RGBB News Autumn 2011 by Andrew Mead MBE

Good business is all about being well connected.

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FROM THE CHAIR

ost of you are already aware that I will be leaving the RGBB at the end of October 2011. This decision is full of mixed emotions and I would like to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to work for you as part of the RGBB. I am excited to be getting my life back! LOL - although, I am genuinely sad to be leaving the RGBB. I have been a part of the RGBB since 2005 and I have had many memorable and enjoyable times working for the RGBB alongside the UKTI Team. The first elected female Board Member and subsequently the first elected female Chair in Riyadh – I think I’ve made my mark! Nicola Quick RGBB Chair

I would like to thank all of you who have supported, guided and encouraged me over the years. I also appreciate the good wishes I have received from you all after I declared my decision to leave the RGBB. I would like to thank so many people – to name a few … Paul Dugan; Owain Raw-Rees; Ian Crawford; Vic Dhillon; Jim Mann; Robert Lickley; Erik Huyer and of course Gary Richardson, who has been my rock. I would also like to thank the RGBB Board who give their time unreservedly and contribute to the success of the RGBB. Thank you also to Andrew Mead for all his dedication and commitment to publish our quarterly publication, RGBB News and to Brigitte Davenport our new RGBB Secretary, who has been very supportive. Gary Richardson will assume the role of Acting Chairman until the AGM in March 2012. I am sure you will extend to Gary your usual cooperation and support. Gary’s email address is richardsonksa@hotmail.co.uk Please contact Gary directly if there is anything you wish him to address to the Board, as he would appreciate all Members views and feedback on what the future should hold in all areas of the RGBB, both business and social. After the Summer Break, we have held two Special Briefings; one on 17 September 2011 with Dr. Peter Hall, Senior Consultant, Office of the CEO on the subject of ‘The Changing Face of Healthcare’; and on 22 October 2011 with Her Majesty’s Ambassador, Sir Tom Phillips. (Please see Special Briefing Reports in this issue). On to some terrific news …Congratulations to Gary & Amanda Richardson on the birth of their first son, George Harry Richardson, who weighed in at 7lbs 5oz. Mother & Baby are doing very well, and Dad is clearly, ecstatic! Wedding Congratulations for one of our RGBB Members - Melanie Paul who married Steve Easley on Sunday 09 October in the UK. They’re just back from their honeymoon in Antigua and their home will now be in Australia. (See And Finally) Again, my sincere thanks to all of you and I wish the RGBB good luck for the future. Finally, may I wish you all a very happy and peaceful Festive / New Year break! You can keep in touch with me and free to email me on nicola.quick@talk21.com Nicola J Quick Soon to be Ex-Chair

Contents From the Chair ..........................1 2011-12 RGBB Board ...............2 Middle East Association ............4 BBA Notes.................................5 BBG Notes ................................7 Special Briefing Dr Peter Hall..............................9 SIG Aviation ............................10 IT SIG ......................................12 Healthcare SIG........................13 Chatham House Rule ..............15 UNICEF Fundraiser.................16 More chances to Run ..............17 Irish - AMEX Golf Tournament .....................18 RGBB Golf Society..................23 RGBB Sports - 10 Pin .............24 RGBB Sports - Pool ................25 RGBB Sports - Darts ...............25 Wadi Nights .............................27 ICING Where does the money go? ....28 UK Gossip ...............................30 English Society Quiz Nite ........32 Welcome to New Members .....32 Culinary Corner .......................34 New BISR Principal .................37 Sudoku ....................................37 News from the Embassy .........38 Anf Finally................................40

Advertisers Our thanks to the following advertisers. Without their support we could not publish. Please give them yours Arabian Homes..........................6 AlKhozama Hotel.....................33 AMEX ......................................22 AXA ..........................................8 BA.................. Inside Back Cover BAE Systems ..........................14 BMI ............... Inside Front Cover British School Riyadh ..............36 InterContinental Hotel..............35 Noble Smile Dental Centre........3 SABB ..........Outside Back Cover SESE.......................................26 Sheraton Hotel ........................16 RGBB News 1

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The RGBB 2011-2012 Board

The RGBB Secretary, Jane Brierley can be contacted on Tel: 00966 1 488 00 77 ext. 2263 on Saturdays or secretary@rgbb.org

Gary Richardson Acting Chairman & Sports richardsonksa@hotmail.co.uk

Chris Konstan

Marcel Luckman

Treasurer chriskonstan@aol.com

Special Briefings marcel.luckman@riyadbank.com

Peter Hall

Jane Blackledge

Christopher Innes-Hopkins

Communications peter.a.hall@me.com

Events janeblackledge@yahoo.co.uk

Embassy Representative chris.innes-hopkins@fco.gov.uk

s you will all be aware Nicola has recently made the tough decision to stand down as the RGBB Chair. In accordance with the constitution of the RGBB I will therefore assume the role of acting Chairman until the AGM in March of next year. On behalf of all of the Board and the members of the RGBB I would like to thank Nicola for all of the hard work and effort that she put into the role of Chair, she has certainly left me with some large shoes to step into. During my short time as Acting Chair it is my to focus on the primary objectives of the RGBB - the promotion of UK PLC and thereby benefit British business in both a business and social context. One of the main means of achieving this will be to continue to strengthen the relationship between the RGBB and UKTI team at the Embassy.

Sfakianakis follows closely after the recent talks given by our Ambassador Sir Tom Phillips and Board Member Peter Hall and brings the number of Special briefings this year to five. There will be at least one more planned before the AGM in March. The Special Interest Groups continue to be a valuable asset for RGBB members with regard to reaching potential new clients from within our membership base. These groups are led by specialists in their relevant fields and I would strongly urge you to participate where possible to ensure that we continue to communicate as effectively within the RGBB membership as we do with external parties. I hope that the coming year continues to be sucessful for British business and on behalf of the Board I would like to extend my best wishes to all of our members for the coming festive period. Gary Richardson Acting RGBB Chair

With a record number of trade Missions and delegations to the Kingdom the opportunity for the RGBB and its members to forge fruitful business relationships is more realistic than ever before. By ensuring that the RGBB work closely with the UKTI team we will ensure that our members are advised of trade missions relevant to their line of business and invited to support such missions. The RGBB will continue to host Special Briefings during the current Boards term of office, with the next event taking place in November. This presentation by Dr.John RGBB RGBB NewsNews 2 2

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Moaz Al Sibaai

Special Interest Groups sibaai@yahoo.com

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he Middle East Association held its annual conference on Saudi Arabia, ‘Opportunity Arabia 8’ on Thursday 22nd September at 1 Great George Street, London, SW1. As most of our readers will know, 2011 has witnessed extraordinary change across the MENA Region. Every country has been affected by the changing scenery and none, to a greater or lesser extent, is immune. For all that, Saudi Arabia, swing producer in OPEC and a member of the G20, is a rock of stability. Politically influential both regionally and internationally, it has the largest economy in the MENA region, ever diversifying, and is the UK’s largest trading partner there.

Above: Chris Innes-Hopkins

Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles and Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean addressed the audience during the morning session, and Sir Alan Munro, a former British Ambassador to the Kingdom and one of the UK’s leading experts on Saudi Arabia, was once again in the Chair. Now in its 8th year, Opportunity Arabia has been raising the profile of Saudi Arabia in the UK. It is a unique opportunity to network with some serious experts on the region and meet new businesses contemplating the Saudi market.

Above: Dr Ameed Hamid

Several other British Business Group members attended the event acting as support for David Lloyd during the networking sessions, including Owain RawRees and Andrew Mead from the RGBB; Colin Clarke and John Carter from the BBA. Unsurprisingly many of the questions fielded by these "old-hands" were rather more to do with events in the wider region rather than specifically regarding Saudi Arabia. Other speakers on the day included: Omar Bahlaiwa, Secretary General of the Saudi Committee for International Trade; Thamer Jan, Saudi British Bank; Leslie McCune, MD Chemical Management Resources; Hasan Aly Abouraya, Zamil Offshore Corporation; Chris Innes-Hopkins, Director UKTI Services, KSA; and presenting on behalf of British Business Groups in the Kingdom, Geoff Fennah, Chairman British Business Association, Eastern Province. The RGBB’s own member Dr Ameed Hamid, Saudi-British Hospital Group gave a separate presentation on his area of expertise.

Above: Geoff Fennah

The MEA expressed their thanks to the British Offset Office, the lead sponsor, for its continuing support and acknowledged additional sponsors including: SABB; Tamimi; BAE Systems; Albinali; Zamil Offshore; and Kanoo. Over 200 people attended. RGBB News 4

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BBA

Notes from the Eastern Chair

Geoff Fennah MBE

Chairman, British Business Association Eastern Province

hope you all enjoyed your summer breaks and expect that you are now well settled back into your normal routines – not long until Christmas now! I don’t know what happened to 2011 but it has certainly passed quickly. It is good to see that life in Bahrain seems to be starting to settle back to normality although unfortunately, many business sectors were adversely affected and the return to full economic recovery has been slower than hoped for. In contrast, Saudi Arabia and specifically Eastern Province has been largely unaffected and continue to be very busy. Congratulations to Tony Palys from the BBBF in Bahrain on being awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List announced in June this year. He joins Andrew Mead who was similarly awarded in 2010 for all his philanthropic work with ICING (International Children in Need Group). Since my last notes we have added a new committee position with responsibility for IT / Communications and welcome Andy Clark into the new role. I would also like to welcome our new secretary Julie Czarnota who is hoping to reap the benefits of the work done by Andy as he upgrades our office capabilities. It has been a busy period on the business front with numerous trade missions and a number of interesting speakers at our monthly business dinners. In May, Gareth Woods (Arensco) gave a stimulating talk on "Corporate Social Responsibility and the Environment" prompting a lively Q&A session. In June, Altaf Dossa (KPMG) provided an interesting insight into the new UK Bribery Act and raised a few eyebrows

The Duke of York took a look at one of the vocational programmes in operation during his recent visit to the Eastern Province.

British Business Association - Eastern Province P. O. Box 1868, Oasis Gardens, AlKhobar 31952 Tel: 00966 3 882 5288 ext 1651 Fax: 00966 3 882 5629 Secretary: Julie Czarnota email: secretary@bbaep.com

in the process. Also in June, Amanda Kelleher (City and Guilds) outlined the work done by C&G in the Gulf region over the years and expressed a keen interest in pursuing potential opportunities across Saudi Arabia. September saw us welcoming the Duke of York back to Eastern Province as part of his constant effort to support UKTI in their quest to bring business opportunities back to UK. September also meant that it was time for the annual Opportunity Arabia seminar hosted by Middle East Association in London. This was the eighth in the series of annual seminars and it was a pleasure once again to represent the business groups from Riyadh, Jeddah and Eastern Province and to catch up with some old friends at the post seminar reunion in the Westminster Arms. Finally let me take this opportunity to wish you all an enjoyable festive season and a successful 2012. If you have any other ideas or suggestions for the BBA or need to contact us then feel free to call me directly, send an e-mail to our Secretary at secretary@bbaep.com or via the website www.bbaep.com

Hassan Abouraya from Zamil Offshore speaking at Opportunity Arabia 8 in September.

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BBG

Notes from the BBG in Jeddah

Edward Ogilvie BBG Jeddah Chairman

Greetings from the British Business Group in Jeddah – Saudi Arabia’s first and oldest business group! In the run-up to the end of yet another year, the BBG has been very active since the relative lull of the summer months. In addition to our regular business and social events, we have had the privilege of welcoming a new team heading up the British Consulate-General: Mohammed Shokat as Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul General and Michael Cockle as Deputy Consul General and Head of the Trade and Investment (UKTI) section in Jeddah. Both Shokat and Michael have their families with them and have already settled very comfortably into their new homes and made many new friends within our community. It goes without saying that the challenges facing the new team are considerable as, however, are also the opportunities. In this regard, the BBG looks forward to engaging closely with Shokat and Michael and the UKTI team in building new relationships and continuing to strengthen existing partnerships, both from a business perspective and within the community. One of the most successful initiatives undertaken by the BBG within the last two years has been the reintroduction of Special Interest Groups or SIGs, reflecting the key business sectors represented by the BBG membership. Currently we have four SIGs underway: Financial Services, Engineering & Construction, Education & Training and the most recent addition, Manufacturing & Logistics. A fifth SIG, Marketing & Retail Services, is planned for the near future. The SIGs have so far been meeting on a regular basis and these are complemented, from time to time, with meetings arranged

between the various SIG Chairs to share ideas and ensure a common path forward as the groups develop. This has given the BBG a new business focus and is attracting a good number of members, many of whom might not necessarily attend the regular BBG events. In this way, we feel we are providing a solid business-related reason for being a BBG member and, hopefully, enabling a valued networking service within like business sectors for the benefit of the members’ own companies or in growing the business relationship between the two Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and the UK. If you are to be passing through Jeddah on business and want to know if there are any BBG activities at the time, do check out our website www.bbg-jed.org for details of forthcoming events or contact BBG Secretary Anita Wright at bbg.office@bbg-jed.org. We are always happy to meet up and network with members of the other business groups in the Kingdom. We would also welcome hearing from you if your business brings you frequently to Jeddah and if you want to consider joining the BBG. Members transferring from one British business group in Saudi Arabia to the BBG in Jeddah are not required to pay the membership fee for the remainder of the year (although the one-time joining fee of SR200 will still be payable). More details, if you require them, from our BBG Secretary or alternatively from BBG Membership Secretary Sam Thanvi at bbg.membership@bbg-jed.org . Kind regards and all good wishes, Edward Ogilvie BBG Chairman bbg.chairman@bbg-jed.org

Team change at Consulate Mohammed Shokat (front) takes over from predecessor Kate Rudd as consul general and Michael Cockle, who will also act as deputy consul, replaces Gregg Gibson as the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) representative. Shokat brings with him a foundation of legal training, at least a decade of experience in the Foreign Office and, as he proudly admits, weaknesses for football and cricket both of which he has played up to representative level. He trained as a lawyer but a year or so after graduating reviewed his future in the legal profession and decided he wanted a wider life. Having developed an intense interest in things Middle Eastern he began to attempt Arabic as a foreign language (he was already fluent in English and Urdu). Then he joined the UK Foreign Office in 2001 after a stint as assistant legal adviser at the UK Department for Transport and embarked on the journey that brought him finally to Jeddah. His journey took him through Arabic language training in Jordan, two years in Doha as political and embassy spokesman and head of the Political and Economic Team in Baghdad. After a year in the Iraq policy unit in London, Shokat arrived in Jeddah with his wife and two children just in time to celebrate Eid.

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SPECIAL BRIEFING

The Future of Health Care

he RGBB September Briefing was a presentation by "one -ofour-own" RGBB Board Member Peter Hall MD PhD FRCPath . Peter promised a stimulating and entertaining speech and didn’t disappoint. By way of background, Peter is a Senior Consultant and Advisor to the CEO of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital. He holds other senior positions in the Research Centre of the same institution and the Alfaisal University College of Medicine. He has previously held numerous senior positions in the UK and in KSA. Peter explained that healthcare is evolving from traditional practices. The 4 pillars of medicine are now management of a complex and diverse series of supply chains, Human resources, IT and Construction and Maintenance. The medical we knew in the past is simply not applicable or sustainable going forward. The drivers in the change in healthcare are science & technology, environmental change, populations and societal changes. Peter revealed his hitherto unknown fascination with Star Trek recalling how in the original series Captain Kirk would use his communicator to request Scottie to beam him up. A communicator seemed like a fantasy item at the time but now we are all using mobile phones which seem to have been based on an early communicator design. How long will it be until we have Star Trek type doctors and equipment looking after us. In giving examples of how things are evolving in 2000; it cost US$100 million to sequence a genome. The cost today is less than US$100. The environment is changing with global warming and multi drug resistant infections. Populations are generally getting older, with less healthy diets. Lastly society is putting pressure to limit expenditure and amend working practices.

similar life expectancies. Lastly a slide of Spock wishing "Live long and prosper" was thrown in to satisfy the Star Trek craving. Another major issue is obesity, which was up by 12% in the years 1991 to 2001 and continues to rise. The issue of financial constraints was explained. Major clinical trials of the cancer drug Avastin show on average, life expectancy was increased from 19.9 months to 21.3 months. While a few get long benefits, most get none, or even reduced survival. The cost per treatment is £22,000. With around 40,000 people contracting colon cancer each year, the total annual cost would be £800 million to treat each patient. A moral conundrum not to be covered by this article. Finally Peter gave us some thoughts for the future. • Medical and Scientific knowledge far exceeds the ability of individuals to process properly • What we can do far exceeds what we can afford to spend. • The proportion of population benefitting from best care will reduce. • Population growth will alter the spectrum of ill health. With this in mind we can expect to see • Larger hospitals with more primary care • Major changes in work practices • The healthcare pyramid rapidly altering • Major impact of IT. • Healthcare becoming increasingly at the centre of politics. Peter closed with some quotes from Lord Kelvin, President of the Royal Society from 1890-1895. "Radio has no future" "Heavier than air flying machines are impossible" "X rays will prove to be a hoax" We have to assume that Lord Kelvin did not particularly believe in travelling at Warp Factor 10. Thanks Peter for a very interesting presentation.

Marcel Luckman

Peter showed a number of interesting charts showing how the world population had literally exploded 20 times in the last 500 years. A comparison was given between the average ages of the population in the UK and KSA. In the UK the charts show the largest age group being from 2045. Not surprisingly, in the Kingdom, the highest age group is under 10, with 20-40 running a close second. Peter also showed a graph highlighting the correlation between per capita healthcare spending and life expectancy. Not surprisingly, the more spent, the longer life expectancy, apart from one obvious exception. The US spends more than double the amount per capita than countries with RGBB News 9

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Sean Ellis Chair Aviaition SIG

t’s been a hectic summer, but with very little activity on the Aviation SIG front I’m sorry to say. To those interested in Skydiving, it did appear that Mike Nesbit was making good progress in establishing the activity as a commercial entity at Thumamah airfield; however, he has elected to leave Kingdom for a while, hopefully only on a temporary basis, so plans are on hold for now. Hurry back Mike!! Otherwise, a planned seminar with Ted Spencer, Vice President Northrop Grumman (Arabian Gulf) planned for 24th October was postponed to end-November (date to be confirmed) in order to enable more fuller participation by the SIG and Riyadh RAeS members. This promises to be a fascinating session, in which Ted will give an overview of Northrop Grumman’s aerospace technologies, current vertical UAV systems, and some final comments on the current Saudi marketplace from an American Defense Company perspective. This is to be what I hope will be the first in a series of seminars, which will provide mutually beneficial business networking opportunities that accord to the aims and principles of the RGBB. Unfortunately, that is all there is to report from your Aviation SIG chair; however, I thought some of the readership would be interested in the article below, which is reproduced from Air Clues, the RAF Flight Safety magazine. I regard myself as being extremely fortunate to be involved with the BAE Systems Salam Programme, which is introducing the Eurofighter Typhoon capability to the Royal Saudi Air Force. For those of you who were not fortunate enough to attend the excellent Typhoon briefing provided by the UK MoD Saudi Arabia Project Team last year, the article provides a further insight to what training to operate the Typhoon weapon system involves and its tremendous capability. It was written by an experienced RAF Tornado GR4 pilot, who was selected for conversion to the Typhoon; I hope you enjoy it:

“Before joining 29 (R) Squadron, the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit (OCU), I had to go through the extensive pre-employment training. This started with a trip to the Centre of Aviation Medicine (CAM) at RAF Henlow to understand the physiological effects of flying such a high performance aircraft and get to grips with pressure breathing now that I would be able to easily attain FL550 (55,000 feet) in my new steed. I was also kitted out with my new Aircrew Equipment Assemblies (AEA) including a new G-suit – full coverage anti-g trouser (FCAGT - affectionately named ‘faggot’) and pressure jerkin. The next step was to Farnborough to undergo centrifuge training, experiencing up to 9Gz and passing the mandatory high Gz qualification run to proceed with the training. With my centrifuge experience fresh in my mind I was subject to two high-G sorties in the CAM Hawk aircraft based at Boscombe Down. This is performed in full Typhoon AEA and is designed to give you confidence in the kit; I was pleasantly surprised to find that I could comfortably maintain 6Gz without any kind of straining and flying at 9Gz was easily achievable. My final port of call was to Swanwick (Military) Air Traffic Control Centre to be made aware of the pitfalls and advantages of the Typhoon’s exceptional rate of climb and service ceiling!

Eager to get my hands on the aircraft I was forced to wait a little longer as there was a 4 week ground school phase to attend at the Typhoon Training Facility (TTF) at RAF Coningsby, the Main Operating Base and home of the Typhoon Force. This training culminates in a simulator check ride consisting of an Instrument Flying training sortie with full emergency procedure training and examinations on Typhoon technical data and emergency procedures. At last it was time to start the conversion (cvx) phase. My first sortie consisted of general handling followed by Instrument Flying and circuit practice, but all I can really remember is grinning at the acceleration of the aircraft that was only in dry power but had the ability to climb at 20° nose up at 400 Knots (460 miles per hour). The cvx phase consists of 5 sorties, including an Instrument Rating Test (IRT) then first solo, followed by a formation ride and a night check ride. The first solo on type is generally in a single seat aircraft, as opposed to a ‘tub’ (twin seat Typhoon), and usually involves the pilot enjoying the awesome performance of the aircraft at low level either in the Lake District, or Wales, followed by a transit at FL500

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AVIATION SIG

(50,000 feet) or above, because you can. Such is the performance of the aircraft at low level that it is imperative to use the Auto-throttle set to 420 Knots (480 miles per hour) to avoid encroaching the transonic region and causing untold complaints! With the cvx phase complete, it was time to start the tactical portion of the syllabus, the aim being for the pilot to be able to fight the aircraft firstly, within visual range (WVR) employing the Advanced Short-Range Air-toAir Missile (ASRAAM), then work up to beyond visual range (BVR) utilising the Advanced Medium Range AAM (AMRAAM). Finally, these disciplines are combined as a tactical pair. The WVR phase was highly demanding physically owing to the high Gz loading on your body and the manipulation of the weapon system. Typhoon human-to-machine interface is ergonomically superior to many aircraft in service, utilising Voice Throttle and Stick (VTAS) inputs to control the weapon system; very much a home-away-from-home for the, ‘Play Station Generation’. The voice part of VTAS employs a Direct Voice Input capability within the aircraft to manipulate the radar, weapon targeting and cockpit domestics eg. radio channel changes. It was during the BVR Phase that I started to become aware of the vast amount of information that the aircraft had to offer, and the consequent temptation to stay, `heads-in’, soaking it all up.

The BVR Phase moved swiftly onto the Pairs Phase, which culminated in a pair of Typhoons, with me as the wingman, fighting an unknown pair of hostile aircraft in a variety of different presentations. The pairs element of the OCU was undeniably the most tactical and most demanding, with the introduction of Defensive Aids and Data link (MIDS/Link16) manipulation. The final part of the Course is the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Phase which enables a graduate from 29(R) Squadron to be declared Limited Combat Ready(Q) and thus able to undertake the 24/7, 10 minute notice-to-launch for NATO and UK duties. Upon graduation, pilots are posted to either Nos 3(F), XI or 17(F) Squadrons at RAF Coningsby and, towards the end of 2012, to No 6 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth. In addition to ASRAAM and AMRAAM, RAF Typhoon aircraft can also deliver UK Paveway II, Enhanced Paveway II, Freefall 1000lb bombs and utilise the Litening III Laser Designator Pod, all whilst performing its initial Air Defence capability”. Where do I sign up ……? Yours safe in aviation, Sean Ellis Aviation SIG Chair RGBB News 11

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IT SIG

Simon Hepburn IT SIG Chair

ontinuing on with the theme of home security as started in the Spring newsletter, we now need to take a closer look at the other main components, PC’s and Laptops! Again the discussion will be centered around the Microsoft Windows Operating System as this is by far the most popular system in the marketplace. The first thing that cannot be reiterated enough is that you ensure you have purchased a bona-fide copy of Windows and not copy one from a friend or bought one from the many dubious dealers that are around. The reason for this is simple, any necessary updates or security patches will be automatically sent to your machine. If you have an illegal copy then you will not receive these updates and will therefore place yourself at the mercy of whatever the latest Worms/Trojans etc are capable of. I will discuss in the next issue the effect that these can have on your private data as well as an overview of Phishing, Drive-By websites, Malware etc. As regards ensuring that you receive these updates you need to check that ‘Automatic Updates’ has been enabled on your PC. This can be found in the CONTROL PANEL and the icon is conveniently labeled ‘AUTOMATIC UPDATES’ The default

setting is ‘Automatic (recommended)’ but you will be surprised just how many people have this disabled. Ensure that this is enabled and then configure the days and times that you wish to check for updates. My PC’s are all set for ‘Every day at 04:00hrs’. However it is no good using settings like this if you leave your PC off overnight. Choose a time that is the most suitable for you and try and stick to it religiously. The other options you have are ‘Download updates, but let me choose when to install them’ – ‘Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them’ and ‘Turn off Automatic Updates’. Obviously turning off the Automatic Updates is not the best course of action but if you do choose this option then you can install the updates from the Website directly if you so wish. As I mentioned earlier, purchasing a dodgy version of the software will preclude you from obtaining any of these patches.

The next thing we need to look at is Firewalls. The default Windows Firewall is configured through the CONTROL PANEL yet again. The icon is also conveniently labeled ‘Windows Firewall’. I would suggest that you click on the ‘On (recommended)’ button and not the ‘Off (not recommended)’ button for obvious reasons. Clicking on the ‘Exceptions’ Tab will bring up a list of programmes and executables that may, at some time, require access to your PC. If you do need to choose these then be very careful which ones you select. Some of them are obvious but some of the others are not so obvious. It is worth checking with an IT savvy person if you do decide to change some of these settings. The ’Advanced’ tab also has many options including ‘Network Connection

Settings’, ‘Security Logging’, ‘ICMP’ and ‘Default Settings’. The ‘Default Settings’ are just that. Clicking on the button will return everything to its original state…..(very handy if you make a hash of the configurations and need to start again) The ‘ICMP’ section is the part that deals with the INTERNET CONTROL MESSAGE PROTOCOL. This is a set of tools that is part of the IP suite and is used for connectivity, troubleshooting, fault finding etc. Unless you know about Ping, Traceroute, etc, my advice is to leave this alone. The ‘Log Settings’ part is only of use to those who need to keep a constant check on their connection status, how many times you have successfully connected, how many packets have been dropped etc. Useful if you have a bad connection and you need to report back to your ISP/LAN engineers the reported issues. Other than that it is better left unconfigured. The ‘Network Connection Settings’ covers all the types of various connections that are enabled on your machine. This includes your LAN cable, Wireless setup, Bluetooth and your ISP. It is mainly for folks who allow other users to access their machines for certain services and applications. There is also another ICMP tab to help control outside users. Finally we will touch on the subject of Anti-Virus Software. As you may well know, there are many packages available, all of which can be bewildering to the uninitiated. Some of the more well known ones include Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky etc. The choice of software is really down to the individual but you can ask your friends/colleagues if they have any preferred choices when looking for a suitable application. If you do purchase one then make sure that you regularly apply the updates as the world of the ‘anti-viral creating geek’ is an ever changing one. Unless you keep up with these changes then you leave your system wide open to the creations of these horrid people!

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SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

HEALTHCARE SIG Philip Anderson Taylor SIG Chair

s one of the Special Interest Groups [SIG] the Health SIG which, I chair, has a particular responsibility in identifying opportunities for British Health Care Businesses. The potential market, within Saudi Arabia, for businesses supporting the Health Care Sector is rich and one of the key in areas of interest for the Trade and Investment team at the British Embassy in Riyadh [UKTI]. Below is a comment, from the UKTI Team reflecting this high level of interest. “UK Trade & Investment in Saudi Arabia has made healthcare a key sector for development of UK/Saudi institutional partnerships. Following the visit by Saudi Health Minister Dr Abdullah Rabeeah to the UK in April and signature of a bilateral MOU on healthcare cooperation, a high level delegation of UK clinicians led by Lord Darzi visited the Kingdom in October. Numerous opportunities for further cooperation were identified, and the Embassy is keen to discuss these with representatives of the Health Sector SIG prior to the visit by a UK Healthcare Industry Mission from 11-14 December.” As the chair of the Health Care SIG I look forward to recommencing our Health Care Meetings with the focus of attention of supporting the role of the Riyadh Group of British Business in supporting the efforts of the UKTI Team lead by Chris Innes-Hopkins based in the Embassy. So that takes care of promoting the Health Wellness and hopefully prosperity of our UK Based Health Care Businesses. How about our own health and wellness?

Do you care more for your Car than yourself? You’ve been in Saudi Arabia, happily, feeding your bank account, for years and planning for a secure financial future. Your “nest egg” may have taken a beating with the economic downturn. But it may still be healthy, and you look forward to a comfortable lifestyle when you retire. Perhaps long days and years of relaxing and possibly celebrating the birth of great grand children may be in the picture as well. But is there cloud on the horizon? How have you planned for you health and wellness future? Answer the following questions: • Do you [or ask the man to] check the tire pressure most times when you top up the fuel. • Do you take the car to the service station every 5K for an oil change, and regularly top up all fluids. • Perhaps you have the tires rotated, as per the manufactures recommendations. Because if you do it maintains the life of the tires, contributes to safety and maintains the resale value. • Do you regularly have the car washed of contaminates to make it look good and protect the paint, because if the paint is in good condition it will sell better • Did you put on special film on the windows for privacy and protect the car from the harmful effects of UV light. • Perhaps you have the car “detailed “to improve looks and maintain value! • Are you a smoker? Now answer the following questions: • • • • • • •

When did you last visit your health care provider for routine health screening? Do you check your blood pressure? What is normal for your age and sex? Do you know what BMI or WHR is at what the correct values are? How do you protect yourself from the harmful effects of UV LIGHT? When did you last exercise to maintain fitness and improve your looks, and prolong your life? Do you know what the normal blood values, for example Cholesterol, are? What vaccines do you take to protect yourself?

Your next action should be to book and appointment with your chosen Health Care Provider asking for a regular check up. So come on promote your own health and wellness, “live long and prosper” If you have any suggestions, or if you want to join our SIG meeting please review the RGBB Web Page, as soon as possible. www.rgbb.org. RGBB News 13

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SPECIAL BRIEFING The Chatham House Rule reads as follows:

“When a meeting, or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed”. Often asked Questions Q. When was the Rule devised? A. In 1927 and refined in 1992 and 2002.

ctober’s Special Briefing from the Ambassador brought RGBB Members up-to-date with the UK’s views on many of the events in the region this year. Held under the Chatham House Rule, we’re prevented from reporting exactly what was said but yet another worthwhile event in what is turning into a busy season. The Chatham House Rule, famous throughout the world for facilitating free speech and confidentiality at meetings, originated in the UK where the mission of Chatham House is to be a world-leading source of independent analysis, informed debate and influential ideas on how to build a prosperous and secure world for all. Chatham House was founded in 1920 and is based in St James’s Square, London. Meetings do not have to take place at Chatham House, or be organised by Chatham House, to be held under the Rule. The Rule may be invoked at meetings to encourage openness and the sharing of information. Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese democracy campaigner, has been voted the winner of the Chatham House Prize 2011. This annual award is presented to the statesperson deemed by members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year. Aung San Suu Kyi has become an international symbol of democracy and peaceful resistance, having spent most of the last two decades in some form of detention because of her efforts to bring democracy to Burma. She remains the overwhelming symbol of opposition to military rule in the country. Upon her release from house arrest in November 2010, thousands of her supporters gathered to hear her call for the Burmese people to work together for change. Aung San Suu Kyi said, “To receive the Chatham House Prize is to be reminded of the unique link between national and international issues. International awareness helps our struggle for democracy in Burma; and our struggle provides us with an insight into the yearnings of all peoples for peace and freedom.”

Q. Should one refer to the Chatham House Rule or the Chatham House Rules? A. There is only one Rule. Q. What are the benefits of using the Rule? A. It allows people to speak as individuals, and to express views that may not be those of their organisations, and therefore it encourages free discussion. People usually feel more relaxed if they don’t have to worry about their reputation or the implications if they are publicly quoted. Q. How is the Rule enforced? A. Chatham House can take disciplinary action against one of its members who breaks the Rule. Not all organisations that use the Rule have sanctions. The Rule then depends for its success on being seen as morally binding. Q. Who uses the Rule these days? A. It is widely used by local government and commercial organisations as well as research organisations. Q. Can participants in a meeting be named as long as what is said is not attributed? A. It is important to think about the spirit of the Rule. For example, sometimes speakers need to be named when publicizing the meeting. The Rule is more about the dissemination of the information after the event - nothing should be done to identify, either explicitly or implicitly, who said what. Q. Can you say within a report what you yourself said at a meeting under the Chatham House Rule? A. Yes if you wish to do so. Q. Can a list of attendees at the meeting be published? A. No - the list of attendees should not be circulated beyond those participating in the meeting. Q. Can I ‘tweet’ whilst at an event under the Chatham House Rule? A. The Rule can be used effectively on social media sites such as Twitter as long as the person tweeting or messaging reports only what was said at an event and does not identify - directly or indirectly - the speaker or another participant. This consideration should always guide the way in which event information is disseminated - online as well as offline. RGBB News 15

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Another charity success at the Sheraton

n October 1st the Sheraton Riyadh hosted Ladies only Lunch & Dinner events in aid of UNICEF. Tickets sold out extremely quickly for the events held at the excellent La Piazza Restaurant at the Sheraton Riyadh (#1 on Tripadvisor for Riyadh Restaurants). The excellent array of raffle prizes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hotel stays at many of Starwoods best hotels and flights from British Midland International (bmi) - had really caught the imagination of the ladies in the community. However, it was the aim to raise funds for UNICEF that was the true aim of this event.

After event comments by ladies summed up what worthy events they truly were.

bring back a trip to somewhere - so next year inshallah!" Pia Konigsfeldt (wife of the Danish Ambassador)

"It was such a nice evening and we all enjoyed it all thoroughly - the food, the atmosphere and the great prizes. My husband was of course somewhat disappointed that I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

"On behalf of the Dirab Ladies Golf Group and the Arizona Ladies Golf Group, we would like to extend our Congratulations to you Stuart for the successful events . You made a super

With a hotel goal of raising in total USD$10,000 for UNICEF from an array of activities the Ladies only Events in themselves ending up raising USD$10,000 of the total USD$15,000 raised. The ladies enjoyed an excellent meal in the unique environment that La Piazza is so well known for and then participated in a truly wonderful raffle.

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COMMUNITY NEWS package Ladies Event...excellent ambiance...excellent food and the excellent services of the Sheraton Hotel staff. Plus...the great support extended from all the Ladies in Riyadh for this Fund Raising Campaign for UNICEF." Flore Bouzanne (Captain Dirab Golf Ladies)

Above: Robert Lickley from British Midland International and below, Stuart Birkwood from the Sheraton presenting prizes to two of the lucky prize winners.

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Irish Eyes are smiling

rish eyes were certainly smiling as an incredible one hundred and sixty golfers battled it out in an incredibly tight finish in the Inaugural Irish – American Express Open championship staged at Dirab golf course on October 6th. The event which took the form of a four ball Texas scramble saw 40 teams fight for the amazing Waterford crystal vases that were on offer for the winners. The scoring was so close that the winners needed to be decided on a count back from the runners up, whilst the teams from third to fifth all shot the same score and needed to be separated by using the count back system as well.

The 7am starters began their rounds in perfect playing conditions, with little or no wind, despite the forecast for sandstorms. Some of the teams took real advantage of these conditions by recording birdies from the outset. However the majority of these proved to be false starts as the teams with the strongest back 9 scores were to prove triumphant in the end. By the end of the morning session the scoring was so sensational that teams that had recorded 8 under par (good enough to have won 4 ball events in the past) were already out of trophy contention. Before the afternoon groups set off they were serenaded by International Harpist Anne Marie O’Farrell and published poet Seamus Cashman, who had both been flown into the Kingdom courtesy of sponsors BMI. The Irish Ambassador Dr. Niall Hollohan & his wife Felicity Heathcote then presented American Express owner HH Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz with a title sponsors award and a basket of the Hoopoe Bird Foundations fragrances as a thank you for his support of the event. Once the cultural interlude and awards were completed the afternoon groups set about achieving the scores required to catch their morning counterparts.

The availability to purchase mulligan’s (second chance shots), combined with perfect playing conditions, clearly had a significant effect as almost every team shot below the par score of 72 on this challenging parkland course. They certainly did not disappoint as several of the teams went on a birdie assault of their own from the first green. This certainly stood them in good stead as was witnessed when the prizes were awarded later in the evening when half of the day’s prize winners came from the afternoon groups. When all of the scores had been counted and verified there were two teams that were the clearly ahead of the other teams in the event. After a count back the team of Werner Van Ravenstyn, Paromita Mukherjee, Rob Smith & Orazio Moretti were declared the winners as they shot an incredible 12 under par on the course and with a team handicap of 9 recorded a total net score (score after handicaps have been deducted) of 21 under par (net 51).

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IRISH AMEX GOLF DAY At the Gala ball and presentation which was held at the Irish Embassy in the evening the winning team were awarded their Waterford crystal vases by Priyan Attigalle CEO of the title sponsors American Express, they also received International NAS air flights from Simon Stewart, CEO of Nas air. In second place were Patrick Kennedy, William Green, Lois Barker and Matthew Eaton, who all received their trophies and prizes of a La-z-boy recliner from Almutlaq furniture groups Marketing Manager Mohamed Abureida. In third place with a score of 54 (18 under par) were Alan Reid, Tom Merkel, Bob Mordan & Chuck Davin. They all received their trophies and prize of a Titleist tour bag from Robert Lickley from our generous sponsors BMI. Fourth was secured by Evan Wienand, Rick Ball, Sheldon Ritchie & Theresa Wade. They also scored 54 (18 under par), but were beaten again on the dreaded count back system. However they were more than happy with their trophies and prizes. Fifth went to Jerry Doncarolis, Phil Pannell, Priyan Attigalle and Paul West who also shot a 54 but were also prevented from finishing higher on count back. Other prizes were presented by Khalid Masoud from UPS for categories such as nearest the pin, longest putt and longest drives.

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Burberry pram; a designer dress from Helen Macalinden; a La-z-boy reclining chair; courtesy of Almutlaq furniture group; two ipad 2’s; an Apple Macbook laptop and the star prize was a pair of return flights to the UK, courtesy of BMI.

For the first time for this type of event the draw was made the day before and was videoed as well as attended by an independent adjudicator. The tournament, organised by Gary Richardson, Andrea Corbett and their team, included members from Riyadh Round Table & 41 Club and was hosted by Dirab Golf & Country Club. The evening part of the event was hosted by Dr. Niall Hollohan & his wife Felicity Heathcote. Despite not being a golfer Niall was clearly impressed and delighted by the proceedings over which he and Felicity presided. As well as a fun golf event and evening function the day had a serious side to it. All proceeds from the event were earmarked for the charity Hoopoe Bird Foundation. They raise money for causes here in the Kingdom as well as in Palestine, where they assist a blind school. The raffle raised 50,000 SR this year. The superb prizes on offer included: An X-Box Kinec; a Nintendo Wii;

The auction was equally as strong with items such as a signed shirt from Lee Westwood as well as signed items from Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy, Walter Swinburn, Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo & Padraig Harrington accompanying the 3 main items which were a meal for 20 at the Irish Ambassador’s residence (catered for by the Sheraton Riyadh) and return flights to Ireland (courtesy of BMI), with a weekend of golf at the K Club. With other such events raising just over 100,000 SR in their inaugural year a similar figure would have been extremely pleasing for the charity’s patron Felicity Heathcote. However after all of the money raised by sponsorship, entry fees, raffles and auctions was added up by RGBB golf society committee member Marcel Luckman, Gary & Andrea were able to present a clearly stunned Felicity with a cheque for SR 330,000. This huge sum of money seemed surreal and was clearly not expected as a delighted Felicity gave her heartfelt thanks to everyone in the garden. She immediately called Marie Therese Costelloe from the ladies co-operative in Qassim, Herfa to the stage where she promptly gave

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IRISH AMEX GOLF DAY her 10,000 SR. She then invited Nurreddin, the founder of the blind school in Palestine, to the stage (he had been flown over courtesy of Nas air to attend the event) and donated 40,000 SR to him on the spot. These first donations were warmly received by the audience as they could see immediately where the money they had helped raise was going. The evening then concluded with dancing to the tunes of DJ Dave Mason until it was time to draw the line under this successful event. The Hoopoe Bird Foundation would like to thank everyone who was involved in making the event a huge success. We would particularly like to thank our generous sponsors without whom this event could not have taken place, these included: American Express, Riyadh Irish Society, Mercury, BMI, UPS, La-z-boy, Almutlaq Furniture Group, Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers, Nas Air, Enterprise Ireland, Alyoum, Almarai Co., Axa, Modelcraft, Arabian Shield, Jones Brothers, Riyadh Round Table, Riyadh 41 Club, Ex-Pat Logistics, AKMC, TPE, Waterford Crystal, Tourism Ireland, and Dirab Golf & Country Club.

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RGBB GOLF SOCIETY New names for a new season

he RGBB Golf society’s new season opened with some new names in the "winners circle" after an initial season which was dominated by the same group of players throughout the year. Division 3 saw Matt Eaton secure his first monthly medal title with 33 points, with Steve Parrott from Arabian homes winning his first trophy with a 24 point haul to claim second place. Division 2 saw the reigning Saudi Arabian Ladies Open Champion, Sheila McIlroy shoot an impressive 4 under par 68 to win her first society medal. She edged out David Treadgold on count back (the lower score on the final hole) who also shot a 68 to win his first medal runners up trophy. Division 1 was claimed by Paul Dart who shot a 1 under par 71 off of his newly reduced handicap to secure his first medal win since joining the society. He beat Paul Stanton into second place by 1 shot, as Paul scored a level par 72. The June fun also saw a lot of new names claiming trophies as 4 of the 6 winners claimed their first trophies since joining. The event, which was played at Dirab Golf and Country Club, was a Stableford point’s pair’s competition saw Ruby Klawakoski win the first fun event of the season for the second year in a row. The event proved to be the tightest yet as 1 point separated the top 4 teams. Ruby partnered Ralf Schiffer to score an impressive 46 points, which was one ahead of three other teams that all had a great day on this par 72 Parkland course. After a complicated count back was completed the pair of Warren Webb and Paul Brown claimed second place with 45 points. In third place also on 45 points were Julian Bennett and Donal Lynch. Just missing out on the prizes were Talal Saradienne and Arshad Mahmood, who also scored 45 points, but lost out on the count back system.

Golf Society welcomes its new Committee

he RGBB Golf society bid farewell to its first committee at its inaugural AGM. The meeting, which was held at the Canadian Embassy on October 17th, saw a high number of its members turn out to witness proceedings. The society was founded by RGBB sports member Gary Richardson in June 2010 and finished its first full season with over 100 members. The evening began with the outgoing Captain, Andrew McKechnie thanking the Committee for its efforts and achievements during his tenure as Captain. He stated that whilst the society had not set a solid target for its fund raising activities its contributions of over SR26,000 certainly exceeded the expectations of all of the committee. This had been possible due to the generosity of our sponsors Riyad Bank & UPS as well as the membership. He went on to say how proud he was to have been the first Captain of the society and hoped that he and the Committee had left a solid platform for the new Captain and his team to build upon. The outgoing treasurer Vic Dhillon then carefully went through the year’s financials ensuring that all of the members were happy with the set of books that were published. He thanked Anthony Fudge for auditing the books before asking if there were any questions form the members, of which there were none. The evening then progressed onto the election of the new Committee for the 2011/12 season. The successful candidates were: Club Captain – Spence Hawthorne Vice Captain – Marcel Luckman Ladies Captain – Barbara Dickinson President – Chris Innes- Hopkins Other Committee members (positions TBC); Mark Davies Paul Dart Karl Dixon

Anthony Fudge Gary Richardson Jonathan Mortell

The ladies longest drive was claimed once again by Ruby Klawakowski, with Donal Lynch claiming the men’s longest drive in his final competition before leaving the Kingdom. Nearest the pin on hole 7 was Phil Pannell, with Ralf Schiffer claiming the nearest to the pin on hole 11, to show how well his team played on the day.

At the end of the adoption of the new Committee the new captain Spence Hawthorne thanked Andrew McKechnie and the Committee for the sterling work and solid foundations that they had set for the society. He stated that he was under no illusions in regards to how tough the task would be to replicate the successes of the previous administration, but that it would be his and the new Committees aim to achieve exactly that.

For more information about upcoming golf events or for details to join the society please email rgbbgolfsociety@gmail.com and we will contact you.

He went on to thank all of the members for attending and informed them that any new ideas that they may have would be more than welcomed. RGBB News 23

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Deadeye David takes it to a new level

he standard of competition was taken to a different level at the recent 10-pin bowling competition. The event attracted many new as well as many longer standing RGBB members that had not previously entered an RGBB sports event. The competition, which was held on Cordoba compound on September 15th also featured a children’s challenge for the first time. One of the members entering an event for the first times was David Wood. He had a reputation for being a good bowler before the event, which he certainly enhanced with a stunning score of 200 in his Semi-final. He started the match with 4 consecutive strikes and never let his opponent Gordon Nesbitt get a look in as he cruised to a comfortable victory. His opponent in the final was Carolyn Desheness, who was also impressive in the early rounds, often registering scores of over 150. Her most interesting match came in the semifinal, where she faced her husband Mike Roberts. Although she was clearly the better player Mike knew the most effective barracking tactics to use to affect Carolyn’s game and he put them to full effect. Despite his best efforts she eased past Mike to set up an eagerly anticipated

showdown against David Wood. However, as in his earlier rounds, David got off to a flying start whilst Carolyn stuttered a little compared to some of her earlier matches. David took full advantage of his early lead to really press home his advantage in the later frames, eventually running out as a 175 - 148 victor. After his impressive displays throughout the evening David said, “I am really pleased to have won this event. I have played the game for some time, with varying success in other business groups, but I knew the standard I would face here would be high. I faced some very talented opponents over the course of the evening and could easily have lost in one or two of the earlier rounds. I am also pleased to have met some new people this evening and look forward

to seeing them again soon”. The other big winner on the night was Will Cox. Will who was competing in his first ever 10-pin bowling tournament certainly did not let his nerves show as he eased to a convincing victory over his younger sister Polly in the children’s final. After his win Will said, “ I am very pleased to have won this competition, especially as I beat Polly in the final. I hope that we can have more events like this for kids in the future”. RGBB sports organiser Gary Richardson promised to take Will’s comments on board, so please watch your emails for upcoming events for both members and their families. The RGBB would like to thank Mike Roberts and the team at Cordoba compound for their hospitality and hope to repeat the event again soon.

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RGBB SPORTS Deadly Davis scoops the title Mark Davis proved it was "tons for show and doubles for dough" at the inaugural RGBB darts championship. The event, which was sponsored by the Sheraton hotel which was held on Arabian homes on 30th June, really could not have been tighter. All of the contestants played each other once in a ‘round robin group format’, with the top 2 players due to face each other in the final. If there was a tie then the results of the individual matches was to be used as a "tie breaker".

Bennett goes one better

t was certainly a case of second time lucky for Julian Bennett in the September RGBB pool tournament.

In the first pool tournament of the year Julian Bennett was unlucky to lose out to the eventual Champion Peter Meyer. This time around Julian made no mistakes enroute to claiming the title. The event, which took place on Thursday 22nd September was again hosted by Arabian homes had a small but talented field (due to the proximity to the EID vacation period). However the lower numbers certainly did not detract from the quality on view as some real expertise was witnessed in this round robin formatted event. After all of the players had met each other once in the group stages the top two players were destined to meet in the final. This matched Julian Bennett against pre-event favourite Mark Davies. Julian got himself ahead early in the match with some strong potting and never really gave Mark an opportunity to get into the match. After an exchange towards to the end of the frame Julian gave himself a great opportunity to sink the black and win the title. He duly made the difficult black ball into the top right hand pocket to claim the crown. After his victory Julian said, “I am delighted to have won the event at the second time of asking. There were some very close games tonight, against some good quality players so I am relieved and pleased to have come out on top”. We would like to thank all of the team on Arabian homes for hosting this event for the second time this year.

However after all of the group matches had been completed Mark Campbell, Gary Richardson and Mark Davis could not be split, as Mark Davis beat Mark Campbell 2-1, but lost to Gary 2-1. Gary in turn lost to Mark Campbell 2-1, leaving 3 players tied for top of the group. It was decided that all 3 players would play a straight 1001 one leg final to decide the winner. The lead changed hands several times as the players all went through patches of big scoring followed by poor visits to the board. At the halfway stage of the match Gary was leading with Davis Second and Campbell in third. However after 2 great scores from Campbell he surged into the lead, with Gary in last place, proving just how close the match was. As all of the players reached the 200 point Gary had a great visit which left him on a double before his opponents. However his record through the night of missing important doubles returned to haunt him as he missed 2 unpressured chances to clinch the title. After these misses by Gary both Campbell and Davis reached doubles, with all 3 players then missing several chances to finish things off. Under mounting pressure Mark Davis managed to hit double 10 and clinch the title. Play resumed with Gary again missing double 10 to hand Mark Campbell a chance to seal second spot with double 1. Mark did not miss this time and hit the double with his second dart. Upon receiving his trophy and voucher for a meal at the Sheraton Hotel Mark expressed his delight and surprise at winning. He said "I have not played for years and was really impressed by the standard of the other players during the evening. I did not think I had a chance of even making the final, let alone winning it. I am really pleased to have won it though and look forward to celebrating with my meal at the Sheraton". We would like to thank Arabian homes for again providing a venue for our events as well as the Sheraton hotel for its sponsorship. For more information about upcoming sports events please email Gary Richardson at richardsonksa@hotmail.co.uk or watch out for emails from the RGBB Secretary Brigitte.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Original, creative, distinctive. British guitarist, Jason Carter, has performed in more than 80 countries, mainly as a solo guitarist. He has collaborated with musicians from all over the world, including Nigel Kennedy, Michael Manring, Maiev Brennan from Clannad, Gordon Giltrap and Sting’s guitarist Dominic Miller. Jason has recorded 15 albums and appeared on compilations alongside artists such as with John Paul Jones, Joe Satriani, Steve Morse, Allan Holdsworth, John Scofield, Jeff Beck, Larry Coryell, Hariprasad Chaurasia and Trilok Gurtu.

Jason has great interest in ‘World Music’ and has also collaborated with classical musicians from the west, performing with artists from the UK, Finland, Ireland and China. Jason is also a Cultural Ambassador for the Yehudi Menhuin Foundation and recently performed with the Prague Symphony Orchestra in Geneva sponsored by UNESCO. In 2012 he will also play with the Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra in Siberia.

Jason has been playing the guitar for 33 years and is predominantly self taught. He has attended Master classes with Jason Williams and Paco Pena at the Royal Academy of Music.

The programme in Riyadh featured pieces by Sibelius, Joni Mitchell, J.S. Bach and some of his own compositions playing both his Harp and Classical guitars.

In 2001 Jason received a music award from the Crown prince of Bahrain alongside four traditional Bahrani artists. He also received an honorary diploma from the Government of North Korea in 2007.

The evening was organised by Jan Patrick and was sponsored by AXA, BAE Systems and bmi, whose management team (pictured below) just ‘happened’ to be in Riyadh for the event.

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Where does the money go?

onations and fundraising efforts so far this year have raised a total of almost SR750,000. An amount of money that continues to amaze and stagger those who hear it for the first time.

The cash has come from various diverse sources such as the SR25 in small change left at the Visa counter in the British Embassy to the incredible SR55,000 paid for a very special dinner evening at the Swedish Embassy. The ICING Committee have once again decided to direct support to where we know it will be well received and carefully spent and recipients this year may be familiar to those of you who have supported ICING from its small beginnings. Inside the Kingdom, DSCA, the Down Syndrome Children’s Charity continues to recieve regular amounts as does the disabled riding facility in Jeddah run by Judy Houry. Judy’s message to all of those involved is a very simple “Mille merci, bless you all” which sort of sums it up really. The Saudi Autistic Society and the Hope Centre have also been given amounts this year. For those of you not familiar with the Hope Centre, its mission is quite simply to provide a higher quality of life to those in exceptional need; provide the best therapeutic and educational rehabilitation services; promote social awareness in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and assist in integrating exceptional needs individuals into mainstream society.

Ministry of Social Affairs and has obtained support from several major corporations, expatriates, and influential members of the Saudi community, including the Governor of Jeddah. In addition to working with disabled children, the Hope Center works to identify and assess disabilities and educate parents about how best to help their children develop into independent adults. The plight of disabled children is a problem that is largely ignored, or often hidden, in Saudi Arabia. The Hope Center Director noted in an interview in 2010 that the incidence of birth defects and congenital diabetes is high in Saudi Arabia. This is likely the result of a historically high prevalence of consanguineous marriage. Other factors that contribute to the high rate of birth defects include pollution and poor health care, which affect poorer expatriate communities to a much greater degree than Saudis. For cultural reasons, disabilities are not acknowledged by the community. Raising the profile of communities in need such as this is one of the objects that led to ICING’s establishment only a few short years ago.

Hope Centre was founded in 1999 by Uzma Raheem and is unique in that it accepts students regardless of race, religion, gender, national origin, or the number of disabilities a student has. While the school has served as many as fifty students at one time, ranging in age from ten months to twenty-one years, limited resources have forced it to reduce its student population to what it can afford to cater for. The Hope Center is under the authority of the

Outside of the Kingdom, in addition to a donation to the Friends of the Hadramaut to continue their school programme in the Yemen, ICING has been able to offer additional support this year to the Kids for Kids operation which helps children in the Darfur region of Sudan. Kids for Kids is different from many other charities in that it enables children to improve their own lives. Their approach is unique. By providing a combination of initiatives - the provision of water, goat and donkey loans, RGBB News 28

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COMMUNITY NEWS health care for humans and animals, livelihood training, animal husbandry, farming techniques, water harvesting, and long term improvement to the environment through an extensive tree planting programme - they are strengthening whole villages, making a major difference to the long term future of entire communities – despite the tragedy of the ongoing problems in Darfur.

These organisations have given their support to ICING in 2011 please give them yours.

Readers may like to know that Lady Vanessa Patey, previously our own Patron is now assisting with the Together for Sudan charity in the UK. ToG has a programme which helps children with HIV/Aids. We are very pleased to have been able to send a small donation to assist with their work. A new addition to the ICING list of supportable causes is the Ndi Moyo organisation in Malawi. A donation of SR50,000 has been given to the Ndi Moyo’s Vulnerable Children Programme which assesses and hopefully meets the needs of children whose parents have died or who are now too ill to cultivate their garden and provide food, school uniforms, mosquito nets or blankets. One recent volunteer helper noted: “Everywhere you visit in the village are hordes of children, even more appearing from nowhere if you are rash enough to get out a camera. One bereavement visit was carried out to the background of children dancing in front of their reflections in the ambulance’s chrome bumper!” The material needs ofthese children are simple, and could be so easily provided with small amounts of money. We hope that our first donation will go a long way in providing much needed support. Once again this year we have been able to support the Children’s Hospice movement in the UK. Four equal amounts have been sent to the TY Hyfan operation in Wales; CHAS in Scotland, The Northern Ireland Hospice and the Wessex Trust in England. Very many thanks to all RGBB members who have supported us in 2011, too many to list in the small space remaining. We look forward to another year of fundraising for exceptional causes in 2012. Andrew Mead on behalf of the ICING Committee RGBB News 29

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ith the world’s financial press debating whether or not the latest round of quantitative easing will really work, I’m still attempting to discover what quantitative easing actually means. Certainly the concept of putting extra cash into the economy seems like a good idea but just how do you get extra cash in your pocket? ... Well the answer may be sitting in your attic.

CBS News reported earlier this year that a partial copy of a 500 year old book, The Nuremberg Chronicle, had been found in an attic. Despite its state, it was literally falling apart at the seams, experts concluded that it was worth about $50,000. So when you find and sell that priceless item from your attic what are you going to spend it on.

unfamiliar with what is described by Forbes as “the most expensive bottled water in the world,” is water from a Tennessee Spring (in the US) which is packaged in frosted bottles decorated with Swarovski crystals. Currently only available through limited outlets, I should be able to pick one up for around $2600 next time I’m in Dublin Airport.

current owner out of receivership in 2002 for a mere £20 million but has had over £30 million spent on it since. With over 100 rooms and 58 acres there’s ample room to entertain a few friends. Approached by a heated marble driveway you might want to consider what vehicle you’d like to arrive in.. A suitable vehicle just might be the 1884 De Dion Bouton. This steam powered car, which has the distinction of participation in the first automobile race in 1887 has also completed the London to Brighton competition in the UK. RM auctions sold it recently for $4.6 million, a record for an early motor car sold at auction.

If works of art are rather more your thing, spare a thought for a family in Germany. Faced with a large inheritance tax bill they’ve sold the Darmstadt Madonna, a painting by Hans Holbein in 1526, for around $70 million to a private collector. The painting could have fetched double that on the international market but it is on a list compiled by the State of Hesse of unexportable treasures so any buyer must keep the work in Germany.

In September 2011, a Chinese businessman paid a staggering $200,000 for a bottle of scotch. The 62 year old Dalmore is one of only 12 bottles created and according to the experts has an abundance of flavours including honey, coffee, chocolate, cardamom, cloves, oranges and almonds.

That being said, I prefer mine with a dash of water, so when my invitation to the tasting comes in I’ll be sure to equip myself with a bottle of Bling H2O, which for those of you

Something else which has to remain in position is Updown Court in the Surrey village of Windlesham. Described as the most expensive country house in England it is on the market for £75 million. The neoclassical mansion was aquired by the

Just in case your tastes are rather more for the unusual, why not take a scroll through the ebay site. Described as a naturally formed “BBQ Pork” rock you can buy it now for $1.25 million if you’re so inclined.

And just in case you think I’m making this up, the photo to the right is a rock actually on display in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. But what of our celebrities? Who is making the headlines in the UK at the moment?

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UK GOSSIP Hot off the press of course is the sad news that Jimmy Saville has died just two days short of his 85th Birthday. Tributes to the man who “fixed-it” for many are pouring in.

In other news, Rachel Weisz is reported as always worried she will be unemployed even though she’s been working constantly for the past few years.

Royal obsession of course remains high and when the Duchess of Cambridge made her first solo appearance in October the images of the royal rookie looking elegant and poised at the Clarence House reception did her new in-laws proud. However, the flowing half-up-halfdown hair-do that Kate chose revealed a peek of a scar underneath her hairline. St James’s Palace confirmed that the 3in-long mark is from a childhood operation, but her spokesman would not elaborate further. According to the Daily Mail, the first wife of TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson has labelled him a ’bully and a hypocrite’ as she lifted the lid on their alleged clandestine 10-year affair. In a revealing interview, Alex Hall claimed she ’still loved’ Top Gear presenter Clarkson, but that she’d

The Oscar-winning actress - who married James Bond star Daniel Craig earlier this year - admits she is constantly concerned she will not have any work even though she has been working constantly for the last few years. had enough of being portrayed as a ’blackmailer’ for wanting to write a book about their marriage. The mother-of-two said she felt forced to defend herself after revelations about their alleged affair, which purportedly happened while he was married to second wife Francie, were made public. Clarkson has denied the affair but has also lifted a gagging order on Miss Hall which banned her from revealing intimate details of their relationship, after deciding court injunctions were pointless.

Weisz had earlier hinted that she was ready to try for a baby with Craig who already has a 19 year old son from his exwife Fiona Louden. Rachel, of course has a 5 year son, Henry, from a previous relationship.

And just in case you think I’ve forgotten her, Our Cheryl’s in the press again for apparently tweeting that she loves the music star Alex Da Kid. It’s not the first time Cheryl, who is divorced from football player Ashley, has found herself the centre of romance rumours over the past few weeks. She was also linked to Taio Cruz after the pair spent time collaborating on the singer’s new album... You know, I really should find time to read something more useful! RGBB News 31

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WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS Richard Barker Steve Burrows Hugh Bardell Peter Daniell Karl Dixon Karim Hamdan Gareth Hanbury Jason Harris Bernie Hewitt Martin Hugh Ian Hunter Arslan Hussain Neil Kay Kevin Littler Christopher Manning Christopher Mantz David Mason Christopher Nixon Nilmin Pieries Ian Ramsay Alan Reid Ajaz Shafi Kathy Sienko OBE David Sims Adrian Stratta Paul Watson Finbar White Simon Wilcock Anthony Woodhall

Head of Wealth & Premier NBS Training Manager Programme Plan and Resources Mgr. Project Training Manager FM Business Development Manager Head of General Insurance Project Manager Proposals Manager Military Expert Risk Manager SO1 Operations AVP Restructuring Regional Training Manager Head of IKIP Project Management Office Coordinator Principal Training Specialist Asst General Mgr, Corporate Finance Financial Controller Principal Commercial Officer Advisor Country Manager Deputy Executive Dir., Nursing Affairs General Manager - Personal Banking Director Strategy and Step Change Deputy Head Information Security Head of Computer Services Chief Operating Officer Maintenance Manager

SABB EADS D&S SAUDI LIMITED GPM SPM Ltd Cassidian (EADS) Sodexo Mediterranean & Gulf Insurance & Reinsurance Co GPT Special Project Management Ltd GPT Special Project Management Ltd BAE Systems GPT Special Project Management Ltd Sangcom Riyad Bank EADS (Cassidian) DS Saudi Ltd SELEX Galileo Saudi Arabia GPT Special Project Management Ltd British International School Riyadh Tawuniya Samba Capital & Investment Saudi Re BAE Systems BAE Systems Vinci Construction Co UK King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre Saudi Hollandi Bank NAS Aviation Arab National Bank The Saudi Investment Bank Arabian Centres Real Estate Veolia Water (Saudi Arabia)

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CULINARY CORNER: What could be more of a Saudi dish than Kabsah? You may not be ready to attempt cooking a whole lamb at home and you can buy pre-prepared kabsah spice if you choose to do so, but if you feel up to it why not give it go from scratch. First the ingredients: • 1 medium onion, diced to small cubes • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced to small cubes • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1 whole chicken, cut in half • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom • 1 teaspoon ground ginger • 1 teaspoon ground coriander • 1 tablespoon cumin • salt, pepper • basmati rice Put the onions in a medium size pot, drizzle on the olive oil and cook at medium high heat until the onions are

yellowish and starting to brown. Then put the garlic, cook for a few seconds then put in the tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper and the spice mix; cook it until it becomes a thick red sauce and the tomatoes are almost melted. Put in the chicken halves. Sauté it with the sauce for a few minutes, then poor in some hot water just a little bit over the chicken and bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium low and let it cook for 40-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. While the chicken is cooking, wash the rice and soak it in cold water for 30 minutes. Take the chicken out and put it in a roasting pan. Put in the oven and broil it until it’s golden. Drain the rice from water and put it into the chicken broth. Make sure there isn’t a lot of water in the pot. Cook it on medium high heat. Let it boil until it is almost dry, but not too dry. Make sure there is a little bit of broth left in the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat to very low, cover well and cook for 10 minutes. Now all you have to do is uncover, put the rice in a big serving plate, top with the chicken and serve with a yogurt salad or a green salad. Enjoy.

Pancakes It’s amazing how many people I meet who enjoy good food but have never even tried making some of their favourites for themselves. Perhaps there’s always been someone else around to do it for you, perhaps there’s never a recipe book around when you need one. Welll no more excuses - give it a go! First the Ingredients: • 110g plain flour • 50g butter • Pinch of salt • 2 large or medium eggs • 200ml milk mixed with 75ml water To serve: Caster sugar, lemon juice and lemon wedges You will need a good, solid frying pan with a base measurement of 20cm, some kitchen paper, a palette knife or a flexible plan slice and a ladle (50ml would be perfect). First of all sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with the sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs – any sort of whisk or even a fork will do – incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so. Next, gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don’t worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. Now melt the butter in the pan. Spoon 2 tablespoons of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it when needed to

lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake. Now get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you’re using the correct amount of batter. About 2 1⁄2 tablespoons is right for a 20cm pan. It’s also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only a minute to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it’s tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife – the other side will need a few seconds only – then simply slide it out of the pan on to a plate. Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of baking parchment on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest. To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra wedges of lemon to squeeze over if needed.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Introducing the new BISR Principal When I was invited to write a little bit about myself for the BISR community, I turned to my seven year old daughter for inspiration. She said, ‘just tell them you are bald!’ Although true, her contribution was less than helpful, so cast my mind back over the past 30 years or so in education and selected the highlights. I started my career in a comprehensive school in Essex in the UK as a teacher of geography. As I mentioned to the staff during my visit last month, it was a tough place to begin a career as a teacher, but I learnt a lot, and after three years moved to a new school in Staffordshire, where I undertook a number of roles including head of department, year leader, head of faculty and senior teacher. During this period I was lucky enough to win a Fulbright scholarship to study and teach at New York University for a year. In 1993 I made the decision to move into the international field and took up a post in Kenya as Head of Sixth form and Deputy Head in a new British curriculum school. Two years later, I moved to The Bavarian International School, Munich, as I B coordinator, before moving back to Kenya in 1997 as Head of an international boarding school. I left after seven years to take up the post of Head of School at the British School Manila, where I have been until this year. I feel excited and privileged to have joined the BISR community, and I look forward to working with highly motivated students, a very committed board, enthusiastic and passionate teachers, and supportive parents to build on previous successes that the school has enjoyed, and to maintain its position as a leading British international school. As an avid football supporter, (though not of Manchester United) I was interested to read Sir Alex Ferguson’s comments recently about the success of his team. He said simply that it is down to hard work at every level of the organisation. That struck a chord with me, and I think that with the excellent teachers of BISR we will be able to continue the drive for excellence in every area of school life.

cultures and be open to the perspectives, values and traditions of others. They should show e m p a t h y , compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They should also give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. If we are able to provide an environment which offers all these, our children will thrive. I arrived in Riyadh in early August, and have now been joined by my wife, Louise, and two young daughters, who have now joined BISR. I’ve met many parents during the first part of term and look forward to meeting many more in the weeks and months ahead. Chris Mantz June 2011

SuDoku

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. Answer on page 44

I believe strongly in a holistic education and that the extra-curricular and co-curricular activities are as important as the formal curriculum. Our boys and girls must develop their natural curiosity and acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research. They must be able to explore concepts, ideas and issues that have global significance, and exercise initiative in applying thinking skills effectively, and to make reasoned, ethical decisions. They must be able to understand and address ideas and information effectively, and act with honesty and integrity, with a strong sense of justice and fairness. They must take responsibility for their own actions. Students of international schools must also try to understand and appreciate their own RGBB News 37

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fter a quiet summer when many British businessmen and women in Saudi Arabia took a break to escape the heat, UK Trade & Investment got back into gear in September, and is having a very busy end to the year. Between the 19th and 22nd September, HRH The Duke of York and Lord Green, Minister for Trade and Investment, visited Saudi Arabia, with the aim of further developing trade and investment relations, and supporting British businesses in the country. The Duke visited Al Khobar in the Eastern Province for the first leg of his trip, where he met senior members of the local business community, including delegates from the Asharqia Chamber of Commerce in Dammam. Chairman of Asharqia Chamber, Mr Al Rashad said he was keen to cooperate with British firms to introduce effective and realistic UK training programs here for the development of a skilled Saudi work force.

Lord Green with Mutlaq Al Morished, SABIC (centre) with other members of the delegation

called on the Ministers of Labour and Health to discuss the extensive follow-up to their successful UK visits in April. The high level visit successfully reinforced UK/Saudi collaboration in the key education, health and infrastructure sectors and will be followed by another meeting of the Saudi British Joint Business Council in London in early 2011. The pace has continued for UKTI since the Duke of York’s and Lord Green’s visit, with back to back trade missions in October and November: -

Mass transport – 1 - 5 October - a joint trade mission for a 30 strong delegation of UK companies from the airports, ports and rail sectors to visit all three main areas of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province.

The Duke of York with Engineering Students atthe Oil & Gas Polytechnic in the Eastern Province

Prince Andrew then paid a visit to Saudi Aramco in Dharan, and to Prince Mohammed Bin Fahad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Governor of the Eastern Province. The business environment and fast pace of industrialisation in the Eastern Province, as well as the opportunities for British companies in the Kingdom dominated discussion. Lord Green joined Prince Andrew in Jeddah where they had joint calls on the Mayor of Jeddah HE Eng. Hani Abu Ras, to discuss Jeddah’s urban regeneration and flood and rainwater development opportunities, followed by a meeting with top management of the Saudi Binladin Group, the leading Saudi contractor. Back in Riyadh for the last two days of the visit, HRH the Duke of York and Lord Green attended a dinner at the British Embassy hosted by HMA Sir Tom Philips, with key Saudi and British Business representatives. The following day Lord Green and the Duke made joint calls on the mining company Ma’aden, and telecommunications provider STC, and then had a working lunch with the Minister of Commerce and Industry. Prince Andrew also

A delegate on the MassTransport Trade Mission meets a local businessman at the Embassy reception

Healthcare – 8 - 9 October - following on from the Saudi Minister of Health’s visit to the UK, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Saudi Arabia and the Department of Health, Lord Darzi visited the Kingdom with a group of senior clinicians to develop further institutional partnerships between the healthcare sectors of both countries.

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NEWS FROM THE EMBASSY

Left to Right: Dr. Afaf Al-Shammary, General Supervisor of International Relations at the Saudi Ministry of Health; RGBB Member Ameed Hamid from the British Centre for Excellence in Dentistry and Lord Darzi.

Interior design – 9 - 10 October - exploring opportunities for Northern Irish interior designers and furniture makers to work with Saudi families and companies to create and provide luxury furnishings.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET UK) – 15 - 22 October - Trade Mission to focus on partnership opportunities in the technical and vocational training sector, with round table discussions and seminars. Delegates visited Riyadh and the Eastern Province. www.tvetuk.org

Middle East Association- 18 - 26 November – a cross sector trade mission of UK companies visiting Saudi Arabia, lead by David Lloyd OBE, from the Middle East Association. www.themea.co.uk Defence and Security Trade Mission – 19 -24 November - offering British companies in the defence and public securities sectors to explore the opportunities for their products and services in the Saudi market. Delegates also met with decision makers of the major Saudi organisations active in the Kingdom’s defence and security sector. www.adsgroup.org.uk

Lord Darzi addresses the guests at a reception held at the British Ambassadors residence.

IFSEC Arabia – 20 - 22 November commercial security and fire exhibition for the region. A platform to discover the latest technologies available within these industries. www.ifsecarabia.com

The final month of the year is looking equally busy with the following events still to come: -

Public Private Partnership Mission – Riyadh – 3 - 7 December - Mission members will travel to Jeddah and Riyadh, to meet Saudi private sector and government representatives. There will be a major event held in Jeddah to showcase UK expertise in PPP.

UKTI Healthcare Trade Mission – December 11 13 - Leading UK healthcare institutions will visit the Kingdom to assess Saudi healthcare needs and develop institutional partnerships.

For more information on any of these events please contact UKTI at the British Embassy in Riyadh: +966 (1) 488 0088 Below Left, Dr Amina Wakefield from Cambridge Regional College and below right, Steven Doyle from Edinburgh’s Telford College, get down to some serious business at a reception for TVET UK Missioners at the British Embassy.

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AND FINALLY BIRTHS MARRIAGES AND DEATHS After 12 years and 36 editions of compiling the RGBB News I don’t recall ever having been in the position of having to report on all three in the same issue...Neither to I recall ever having to deny that a six day old baby already has his first set of Golf Clubs... Born to the ever patient Amanda, Abu Gary (George Harry) weighed in at over 7lbs on his first appearance in October...Ed

It’s a Boy

SuDoku

Answer on to puzzle on page 19

The RGBB is saddenned to report the passing of ex RGBB Member David Flynn. David suffered a heart attack at his home in Bahrain in October. David and his wife Sonia were active members of the Riyadh community some years ago whilst David was working for the Arab National Bank. They have both been living and working in Bahrain for a few years but have maintained contact with many of the friends made here in Saudi’s capital city. The picture below was taken at one of our formal dinners in 2006.

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