eggs sunny side up on
home-made brown bread.
Luisa makes marmalade like you
have never tasted it. Not the
normal English bitter stuff. This
was fruity and delicious. If you
come here, and I suggest you do,
ask Joseph to tell you the story of
the marmalade. Be prepared it has
an unexpected ending!
After some more lying around, it
was time for lunch. Here, Luisa's
Italian heritage came to the fore.
We had a plate of spaghetti,aglio
eolio with home-made chili oil. I
may have a seat to myself on the
plane home. I am now chilling on
the terrace in 25 degree heat
soaking up the last rays of sun.
I have been lucky with the weather.
I have been fortunate also with my
hosts. If you are looking for a place
where you can totally relax and do
as much or as little as you like, this
is it.
Luisa and Joseph have had guests
who prefer to keep to themselves
and this is fine. If, like me you enjoy
company this is also fine with them.
They are always there to make
your stay enjoyable and have an
extensive knowledge of the area
and what it can offer.
For someone travelling alone, it is
ideal. We had a guest staying who
was studying for an exam and
found the solitude he needed here.
But if you are alone for walking or
sightseeing it is nice to chat over
dinner about what you have done
that day.
Check out Freebird Club hosts'
Angelika, in Alstatten, and Eve in
Murten. Between these locations
you could have a lovely week in
Switzerland experiencing the
different foods, wines and
geography of each region.
Travelling here is really easy. The
road system is superb and the
trains are reliable and always run
on time.
Check out our hosts on
thefreebirdclub.com
Once the embers are hot, we put
the sausages on to cook. There is
nothing like the taste of food
cooked over an open fire in the
company of friends. The piece de
resistance is Luisa's apple tart,
mmmmm. We stay there chatting
until dark and then it's time for
bed. Another day in paradise
comes to an end.
Freebird member, Gaetano Forte
"I?m pressed into service to
help with dinner. I have to do
one of my favourite things ?
make a fire!"

12
Travel
1
Explore the South of England
with The Freebird Club
From Devon to East Sussex our hosts are ready to lead you around one of the most attractive parts of England.
Read the suggestions from hosts Catherine and Sara on local attractions and ?must sees.?
Catherine Scott , (East Sussex)
What are your top three
?must see? things?
Coastal Currents
(coastalcurrents.org.uk), is a
fantastic open arts exhibition which
takes place between the 2nd and
the 10th September in Saint
Leonard. It incorporates galleries,
studios, private houses and even
beach huts.
We have many different music
events over the summer months.
Our choirs come together for the
?concert in the park? event and in
Haldon, a small coastal village in
South Devon between Teignmouth
and Torquay, the 28th Classic Music
Festival takes place from 22nd to
25th June at St. Peter?s Church.
I suggest a visit to the Smugglers
Adventure in St Clements Caves. It
tells the story of smuggling in a very
interactive way. You can access this
attraction via the original West Hill
funicular railway which opened in
1891.
Where do you recommend for a
traditional English afternoon
tea?
Ashley Manor (outside Battle) is in a
wonderful setting with beautiful
grounds. The Orangery is the
perfect spot to enjoy a cream tea.
Tell us about something that?s
not on the usual tourist trail?
Hastings bonfire is a big winter
event which will take place on
Saturday 14th October 2017, with
parades, music and dancing in the
streets. The day ends with a
fantastic pyrotechnic display.
Burton St Leonard?s has wonderful
architecture and like all of Hastings
and St Leonard?s is steeped in
history.
Sara Lawes, (Devon)
What are your top three
?must see? things?
The coast, with its long sandy
beaches and great surfing.
Darlington Crystal at Great
Torrington.
Clovelly Court Gardens.
Where do you recommend for a
traditional English afternoon
tea?
The Hidder Treasure Tea Room in
Exeter. It offers delicious traditional
scones with homemade jam, not to
mention its fascinating location.
Tell us about something that?s
not on the usual tourist trail?
The Gnome Reserve, West Putford,
Holsworthy. It?s something
completely different!

13
Let's Cook
Tea Time Treat
Tea and scones with clotted cream is a quintessential part
of a traditional English afternoon tea.
The idea of breaking the fast between
lunch and dinner with a selection of
finger sandwiches, scones, miniature
cakes and a refreshing cup of tea,
came from Anna, the seventh
Duchess of Bedford, in 1840.
It seems the Duchess tended to get a
little peckish around 4pm and as the
evening meal in her household wasn?t
served until 8pm, she created
afternoon tea to fill the gap.
Scones are an essential part of a
traditional English afternoon tea and
are typically served with butter, jam
and cream.
The sandwich was ?invented? by the
18 th century Earl of the same name.
A compulsive gambler, he refused to
leave the table during a 24-hour
session and asked for a slice of meat
between two pieces of bread to
sustain him.
Anna,
Seventh Duchess of Bedford
English scones with jam and cream

14
Let's Cook
Plain scones
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
- 1.5 oz /40g butter at room temperature/ slightly soft
- 1.5 tablespoons caster/fine sugar
- 8oz/225g self-raising flour
- a pinch of salt
- ¼ pint/ 150ml milk (you may need a little extra)
- Extra flour for dusting worktop and rolling pin
- A rolling pin
- A flat baking sheet greased or lined with non-stick
baking parchment
- A circular pastry cutter roughly 2 inches/4 - 5cm
across.
- Set your oven to: 220 o C, 425 o F, gas mark 7
Let?s get started
Sieve the flour into a medium
sized bowl.
Add the butter and rub it into
the flour with your fingertips
until the mixture looks like fine
breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar and salt.
Add one third of the milk and
stir it into the mixture using a
knife with a broad blade. Add
the remaining milk in two
batches. If the mixture is very
dry add a little more milk. The
mixture should be soft but not
sticky. When all of the milk is
incorporated, flour your hands
lightly and gently knead the
dough into a ball. Sprinkle some
flour on the worktop, tip the
dough out on top. Put some
flour on your rolling pin and roll
out the dough to a thickness of
not less than 1 inch/3cm. Cut
out rounds with the pastry
cutter and place on the baking
tray a few centimeters apart.
Remix the remaining dough and
repeat. Dust each scone lightly
with flour for a plain finish. If
you would like a shiny finish, mix
an egg with some milk until
combined. Then use a pastry
brush to paint the top of the
scones with the mixture. Bake
near the top of the oven for
12-15 minutes or until they are
risen and golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool
but eat them as soon as possible
as they go stale very quickly.
Serve with butter or clotted
cream and jam.
Tip: Do not roll the scone dough
any thinner than 1 inch/3cm or
they will not rise properly.
Tip: Freeze as soon as cool.
Re-heat on a low temperature
before serving warm.

15
Let's Cook
Clotted cream
Clotted Cream is a delicious complement to scones. It is mainly associated with
the south west of England and the counties of Cornwall and Devon in particular.
It enjoys protected food status once the product originates in Cornwall.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
4 cups heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 100C/200F
Let?s get started
Pour the cream into a heavy
bottomed oven proof shallow
container.
Put it in the oven for 8-10 hours or
overnight. When ready, a thick
golden crust will have formed on top
of the cream.
Remove from the oven and allow to
stand in a cool place for 10-12 hours.
Remove the golden top part with a
slatted spoon and gently stir to create
clotted cream. Don?t agitate the
mixture or it will start recombining
with the liquid beneath.
Put it into a tightly sealed container
and place in the refrigerator to let it
settle for 2-3 hours.
Clotted cream will last for 3-4 days in
a refrigerator. You can use the left
over liquid to make bread or scones.
To serve
Clotted Cream is delicious when
served with warm scones and jam.
Doris Day was a celebrated
American-born actress, singer and animal
rights activist, who died in 1973. Her
talents stretched across musicals and
drama and she starred alongside film
legends such as James Cagney and James
Stewart. She had a wonderful singing
voice and here she sings of finding
happiness in spending time and drinking
tea with a loved one! For a bit of escapism,
check out her sparkling performance in
the movie, Calamity Jane!
Ask the expert?
I love making meringues but I
hate the way they weep when
baked. What causes this?
Meringues will weep for two main
reasons: you have added the sugar too
quickly or you have added too much
sugar in one go. Always add the sugar
gradually in small amounts and let it
mix through.

1
16 NEWS
The Freebird Club Comes of Age
Nga-Hong Lau, CTO, The Freebird Club, Moira Allan, Paris, founder Pass it on Network & Peter Mangan , CEO, The Freebird Club
The Freebird Club came of age on
April 5 th , 2017 with its official
launch in Dublin. The event,
which was hosted by founder
Peter Mangan and CTO
Nga-Hong Lau, also celebrated
the fact that the organisation had
already reached the milestone of
1,000 members across 34
countries.
Numerous guests, including
Freebird Club members,
representatives of ageing
organisations, public institutions
and journalists were welcomed
by the start-up team, in the
charming setting of Airfield
Estate, Dublin.
Reflecting the international
nature of The Freebird Club, it
was appropriate that the launch
was attended by representatives
from abroad. These included
Moira Allan from France, the
international coordinator of the
Pass it On Network who also
coordinates the 2Young2Retire
network in Europe with its
French counterpart ? Le Cercle
des Seniors Actifs. Facilitated by
video link, Crispin Baynes, Aging
2.0 New York, Merry Alexander,
TFC area champion in NYC and
Doug Flockhart, CEO Clubs
Queensland in Brisbane also sent
their best wishes.
Irish Minister for Jobs, Enterprise
and Innovation, Mary Mitchell
O?Connor also sent her
congratulations, stating: ?I?m not
the only one that thinks yours is a
very good idea", pointing out the
numerous awards won by the
start-up already, including the
European Commission?s Social
Innovation Competition.
Speaking at the launch founder
Peter Mangan said: ?We are a
real ?heart and soul?venture
which aims to connect older
adults in very real and valuable
ways. We seek to create an
international community which
provides opportunities to enjoy
the world around us regardless of
age.? He went on to say that as
awareness of our rapidly ageing
society grows, it is hard not to be
struck by the sheer numbers
involved. "Worldwide the
number of adults over 60 is
projected to soar from 840
million in 2013 to around 2
billion by 2050,? he said. ?This
presents obvious societal
challenges, but also opportunities
for organisations such as The
Freebird Club to address this
growing market.?

17
Tech Savy
Staying In Touch
HEAD
LINE
by author
Skype is a great way of staying in touch with family and friends
Finding ways to connect
meaningfully with friends and
family across the globe is always
a challenge. The telephone is
great, but there is no substitute
for seeing a loved one?s smiling
face or watching the fun of
grandchildren playing or
receiving a virtual hug from a
close friend.
Skype is a great free way of
staying in touch with family and
friends very easily .
All you need is a computer
screen ? on a desktop, laptop or
tablet. Skype uses your
computer like a telephone.
It allows both sides of the
conversation to see and speak
to each other ? regardless of the
physical distance between
them.
Skype is ideal for making a voice
or video call, but it has
additional interesting features
you can master to enrich your
engagement with your loved
ones.
One example is the screen
sharing option. This lets you
share live video of what's on
your computer screen. It is an
easy way to show another
person what you're working on
or get help from your service
provider with any technical
issues you may be having with
your computer.

19
Living & Lifestyle
Time to Become 'Virtuous' About Your
Toothbrush
Dylan's Eco Tip
I really worry about the over use
of clingfilm. It is a very high use
item in most households and as it
usually ends up with food
particles on the surface, this
contaminates the whole recycling
bin. One alternative is to use
waxed cloths to cover food or
wrap your sandwiches in. Cloths
can be made to any size, washed
and reused. You can also make
them look good by choosing
fabrics (100% cotton) with a nice
pattern. It is possible to buy them
online or you can make them
yourself.
To make your own cloths see
less-stuff.co.uk for instructions.
Dylan Regan, inventor of VirtueBrush.
Dublin-based Dylan Regan first
had the idea for the VirtueBrush
when he was running a blog called
greenliving.ie. ?I was thinking
about items in people?s homes
with ?green? potential and the
plastic toothbrush kept jumping to
the forefront of my mind,? he says.
?Most plastic toothbrush handles
can?t be recycled and this is very
troubling considering how many
millions are discarded each month.
Plastic toothbrushes ultimately
end up in landfill and clogging our
seas and waterways damaging
delicate aquatic ecosystems.?
Regan began looking into
alternatives to plastic handled
toothbrushes and quickly
discovered that toothbrushes
made with Moso bamboo were
popular in countries like Australia.
?I realised there must be a gap in
the market in Ireland and many
other countries for them and I set
up my company, VirtueBrush, to
introduce them to Irish
consumers,? he says.
?Moso bamboo has been
recognised as a ?plant of virtue?for
millennia. It?s a type of grass with
naturally antibacterial qualities
that grows up to three feet per
day and re-grows very quickly
after harvesting. It dries out
quickly and has a tensile strength
that rivals steel. I did a lot of
research and eventually tracked
down a 200- year old company in
China that grows its own bamboo.
They are now manufacturing the
VirtueBrush for me. I chose this
name as I believe customers
appreciate that sustainability is a
virtue. "Unlike plastic which is a
danger to our food chain, bamboo
is an environmentally strategic
material for the twenty first
century with over 1000
documented uses,? Regan adds.
?We have also started an initiative
with Trees for the Future (who
work around the Equator) to plant
three trees for every brush we
sell. We feel this is a positive visual
representation of the good that
people do when they refuse
plastic and go with biodegradable
and sustainable options instead.?
To know more, visit our website
http://www.virtuebrush.com/.

20
2
Age Is No Barrier To Innovation
Joe O?Brien, 71, has
developed a portable blood
lab that could change the
world.
Joe O?Brien spent a large part of
his professional life in the UK
where he worked in the
engineering, petrochemical and
pharma industries. But work alone
was never enough to satisfy his
enquiring mind. His interests were
wide and he admits to having an
?obsessive interest? in science,
especially physics.
In 2012 the idea for what has now
become the award winning
Medimorpho Micro Blood Lab
was born. Joe then spent three
years refining the concept for his
compact, cloud-based,
GSM-enabled, portable blood cell
counter and measurement device.
Revolutionary Technology
Joe?s technology has the
potential to revolutionise how
blood samples are taken and
analysed. At present samples are
sent to labs for processing and
little about this method has
changed in decades. If Joe gets
his way, however, every doctor?s
surgery in the world will have a
Medimorpho and routine blood
samples will be processed by the
GP in less than 10 minutes at a
fraction of the cost of using a lab.
?Blood analysis requiring the
transportation of samples to a
lab followed by a wait for results
was a problem begging for a
solution,? Joe explains. ?The
model currently in use is overly
centralised and 80 percent of
the analysis at the world?s
35,000 blood labs is completely
routine and could be done at
healthcare facilities. Yes, there
were complex technical issues to
overcome with the development
of Medimorpho, but it was a
question of becoming immersed
and finding the solutions. The
machine itself is about the size of
a ladies?Hermes clutch bag, but
half the price!
?People talk abut putting an old
head on young shoulders. While
developing Medimorpho I have
had experience of the inverse! I
found myself working with a
team of young people and it was
exhilarating. What takes place is
lively and dynamic and life
enhancing. But what about
respect for age? Well, it was
blended in equal measure with
forceful and irreverent push! I
am grateful for the experience -
one that cannot be potted or
preserved."

21 Living & Lifestyle
Banking On Alpaca Farming
Meet Joe Phelan one of the new breed of mature entrepreneurs
who is quitting his job as a banker after 37 year to follow his
dream of setting up his own business.
I am as excited today about the
future as I was when I started
working straight out of school. I?m
not the type of person who is
happy to sit back and spend my
retirement gardening, hiking,
enjoying good food and the odd
drink. With my kids through
college and independently on
their way, I?m suffering a bit from
empty nest syndrome. This got me
thinking about what I?d like to do
for myself.
My roots can be traced back 10
generations, almost 400 years, to
1650 to a family farm in
Kilcraggan, Co Kilkenny in Ireland,
about an hour and a half from
Dublin. The farm was a traditional
farm with milking cows, drystock,
pigs, horses and tillage. It was
famous for its butter. It was a
community then, but that kind of
farm life is long gone and the farm
is a shadow of its former self. It has
been rented out for the last 15
years.
While looking at the next chapter
in my life I started researching
how I could re-establish the family
farm. I found that traditional
farming activities required
significant capital investments
with returns that would be
questionable at best. Then
something a lot more unusual (in
an Irish farming context at least)
caught my attention - alpacas.
Why Alpacas?
Alpacas are easy to manage,
gentle on the land and you don?t
need a background in farming to
do well with them. They are mild
natured, intelligent and
inquisitive animals who have been
domesticated for over 6,000
years.
Alpacas are of the camelid family
bred primarily for their wool and
they come in 22 natural colours.
The fibres?unique thermal
characteristics keep you cool in
summer and warm in winter. It is
lighter than sheep?s wool yet three
times warmer. It does not contain
lanolin and so is hypo-allergenic
and can be worn next to the skin.

22 Living & Lifestyle
It is highly water resistant and is
great at wicking moisture away.
Eco-friendly Alpaca
Alpaca offers a natural,
eco-friendly alternative fibre for
active wear clothing. It is a highly
versatile fibre and has a lower
tendency to shrink and pil (ball)
than wool and cashmere.
It is more flame resistant than
plant or synthetic fibres and in
case of fire it does not melt onto
the skin like synthetics do. Alpaca
jackets and coats are hardwearing
but keep their luxurious looks and
feel. They become heirlooms such
is their enduring nature.
For sheep and poultry farmers
Alpacas act as guards against
foxes, they reduce losses to these
predators and increase the birth
rates amongst sheep. The Alpacas
will stand up to and trample any
foxes who might be looking for a
tasty lamb or chicken dinner.
Farmers have found that the
problem with foxes disappears
once Alpacas are run with their
flocks.
Mature Entrepreneur's
Bootcamp
To get things moving, I attended a
mature entrepreneurs business
start-up program to see if I could
convert my idea into a business.
Working for yourself is a lot
different than working for a large
multinational organisation and the
start-up course provided me with
a lot of knowledge and a great set
of business tools.
"Alpaca fibre is called the 'Fibre of Gods".
My plan is to breed Alpaca and sell
them to small farmers and land
owners as an alternative source of
income. I will be converting their
fibre into cash or into finished
products and will provide this as a
service to other alpaca farmers. I
am also involved in agri-tourism
through alpaca trekking. I would
like to invite Freebird Club
members to come and try out
what we have to offer in the
beautiful Wicklow countryside
including the majestic
Powerscourt Gardens and
waterfall near the picturesque
village of Enniskerry.
For more information please email
info@alpacatrekking.ie

23
Living & Lifestyle
Soothing Skin the Natural Way
Having a family with sensitive skin inspired Dr. Maria McGee to set up Marble Hill Natural
Skincare in 2013.
Dr. Maria knows a thing or two
about problem skin from personal
experience. Her children suffered
from eczema when growing up and
her husband, who is a surgeon,
developed a problem with his skin
from constantly using heavy-duty
cleansers to scrub up.
?My interest was in finding a blend
of ingredients that worked with
the skin to sooth and moisturise
not against it to cause irritation,?
Maria says. ?This led me to some
very traditional ingredients such as
neem and argan oils and shea
butter. The reason we do not see
shea butter for sale is because it is
notoriously difficult to handle. It
took us a number of years to
develop a method of producing it
in a consistent, usable way.?
Maria began by making products
for her family and friends and the
business developed from there.
Marble Hill now has a range of
skincare products aimed at
bringing relief from conditions
such as eczema, acne, seborrhoeic
dermatitis and psoriasis. The
company is based in Northern
Ireland and sells its products all
over Europe and the US via the
Internet. The company?s range
includes cleansing and
moisturising creams as well as
conditioning oils, aromatherapy
products, soaps, lipsalve and
Euventol a motivation oil that
combines natural peppermint,
eucalyptus and rosemary oils to
decrease stress and fatigue and
improve alertness and mood.
The company?s flagship product is
Pedisalve a hypoallergenic foot
cream that is suitable for all skin
types but was specifically
developed by Maria for those with
diabetes. ?One of the
complications of diabetes can be
problems with the skin on the feet.
The nerves controlling the flow of
moisture get damaged and the feet
can become dry and cracked. This
can lead to potentially grave
consequences,? Maria explains.
?PediSalve is a 100% natural total
foot cream that moisturises,
conditions and improves
suppleness of the skin of the heels,
nails and joints of the foot.
Maria points out that many of the
hand washes and shower products
on the market today can be very
hard on the skin. ?They contain
detergents, usually the same as
you find in washing up liquid,? she
says. ?People often find this hard to
believe which I found strange as
dermatitis and dry, itchy skin are
now at epidemic levels and people
are using these products every day
without making the connection.?
Dr. Maria Mc Gee of marblehillonline.co.uk
MarbleHiill products in the mixing!
?Have I ever thought about giving
up? Well sometimes running an
expanding business as well as
everything else can seem
overwhelming but I have a zeal for
this and as long as our products are
improving people's quality of life I
will try and make sure as many
people as possible have access to
them.?

24
Freebirds Around the World
H ello fr om your ?Fr eebir d Club Cham pion? in New Yor k City!
W hat a pleasur e it is to r epr esent The Fr eebir d Club in the Big
Apple! H aving the oppor tunity to talk about the pur pose and
m ission gives m e gr eat pleasur e, especially when I see faces light
up k nowing that they can becom e m em ber s of this social tr avel
club. The club offer s new way of tr avelling and a fun way to m eet
new people and enjoy social inter action in later life. W hat could
be better than that? It is exciting to be a par t of The Fr eebir d Club.
East meets West
in USA!
Welcome to Merry Alexander
from New York City and
Jessica Warren from Marin
County, San Francisco. Both
ladies recently joined the
Freebird Club administration
team as ?Country Champions?
who will actively promote and
support local members and
hosts.
Merry and Jessica, who are
both experienced hosts, enjoy
welcoming guests to their
homes and share a common
interest in meeting new people
and making meaningful
connections.
M er r y
Freebird up for
European award
The Freebird Club has been
selected as a finalist in the
European Investment Bank
Institute?s Social Innovation
Tournament, which takes place
in Riga, Latvia, in September
2017.
The Social Innovation
Tournament recognises and
supports the best European
social entrepreneurs. It is
organised every year in a
different country to reward
and sponsor European
entrepreneurs whose primary
purpose is to generate a social,
ethical or environmental
impact.
I was so happy to discover The Fr eebir d Club and am
thr illed to be a Countr y Cham pion her e in M ar in
County, Califor nia. I look for war d to hosting visitor s to
our ar ea and staying with Fr eebir d Club m em ber s
when I tr avel to other countr ies.
G?day Australia!
Exciting developments for The
Freebird Club, as it joins forces
with Clubs Queensland to
launch its social travel and
homestay programme in
Australia. Planning is well
underway for the
Brisbane-based customer care
team to support Freebird Club
members with registration and
hosting queries.
?We are very excited about the
joint venture and can?t wait to
welcome The Freebird Club to
Australia in June, ? says Doug
Flockhart of Clubs Queensland.
Watch out for special offers on
new memberships and
discounted travel promotions
for booking a trip with a
Freebird host ? worldwide!
Jessica

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