In April of 1981, three young men became victims of the UK economic meltdown, that was the 1981 Global Recession.

Amidst the turmoil, and the adverse business climate at the time, Tony Woodward and Andrew York, later to be joined by Terry Pittaway, would buck the trend, and together planted the seed of a new beginning........ Phoenix Air Cargo

To commemorate the 20th Anniversary of PHOENIX, the partners & staff organised a River Boat Trip along the Thames. The starting point was Staines, and this took us through to central Windsor, and return. This stretch of the River offers wonderful views across open grassland & fields, and onto the Royal enclosures of Windsor Castle, and the Crown Estates.

29th July 2001 - Staines to Windsor, Berkshire, Southern England.

A glorious day greeted us, with temperatures over 30 degrees - The meeting point was Staines Town Hall, where some of the early arrivals had already participated in the sampling of the local hostelry offerings!

Once on board, the 'Pimms' were distributed liberally, then we were underway. There were a few words of thanks from Tony, Andrew & Terry, then the food unveiled, and the on board bar opened. All agreed, that the food buffet was excellent, the beer was pretty good too!

We were around 50 persons on board, made up of invited customers, many of them clients of many years standing, UK & Overseas agents, and of course, the 'Phoenix Crew'- All Brought together from many parts of the country, from Israel, the Middle and Far East, in thanks, and celebration of our 20th Birthday.

The proceedings were interrupted with a surprise presentation from the staff to founder members Tony and Andrew. Two delightful 'Globe Awards' specially commissioned by the staff, in recognition of their achievements. The partners' wives were then presented with large floral arrangements, in thanks & recognition that "behind every good man, is a good woman"

Glasses were raised, hands shook, and the party boat continued on its way.

There are some glorious private dwellings that stretch the whole length of this part of the Thames, and are an entertainment in themselves! - For some of our guests, this was the first time along the River, through the huge Thames locks, and the sighting of Windsor Castle. This made it even more of a special event.

The whole trip was so very relaxing. We all settled into the atmosphere very quickly, and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves from the outset.

The agreeable climate brought out hundreds of privately owned boats and motor-cruisers of all shapes and sizes. There was a real 'party-feel' to the day, which seemed to be shared with those on board the Phoenix Cruise, and passers-by alike.

As the afternoon unfolded, some of the more 'energetic' folk took to the dance floor, where a mix of modern popular music had been organised. As the day progressed, more and more people seemed to find that 'energy' and joyfully danced in the sunshine.

At the locks, Ice creams were welcomed aboard, but all too quickly, we seemed to be making our turn mid-river, past Windsor Castle, and on our return journey.

The dancing and laughter intensified, and there was a lovely, happy feel to the day. We really couldn't have hoped for a nicer atmosphere, and thoroughly enjoyed the company of all of the guests on board.

As we closed to our return moorings, one of our guests took the opportunity to express his thanks on behalf of all attending. This was a lovely touch, and very unexpected.
(Thank you Julian)

With the boat now being roped to its moorings, there was time for just one last song.. Jeff Beck's 'Hi-Ho-Silver Lining' was the "sing-along-to" record of choice. Tony, without hesitation, agreed to front the karaoke session, but without a word board! - The song will never be the same again!!! (good effort Tony)

Andrew & Terry saw all guests from the boat, and presented each with a tie & pin for the gents, and a scarf & pin for the ladies, in our corporate colours. There were smiles from every face, and we immediately felt like this had been a huge success.

Now all disembarked, some chose to 'Chill-Out' and made for the water of the Thames. Others slowly disbursed, as the sun started to sink in the sky. I did hear rumours that those same 'energetic folk' made plans to continue the party at a local Public House. Others however chose to make their way home, taking the memories of the day with them.

This was indeed a very pleasant and memorable day. It was a wonderful celebration, and all in a great cause. Being in business for 20 years is always good reason to celebrate, having passed those years of 'Boom & Bust' to make it here today. But without the very special people that are our clients, and our staff, we could never have developed the business to the level we enjoy today. WE THANK YOU, each and every one of you, customers, agents and staff alike, for your support along the way.

We also thank all of those people that journeyed so far to be with us on the day, and for making this a most memorable occasion. We look forward to seeing us all gathered again in 2006, and our 25th anniversary!

"indeed a very pleasant and memorable day"

All Aboard	The Beginnings... 3 Partners
Awards to partners	Tony singing
Plenty of good food, company, dancing & entertainment...
Download All Images (5.3 Mb)	Cooling off...