Winter 2010 Avanti by The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship

THE MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP WINTER 2010 www.csrf.org.uk

MAGAZINE

Yes, Prime Minister

WORKING AFTER

WORK Top tips for finding employment after retirement

The iconic series hits the West End

REMEMBERING SUMMER WINE A tribute to the long-running BBC series

OUT & ABOUT Group news from around the country

GAME ON

The history of board games

INSIDE: FELLOWSHIP NEWS • WEB TIPS • FESTIVE FOOD • PUZZLES • GROUP PLANNER Supported By The Civ il S er v ice Insurance S ociet y C h a r it y Fu n d

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CONTENTS David Tickner with Vida Pritchard, Doreen Beck and Pamela Bradley at this year’s AGM & Conference

in this issue is published by Square7 Media Ltd, 3 More London Riverside, London SE1 2RE T: 020 3283 4055 E: enquiries@square7media.co.uk www.square7media.co.uk

Publisher: Gaynor Garton e: gaynor@square7media.co.uk Advertising: Mark Toland e: mark@square7media.co.uk Editor: David Tickner e: avanti@square7media.co.uk Designer: Charlotte Morgan

The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship Suite 2, 80A Blackheath Road, London SE10 8DA T: 020 8691 7411 F: 020 8692 2386 E: info@csrf.org.uk W: www.csrf.org.uk A charity registered in England and Wales No 255465 and in Scotland No SC039049 and a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales No 6297479

The magazine has been produced with financial support from

THE CIVIL SERVICE INSURANCE CHARITY FUND ©2010. avanti Magazine is published by Square7 Media Ltd on behalf of the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship (CSRF). All rights reserved. CSRF and the publishers declare that any publication of any advertisement does not carry their endorsement or sponsorship of the advertiser or their products unless so indicated. Contributions are invited and, whether or not accepted, submissions will be returned only is accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. No responsibility can be taken for drawings, photographs or literary contributions during transmission or while in the publishers hands. Proof of receipt is no guarantee of appearance. In the absence of an agreement, the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographic or artistic belongs to CSRF. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format (including, but not limited to, any online service, database or part of the internet), or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of Square7 Media Ltd. CSRF and Square7 Media accept no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any other opinions expressed herein. The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the official views of CSRF.

A big welcome to the last issue of 2010. Another year has raced by and I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering exactly where the months have disappeared to. They say ‘time flies when you are having fun’ and in the case of my work on avanti this is an appropriate epithet. In the coming months I have plenty more group visits in my diary and look forward to making many new friends around the country. A few weeks ago I reconnected with many old acquaintances from the Northern Ireland groups when I was invited to attend the Northern Ireland branch AGM in Belfast. The lunch was superb, but it was an event tinged with a little sadness as we bid farewell to Beverley Allen (our outgoing Northern Ireland Co Ordinator). I have had the pleasure of working with Beverley during the past couple of years and it is thanks to her hard work that avanti has connected with all the Northern Ireland groups. I wish her all the very best for the future. Finally, I am planning for our 2011 issues and am on the lookout for more member stories. So if you’ve got something to share then please write and tell us all about it. You may even end up in print! On behalf of myself and the publishing team at Square7, we I wish you all a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year, David Tickner Editor

contents 4-10 Front Desk The latest news from the Fellowship

Office, which includes messages from the Chairman and Chief Executive.

Yes, Prime Minister

We take a look at the award- winning television series that has just transferred to the West End as a stage play.

24 A Glass of Summer Wine With the much-loved show finishing in the last few months, CSRF member Leslie Davies remembers fondly his experiences as an extra on the show.

Festive Food

We rustle up some festive food in the kitchen.

Game On

Working after work

What second career options are open to you after retirement? Chris Dragunas from Affinity Connect provides some useful advice.

Martin Sayers explores the history of some of favourite board games.

14 Postbag Your letters, stories, poems and reminiscences.

Coffee Break

Trivia, puzzles, a bumper General Knowledge quiz and our regular picture caption.

Get Connected

Don’t be afraid of the Internet and check out our basic guide to getting connected.

Out and About

We report on group activities from around the UK.

Retiring Lives

37-46 The Planner

Exploring the rise and rise of

retirement villages.

Find out what your local group is up to and how to contact them.

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

CRSF news

Front Desk News from the Fellowship Office

The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship President Sir Gus O’Donnell KCB Vice-Presidents Sir John Blelloch KCB Paul Gray CB Peter Jones CB Keith Lawrance Mrs Kate Losinska OBE Roi Milburn Ian Rathjen Bruce Robinson Mrs Barbara Sloman Board of Directors Appointed Officers John Barker CB, Hon National Chairman Russell Brown, Vice-Chairman Chris Smeeton, Hon Treasurer Elected Members Pamela Bradley Evelyn George Tony Hazeldine CBE John Lloyd CB David Luney David Paddon Miss Frances Quail Miss Ann Rhodes Leonard Sainsbury Nominated Members Official Side of the National Whitley Council: Ms Liz Gill Trade Union side of the National Whitley Council:Vacant The Civil Service Benevolent Fund: Ray Flanigan Fellowship Office Jean Cooper, Chief Executive Richard Hornsby, Deputy Chief Executive Hannah Evans Yvonne Kutzer Yvonne Scott Belinda Stalker

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Words by Jean Cooper

It’s been a busy and exciting time since I last spoke to you. Since our AGM & Conference I have been working with our new Chairman and Board of Directors on a new strategic plan to guarantee our longevity as a charity. This will involve a renewed focus on strengthening all of our core activities, in particular those of volunteering, recruitment and fundraising. Although we have seen a reduction in our number at Fellowship Office, we continue to be able to provide our groups and volunteers with support and are proactively seeking input from groups and suggestions as to how we can best help. In the past few months we have sent out a group survey as a way to get a clearer understanding of the structure and functionality of our group network. Thanks to the grant we received from the Civil Service Insurance Society Charity Fund we were also able to send out applications for subsidised transport, to assist those experiencing difficulties attending local meetings. With the changes being made across all Government departments in the next few months we will be working hard to be there to offer as much support and assistance as we can to any civil servant facing retirement or redundancy. If you are somebody who is in this situation then please do not hesitate to contact us for details of how you can join. Your skills and expertise would be a most welcome addition to our organisation. I would like to extend warm thanks to the Board of Directors for their support, to my colleagues at Fellowship Office who work extremely hard behind the scenes and to our avanti publishing team at Square7 for the marvellous work they do. I would also like to bid a fond farewell to our Northern-Ireland Co-Ordinator Beverley Allen and thank her for all her achievements. Also a huge thank you to the Civil Service Insurance Society Charity Fund for their fantastic financial support. My message to all our loyal and hardworking volunteers is please keep going, hang on in there and don’t give up! To potential members, join us now and enjoy a new lease of life. The CSRF is alive and fighting back! I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

MAIN PIC: (from left to right) John Barker, Jean Ando and John McCarthy (from the Sutton Group), Peter Hodson, Chair of Sutton Group and Board Director Tony Hazeldine; RIGHT: John joins members of the Sutton Group at their October meeting

FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Words by John Barker CB

I was very pleased to receive Sir Gus O’Donnell’s letter confirming my appointment as Chair of the Fellowship for at least three years. Once it was clear that he expected the Fellowship to have a longer term, independent future, I had no difficulty in agreeing to be nominated. The challenge of helping the Fellowship transform from being 42% Grant-in-Aid funded to becoming self-supporting is one that I relish. It will not be easy but is certainly worthwhile. The Fellowship is an important body and provides a valuable service to Civil Servants and their partners. Some people ask how, if the Fellowship is so important, can the Cabinet Office can justify withdrawing the Grant-in-Aid. From my time there I am acutely aware of the financial pressures, which are particularly bad at the moment. I can understand how it is difficult to continue giving £millions to support the various welfare bodies. But it is important to remember that Grant-in-Aid is not our only source of income. Subscription fees provide an equally significant income stream, which could be increased substantially through a concerted effort by all of us. That and other ways to raise revenue are key elements of the strategic plan the Board is working on. We have already been reducing costs at the centre. That has meant difficult decisions like withdrawing funding for newsletters that some Groups produce. However, our priorities must be to help all Groups maintain their activities and to ensure volunteers and visitors are able to provide support to those members who need it. It is still early days for me but I have been impressed by the enthusiasm and commitment of the Board and of staff at the Fellowship Office. I aim to visit a number of Groups and Branches to meet more of you and hear your views on how we can increase numbers and expand activities. I am looking forward to working with you so that we can move forward as a vibrant and successful body. Other Charities do it: so can we!

CHANGES TO MEMBERSHIP RATES

With effect from 1 January 2011 our membership rates will be going up £1.20 per year. Single Membership will now be £25.20 for 1 year for serving Civil Servants, former Civil Servants who have not yet retired and Civil Servants who retired with a Civil Service pension. The rate for widows/widowers of Civil Servants, former Civil Servants who have not yet retired and Civil Servants who retired without a Civil Service or other occupational pension will be increased by 60p per year. Members who pay via Direct Debit do not need to make any changes to their existing mandate, as the membership rate change will be automatic.

Anglo-Chinese Relations

Vice Chairman Russell Brown gave a presentation to members of a visiting Chinese delegation in September. They had come from Guangzhou – a city of close to 10 million people in Guangdong Province and the purpose of the seminar was to exchange practices of how retired civil servants are treated in both countries. One of the Chinese delegates explained that it was only since 2003 that Chinese civil servants had a code of conduct and HR policies and the retirement age is enforced at 65 for men and 55 for women. Chinese civil servants also receive approximately 60% of their final salary as a pension. The delegation also highlighted that they are always looking for ways to help the retired civil servants and that the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship represents an example of ‘good practice’ in this arena. At the end of the seminar they presented the Vice Chair, on behalf of the CSRF with a donation of £100 and a gift of a Tiangin Clay Figurine Zhang Coloured Sculpture, which will reside in Fellowship Office. www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

CRSF news

2010 AGM & Conference

OPEN FORUM

EMBRACING SOCIAL NETWORKING

Keeping up with the latest social networking trends, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Facebook and Twitter pages. If you have an account with either of these websites you can find our pages by following the steps below or if you don’t then it’s free to register for Facebook at www.facebook.com or with Twitter at www.twitter.com (just follow the steps on their home pages). For Facebook 1. Log in to your account 2. Type ‘The CSRF’into the search bar and as you do, you will see the CSRF page (illustrated by a picture of Fellowship Office staff) appear below the search bar 3. Select our page and you will be taken through to the fan page 4. Click the ‘Become a Fan’ button and you will join the fan page 5. Receive updates, post comments and add pictures Twitter For those of you who don’t know Twitter is a modern phenomenon, which connects people through updates known as ‘tweets’. A tweet is a short message or piece of information made up of a maximum of 140 characters and is a simple way to keep in touch with friends, family, breaking news or anything else you are particularly interested in. Once you’ve signed in go to http:// twitter.com/THECSRF and then click on the ‘follow’ button to start receiving our updates.

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

At this year’s AGM & Conference there was an Open Forum held to allow representatives the opportunity to raise matters of concern. Following are a number of the key areas discussed: • • • •

The Future of the Fellowship Many representatives sought to clarify what our role and objectives should be in the future; what range of services and facilities we should offer and what sort of structure we should have. Recruitment Groups need to share examples of best practice when it comes to recruiting new members; lobbying needs to continue to allow access to new retirees contact details; a strategy to redefine, streamline and expand the group & branch network and a new recruitment strategy to attract new members’ needs to be embraced. Funding/Fundraising Ensuring the maintenance of social room hire support for groups that need it and exploring new membership categories. Cost Savings Exploring ways to save money centrally and at Board level.

The Board of Directors are currently discussing all of the points raised within the Open Forum as part of finalising a new Business plan for the next five years which we will be outlining in more detail in the Spring 2011 issue of avanti.

BUDDING WRITERS TAKE NOTE The Society of Civil and Public Service Writers is holding competitions for short stories, travel articles and poems. The last date for entries is 28 Feb 2011. Short stories should be not more than 3,000 words; poems not more than 40 lines, with each poem on a separate sheet; travel articles not more than 2,000 words. Stories and articles should be typed, double-spaced, on A4 paper, with word

count. All entries should bear only the author’s pen name and a separate sheet quoting: pen name, title of entry, real name and address. Entries will be returned if accompanied by SAE. For details of membership send SAE to Mrs Joan Lewis, 17 The Green, Corby Glen, Grantham, Lincs, NG33 4NP. Email: joan@lewis5634.fsnet.co.uk or visit the website: www.scpsw.co.uk

Categories

Lewis Wright Short Story Competition Entry fee £4 per story. Prizes: 1st £75; 2nd £25. Herbert Spencer Poetry Competition Entry fee £2.00 for first and £1.50 for each subsequent poem. Prizes: 1st £50; 2nd £25. Vincent Brennan Travel Article Entry fee £2.50 per entry. Prize: one only of £30.

group news Getting Involved

There are plenty of ways that you can get involved in our work after your retire and bring the benefit of your work experiences along to your local group. It is both a rewarding and positive experience. On a recent group visit to Eltham we spoke to Group Chair Phyllis Duignan (pictured here with Fellowship Office’s Belinda Stalker) about how she first got involved, “I retired from the Ministry of Defence after 32 years as a Budget Manager and vowed that when I retired I would not have any more stress in my life! Within a few months I was elected onto the committee of the Eltham Group and in even a shorter time took over the Treasurer’s job. I am now Chair and I have to say that with the ladies on the Committee we have a great time organising days out, holidays, theatre trips as well as monthly meetings usually with a speaker. Is it stressful? Of course it is at times but it’s a different and enjoyable sort of stress. The greatest pleasure I get from meeting all those who come to our events is to see how much everyone enjoys themselves. This makes all the hard work that the Committee carries out behind the scenes so worthwhile. “

Beverley Allen, our outgoing Northern Ireland Co Ordinator

AU REVOIR, BEVERLEY

Chief Executive Jean Cooper and avanti Editor David Tickner joined members of the Northern Ireland Branch at the end of October to bid farewell to Northern Ireland Co-Ordinator Beverley Allen. Beverley joined the CSRF in 2008 and was an active figure throughout the Northern Ireland group network. She was also directly responsible for assisting all of the groups with grant applications resulting in them benefiting from in excess of £50,000 worth of funds towards group trips and activities. Beverley will be sorely missed and we wish her all the very best for her future.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Don’t leave it too late

Running a group can take up a lot of time and energy and if you are worried that your group is suffering for any reason (problem getting speakers, lower numbers etc), then don’t suffer in silence as there maybe something that we can do to help you. Our recent group survey is designed to help you give us a more detailed overview of your group and also identify what we may be able to do to help you. So if you have not yet filled in the survey please do so and return it to Fellowship Office using the Freepost address found on the survey. If your group has not received a copy, please get in touch as soon as you can.

Two special notes of congratulation this issue: - Vi Howlett from the Chandler’s Ford Group ahead of her 100th Birthday on 29 November 2010. - ‘Nan’ Jordan, a member of the Aldershot Group who has just celebrated her 102nd birthday (pictured here with Aldershot Group Secretary Gloria Wetherill). Vi Howlett

NEW FACES

We are delighted to welcome Liz Gill to the Board of Directors as the Official Side Nominee. Liz came to the Civil Service from the private sector in 1988. She joined the HR function bringing with her the experience of working with in a fast moving logistics business. She is a HR professional with extensive experience in programme delivery, most recently in relation to the creation of Shared Services. Liz has had a long association with the CSRF and was involved in one of our early reviews of the way in which we work. She has a long-term commitment, especially as her mother has previously worked in the Service and was a member of the CSRF management committee.

‘Nan’ Jordan

talk tous

If you know a member who is celebrating a special birthday then tell us about it. Send a picture and details to Fellowship Office

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

CRSF news

fund raising Awards for All Scheme

Many groups have benefitted positively from making applications to the Awards for All scheme (which runs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). The application forms are quite detailed but we would encourage you to look seriously at this scheme as it has been shown to have a positive benefit on group membership judging by the feedback we’ve received from those who have been successful. The application process differs according to where you are based. For Scotland, call 0300 123 7110 For England and Wales, call 0845 4 10 20 30 For Northern Ireland, call 028 9055 1455 If you have access to a computer visit the Awards for All website at www.awardsforall.org.uk – if you have any queries or questions about filling out the application form, please contact Fellowship Office for further assistance

Legacies

Another way you can help us continue the work we do is by considering leaving the CSRF a legacy in your will. Your gift would not be subject to any inheritance tax and it is not difficult to set up. We are able to send you more information that tells you all about legacies. So if you would like to discuss it in more detail then please contact us on 020 8691 7411.

talk tous Share your views - if you have applied for any grant successfully then please write in and tell us about the experience (how was the application process, what was the grant and how did it help your group). If your group decides to apply, get in touch with Fellowship Office who will help you complete the application form.

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

Scrap your car for charity

We are very pleased to announce that we have signed up to the Giveacar scheme, which is another initiative to assist us in fundraising. Giveacar is a social enterprise that organises the donation of unwanted cars to charity. They arrange the collection of your vehicle anywhere in the UK for free, and every car is either recycled to high environmental standards or sold at auction. The profits of each sale are then directed to your chosen registered charity. Each scrapped car donated through the scheme raises an average of £80 for charity. If the car is not auctionable then it is depolluted and at least 85% of the car’s weight is recycled. If you would like any more information on this scheme (flyers/posters) then please contact Fellowship Office.

All about Everyclick

One of the ‘matters of interest or concern’ raised at the AGM & Conference was about the use of Everyclick. As you will see from the homepage of the CSRF website we have already added a search banner which if you use can help us raise funds. Everyclick is powered by Yahoo and provides a comprehensive range of online fundraising tools for charities of all sizes and opens up potentially significant additional revenue stream through a variety of different options such as making donations online, building fundraising pages, create fundraising groups or opting for ‘Give as you Live’. Give as you Live is an opportunity for you to raise significant additional funds for us by just going about your usual online activities, searching the web, shopping online and trading on eBay. Everyclick partners a number of leading online brands so we should get good results from any activity. There are no upfront charges or hidden costs to use Everyclick’s technology. Signing Up To activate your support of us with Everyclick you have to sign up. The process is not too difficult or time consuming – asking you for all the usual data expected (name and email address) in addition to that you need to select the charity you wish to raise funds for (so make sure you select the CSRF) and create a user name and password. For the facility to work properly, you will need to ensure that your ‘cookies’ are enabled. A cookie is a text-only string that gets entered into the memory of your browser. It allows Everyclick to remember your charity and fundraiser settings every time you return to our site. Without cookies it is not possible to personalise your Everyclick experience.

CRSF news

volunteering

PAYMENTS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Volunteer reimbursement For more efficient use of limited staffing resources, Fellowship Office is signing up to Internet banking with Lloyds TSB Bank and this will be used to make BACS payments instead of the present cumbersome and time-consuming Telepay system. We wish to make as many payments as possible by BACS and as few as possible by cheque. Most people have a bank or building society account and we shall ask for details of it before making a payment. Bank details are kept confidential at Fellowship Office with only the Chief Executive and her Deputy having access to the files. Payments will be faster and there will be no need for you to carry or send a cheque to your bank with the inconvenience that entails and the risk of loss.

talk tous If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to find out more about how you could get involved as a volunteer, contact Yvonne Kutzer, the volunteer co-ordinator at Fellowship Office

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

Keep an eye out at Christmas

The Festive season can be a lonely one for many people, so keep an eye for any elderly members or neighbours who you think might be on their own and take five to make them feel less isolated with a quick chat, offering to pick up some shopping for them or even having them over for a coffee. If you are feeling lonely during this period then do consider contacting your local group to find out what activities are going on, or contact Fellowship Office and they will help organise a volunteer to visit you if one is available.

2011 - The European Year of Voluntary Activities

The European Commission has developed four broad objectives for the year: to create an enabling environment for volunteering; to empower volunteer-involving organisations; to improve the quality of voluntary activities; to reward and recognise voluntary activities and to raise awareness about the value and importance of volunteering. We are pleased to support these objectives and will be reporting on your volunteering work throughout 2011. So tell us all about what you are up to, we want you to shout loud and clear about what this fantastic organisation does.

New Year, New Start

2011 is the EU Year of the Volunteer, so how about starting your new year with a resolution to do more voluntary work. We have lots of opportunities to get involved and support our work (visiting older retired civil servants in their homes; making regular telephone contact with somebody or just bringing them along to their local group meeting are some of the things you could do). Tell us what you are interested in doing as a volunteer.

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FEATURE: theatre

Henry Goodman (Sir Humphrey) and David Haig (PM Jim Hacker). BELOW: Emily Joyce (claire), David Haig (PM Jim Hacker) and Jonathan Slinger (Bernard)

Yes, Prime Minister After a box office breaking run at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn’s play is now at the Gielgud Theatre in London programme of the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. As recognisable as the three principal leads was the evocative music for the series (composed by Ronnie Hazelhurst) and Gerald Scarfe’s splendid caricatures of Eddington, Hawthorne and Fowlds that were shown in the opening credits. Now to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the television series, the original writers, Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn have reunited to write a script for a stage production, which already looks set to be just as successful. Prime Minister Jim Hacker and Cabinet Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby face a country in financial meltdown. Their only hope for salvation comes from some morally dubious allies – leading to some hilarious comic consequences. In this specially written production Sir Humphrey is played by Henry Goodman (Olivier Award winning Best Actor in 1993) and Hacker by David Haig (well known for his many television and film appearances in shows such as The Thin Blue Line and Four Weddings & A Funeral).

Yes Prime Minister will be at the Gielgud Theatre, 39-45 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D until January 15 2011. For box office information call 0844 482 5130 or visit www.yesprimeminister.co.uk Tickets are £20-52.50

ED’S VIEW

We were invited along to review the play just before we went to press. The production was first class and the acting from both the main leads stamped their own mark on roles that are very closely associated with both Paul Eddington and Sir Nigel Hawthorne. Highly recommended and very entertaining!

To win one of three Yes Prime Minister box sets turn to page 33 www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

PHOTOGRAPHS: Manuel Harlan

It’s difficult to fathom but the first episode of Jay and Lynn’s insightful political comedy Yes Minister aired 30 years ago on the BBC. It was an instant hit and millions tuned in each week to watch the verbal sparring between Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne), Jim Hacker MP, the Minister for Administrative Affairs (Paul Eddington) and his private secretary Bernard Woolley (Derek Fowlds). The original Yes Minister ran for three series (each seven episodes) before evolving into Yes Prime Minister, which ran for just two. It was rumoured to be the favourite

READERS’ letters

ur l

T S O P G BA ette rs a n

My great grandfather J.G.Uren, Postmaster of Penzance is sitting in the centre of the photo. My grandfather Thomas Uren is standing behind him. My father Charles Uren is the smaller boy sitting in front of his great-grandfather.

the Post Office is no longer part of the Civil Service in my time it very much was.

GENERATIONS

fast facts If you want an audio copy of avanti then contact the Fellowship Office for more information on how one can be sent to you

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

Dear Editor, Many thanks for the voucher received. I am impressed by the layout of the article in the magazine. One other connected point, just out of interest. I am reminded that I had another aunt who was ‘directed’ by the government into wartime employment and worked in the public Records Office at Kew. On sunny lunchtimes she would, with colleagues, take her sandwiches down to the towpath of the Thames for consumption. She didn’t work long for the war ended but was both stunned and shocked

later in life to find that one of these colleagues – a nice gentleman in her eyes –turned out to be Christie, the mass murderer! D.Davies, Blackpool, Lancashire Dear Editor, I wondered if this newspaper cutting (below) would be of interest although I’m not trying to claim longest service. The piece was written when my father retired in March 1954. I left the Post Office in July 1954 and returned to work at the Department of Employment from 1974 to retirement in 1988. Although

Mr C.M.Uren, who has retired a parcel post superintendent at Birmingham G.P.O. was heir to a 250-year family connection with the Post Office, running from father to son through successive generations. For as long as the Post Office has existed as a modern Government Department there has been a Uren connected with it, either in Cornwall or in Birmingham. The family tradition was founded by Capt.Nathaniel Uren (or Uring) of the Post Office Packet Service, who was imprisoned in France for 12 months after his packet had been captured on the West Indies run by French privateers. On his return to Falmouth he was appointed Post Office agent for the packet boats. His son Joseph was also in the Falmouth packet service, and later served at Falmouth Post Office. Joseph’s son, John George, had a varied career, www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

READERS’ letters

poetry corner which began at Falmouth Post Office in 1860. He retired in 1902. It was the fourth generation of Post Office Urens that first served in Birmingham. John George’s son Thomas Anthony began at Penzance in 1882 and retired in 1925. Mr Charles Middleton Uren who has just retired began his career as a sorting clerk in 1910. Even now the Uren’s association with the Post Office is not ended, though the father-to-son link is broken. Mr Uren’s daughter, Mrs Pamela Hussey, is a counter clerk at Northfield Post Office. Mrs Pamela Hussey, Kidderminster

ENJOYING THE READ

Dear Editor, I retired 21 years ago and joined the CSRF. I still enjoy our meetings though the attendance is much depleted. I love reading the interesting contents of avanti and pass it on to others. I look forward to future copies and long may it continue to be published. Mrs B Cawley, Hemel Hempstead

when I applied for a position in the Civil Service as my birth certificate was different to the usual one. I have had very little to go on and hoped that when my adoptive parents died more information would come to light. Maybe there was more of a stigma in those days with the possibility of illegitimacy. I know that this is not quite what you asked for – but if it was mentioned that parents should be open and truthful with their adopted children it would save so much heartache and a feeling of being unwanted – which lasts! Mrs J Thomson, Warminster Ed’s Note: Mrs Thomson, your lovely letter raises a very important point and when we come to produce the feature on tracing your family history we will certainly take this into consideration Dear Editor, Given the interest in buses you may be interested in our blog about London buses – an excellent way of exploring the whole capital – warts and all. Visit http://londonbuses onebusatatime.blogspot.com R Smither, London Ed’s Note: Many thanks for that – a very interesting and informative blogspot!

Family History

Dear Editor, I noticed you were considering an article on genealogy for a future issue and wondered if it would be possible to mention the position of adopted children, as they are most likely to be interested in their background. I’ve always wanted to know my own but being adopted in the late 1920s; my adoptive parents only mentioned this 16

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

fast facts If you have a story, view or opinion to share, write to the Editor using the contact information at the front of the magazine

Dear Editor, In response to your invitation to send poems, I enclose a couple of limericks. While living in Bracknell, our Townswomen’s Guild invited us to submit limericks and I scribbled off a couple for fun which I’m sharing with you: A young man with a straggly long beard Two feet long looked decidedly weird His fiancée said “Walter, we’ll not reach the altar Unless you’ll consent to be sheared!” There once was a T.G.in Bray Whose members had so much to say, The boss used her gavel their points to unravel, But the meetings still lasted all day! With all good wishes, Mrs Meriel L.Westwater, Bath Dear Editor, I thought I would just like to tell you that I think avanti is a wonderful magazine, perfect in helping with the interests of us retired civil servants. When I moved here in 2003 from the Stockport area, I wrote the enclosed poem which I’m sharing with you now: Young Old Age Now I’m old, I’ll start life anew Forget the years; I’ve still much to do My neighbours say, she’s the one in the shorts Like the sailors, there’s a friend in each port I jump in the waves; I’ve not splashed for years Who cares if it’s childish, or may end in tears And when it is breezy, I’ll get out my kite And run around the beach, by day or by night. I’ll show if I’m wrinkly, I still have spirit And intend to fill, each hour and each minute. I’ll rush to the train, to visit my friends And happily wonder as each day ends Why it took so long, to learn not to care If my hair curled, or I’ve nothing to wear. At 75, I can do what I like Go swinging or skating or ride a bike. I don’t care what you think of her or him I may visit Santa yet, just on a whim. Mrs D Morris, Minehead, Somerset

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

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FEATURE: post-retirement

Working After Work Chris Dragunas, Managing Director of Affinity Connect asks whether retirement has to mean a second career?

It is not uncommon for those who have recently retired to immediately start planning for some form of future employment, especially where retirement has come earlier than anticipated. If this applies to you then it might be sensible to understand why you are doing this by asking yourself a few questions such as: • Why you want to work e.g. is it for social or financial reasons or because you need a structure/purpose to your life? • What hours you want to work? • How much you want/need to earn? • What you do not want e.g. High stress, shifts? If you have sufficient income to meet your needs and your reason for seeking further employment is because you miss the companionship and stimulation in the workplace or because you need a purpose and a more formal structure to your daily life then you might consider fulfilling this need in other ways.

Be a Volunteer?

The voluntary sector welcomes volunteers, allowing you to make a valuable contribution to society whilst at the same time benefiting from meeting new friends, working in a stimulating and interesting environment, and giving you a purpose and structure to how you spend your time. There are thousands of different types of voluntary organisations and a 18

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

wide range of activities from the day to day management of the organisation to front line volunteering choosing the time commitment which suits your lifestyle. Volunteer Centres, located in most towns and cities, can help by matching your interests with voluntary opportunities. For more information visit www.volunteering. org.uk or if you’d like to get more involved in volunteering for The CSRF then contact Fellowship Office to find out more.

Do Something New

If however your pension income is insufficient to manage on you should investigate whether you are entitled to state benefits including the Pension Credit top up. For further information visit www. direct.gov.uk. Is your retirement income too high to claim benefits but you need additional income to maintain your standard of living? Have you always dreamt of working in a different field but been unable to do so due to the lower income it offered? You may be able to think more selectively about what really interests you rather than just focus on the financial aspect.

self employed or employed?

Self employment is not for everyone and brings particular issues such as working alone, marketing and “cold calling” as well as irregular income but it can also allow you to work on your own terms and at times that suit you. Consultancy or contracting in your own skill area is a popular self employed option and for retired civil servants who understand the civil service procurement process this can be a good start to a new business. Tenders can however be a time consuming and costly means of seeking work so don’t neglect the more informal approach and contact organisations direct, as many opportunities are not subject to the tender procedure particularly if the work is of relatively low monetary value. With cuts within the civil service anticipated to be high there might be many outsource opportunities over the next few years. Working from home on a self employed basis is another alternative and there are lots of websites which advertise opportunities but do be wary if you are asked to pay for this. Protect yourself and read guides about working from home to avoid the scams. If you prefer to work without the pressure of administration, invoicing and keeping accounts and constantly having to market your services etc., then you may be better suited to an employed position.

As a mature and skilled person there are a lot of employers who would welcome the experience you bring to an organisation. Your pension income may allow you to work on a part time basis and this flexibility may be attractive particularly to a smaller employer. You might also wish to consider your previous employer, as it is possible to continue to draw your pension and work for your old employer subject to certain conditions. Information can be found on your employer’s pension website and for civil servants this is www. civilservice.gov.uk.

Sorting out your CV

CV’s are important tools in getting employment yet many are too complex or poorly drafted. Your CV should enable prospective employers to see as quickly as possible what skills you have that are relevant to the role advertised; so get to the point, don’t waffle, and make sure employment dates have no gaps. Two A4 sides are sufficient for anyone. You should also review and tweak your CV so it is clear how your skills apply to each job applied for. It’s easier to apply for jobs which are in similar areas to which you have worked in the past rather than trying to demonstrate how your skills might fit into something totally different. But if you really want a change make sure you do your homework and understand what this new area involves in terms of skills, qualifications and experience. The job search process can be a full time job in itself so don’t be put off if it takes you a while to find something. You should sign up with as many relevant job agencies as you can, keeping in regular touch to see if they have any suitable work as your name may not be the first one they contact if a position arises. Beware that agencies transfer information from your CV to their own CV template before passing to the employer and this is not always done in a way that portrays you in the best light often omitting key skills. Ask the agency for a copy of their template so you can complete it for them. Not all employers use agencies so visit their websites to see what roles are advertised, or some allow you to submit your CV in case it’s of interest in the future. A direct approach can also be useful. And finally don’t forget networking amongst friends and colleagues; make sure they know you are seeking work. Networking can be a particularly important source of work and many self employed contractors help each other in this way. Good luck.

Useful Information

Prime is an organisation which helps over 50’s set up in business and if this is of interest visit www.primeinitiative.org.uk or call 0800 783 1904. The Age and Employment Network (TAEN) includes among its core members companies such as B&Q, BT, Centrica, HSBC, JD Wetherspoons, Procter & Gamble and Sainsbury’s. For more information call 020 7843 1590 or visit www.taen.org.uk Reach is the skilled volunteering charity. To find out how you could get more involved visit www. reachskills.org.uk or call 020 7582 6543 There are lots of free Internet sites, which offer sample CV’s, advice on job search and interview techniques for the over 50’s visit www.direct.gov.uk.

As a mature and skilled person there are a lot of employers who would welcome the experience you bring to an organisation

Affinity Connect provides pre-retirement and redundancy support services for the public sector. For more information call 0800 0196076 or visit www.affinityconnect.org

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

FEATURE: technology

Get Connected! The old adage that ‘you can learn something new every day’ is very true. Up until a month ago The CSRF had never ventured into the world of Twitter (a social networking site) let alone discovering it could be a useful tool to promote and publicise our work. Our experience with Twitter has taught us that it is never too late to discover and enjoy the Internet. It can revolutionise your life from something as simple as ordering your weekly food shopping to comparing the best travel prices. And as you’ve seen in some of the articles we’ve included in avanti in the past it can also provide you with useful information on financial, legal and consumer affairs too. So to help you get connected, we’ve put together a basic guide to what you need to do. So why not make joining that big World Wide Web your New Year’s resolution... Before you use the Internet‚ there are several items you will need.

A personal computer (PC) with mouse and keyboard Some people like desktop computers while others prefer more portable computers that you can carry around and use on your lap (known as laptops). A mouse is a hand-sized control that allows you to direct an arrow‚ or cursor‚ around your computer screen and to click

did youknow? • The British internet audience increased from 36.9million in May 2009 to 38.8million in May 2010. • Internet surfers over 50 accounted for 53 per cent of the overall increase. • More than 12 million people over 50 now regularly use the Internet. • But 70% of those aged over 65 have never been on the Internet

There are estimated to be 475,069,448 Internet users in Europe (that’s over 50% of the entire population) on things on the screen and that is how you navigate your way around the Internet. They come in different shapes and sizes and are comfortable even if you have limited dexterity. There are also many specialist products available for people who suffer from arthritis or other mobility issues. Desktop computers usually have keyboard and mouse as separate items but on a laptop they are built in and the mouse is usually a track pad. The computer‚ keyboard and mouse are often referred to as hardware.

Internet connection

There are two ways to connect to the Internet‚ dial-up and broadband:

Dial-up Internet connection With a dial-up connection the computer is plugged into your phone line and dials a telephone number. It keeps your telephone line busy and is the slowest form of connection. Broadband Internet connection A broadband connection is fast and allows you to use your phone and be on the Internet at the same time. You can shop around for cheap ‘bundles’ of services, i.e. all your television‚ Internet and phone services from one provider. There are different types of broadband connection to the Internet: • ADSL broadband uses a standard phone line and is supplied via BT. You plug in a box (known as a modem) and

• •

your phone line can be used simultaneously for the Internet and for phone calls Broadband is also available from cable and satellite TV companies Wireless broadband (known as WiFi) involves connecting wirelessly to your home broadband so that you can use the Internet in any room in your home. Increasingly‚ you can also connect wirelessly in public areas such as airports and coffee shops – these are called WiFi hotspots. BT Openzone provides wireless Internet access throughout the UK.

Follow the CSRF on Twitter at http://www. twitter.com/THECSRF

Take the Plunge

Your local library or community centres often have internet access free of charge and your local college or community centre may offer introductory day or evening classes that can help you learn more about getting connected. Check your local paper for more information.

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

LIFESTYLE: retirement villages

Retiring Lives We examine the rise and rise of the Retirement Village

“In the year of the coronation, the Queen sent out less than 100 telegrams. In 2009 it was 9,000 and by 2020 there will be 40,000.” – Nick Sanderson

talk tous Do you live in a Retirement Village? Write in to the Fellowship Office address at the front of the magazine

It is a fact that there are now more people over the age of 65 than under the age of 16 in the UK which means that almost 25% of the population will be over retirement age. This age group has more financial security and better health and as such they are seeking places that will allow them to retain their independence whilst also pursuing an active lifestyle. It is this choice that has contributed to the popularity of the ‘retirement village’. This increase in demand is something that is not lost on the developers either. Talking to property website, PrimeLocation.com, Nick Sanderson, chairman of the Association of Retirement Village Operators UK (ARVOUK) made the following observation, “the population is changing very quickly. People are living longer and are more prosperous. The over-60s now have 80 per cent of the nation’s wealth. They own a trillion pounds’ worth of property, most of which has no mortgage.”

All this means that older people are not content with sitting in a nursing or care home but want to find an outlet for enjoying their retirement in like minded companion. The Retirement Village concept seems to offer the best of both worlds – the peace of mind that there is somebody around in case of emergency along with an active programme of visits and leisure pursuits to keep the mind and body active. So where did the ‘retirement village’ come from? There have been retirement villages operating in the United Kingdom for over twenty years but it is only really in the last 5-10 years that they have become more and more popular. The concept originated from the United States where property developers found that lifestyle developments that were built around recreational facilities had a particular appeal for the over 50s. On their arrival in the UK the ‘village concept’ was taken a step further and began to offer residents leisure benefits as well as some type of health care and although the sector remains relatively small there are nonetheless over 70 companies that provide some type of retirement developments. Many of the schemes are both built and run by the developer while others are just constructed and then handed over to specialist management companies who are responsible for security, maintenance and emergency back-up for residents. Facilities usually include a communal lounge, gardens, laundry services and a guest suite where relatives can stay for a fee. There is also a wide range of price options on offer too. A higher budget could see you enjoying life in a self-contained ‘village’ with more of a country club feel to it (Richmond Villages, The Hawthorns, Retirement Villages or Audley Retirement). Alternatively, if you are on a tighter budget then take a look at one of the ‘not for profit’ operators such as Joseph Rowntree, Anchor and ExtraCare Charitable Trust. As more and more people live longer the demand for the retirement village will do nothing but grow, a fact that offers an exciting future for the lifestyle of the elderly in the years to come. www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

Tinker’s Monument, used extensively as a filming location over many years of the show. BELOW L-R: Margaret and Pearl (Juliette Kaplan) in hills above Holmfirth; Aunty Wainwright’s shop at Marsden; Filming at Butterly Lane near Jackson Bridge.

The last of the Summer Wine With the recent sad demise of the BBC’s Last of the Summer Wine, the worlds’ longest running sitcom, CSRF member Leslie Davies shares with us his fond memories of the times he spent in Holmfirth, the village the sitcom was filmed in...

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

FEATURE: comedy memories

A BIT OF WINE!

We’ve got three copies of ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ given to us courtesy of Aurum Press (www.aurumpress. co.uk). The book is a super tribute to the series, which ran for 37 years and 295 episodes! To enter is simple - send your name, address and telephone number on a postcard to: Summer Wine Prize Draw, CSRF, Suite 2, 80A Blackheath Road, London SE10 8DA. The judges decision is final. Winners will be notified by post. Closing date: 14 Jan 2011 Clegg (Peter Sallis) and Compo (Bill Owen) chat in White Horse Inn car park.

After 40 years in the Civil Service I decided, following my retirement from the then Welsh Office in 1995, to visit West Yorkshire for the first time to discover for myself the various filming locations used in Last of the Summer Wine. So in the spring of the following year my wife, Margaret and I set off for Holmfirth. We took in the popular and easily found spots such as Nora Batty’s house, Sid’s Cafe, Clegg and Howard’s house which were all in the town. On then to nearby Jackson Bridge to discover the White Horse Inn and the later homes of Clegg and Howard, just behind the pub. Our next call was at Marsden to see Auntie Wainwright’s shop and then across to Tunnel End, much favoured in Seymour Utterthwaite’s days. Finding the Utterthwaite Postal University (UPU) was not so easy but eventually we came across it on the road to Dunford Bridge. Having enjoyed our initial visit so much we went back to West Yorkshire at least twice a year thereafter. On our second visit (1997) we were lucky enough to catch the

...the series gave much pleasure and will be sorely missed...

BBC filming at Nora Batty’s place and there met Producer/Director Alan J W Bell for the first time. His involvement with the comedy was to span nearly 30 years! On our 1998 visit we came upon filming at Marsden and there had long chats with Danny O’Dea (Eli), Smiler (Stephen Lewis) and Marina (Jean Fergusson). Margaret discovered that Jean and herself had both attended the College of Music and Drama in Cardiff at different times. In 1999, in the hills above Hade Edge some 2 miles from Holmfirth centre, we were present during the making of the Millennium special and made our debut as extras. There the much-loved Bill Owen (Compo) was participating in filming in what was to be the last four weeks of his life, looking a very sick man indeed but clearly determined to see things through to the end. Thereafter we were extras on several occasions, including a jumble sale scene in Hey, Big Vendor (2001) and a pub scene in Available for Weddings (2004). But my big moment came in 2007 when Alan J W Bell invited me to act out a brief scene with Robert Fyffe (Howard) outside the ‘Shoulder of Mutton’ public house in Clayton West during the filming of the episode Get out of That, then. Watching the filming over many years has been interesting and all cast and crew were friendly to onlookers. During that

time we had brief chats, during breaks in filming, with many of the cast including Peter Sallis (who appeared in all 295 episodes of the comedy), Dame Thora Hird, Frank Thornton, Sir Norman Wisdom and Dora Bryan. Now, after 37 years, the show is no more, the last ever filming taking place in 2009. I saw the final scenes being shot at Tinkers Monument and Little Cake Lane. Some say the comedy was never quite the same after Bill Owen’s passing but to so many it still gave much pleasure and will be sorely missed. For Margaret and I, we still holiday in the Holmfirth area, meeting up as always with the many good friends we have made all thanks to Last of the Summer Wine. I still revisit the former filming spots in the hills above the town and recall with a mixture of pleasure and sadness the many happy hours spent watching the cameras turning.

talk tous If you have a story or experience to share with us we’d like to hear from you. Write in to the Fellowship Office address at the front of the magazine

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

FEATURE: food

TURKEY

Festive Fare With Christmas just around the corner we look at the origins of some of our most popular Christmas food…

where in the world We may be used to a good old Turkey dinner, but around the world there are some more unusual choices of food for Christmas: • The traditional Christmas meal in the Czech Republic is fried carp and potato salad. • Joulupöytä (translated “Christmas table”) is the name of the traditional food board served at Christmas in Finland, similar to the Swedish smörgåsbord. It contains many different dishes, but the main dish is usually a large Christmas ham, which is eaten with mustard or bread. • In Mexico the Christmas dinner varies by region. Common dishes are various fruits (oranges, lime, tropical fruits), salad (composed of several ingredients including jícama, beets, bananas, and peanuts) or stews such as pozole (made of pork or beef with hominy) or menudo (made with beef tripe with hominy). • The Christmas dinner in the Philippines is called Noche Buena by locals. The centrepiece of the dinner is often the Jamon or Christmas ham, which is usually a cured leg of pork ham.

Meat has always been the staple of a traditional Christmas meal, although it was not always a turkey. It is believed that the act of serving a large roasted joint of meat at Christmas originated from ancient sacrificial rites designed to appease the gods and guarantee a good harvest in the year ahead. Meats favoured for this were beef, mutton, pork, peacocks and swans. It was King James I who introduced the turkey during the 17th Century for the simple reason that it was better for his digestion. Not everyone could afford it though and the poor substituted turkey with a goose.

A Medieval Feast In 1213, King John’s MINCE PIES Mince pies have been around for Christmas feast centuries although they have not always presented in the way we know and included 3,000 capons, been love today. In the original form they were 1,000 salted eels, 400 much larger and crib shaped (to represent the manger in the story of the birth of hogs, 100 pounds of Jesus). They were also full of meat, spices and fruit. They fell foul of Oliver Cromwell almonds and during the Protectorate who felt they were far too excessive for his puritan 24 casks of wine! taste buds and promptly banned them. They arrived back after the Restoration although the actual meat content was not removed until the twentieth century.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

The origins of the good old Christmas pud (otherwise known as ‘plum/figgy pudding’) are believed to date back to medieval times when plum pottage was a popular dish during celebrations. This was a meat broth that breadcrumbs and dried fruit were added to and was seasoned with wine and spices. The broth developed into a thicker pudding when pudding cloths were invented in the 17th Century and the meat content was removed. The pudding sealed its place as part of Christmas when it was introduced to the Royal Christmas dinner table by Prince Albert.

CHRISTMAS CAKE

festive

greetings Whether you are enjoying your Christmas dinner with all the trimmings or having an alternative choice, we do hope you enjoy the day and the entire holiday season.

The custom of a Christmas cake (fruit cake with marzipan and icing) dates to Victorian times. Before that cake was eaten during the festive period but without any toppings. It is believed that the use of marzipan is linked to the Tudor Marchpane, an iced and decorated marzipan cake that was often used as a table centrepiece during banquets.

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

A History Of Games Games are part of our national fabric – from cards to boardgames, we love to get together and have fun with our favourites. But how did these games start, what is the history of the pastimes that we spend so much time playing? As the evenings start to draw in for winter, Martin Sayers finds out more… Chess

The origins of the world’s most popular boardgame are thought to lie in China, where a chess-like strategy game was being played as early as the second century. However, the first record of a game being played that we would recognise as chess is in sixth century India. It was called Chaturanga, a Sanskrit term meaning four and which referred to the four parts of the ancient Indian army – foot soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants, all depicted in the game by ivory figures. The game spread into North Africa, before entering Europe via the Moorish conquest of Spain in the 10th century and was incredibly popular, catching on quickly throughout the continent. Chess proved so popular in Britain that the Archbishop of Canterbury threatened his clergy with excommunication if they were caught playing the game, as he felt that it was distracting them from their duties. However, nothing could stop the march of chess and by the 18th century the game was played everywhere from royal palaces to peasants cottages. In 1769, the chess world reacted with excitement when it was announced that a chess playing machine called The Turk had been developed. Designed by Hungarian engineer and inventor Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen, the machine was billed as a ‘chess playing automaton’ and consisted of a large box with a chess board on 28

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

top; seated behind this was a wooden mannequin dressed in Turkish robes and a turban, which moved the chess pieces. The doors of the box could be opened to reveal an elaborate mechanism of densely packed levers, cogs, wheels, and clockwork machinery. The Turk had a strong, aggressive game and was able to play ‘The Knight’s Tour’ – a complicated chess puzzle that involves moving a knight around the board

so that it occupies each square just once. The machine toured Europe and the US for years, drawing huge crowds and beating some of the world’s best players. However, The Turk was later revealed to have been a hoax, which hid a human chess player in a secret compartment underneath the model, where he could move levers that controlled the pieces.

Bingo

The first recognisable bingo game was an Italian lottery called ‘Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia’, which is still played every Saturday in Italy. The game was introduced to France in the late 1770s, and then Germany, where it was used as a child’s game to help pupils learn maths, spelling and history. When the game reached North America in the early 20th century, it became known as ‘beano’, because it was often played with dried beans. A New York toy salesman named Edwin S. Lowe saw the game being played at a travelling carnival and decided it had a commercial future. He changed the name to ‘bingo’, set up in New York and charged a dollar a time to play. The game soon became a huge craze and spread across the US - it wasn’t long before it had crossed the pond to the UK, leading to bingo halls springing up all over the country.

Bridge

Bridge is one of the world’s most popular card games and its origins lie in the less complicated card

FEATURE: leisure

game of whist, variations of which have been played since the 16th century. Whist developed over the years and by the late 19th century various forms of what we now know as bridge were being played in Europe and the US. One of these was Russian whist or ‘Biritch’ – a Russian word that means herald or announcer and which was eventually anglicised to bridge. The game underwent many alterations until Harold S. Vanderbilt invented a new form of bridge, called ‘contract bridge’ in 1925. It incorporated many of the more popular principles and also introduced a scoring table. This form of the game became the most dominant and is the basis of most modern forms of the games, such as duplicate bridge and rubber bridge.

Scrabble

Scrabble was invented during the 1930s by an unemployed New York architect named Alfred Mosher Butts, who had the idea of combining a boardgame with a crossword. He chose the frequency and the distribution of the letters in his new game by counting how often they cropped up in newspaper articles and spent years tinkering with the rules whilst trying, and failing, to sell the rights to one of the big game companies. Butts called his creation ‘Criss-Cross Words’ and he enjoyed modest success by selling the game by mail-order. However, it wasn’t until a fellow New Yorker named James Brunot bought a set that Scrabble was born. Brunot realised the potential of the game and bought Butts out – he then greatly simplified the game, devising the iconic coloured board and renaming it ‘Scrabble’. The game was a huge success and soon spread across the world, with versions now available in languages from Arabic to Afrikaans.

Draughts

Draughts is one of the oldest games known to man – evidence of a similar game being played exist from four

thousand years ago and a draughts-like game known as ‘Alquerque’ was played in Egypt and elsewhere in North Africa as early as 600BC, Alquerque boards can even be seen carved into the stone slabs which form the roof of the great temple at Kurna, Egypt. Like chess, the game was brought to Europe by the Moors and was soon being played on chess boards, rather than the wider alquerque board. The rules had evolved by the 16th century to become the game known in the UK as draughts. However, on the continent and elsewhere the game continued to develop and far more complex versions are now played around the world.

Cluedo

The popular murder-mystery game of Cluedo started life as ‘Murder!’, an invention of a musician from Birmingham - Anthony E. Pratt - who devised the game to while away long wartime nights, whilst confined to his house by the blackout. Before the war, he had been a pianist on cruise ships and in country house hotels, where he had seen guests participating in versions of the modern murder-mystery weekends. After receiving encouragement from friends who enjoyed playing the game, Pratt and his wife made an unscheduled visit to Leeds-based games manufacturer Waddingtons, where they played the www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

FEATURE: leisure game with two employees, watched by the Managing Director of the firm. The impromptu game was hugely successful and Waddingtons bought the rights to Murder! there and then – renaming it Cluedo, a play on words on the ever popular game of Ludo. The game struck a chord in austere post-war Britain and was soon selling well but Pratt was advised that the idea would not work abroad and so signed over the overseas rights to his invention to Waddingtons in 1953. This proved to be something of a mistake as the game went on to become a massive global hit, selling millions across the world and spawning a film, stage play and television series.

Monopoly

Legend has it that the popular capitalist boardgame was invented by American vacuum cleaner salesman Charles Darrow during the Great Depression in the 1930s. This is true up to a point but a version of the game known as ‘The Landlord’s Game’ was developed back in 1904 and was devised to illustrate the basics of economics and this is doubtless where Darrow took his inspiration from.

Unable to find a job, Darrow spent his time devising and making games and toys – making the first game of Monopoly from a piece of oilcloth for the board and cardboard for the houses and hotels. He took the names of the streets and stations from Atlantic City, where he had holidayed with his wife in more prosperous times. The Darrows played this simple game with friends but people started to ask if he could make them a set and Darrow was soon selling his new game for $4.00 a time. Encouraged by his success, Darrow offered to sell the rights to game company Parker Brothers, but it was initially rejected. Undeterred, Darrow began to sell directly to retailers and after the game became a huge commercial success Parker Brothers reconsidered their position and bought Darrow out - by 1935 Monopoly was the best selling game in America. The game spread across the globe and there are now thousands of different versions. It has recently been revealed that during the Second World War, the British secret service smuggled maps and other escape equipment into German prisoner of war camps hidden in specially designed Monopoly sets.

talk tous Do you have a favourite game? What do you remember playing when you were growing up? Write in to the Fellowship Office address at the front of the magazine

PROMOTION

Taking statins? You may need Q10 too According to an article published in the Daily Mail, the side effects of statins can be far worse than previously feared, with patients much more likely to suffer from severe illnesses such as liver dysfunction, acute kidney failure, and cataracts. Coenzyme Q10 is therefore essential for the six million patients taking statins in the UK if they are to safeguard their health from potential side effects. Statins reduce cholesterol and are prescribed to millions of patients across the UK at risk of heart disease as well as diabetics and angina sufferers, but there has been little analysis of the potential risks. There is also a growing body of research showing that as well as blocking cholesterol; statins also halt the body’s natural biosynthesis of Coenzyme Q10 – an essential co-factor vital for energy production. This has 30

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

led to a widespread campaign calling for Q10 supplements to be strongly recommended to anyone prescribed statins by their doctor.

Bio-Quinone Q10

Pharma Nord was the first company to introduce Q10 to the European market. BioActive Q10 Uniquinol is their brand name for the natural ubiquinol form of Q10, which is also known as QH. This ‘reduced’ formulation (ubiquinol) enhances the absorption process and has been developed to benefit people who may be less able to absorb nutrients from the digestive tract; these include the elderly, ill people or those with digestive disorders such as IBS. For more information about Bio-Quinone Q10 call FREE on 0800 591 756, email uksales@pharmanord.co.uk, or go to www. multivits.co.uk

Please Note: If you are currently prescribed medication for any health problem we would recommend you consult your GP before taking supplements – if you are in any doubt then please make sure you seek professional medical advice

COFFEE break

coffee break

DEGREES OF SEPARATION 16. How many stars are on the European Union flag? 17. Rather than a hatter, what is the proper name for a maker of hats?

The Bumper End of Year General Knowledge Quiz 1. In the U.S.A. what is celebrated on February 2nd and is also the name of a film starring Bill Murray? 2. In what profession would you use the acronym “SOCO” and for an extra point what does it stand for? 3. What is the official national anthem of the USA? 4. The blue cornflower is the French equivalent to what in England? 5. Which weather phenomenon translates from the Spanish for ‘little boy’? 6. Ambassador to the Court of Saint James is the official title for Ambassadors of which country?

8. What is echolalia?

18. What license cost 37 pence when it was abolished in 1988?

9. Which North African seaport’s name is Spanish for white house?

19. In Scrabble how many letters have a value of 2 and for an extra point name them?

10. Which is the only vowel on a standard keyboard that is not on the top line of letters?

20. Lending her name to a famous brand, who was the Greek Goddess of Victory?

7. Which castle is on the island of Anglesey?

11. In which street is the Bank of England? 12. Globe and Jerusalem are types of what? 13. In the drink, what are the components of a Screwdriver? 14. How many people take part in the dance of a quadrille? 15. In which city are the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund?

It is said that we are all ‘six steps’ away from any other person and that a chain can be made to connect any two people in six steps or less. So can you link the two individuals below:

Carol Vorderman (who celebrates her 50th birthday on 24 December) AND

Prime Minister David Cameron Solutions published in Spring 2011 issue

it’s all in a

word

How many of these wonderful words do you know the meaning of? G is for GAMBRINOUS H is for HAMARTITHIA I is for INANILOQUENT J is for JENTACULAR K is for KYPHORRHINOS L is for LETHOLOGICA M is for MAMMOTHREPT How many did you know? Check your answers on page 33

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

21. What is the name of the poker hand containing three of a

32. On which day of the year does All Souls Day fall? 33. What was Fanny Craddocks real first name?

37. What is another name for a ships load mark? 38. What is the meaning of the word Hypocaust?

kind and a pair? 22. In slang, how much money is a monkey? 23. Loriners and farriers cater for what? 24. In the game of draughts, how many men does a player start with? 25. Which is the best selling car name of all time (The model has undergone several redesigns in is history)? 26. Which country in the world sends the most letters abroad? 27. What rank in the Royal Navy is the equivalent of the army’s Field Marshall? 28. Which army is headed by General Shaw Clifton? 29. Which French car design achieved fame in motoring circles for his ‘double chevron’ gear and logo? 30. Who is the longest serving member of the Privy Council? 31. Which number president of the USA is George W Bush?

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

34. What are the caves at Lascaux famous for? 35. On what day of creation did God make the sun, the moon and the stars? 36. What is the collective name for the 9 handmaidens of Odin?

Is it: A) Annihilation of a town by flood B) mass inoculation C) underfloor heating 39. Who is said to rule in a Plutocracy? 40. Illustrated on its logo, the product Marmite is named after a French word meaning what?

How did you score?

0-5 6-10 11-20 21-30 31+

Oh dear, never mind! Extra general knowledge lessons for you we think! Not a bad job! Looking good, pat yourself on the back and pour yourself a gin and tonic Well aren’t you the clever one!!

Answers are to be found on p.46

WIN £50 WORTH of HIGH STREET VOUCHERS

CAPTION COMPETITION We had a splendid selection of captions sent in with our shot of the kitten and chick in the autumn issue. So we decided to stay with the animal theme but with a festive twist. Two puppies, but what are they thinking or saying to each other? Send your entries to: Caption Competition, CSRF, Suite 2, 80A Blackheath Road, London SE10 8DA. The winning entry will be chosen by the avanti team and be published along with the runners’ up in the next issue. Judges decision is final. Closing date: 14 January 2011.

COFFEE break

M W

WORD SEARCH

Find the following festive words in the grid:

SANTA RUDOLF PRESENTS LIGHTS ANGEL SNOW WINTER

did you know? 1. The word ‘set’ in the English language, has the most definitions! 2. “Almost” is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order. 3. The human thighbone is stronger than concrete. 4. When the last four letters are removed from the word “queue” it is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way. 5. The longest English word without a vowel is Rhythm. 6. Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day! 7. Women blink nearly twice as much as men. 8. Our feet house a quarter of the body’s bones!

CAROLS BELLS HOLLY JESUS STAR TREE

WIN! OH YES

MINISTER! We have three DVD boxsets of the complete Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister television series to giveaway. To enter is simple - send your name, address and telephone number on a postcard to: Yes Minister Prize Draw, CSRF, Suite 2, 80A Blackheath Road, London SE10 8DA. The judges decision is final. Winner will be notified by post. Closing date: 14 Jan 2011

CONGRATULATIONS To MRS KATHLEEN LEWIS for her winning caption - ‘I say. I can see now why you moved out. There’s not room to swing a cat in here’. With special mentions to our runners up, PHILIP HAGUE for ‘Miaow do you doodle do’ and MRS MOODY for ‘Genetically modified, moi?’ SOLUTIONS: IT’S ALL IN A WORD: Gambrinous is to be full of beer. Hamartithia means ‘likely to make a mistake’. Inaniloquent means ‘speaking foolishly or saying silly things’. Jentacular means ‘pertaining to breakfast’. Kyphorrhinos means ‘having a nose with a bump in it’. Lethologica means ‘the inability to recall the precise word for something’. Mammothrept means ‘a child who is raised and spoiled by their grandmother’ www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

GROUP: news

OUT ABOUT Group news and activities from around the UK, reporting by David Tickner (DT) and Yvonne Kutzer (YK) I had been invited to give a talk about recruitment as well as touching on the Fellowship’s current plans and was most impressed at how many of the members engaged with my topic. Two ladies in particular (Ethel and Joan) mentioned how impressed they’d been with Jean Cooper’s parachute jump a few years ago to raise funds for the for the CSBF Centenary year. (YK)

Handbells Ringing in the Summer Sun

Hounslow Group - 14 September

The Leatherhead ‘Tea Ladies’ prepare for an onslaught of members

All Tie-ed Up

Leatherhead Group – 3 September I was made very welcome during my visit with a cup of tea on arrival. A few of the members are from a German speaking background like myself, so it was nice to be able to use my native tongue for a change. The members are great fans of avanti, and many of them told me how much they enjoy reading the magazine as it made them feel more involved with the Fellowship.

news in brief Aldershot

Members enjoyed an interesting tour of the Poppy Factory in Richmond followed by lunch in the restaurant.

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

After my talk about the Fellowship’s future strategies the meeting finished with a raffle. (YK)

Talking Fellowship Matters

Sanderstead & Selsdon Group – 9 September This group meet in a lovely bright and large room at Selsdon Centre for the Retired, which is located in a large supermarket complex, making it handy for last minute milk and biscuit purchases!

There was a good deal of warmth being emitted from inside the Montague Hall (in the centre of Hounslow) on my arrival. This group has had upwards of 100 members in years gone by and like many of our groups around the country is struggling with the challenges of new member recruitment and providing something that could attract the newly retired. Although with speakers like Angela Jones who was our guest for the afternoon their meeting was both lively and interactive. Angela is an expert handbell player and provided a super talk about their history. As an added bonus she also managed to get everybody involved. The finale was a splendid rendition of Raindrops keep falling on my head (most appropriate given the stormy clouds forming outside) with each member playing a different piece of percussion. After an obligatory tea break and

Princetown and Tamar/Tavy

Members of both groups are pictured enjoying a day trip to Newton Abbot in October.

Tadley

Recently held their annual Open Day complete with entertainment. Over 70 members attended along with Fellowship Office’s Yvonne Kutzer.

outings Langford Lakes Nature Reserve

The Hounslow Group pose for our editor’s camera; INSET: Angela Jones demonstrates the sound of a handbell.

raffle the meeting was brought to a close as I, along with the members, headed home with tunes playing in our heads! (DT)

Finding a Beetle at Eltham

Eltham Group - 23 September

What do you get if you take a group of over 60 members each on tables of eight or more and encourage them to move around whilst playing Beetledrive? Well on the face of it you might well say ‘organised chaos’, but the reality was a jolly entertaining meeting. This was the first time the Eltham Group had played Beetle drive and I was very much looking forward to seeing how proceedings went. Under the watchful eye of Group Chair Phyllis Duignan the game commenced with a frantic race to throw that elusive six to start drawing their beetle. Eventually after six rounds we had a winner who was presented with £10 worth of M&S vouchers. It was a pleasure to visit the Eltham Group and see first hand an extremely good example of ‘best practice’ of how to run a group and attract new members. Phyllis and her committee work very hard

to ensure that all of their members have a wide variety of interesting activities (both in and outside of the regular group meetings) and this clearly has had a very positive effect on the support they receive through attendance. With one of our future challenges being very much about how we can energise and support some of the groups around the country that have experienced a fall in their numbers, Eltham is a well oiled machine that we can all learn from! (DT)

We have been approached by the Langford Lakes Nature Reserve in Wiltshire who are currently putting together their programme of events for 2011 and are keen to encourage group visits. They currently charge £50 for a group to visit them for a walk or talk on anything from the site itself to birds, butterflies, photography and even bat evenings! They also have sites in Coombe Bissett Down and Lower Moor Farm in North Wiltshire. If you are interested in finding out more about this then call 01722 790770

River & Rowing Museum With over 100,000 visitors a year this museum has a cafe and shop alongside a permanent exhibition on Wind in the Willows and many other attractions. Group travel rates are available, for more information contact Margaret Thomas on 01491 415609

Can we help you with a visit?

Eltham Group Chair Phyllis Duignan with the winner of the Beetle drive

We are available to help and support if we can – so if you would like to put a request in for a visit by our Editor David or another Fellowship representative then please contact the Fellowship Office or email: hannah.evans@csrf.org.uk. We will endeavour to do our best to fulfil as many of your requests as we can for visits but there may be situations where this is not possible.

Banbury Swaffham

Members recently enjoyed a lunch provided by Karin and Bob at their lovely house at Castle Acre.

After a two-year wait, members finally managed to enjoy an afternoon guided tour of the gardens at Highgrove. They are pictured showing off their Highgrove shopping bags.

www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

GROUP info

WINTER PLANNER There are 300 groups operating throughout the United Kingdom so it is very likely there is one near you. So why not go along and find out more about what your local group gets up to - there are many very rewarding ways that you can get involved and they are always pleased to welcome new members

SCOTLAND N. IRELAND & NW ENGLAND NORTH EAST ENGLAND WALES AND WELSH BORDERS MIDDLE ENGLAND E. ENGLAND & EAST ANGLIA SOUTHERN ENGLAND SOUTH WEST ENGLAND LONDON & SE ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

Dumfries & Kirkcudbright

John Walker Chairman 01387 261889 john. amuri@dsl.pipex.com

Dundee

Charles Paterson Secretary 01382 858862 The Queen’s Hotel, 160 Nethergate, Dundee Second Tuesday of each month at 10.40am

Edinburgh (Corstorphine)

Mr V Burchell Secretary 0131 334 5781

Edinburgh South West

Liz Beedie Secretary 0131 229 7422

Glasgow

Mr A McAdam Chairman 0141 882 1804

Highland (Scotland)

Mrs C Thompson Local Contact 01463 221532 MacDougall Clansman Hotel, 103 Church Street, Inverness First Wednesday of each month at 2pm & third Wednesday of each month at 11am. Walk and Lunch on the Friday 9 days after monthly meeting. 17/11/10 Coffee Morning in MacDougall Clansman Hotel 11.00am 01/12/10 Pre-Christmas Lunch in Inverness Golf Club (12 noon) 10/12/10 Walk at Alturlie Village towards Stuart Castle (10.30am). Lunch at Snow Goose. 15/12/10 Coffee Morning in MacDougall Clansman Hotel 11.00am 19/01/11 Coffee Morning at Holm Mills (11am) 02/02/11 AGM in MacDougall Clansman Hotel (2.00pm)

Rosneath

Mrs Coleen Titcomb Secretary 01436 842456 The Howie Pavillion, Rosneath First Monday of the month at 1.30pm 06/12/10 Talk and Tea 06/01/11 Trip to Pantomime at Kings Theatre, Glasgow 10/01/11 Talk and Tea 07/02/11 AGM

NORTHERN IRELAND & NORTH WEST ENGLAND Antrim

Brian Shields Chairperson 028 9443 2615 Crown Buildings, 20 Castle Street, Antrim Second Wednesday of each month at 2.30pm

Banbridge

Margaret Stevenson Chairperson 028 4062 2950 1st Floor, Old Tech Building, Downshire Road First Wednesday of each month at 2pm

Bangor

Miss Pat McNally Secretary 028 9146 1398 Hamilton House Community Centre, Town Hall, The Castle First Wednesday of the month at 2.30pm

Belfast

George Glenholmes Secretary 028 9048 0339 McElhinney Room, The Pavillion, Stormont Estate, Upper Newtownards Road First Monday of each month at 2.30pm

Birkenhead/Wirral

Miss Cynthia Morgan Secretary 0151 678 6266 Mayer Hall, The Village, Bebington, Wirral First Tuesday of the month at 2.00pm (except Jan)

Blackpool & Poulton

Leonora Sanderson Chairman/Secretary 01253 358435 Council Chamber, Blackpool Town Hall, Talbot Square, Blackpool Second Monday of the month at 1.30-3.30pm 13/12/10 Christmas Luncheon at The Stretton Hotel on the Promenade 10/01/11 The History of St. John Ambulance 14/02/11 AGM followed by a Quiz and a Raffle

Bolton

Eileen Nelson Secretary 01204 595246 eileen. nelson@ntlworld.com St. Andrews & St. Georges Church, St. Georges Road, Bolton

First Tuesday of each month at 2pm 23/11/10 Heskin Hall, Chorley. Farmers Market, Antique & Craft Market 09/12/10 Lunch at Bolton University 14/12/10 Lunch at Calf’s Head, Worston 25/01/11 Oswaldtwistle Mills and Fudge Factory 24/02/11 Quaker Tapestry Exhibition at Blackburn Cathedral

Bury

Gerald Beadling Chairman 01706 633674 The Mosses Community Centre, Cecil Street Each Wednesday at 2.15pm

Chester

Mrs C F Hanratty Chair 01244 520929 Christian Aid Centre, Queen Street, Chester Third Tuesday of each month at 2.15pm 16/11/10 Mr Buss - Australia 06/12/10 Xmas Lunch at Mill House, Chester 18/01/11 Party 15/02/11 Mrs P Evans

Craigavon

George McConnell Secretary 028 8676 4395 Portadown Library, 24-26 Church Street, Portadown, Craigavon First Tuesday of the month at 2.30pm

Crewe

Miss Grace Harding Chairman 01270 250677 Wells Green Methodist Church Hall, Brooklands Avenue, Wistaston First Tuesday of each month at 2pm 22/11/10 Trip to Boundary Mill and Barton Grange Garden Centre 07/12/10 Christmas Party at Wells Green Methodist Church Hall 04/01/11 Street Names of Crewe (Part 2) - talk by Mr Peter Ollerhead 25/01/11 New Year Lunch at South Cheshire College, Crewe (contact Grace for further details) 01/02/11 Childhood Memories - Mr John White (please bring along an early photo as a baby or young child)

Lancaster & Morecambe

Derek Hollinrake Correspondent 01524 419220 ollhllnrk@sky.com

Visit www.csrf.org.uk for regular news and updates from Fellowship Office www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

GROUP info Torrisholme Methodist Church, Longton Drive, Torrisholme, Morecambe Second Tuesday of the month at 2.15pm

Lisburn

Helen Fletcher Secretary 028 9261 1604 Bridge Community Centre, 50 Railway Street, Lisburn Second Monday of each month at 2.30pm

Penrith

Richard Roscoe Chairman 01697 472383 Different local hostelries each quarter First Tuesday of the quarter (March, June, September, December) at 12.30pm 07/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Roundthorn Hotel, Penrith

Runcorn

Mr A Stobbie Chairman 0151 424 0340 Department of Education & Skills, Castle View House First and Third Thursday of each month at 1pm 16/12/10 Xmas Party

Sealand

Derek Pryer Treasurer 01244 815201 Sealand Youth Centre, Sandy Lane, Garden City, Deeside Second Tuesday of each month at 2pm (except Dec)

Southport

Mrs E Milne Chairperson 01704 560850 Conservative Club, Bath Street, Southport Third Thursday of each month at 2pm onwards 18/11/10 Monthly Get Together 16/12/10 Monthly Get Together 20/01/11 Monthly Get Together 17/02/11 AGM

Stockport/Grove Park

Joan Broadbent Social Secretary 01625 873740 Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall First Thursday of each month at 2.15pm

Waterloo (Merseyside)

Mrs Joyce Nicholls Secretary 0151 924 1433 nichollsjoyce@yahoo.com Blundellsands Methodist Church, Mersey Road, Crosby, Liverpool Second Tuesday of each month at 10.30am (except Jan) 14/12/10 Christmas Party 21/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Grapes, Thornton 11/01/11 Annual Lunch at The Royal, Waterloo

NORTH EAST ENGLAND Blaydon

Elizabeth Pearson Secretary 0191 488 0840

Boston Spa/Wetherby

Mrs Janet Walker Records Secretary 01937 842216 Deepdale Community Centre, Deepdale Lane, Boston Spa, Wetherby

Second Tuesday of the month at 2.00pm 14/12/10 Treble Clef Singers 11/01/11 Poetry and Prose 08/02/11 Iceland - talk by Mrs A Henson

Bradford

Mr N Griffiths Secretary 01274 586410 Conference Room, Centenary Court, St Blaise Way Third Tuesday of each month at 2pm (except Dec) 16/11/10 Every Picture tells a Story - talk by Donald Woolby 16/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Midland Hotel, Bradford 12.30pm 18/01/11 AGM 15/02/11 TBA

Bridlington

Mr J Hughes Chairman 01262 850916 North Bridlington Library, Martongate, Bridlington Third Friday of the month at 10.30am 19/11/10 Coffee Morning and Raffle 07/12/10 Christmas Lunch (12 Noon) 17/12/10 Coffee Morning and Raffle (10.30am) 21/01/11 AGM

Chester-Le-Street

Brian Dawson Secretary 0191 388 8608 Chester-Le-Street Civic Centre, Newcastle Road, Chester-Le-Street Third Monday in each month at 2.00-4.00pm

Driffield

John Lydamore Chairman 01377 254086 RC Church Hall, Westgate, Driffield Last Friday of the month at 10.30am (except Dec)

Durham

Derick Neale Chairman 0191 389 2543

Gateshead

Mrs J Scott Social Secretary 0191 268 7935

Harrogate & Ripon

Margaret Terry Secretary 01423 885297 Wesley Chapel (Lower Hall), Oxford Street Third Thursday of each month at 2.15pm 18/11/10 Nidd Gorge through the Ages - Keith Wilkinson 17/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Ascot House, Kings Road, Harrogate (12.30 for 1.00pm) 20/01/11 Group AGM

Horsforth, Rawdon & District

Mrs M J Taylor 0113 267 8110 Venue varies. We meet in local hostelries for lunch. Please contact Mrs Taylor for more details. Last Tuesday of each month at 12.30pm

Hull

Colin Bielby Secretary 01482 782930 Age Concern Healthy Living Centre, Porter Street, Hull Third Tuesday of the month at 2.15pm

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

18/01/11 20/01/11

8th AGM of the Hull Group “Belated” Christmas Lunch at Kingston Theatre Hotel, Hull

Killingworth (North Tyneside)

Catherine Hankin Chairman 0191 268 1992

Leeds

Mrs Sheila Huggins Speaker & Outings Arranger 0113 277 7956 The Victoria Hotel, 28 Great George Street, Leeds Second Tuesday of the month at 2pm 11/01/11 Annual Luncheon 08/02/11 AGM

Middlesbrough

Lilian Lloyd Secretary 01642 315439 St. Marys Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough Last Tuesday of the month at 2pm (except Dec) 30/11/10 Christmas Party 28/12/10 No meeting 25/01/11 Goldfinger (panning for gold) - Malcolm Thomas 22/02/11 Cleveland Mining Museum - Alan Richardson

Newcastle West

Mrs Violet Cook Secretary 01661 871119

Redcar & Cleveland

Cliff Allman Secretary 01287 623415 Meeting Room 1, Ground Floor, Redcar Youth Centre, Coatham Road Third Thursday of each month at 2pm 18/11/10 Stories from East Cleveland in Old Newspapers - Sheila Crossman 16/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Park Hotel, Redcar (12.30pm) 20/01/11 Dresden 13 and 14 February 1945 - Cliff Allman

Scarborough

Mrs P Mawson Secretary 01723 512778 Small Room, 1st Floor, Scarborough Library, Vernon Road, Scarborough First Tuesday of the month at 10.00am

Sunderland & Washington

Ivan Bell Secretary 0191 549 4130

Whitley Bay

Peter Harris MBE Chairman 0191 252 7873

York & District

David Ingham Secretary 01759 372211

WALES AND WELSH BORDERS Aberaeron / Lampeter

Bill Allen Treasurer 01559 362008 British Legion Hall, Oxford Street, Aberaeron Third Monday of each month at 2.15pm

Caerphilly

Mr Gwion Lewis Treasurer 029 2086 8643 robertgwion@talktalk.net

Church Stretton

John Brewer Secretary 01694 722965 Mayfair Community Centre, Easthope Road First Tuesday of the month at 2.30pm (unless otherwise stated) 07/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Clive Restaurant, Bromfield at 12.30pm 07/01/11 Twelfth Night Lunch at Longville Arms at 12.30pm 19/01/11 Coffee Morning at Mayfair Community Centre at 10.30am 08/02/11 Tour of Mont Blanc - Charles Simmonds (illustrated talk) at Mayfair Community Centre at 2.30pm

Herefordshire

Leonard Sainsbury Chairman 01432 840422 sainza@waitrose.com

Llandudno

Mrs H Davis Chairman 01492 545436 Queen’s Hotel, The Promenade, Llandudno First Tuesday of each month at 10.30am

Llanishen (Cardiff)

Bernard Pearce Chairperson 029 2075 1493

Ludlow

Peter Waite Liaison 01584 872639 peter. waite@dsl.pipex.com Local Public Houses, various venues, in and around Ludlow Third Tuesday of each month at 12.30pm

Neath/Port Talbot

Mrs E Northcott Chairman 01639 887851 Moose Hall, Castle Street, Neath Last Wednesday of each month at 2pm (except Dec) 24/11/10 Might by Worth a Bit - talk by Mr Roger Gale 07/12/10 Carol Service at 2.00pm at St. Thomas’ Church, Neath 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Rest, Porthcawl 26/01/11 AGM and Tea Party 23/02/11 Speaker to be arranged.

Oswestry

Anne Wilson Vice-Chairman 01691 650419 The Wynnstay Hotel, Church Street, Oswestry First Tuesday of each month at 10.30am 07/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Wynnstay Hotel, 11.30 for 12 noon 04/01/11 AGM & Lunch at the Wynnstay Hotel, 1030am - Lunch 12 noon 01/02/11 12 Months of Garden Bird Watch - Rev Trevor Blackshaw

Penylan (Cardiff)

Alfred Ford Chairman 029 2073 2942

Shrewsbury

Irene Williams Chairman 01743 447279 Roy Fletcher Centre, 12-17 Cross Hill, Shrewsbury Second Wednesday of each month at 2pm 08/12/10 Christmas Lunch (TBA) 12/01/11 Post-Christmas Social 09/02/11 TBA

Swansea

Cheadle (Staffs)

Mrs Sylvia Edgell Chairman 01792 851125 The Vestry Hall, St Mary’s Church, Swansea Last Friday of each month at 2pm (except Dec) 26/11/10 An Explosion - talk by Martin Price 15/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Dragon Hotel 28/01/11 AGM and Social Hour 25/02/11 The Evolution of Fingerprints - talk by Peter Jones

Maurice Prime Chairman 01538 360621 maurice.prime@ukonline.co.uk Cheadle Conservative Club, 39a Tape Street, Cheadle First Thursday of each month at 2.30pm (except Jan)

Whitchurch (Cardiff)

Terry Watson Chairman 01530 835373

Ynys Mon (Anglesey)

Muriel Ariss Vice Chairman/Secretary 024 76 599397 Gilbert Richard Centre, Broadway, Earlsdon Third Tuesday of each month at 2pm (except Nov and Dec) 16/11/10 Pre-Christmas Meal (venue to be decided) 21/12/10 No meeting 18/01/11 Quiz and Chat plus Bring & Buy 15/02/11 To be decided

Mrs Mary Minty Secretary 029 2061 4445 Mr Eric Maynard Chairman 01407 720146 The Valley Hotel, Valley, Anglesey Second Tuesday of each month at 12.30pm for lunch

MIDDLE ENGLAND Amersham

Lavinia Syson Secretary 01753 884992 The Community Centre, Chiltern Avenue, Amersham First Wednesday of each month at 2.30pm 01/12/10 New England from History to Foliage - Mrs Margaret Deakin 05/01/11 Resurfaced Singer - Ron White 12/01/11 Lunch at a local restaurant 02/02/11 Policing Newbury By-pass Chief Superintendent Mervyn Edwards

Banbury

Cheltenham

John Kennett Chairman 01242 529757

Coalville & Ashby Coventry

Donnington

June Oakley Chairman 01952 604922 Turreff Hall, Turreff Avenue, Donnington Every Monday at 1pm (except Bank Holidays) 13/12/10 Christmas Mince Pies

Dunstable & Leighton Buzzard

Mrs Janet Bliss Secretary 01582 661795

Evesham

Anne Garton Secretary 01295 750151 agarton@btinternet.com Hanwell Fields Community Centre, Rotary Way, Banbury Second Tuesday of each month at 2.15 - 4.15pm 14/12/10 Christmas Cheer - Seasonal Drinks/ Nibbles and Travelling Musicians 16/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Banbury House Hotel 11/01/11 Social, Refreshments, Raffle 08/02/11 Where there’s a Will, there’s a Way - talk by Tim Williams

Eric Marsh Branch Liaison 01386 421460 ericbrenda@btinternet.com Foyer of the Methodist Chapel, Bridge Street, Evesham Second Tuesday of each month at 10.30am (except Jan) 16/12/10 Tea, coffee and biscuits 11/01/11 Putting the World to Rights, plus a cup of coffee 08/02/11 Swapping thoughts over a cup of tea and coffee

Bedford

Maurice Whincup Chairman 01476 572425 mewhincup@gmail.com Christchurch Hall, St. Peters Hill, Castlegate, Grantham First Wednesday every month at 10.00am noon

Patricia Waters Secretary 01234 347443

Birmingham

June Oakley Chairman 01952 604922 Five Ways House, Islington Road, Five Ways, Edgbaston Third Wednesday of each month at 10.30am

Boston

Mrs Jean Pyne Secretary 01205 364446

Bromsgrove

Mrs Catherine Kealy Local Contact 01527 876166 Bromsgrove Golf Club, Stratford Road, Bromsgrove First Wednesday of each month at 11.30am (except Jan) for coffee. Bar snacks and lunches also available.

Grantham

Hucclecote

Mrs B Arnold Secretary 01452 618009

Kidderminster

Pam Hussey Liaison Officer 01562 755632 The Three Shires, Lower Mill Street Third Wednesday of each month at 11am 17/11/10 Coffee Morning 15/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Wharton Park Golf Club, Bewdley 19/01/11 Coffee Morning 18/02/11 Coffee Morning

Visit www.csrf.org.uk for regular news and updates from Fellowship Office www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

GROUP info Lincoln City

Cliff Hopkins Secretary 01522 824703 tomcliff2000@yahoo.com St. Mary le Wigford’s Church Hall, St. Mary Street, Lincoln First Wednesday of the month at 10.30am 24/11/10 Christmas Lunch at the Lincoln Hotel 01/12/10 Coffee Morning with Seasonal Bites 05/01/11 Coffee Morning and Bring & Buy 02/02/11 Coffee Morning and AGM

Louth

Mrs Margaret Bradley Secretary 01472 388928 Elizabeth Court, Church Street, Louth First and third Thursday of the month at 10.30am

Luton

John Barrett Secretary 01582 519886 barrettjb@ntlworld.com

Lutterworth

Mrs J Law Chairwoman 01455 552141

Melton Mowbray

Mr M Johnson Chairman 01664 566821

Milton Keynes

Jim Ford Secretary 01908 368410 james296ford@btinternet.com Centrecom, 602 North Row, Secklow Gate West First Monday of each month at 1pm (second Monday if first is a Bank Holiday) 06/12/10 Xmas Buffet Party 13/12/10 Xmas Lunch at Shenley Church End Toby - booking required 10/01/11 Cheese and Nibbles, Competitions, Games 07/02/11 AGM followed by talk (tba)

Nuneaton

Rachel Homer Secretary 02476 385845 rachel. homer@tesco.net The Sycamore Tree, 2 Chapel Street, Nuneaton (next to the Ropewalk) First Tuesday of each month at 11.00am

Royal Forest

Val Collett Chairman 01594 562442

Rutland

Mrs Joan Lewis Chairman 01476 550078

Shefford

Eileen Devereux Chairman 01462 814765

Skegness

Ray Morris Secretary 01754 762060 Phillip Grove Community Rooms, Church Road South, Skegness First Thursday of each month from 10.00am - 12 noon 02/12/10 Group Christmas Party - games, puzzles and prizes 09/12/10 Christmas Dinner at the Chatsworth Hotel 06/01/11 Refreshments, Quiz, Free Raffle and Bingo 03/02/11 Refreshments, Quiz, Free Raffle and Bingo

Sleaford & Ancaster

Mike Smith Group PR/Organizer 01526 833273 mjs_consultation@hotmail.com Sleaford: Bristol Bowls Club, Boston Road, Sleaford. Ancaster: Angel Court, Ancaster Sleaford: First Thursday of the month 10.15am - Noon. Ancaster: Second Wednesday of the month 10.15am - Noon

Solihull

Margaret Smith Secretary 0121 744 6150 me.smith@talktalk.net John Palmer Hall, Union Road, Solihull Second Monday of each month at 10am 13/12/10 Christmas Coffee Morning 10/01/11 New Year Meeting 14/02/11 AGM

Stamford

Mrs B Smith Chairman/Secretary 01780 755437

Wellesbourne

Mrs Iris Herwin Secretary 01789 840745 Warwick H.R.I., Warwick Road, Wellesbourne Third Thursday of each month at 2.30pm (except Dec) 18/11/10 Traidcraft Organisation - talk by Michael Porter Dec 2010 Christmas Lunch (date TBA) 20/01/11 Photography - talk by David Clarke 17/02/11 AGM followed by Quiz

Wellington & Telford

Emrys Jones Chairman 01952 254252 e30jones@btinternet.com Belmont Community Hall, Wellington First Thursday of each month at 9.30am - 12 noon

Wigston

Mrs J Collins Vice Chairman 0116 288 7802

Wolverhampton

Bryan Morey Secretary/Treasurer 01902 753439 The Electric Club, St Marks Road, Wolverhampton Every Tuesday at 10.30am to 12 noon (lunch available if required) 07/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Electric Club

Worcester

Leigh Watkins Secretary 01905 774034 Perdiswell Young Peoples Leisure Centre, (A38) Droitwich Road (opp. Checketts Lane) Second Wednesday of each month at 1pm 08/12/10 Christmas Fayre and Buffet 12/01/11 New Years Lunch at Buckland Manor near Broadway

EASTERN ENGLAND & EAST ANGLIA Attleborough

Mrs D Parker Secretary 01953 456958 deepea2@uwclub.net Methodist Church Hall, London Road Third Thursday of the month from 10am - 12 noon

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

Aylsham & District

Thomas Berry Secretary 01263 731955 thomasberry@onetel.com Friends Meeting House, Peggs Yard, Red Lion Street, Aylsham Second Monday of each month at 10am (unless it’s a Bank Holiday)

Billericay

Mr J R Smith Local Contact 01277 622156

Brentwood

Mrs Dorothy Dale Secretary 01277 372585 St.Peter’s Church Hall, Claughton Way, Hutton, Brentwood Second Thursday of each month at 10am - 12 noon 09/12/10 Songs and Monologues with Guitar - Elaine Barker 13/01/11 Canine Pets - Clair Cuthbert 10/02/11 Improve your Photos - Cris Ferndal

Bury St Edmunds

Mrs Doreen Ginn Chairman 01284 755256 West End Home Guard Club, Abbot Road, Bury St. Edmunds Second Wednesday of each month at 10am 08/12/10 Ginger with Everything - Molfrey French-Owen 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Regency House Hotel 12/01/11 AGM and Memoirs of Running a B&B 09/02/11 All about Feet - Caroline Barwick- Walters

Chelmsford

Pat Frankland Secretary 01245 259194 pat. frankland131@btinternet.com Room 3, Christ Church, New London Road Second Tuesday of each month 10.00am 12.30pm

Colchester

Bert Dawson Secretary 01206 522870 dawson. oaklea@ntlworld.com St Margaret’s Anglican Church Hall, Stansted Road, Colchester Third Monday of each month at 2pm (except Dec, change of venue, date and time) 13/12/10 Christmas Luncheon: Colchester Balkern Restaurant at 12 noon. Advance booking required. 17/01/11 David Tickner, Editor of CSRF avanti magazine 21/02/11 AGM and Bring & Buy

Croxley Green

Frank Brown Chairman 01923 779070 fctbrown@btinternet.com

Dereham

Robert Jackson Chairman 01362 693977 bobabs@jack747.fsnet.co.uk Toftwood Village Hall, 47 Shipdham Road, Toftwood, Dereham Second Friday of each month at 10.00am 10/12/10 Christmas Party and TV Music Quiz 14/01/11 Group AGM 11/02/11 To be arranged

Drayton - Norfolk

June Langham Chairman 01603 745277 St Margaret’s Church Room, Drayton Second Tuesday of each month at 2.15pm (except Dec) 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Oaks, Holt Road, Norwich Airport, Norwich 11/01/11 Cryptic Quiz by Mike Hodge 08/02/11 TBA

Harlow

Mrs Edna McNaughton Secretary 01279 865102 edian.mcnaughton@tesco.net Toby Carvery, Harlow First Friday of the month at 12 noon

Harpenden

Mr Tony Thomson Group Representative 01582 713250

Hemel Hempstead

Miss Joan Ibbett Secretary 01442 259674

Hertford

Mrs Olive Smith Chairman 01992 550753 Methodist Church Hall, Ware Road, Hertford First Monday of each month at 2-4pm (except Bank Holidays) 15/11/10 Thursford - Organ Recital and Concert 22/11/10 Turkey & Tinsel at The Queens Hotel, Eastbourne (22-26 Nov) 06/12/10 Bygone Items - Hands On - Mr Ian Torrence 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Roebuck Public House 10/01/11 Social Afternoon 07/02/11 AGM

Huntingdon

Mrs Gillian Greville Secretary 01480 458098 Little Stukeley Village Hall, Low Road (off Mill Road), Little Stukeley, Huntingdon Last Thursday of the month at 2.30pm (except Dec) 25/11/10 Antiques and their Value - Rod Best, a local auctioneer 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Dolphin Hotel, St. Ives (12.30 for 1.00pm) 27/01/11 The North Yorkshire Coast from Staithes to Bridlington - David Garner (illustrated talk) 24/02/11 Tales of a Lorry Driver and Removals Man - Leonard Priestley

Ilford

Mrs Sylvia Green Social Secretary 020 8594 5284 sylviagreen@rocketmail.com

Ipswich

Eva Stevens Secretary 01473 688040 evajs@ yahoo.co.uk Museum Street Methodist Church Hall, Blackhorse Lane, Ipswich First Wednesday of each month at 2pm 01/12/10 Christmas Lunch followed by Carols in the Church 05/01/11 The Bells of St. Lawrence - George Pipe 02/02/11 AGM and Bring & Buy

Loughton

Eric Adams Chairman 020 8508 7207 Jazz Archive Room, Loughton Library, Traps Hill, Loughton Third Monday of each month at 2pm 20/12/10 Christmas Meeting 17/01/11 New Year Resolutions 21/02/11 Looking forward to Spring!

Lowestoft

Rayleigh Mrs F Cohen Social Secretary 01702 342426

Rochford Mrs F Cohen Social Secretary 01702 342426

Romford Norma Wright Secretary 01708 341099

Saffron Walden

Daphne Faulkner Secretary 01502 573866 Beaconsfield Club, Surrey Street First and Third Wednesday of each month at 10.15am 15/12/10 Christmas Lunch 17/02/11 AGM

Mrs E Mansfield Chairperson 01279 755458 The Chequers Public House, Cambridge Road, Ugley, Bishops Stortford Second Monday in the month (approx 4 times per year) at 12-12.30pm for lunch

Mildenhall

Mrs F Cohen Social Secretary 01702 342426

Mr Martin Claridge Secretary 01842 810096 Mildenhall Social Club, Recreation Way First Tuesday of each month at 2pm 07/12/10 Christmas Carol Singalong with the Musical Duo Parallel Lines 04/01/11 Post Christmas Lunch at the Bell Hotel in Mildenhall 25/01/11 Trip to the Theatre Royal, Norwich, for an evening performance of Fiddler on the Roof 01/02/11 Guest Speaker, Mr David Tickner, Editor of the avanti magazine

Newmarket

Bob Swann Chairman 01638 604280 robert. swann1@ntlworld.com St. John Training Centre, Newmarket Hospital, Exning Road Second Wednesday of each month at 2pm

Norwich

Mary Weatherhead Secretary 01603 410821 Reading Room, Doughty’s Hospital, Golden Dog Lane Second Monday of each month at 10am for 10.30am 08/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the George Hotel 13/12/10 Christmas Party 10/01/11 Members’ Meeting and Bring & Buy Sale 14/02/11 AGM and Quiz

Nottingham

Pam Bradley Secretary 0115 938 4676 pamthedragon@hotmail.co.uk The New Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street Second Wednesday of each month at 10.15am - Noon 08/12/10 Christmas Party 12/01/11 Barbara Bradley speaking about William and Catherine Booth followed by Pantomime Matinee at the Playhouse 09/02/11 Come and be entertained! Followed by New Year Lunch at the Gateway Hotel. Transport provided from the Mechanics and back.

Radlett

Shoeburyness St. Albans Mrs B G Hill Secretary 01727 858198

Stevenage & Baldock

Helen Leisk Secretary 01438 355131 helen. leisk@firenet.uk.net United Reformed Church, Cuttys Lane, Stevenage First Thursday of every month at 2pm 20/11/10 Coffee Morning at the Gate Hotel 02/12/10 Switzerland - a slide show by Colin Killick 18/12/10 Coffee Morning at the Gate Hotel 06/01/11 New Year Party 15/01/11 Coffee Morning at the Gate Hotel 03/02/11 AGM 19/02/11 Coffee Morning at the Gate Hotel

Swaffham

Mrs June Finch Secretary 01760 720728 montague141@yahoo.co.uk Methodist Church Hall, London Street, Swaffham Third Tuesday of each month at 10.15am 21/12/10 Usual meeting for coffee and present exchange followed by Christmas Lunch at Canary & Linnet, Little Fransham 12 for 12.30pm

Watford (Cassiobury)

Mr Ian Whyte Local Contact 01923 441952 duncan.whyte1@ntlworld.com

Westcliff-on-Sea Mrs F Cohen Social Secretary 01702 342426

Wickford

Peter Blake Chairman & Secretary 01268 583060

Witham

David Longhurst Committee Member 01376 513629 Methodist Church Hall, Guithavon Street Last Tuesday of each month at 10.30am (except Dec when second Tuesday) 30/11/10 Pre-Christmas Lunch 22/02/11 Group AGM

Mrs Shirley Herbert Secretary 020 8953 2999

Visit www.csrf.org.uk for regular news and updates from Fellowship Office www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

GROUP info

SOUTHERN ENGLAND Aldershot

Gloria Wetherill Secretary/Social Secretary 01252 345318 rayglo227@talktalk.net Holy Trinity Church, Galpin Hall, Windsor Way, Aldershot Second Thursday of every month at 1.303.30pm 29/11/10 Turkey & Tinsel, Orchid Hotel, Bournemouth. Dinner/Bed & Breakfast with Excursions £215.00 (29/11-03/12/10) 09/12/10 Christmas Party with Music by Geoff Hiscott 13/01/11 Open Forum 10/02/11 Group AGM

Entertainment 07/01/11 Chat and Refreshments 04/02/11 Scenes from a Hampshire Childhood - talk

Boscombe & Southbourne

Paul Tabor Chairman 01202 422493 paul. tabor@tesco.net St Katherine’s Church Hall, Church Road, Southbourne First Wednesday of each month at 10am 01/12/10 Seasonal Eats and Quiz 10/12/10 Annual Lunch (contact Paul Tabor for details) 05/01/11 How to Save on Outgoings - Mrs J Rock 02/02/11 The Spice of Life - Ron Taylor

Bournemouth Central

Alton

Alan Carter 01202 292720

Arun - formerly Littlehampton

Peter Savage Secretary 01273 419881

Bryan Knight Secretary 01420 561833

Martin Smith Chairman 01903 725520 St Joseph’s Convent, Franciscan Way Second Wednesday of each month at 2pm Dec Annual Lunch at Harvester, Littlehampton (date to be confirmed) 12/01/11 Community Policing - talk by PCSO 09/02/11 AGM and Tea

Ascot & Sunningdale

Sylvia Hennah Secretary 01344 620860 National School of Government at Sunningdale Park, Larch Avenue, Ascot Third Friday of each month at 12noon 19/11/10 Flighty Women of White Waltham - Hugh Gibbons 17/12/10 Christmas Lunch 21/01/11 Oh no, not another island! - John Cook (Member) and AGM 18/02/11 Bring & Buy

Basingstoke

Janette Davies Chairman 01256 321471 Brookvale Village Hall, Lower Brook Street, Basingstoke First Wednesday of each month at 10.00am

Bexhill

Hilary Markham Secretary 01424 210985 Bexhill Sailing Club, Marina, Bexhill-on-Sea Fourth Tuesday of each month at 10am (except Dec) 23/11/10 Coffee Morning with Christmas Quiz 17/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne 25/01/11 Coffee Morning (Speaker to be confirmed) 22/02/11 Coffee Morning and AGM

Bitterne (Southampton)

Joan Dunnings Chairman 023 8057 6784 St. Johns Hall, Dean Road, Bitterne First Friday of each month at 2.00pm 03/12/10 Bring & Share Tea and

Brighton & Hove Burgess Hill

Mike Mason Chairman 01444 245289 michael_ mason6@hotmail.com

Chandlers Ford

Ken Willcocks Chairman 023 8076 0102 Chandlers Ford Community Centre, Hursley Road, Chandlers Ford First Friday of the month at 10am 03/12/10 A Day in iran as a Housewife - Sandra Simmons 16/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Ampfield Golf Club 07/01/11 Wives of Henry 8th - Norman Jackson 04/02/11 Southampton in the 20th Century - Jake Simkin

Christchurch & Highcliffe

Paul Tabor 01202 422493 paul.tabor@tesco.net

Crawley

Jim Piercey Chairman 01293 409332

Eastbourne

Audrey Fewtrell Chairman/Secretary 01323 730570 St. Saviour’s Church Hall, South Street, Eastbourne Third Wednesday of the month at 10am 17/11/10 Coffee Morning and Talk: Life in the WRNS - Mrs Jackie Mulholland 15/12/10 Xmas Coffee Morning with Seasonal Refreshments

Emsworth & Havant

Ralph Whitehouse Chairman 01243 374081 Emsworth Community Centre,

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

Church Path, Emsworth First Friday of each month at 10am (except Dec) 03/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Brookfield Hotel Dec Carol Concert at Chichester Festival Theatre (date tba)

Fareham

Bill Sculpher Records Secretary 01329 519613 Holy Trinity Church Hall, West Street, Fareham First Tuesday of the month at 2.00pm (first Wednesday in December) 01/12/10 Continuum Choir - Seasonal Music 04/01/11 Lansdowne Country Duo 01/02/11 AGM followed by A Diver’s Story - Mike Marten

Fleet

Dorothy Brookman Chairman 01252 684368 Baptist Church Hall, 115 Clarence Road, Fleet Third Tuesday of each month at 2.15pm (except Dec) - December meeting at 10.30-11.30am at the Harlington Centre, Fleet Road.

Hailsham

Jeanne Archer Secretary 01323 832055 St. Marys Church Lounge, St. Marys Church, Vicarage Road, Hailsham Second Tuesday of the month at 10.15am (except Dec) 07/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Oliver’s Restaurant, London Road, Hailsham 11/01/11 Commander Roger Paine - More Stories from his Ditty Box 08/02/11 AGM

Hassocks

Dennis Miles Chairman 01273 845693 jodem38@live.co.uk

Hastings & St Leonards

John Hall Chairman 01424 813355 All Saints Church Hall, All Saints Street, Old Town Third Tuesday of each month at 10am - 12 noon (except Dec) 16/11/10 Holiday in Turkey - slide show by Michael Betts followed by a light buffet 03/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Wheatsheaf Restaurant, Little Common 18/01/11 To be confirmed 15/02/11 AGM

Haywards Heath

Ron Essex Chairman 01444 458470

The Hailsham Group enjoying a visit to the Scaynes Hill Tapestry

Horley

Arnold Ullmann MBE Treasurer 01293 783590

Lancing

May Coleman Secretary 01903 761670 Methodist Church Hall, Chester Avenue, Lancing First Tuesday of each month at 2pm

New Forest

Sandy Whittaker Chairman 023 8028 2157 Meetings in odd months are at Milford on Sea Village Community Centre, Sea Road; meetings in even months are at Bashley Village Hall First Tuesday of each month at 10.15am 07/12/10 Christmas Entertainment (Bashley) 15/12/10 Annual Lunch (contact Sandy Whittaker for details) 04/01/11 A Representative from Hants & IOW Air Ambulance (Milford) 01/02/11 The Grape Trail - Roger Marchbank (Bashley)

Newbury

Roger Walker Chairman 01635 44575 colonelrog@hotmail.com

Poole & District

Patricia Jago Secretary 01202 749516 First Monday of each month at 10.30am at The Lounge, St Aldhelms Church, Poole Road, & third Tuesday of each month at 10.30am at Poole Labour Club, 22 Wimborne Road

Portsmouth North

Norma Clacey Chairman 023 92 326051 norma.johnclacey@talktalk.net St. Nicholas Church Hall, Battenburg Avenue, Copnor Second and fourth Monday at 2pm (except Bank Holidays) 22/11/10 Jean Barrow, Portsmouth Tourist Board 13/12/10 Kathleen Blackmore and Friends Entertainment

Reading West & Tilehurst

David Cox Secretary 0118 958 6311 United Reformed Church Hall, Polsted Road, off Armour Road Last Wednesday of the month at 2pm

Ringwood & District

Ray White Chairman 01425 476037 rmwhite@tiscali.co.uk Greyfriars Community Centre, Ringwood First Friday of each month at 10am 03/12/10 Christmas Celebration 07/01/11 Sights and Sounds of Nature Part II - J Combes 04/02/11 The Rio Grande to the Grand Canyon - Mike Read

Saltdean

Evelyn George Chairman 01273 308665

Southsea

Mike Barrow Chairman 023 92 829552 m.barrow4@ntlworld.com

Stubbington

Mrs Pamela McKay Chairman 023 92 552710

Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington Second Thursday of each month at 2pm (meeting) and last Tuesday of each month at 10.30am (coffee morning) (except Dec)

Swanage

Mrs Irene Greenway 01929 423394

Tadley

Mr D Horsley Chairman 0118 981 7152 doug@ hgcards.fsnet.co.uk Tadley Community Centre, Newchurch Road, Tadley First Thursday of each month at 1.30pm for 2.00pm (excepting in unusual circumstances ie elections, when advance notice is given to our members) 18/11/10 Oxford and Millets Farm Shop. Christmas Shopping 16/12/10 Old Tyme Players, Music Hall and Christmas Food

Totton & Waterside

Mrs P Shakespeare Chairman 023 8087 2035 Totton & Eling Community Association, Civic Centre Building, Library Road, Totton First and third Friday of each month at 10.00am

Twyford & Wargrave

John Keast Secretary 0118 940 2975 Various locations Third Tuesday of Feb, Apr, June, Oct and Dec

Uckfield

Arthur Thompson Secretary 01825 763142 Five Ash Down Village Hall, Five Ash Down, Uckfield First Thursday of the month at 2.30pm unless otherwise announced. 02/12/10 Christmas Lunch at The Buxted Inn 06/01/11 New Year Lunch 03/02/11 TBA

Wallingford & Didcot

David Beasley Chairman 01491 835947

Wantage & Grove

Mrs Isobel Clanfield Treasurer 01235 764638

Wimborne & Ferndown

Eric Basire Secretary 01202 897158 eric-rita@ tiscali.co.uk Ferndown Village Hall, Church Road, Ferndown Third Wednesday of each month at 10.30am

Winton & Northbourne

Ray White 01425 476037 rm-white@tiscali. co.uk

Wokingham

Bernard Good Secretary 0118 978 2350 bernard.good@btinternet.com The Cornerstone, Norreys Avenue Third Wednesday of each month at 2.30pm 15/12/10 Christmas Carols and Fayre 19/01/11 New Year Lunch at The Cornerstone, 12.30pm 16/02/11 Wokingham Information Network

Worthing

David Keeling Chairman 01903 248663

United Reformed Church Hall, Shaftesbury Avenue (just south of Durrington Railway Bridge: entrance in Barrington Road) Third Tuesday of each month at 10.00am (coffee at 9.45am)

SOUTH WEST ENGLAND Amesbury

Mrs Dorothy Weston Social Secretary 01980 624589 Antrobus House, 39 Salisbury Road, Amesbury First Tuesday of each month at 2pm 20/11/10 Grand Christmas Bazaar - Antrobus House 14/12/10 Christmas Dinner at The Manor, Shrewton

Barnstaple

Ken Summerfield Chairman 01271 372311 wksummerfield@hotmail.com

Bath

Don Dodgson Chairman 01225 427041 St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parish Hall, South Parade, Bath First Thursday of each month at 10.30am (except Jan when it may be the second Thursday) 24/11/10 7 Brides for 7 Brothers at the Theatre Royal at 2.30pm 02/12/10 Coffee Morning with Mince Pies 06/01/11 New Year Coffee Morning 03/02/11 Coffee Morning and Group AGM

Bideford

Sylvia Moody Treasurer 01237 471334

Blandford Forum

Mrs M Chambers Secretary 01258 456572

Bradford-on-Avon

Pat Carter Social Secretary (Outings) 01225 866229 budbury8@talktalk.net Trinity Church Hall, Church Street, Bradford-onAvon Second Monday of each month at 2.15pm (except Dec)

Braunton

Peter Mumby Treasurer 01271 815021

Brixham

Mrs Edna Wright Chairman 01803 855638 ewright238@btinternet.com Local restaurants Once monthly at 12 noon - contact Mrs Wright for details.

Calne

June Marsden Secretary 01249 816675 june.marsden@btinternet.com Woodlands Social Club, Woodlands Park, Station Road, Calne Fourth Tuesday of each month at 10am 23/11/10 Mr Lane - film show on the Antarctic 14/12/10 Christmas Coffee Morning - Raffle, Mince Pies and Chat

Visit www.csrf.org.uk for regular news and updates from Fellowship Office www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

GROUP info 25/01/11 AGM and Bring & Buy 22/02/11 David Tickner, Editor of avanti magazine

Chard

Gordon Baker Secretary 01460 73333

Chippenham

James Sutton Chairman 01249 461892 a-tsutton@tiscali.co.uk Rotary Hall, Station Hill, Chippenham First Wednesday of each month at 2pm 01/12/10 Christmas Tea and Quiz 05/01/11 Magic of the Scillies - Slide Show 02/02/11 Remembering Yesterday - humorous talk

Corsham

Maureen Boulton Chairman 01249 701181 Corsham Club, Newlands Road, Corsham Second Wednesday in the month at 10.15am (except Dec)

Crediton

Miss M Steer Chairman 01363 866256 Club Crediton, Searle Street, Crediton First Friday of each month at 10.15am (except Jan) 10/12/10 Lunch at Red Lion Shobrooke 12 noon for 12.30pm. Please contact the Chairman if you are attending 04/02/11 Coffee Morning

Dawlish

Mrs M Carter Secretary 01626 888275 The Manor House, Old Town Street Third Friday of each month at 2pm 19/11/10 Christmas Lunch 17/12/10 Christmas Party 21/01/11 AGM 18/02/11 Quiz

Dorchester

Peter Bryant Chairman 01305 263920 peterjbryant@btinternet.com

Exmouth

Carol Brett Secretary 01395 442671 Bastin Hall, Elmgrove, Exmouth First Wednesday of each month at 9.45am 17/11/10 Skittles Event - RAFA Club, Imperial Road, Exmouth at 12 noon 08/12/10 Christmas Coffee Morning 05/01/11 New Year Coffee Morning 02/02/11 Coffee Morning 11/02/11 Annual Lunch at the Manor Hotel

Ham (Plymouth)

Pauline Singleton Secretary 01752 366672 The Halcyon Centre, Dingle Road, North Prospect, Plymouth Every Monday at 2.00pm

Launceston

Joan Simpkin Secretary 01566 782542

Liskeard & Pensilva

Shirley Waye Secretary 01579 346089

Minehead

Isabel Dobson 01643 703199

Princetown

Mike Fitzpatrick Secretary 01822 890799 mikeandkate3@talktalk.net

Salisbury Plain

Mr Roy German Secretary 01980 653446 violet.german@mypostoffice.co.uk The Village Hall, High Street, Durrington Third Tuesday of each month at 2.30pm 16/11/10 Bring & Buy Sale and Sari and Indian Culture - talk by Demi Ladma 23/11/10 Shopping Day Trip to Poole 21/12/10 Christmas Luncheon and Draw 18/01/11 New Year Party with Finger Buffet and Entertainment 15/02/11 AGM

Sherborne

Mrs Jean Nunn Chairman 01935 817053

Sidmouth

Margaret Adams Chairman 01395 577622 rjadams39@waitrose.com Sidholme Hotel, Elysian Fields, Temple Street Second Wednesday of each month at 10.25am 17/11/10 Lunch at Moores, Newton Poppleford 08/12/10 Xmas Lunch at The Walter Raleigh, East Budleigh (pre-booking required)

Somerton

Colin Mclntyre Secretary 01458 223953

Tamar/Tavy (Tavistock)

Mike Fitzpatrick Acting Secretary 01822 890799 mikeandkate3@talktalk.net

Taunton

Ann Ford Secretary 01823 327675

Trowbridge

Peter Collins Secretary 01225 768370 petercollins@vulnera.freeserve.co.uk The Wiltshire Yeoman, Chilmark Road, Trowbridge/ St. Thomas’ Church Hall, York Buildings, off Timbrell Street, Trowbridge First Wednesday of each month at 11am (The Wiltshire Yeoman) & third Wednesday of each month at 2pm (St Thomas’ Church) 17/11/10 Christmas Shopping Coach Trip to Cardiff 01/12/10 Coffee Morning at The Wiltshire Yeoman 11.00am 15/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Manor Hotel, Trowle, Trowbridge 05/01/11 Coffee Morning at The Wiltshire Yeoman 11.00am 19/01/11 St Thomas’s Church Hall - AGM Speaker - Linda Dowsett - Poems 02/02/11 Coffee Morning at The Wiltshire Yeoman 11.00am 16/02/11 St Thomas’s Church Hall - speaker to be arranged

Warminster

Ted Bryant Secretary 01985 218289 Warminster Town Football Club, 73 Weymouth Street, Warminster First Monday of each month at 2pm (except

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk

Jan) Second Monday if Bank Holiday 06/12/10 It must by Christmas - talk by the Revd Mary Teed 15/12/10 Christmas Lunch 07/02/11 AGM. A Gothic Celebration - Tyntesfield - talk by Karen Johnstone

Wellington (Somerset)

Tony Martin Treasurer 01823 662879

Westbury (Wiltshire)

Ken Holloway Chairman 01373 864049 kenmoholloway@metronet.co.uk Paragon Hall, Haynes Road, Westbury Third Monday of each month at 1.45pm for 2.00pm 17/11/10 Outing - Webbs of Wychbold 08/12/10 Outing - Gloucester 20/12/10 Christmas Party/Meeting, Frome Camera Club 03/01/11 Annual Lunch at Warminster Conservative Club 17/01/11 AGM 21/02/11 Meeting - David Keager - Slide Show

Westbury-on-Trym

Beryl Webb Secretary 01454 614451 Studland Court, Henleaze Road, Henleaze First Thursday of each month at 2pm 02/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Salutation Toby Carvery, Henbury (pre- booking essential) 06/01/11 Quiz and Afternoon Tea 03/02/11 AGM and Bring & Buy Sale

Weston-Super-Mare

Alan Jackson Chairman 01275 858766 jackson-a21@sky.com Friends Meeting House, corner of High Street/ Oxford Street, Weston-Super-Mare First and third Thursday of the month at 10am 26/11/10 Group Festive Break to Falmouth (26-29 Nov incl) 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at the Commodore Hotel, Sand Bay 08/02/11 Coach Outing to Newbury and Welford Park (Snowdrops)

Weymouth

Derek Green Secretary 01305 771290 derekjgreen@btinternet.com

Yate & District

Ken Dyer Chairman 01454 314674 Yate Parish Hall, Station Road Fourth Tuesday of each month at 2pm (except Dec)

LONDON & SOUTH EAST ENGLAND Ashford (Kent)

Sandra Price Secretary 01233 331898 rogerprice44@btopenworld.com Baptist Church, Station Road, Ashford Last Thursday of each month at 10am - 12 noon 25/11/10 Festive Cake Decorating - Karen Buckle

10/12/10 27/01/11 24/02/11

Christmas Lunch at Trattoria Rouana Restaurant 12.30pm Quiz/Social/Bring & Buy Sale Branch and Group AGMs

Banstead & District

Miss Marion Pevy Secretary/Treasurer 01737 812129 Banstead Methodist Church Hall, The Drive Last Tuesday of each month at 10.30am - 12 noon 30/11/10 Coffee Morning Dec Christmas Lunch (date and venue to be decided) 25/01/11 Coffee Morning 22/02/11 Coffee Morning

Beckenham

Eileen Morgan Chairman 020 8650 8784 Beckenham Public Hall, 4 Bromley Road, Beckenham First Tuesday of each month at 2pm

Bexleyheath

Brian Coles Secretary 020 8310 1552 St. Andrews Church Hall, Brampton Road, Bexleyheath First three Wednesdays in every month at 1.30pm

Camberley

Jenny Ingoe Records Secretary 01483 558152 jenny954@btinternet.com High Cross Church, Knoll Road, Camberley Fourth Tuesday of each month at 2pm (except Dec) 23/11/10 Medical Services in the Roman Army: did the Legions suffer PTSD - Hugh Gibbons 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Camberley Heath Golf Club 25/01/11 The Life of Flora Thomson, author of Lark Rise to Candleford - John Owen Smith 22/02/11 Presentation on how to avoid becoming a Victim of Crime - Surrey Police

Edgware & Stanmore

Mr R J Broom Secretary 020 8427 8659

Enfield

Colin Cutler Chairman 020 8363 8379

Farnham

Barbara Martin Social Secretary 01252 793357 United Reformed Church, South Street, Farnham Fourth Thursday of each month at 10.15am (except Dec)

Hounslow

Roy Woods Chairman 020 8230 5533 Montague Hall, 30 Montague Road, Hounslow Second Tuesday of each month 1.30-4.00pm (except Dec) 14/12/10 Christmas Lunch at Cole Court Hotel, Twickenham 11/01/11 Travelogues, Events, Flowers through the Lens - Roy Woods (slide show) 08/02/11 AGM

Kenton (Middlesex)

Daphne Radford Secretary 020 8908 4099 dmradford@btinternet.com

Kingston & District

John Hobday Secretary 020 8546 5214 Kingston Methodist Church Hall, Avenue Road, Fairfield South, Kingston Third Tuesday of each month at 2pm 16/11/10 Meeting. The Mafia and I conquered Mount Etna - talk by Ann Chance 24/11/10 Freedom Pass Outing to Westfield Shopping Centre (meet at Wimbledon Station Underground forecourt at 11am) 07/12/10 Pub Lunch at The Queen Adelaide at 12 noon. Bus 406 stops outside 15/12/10 Freedom Pass Outing to the Jewish Museum (meet at Waterloo Station near the clock at 11am). Entry charge £6 21/12/10 Meeting. Investigating the Ghosts of Hampton Court Palace - talk with slides by Mr I Franklin, a warden at the Palace 04/01/11 Pub Lunch at the Raynes Park Tavern (opposite the station) 18/01/11 Meeting. Mediterranean Flowers - talk with slides by Dr P Brandham 25/01/11 Group New Year Lunch (venue TBA)

Leatherhead

Anne Thomson Secretary 01372 373258 anner. thomson@talktalk.net John Rumble Hall, Fetcham Village Hall, The Street, Fetcham First Friday of each month at 10am 03/12/11 Christmas Lunch at Bookham Grange Hotel (12.30 for 1.00pm) 07/01/11 On Safari - slide show and talk by Martina Bennellick 04/02/11 Combat Stress - talk by Robert Marsh

London - Abbey Wood SE1,SE2,SE7,SE10,SE18

Miss Ivy Burns Secretary 020 8310 1268 Abbey Wood Community Centre, Knee Hill, Abbey Wood First & third Thursday of each month at 1.15 3.15pm 18/11/10 Talk 02/12/10 Christmas Tea 16/12/10 No meeting 06/01/11 No meeting (Centre closed) 20/01/11 Guide Dogs for the Blind - talk 03/02/11 AGM 17/02/11 Entertainment

London - Catford & Lewisham

Peter Maple Secretary 020 8699 2002

London - Central London EC1, EC2, WC1, WC2 & W1 Mr D O’Callaghan Secretary 020 7373 3756 Civil Service Club, 13-15 Great Scotland Yard,

London Second Wednesday of each month at 2pm

London - Chiswick W4, W6 & W12

Helen Barron Chairman 020 8748 2486 Scouthaven, Wilson Walk (passage between Stamford Brook Underground Station and Prebend Gardens) Fourth Thursday of each month at 2pm

London - Clapham SW4 & SW11

Miss M Farley Secretary 020 8870 7361 Staff Restaurant 4th Floor, PCS Headquarters, 160 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction First Thursday of each month at 10.15am

London - Dulwich & Norwood

Victor Johnston Secretary 020 8653 2946 victor@jmail.co.uk Railway Club, Selhurst Station Approach Fourth Tuesday of each month at 10.30am (except Dec) 23/11/10 Xmas Social 28/12/10 No meeting 25/01/11 Coffee Morning 22/02/11 Speaker

London - Edmonton

Mrs Sheila Lamonte Chairperson 020 8886 7873

London - Eltham Phyllis Duignan Chair 020 8265 0810

London – Fulham SW5, SW6 & SW10

Grace Phillipson Chairman Waterford House, Waterford Road, Fulham First Wednesday of the month at 10.15am. Please contact Fellowship Office (020 8691 7411) for further details.

London - Harrow Road W2, W9 & W10

Mr D O’Callaghan Secretary 020 7373 3756 Moberley Education & Sports Centre, Kilburn Lane, London Second Tuesday of each month at 10am

London - Hendon

Harry Hunt Secretary 020 8202 7647 gracefoxtrot@hotmail.com

London - Kensington W8, W11 & W14 Mr D O’Callaghan Chairman 020 7373 3756 Crypt of the Church of Our Lady of Victories, Kensington High Street, London W8 Third Tuesday of each month at 10.30am (except Dec)

London - North Alice Fox Social Secretary 020 7359 2469 Bennett Court Social Room, Salterton Road, London Every alternate Tuesday at 12 noon

Visit www.csrf.org.uk for regular news and updates from Fellowship Office www.crsf.org.uk WINTER 2010

GROUP info London - Southbank SE17

Joy Creamer Chairperson 020 7407 2332 Penrose Tenants Hall, Penrose Estate, Walworth Second Wednesday of each month at 10am

London - Stockwell SW8 & SW9

Mr D Stannard Secretary 020 7720 0982 Job Centre Plus Offices, 246 Stockwell Road, Brixton Fourth Thursday of each month at 2pm (except Dec)

London - Streatham & Norbury - SW16

Mrs J E Winter Secretary 020 8764 6450 The Glebe Sheltered Housing Complex, Prentis Road, Streatham SW16 1QR Second Tuesday of each month at 2pm 14/12/10 Christmas Party - a lovely afternoon, cost (including entry and raffle) is £3.50 per head 11/01/11 The New Year starts with drinks, mince pies and nibbles, followed by tea. 08/02/11 Bingo - come along and try your luck. Prizes for lines and full houses.

Maidstone

Keith Hunter Chairman/Secretary 01622 746792

North/South Harrow

Mrs Margaret Pickard Secretary 020 8866 5708 ja.pickard@btinternet.com

Orpington

Sid Towner Chairman 01689 838567 The Memorial Hall, Methodist Church, Sevenoaks Road, Orpington Second and fourth Fridays in the month at 1.45pm 26/11/10 First World War Nurses - talk 10/12/10 Maureen’s Music 14/01/11 Quiz 11/02/11 Bring & Buy Sale

Romney Marsh

Mrs Win Owen Chairperson 01797 362598 winefrideowen@aol.com The Assembly Rooms, Church Approach, New Romney Second Wednesday of each month at 10am

The Sutton Group had a super day out recently with a guided tour of Kingstonupon-Thames

08/12/10 12/01/11 09/02/11

Gordon Clarkson - Entertainer. Christmas Dinner after meeting Annual Meeting and Social Time Rudyard Kipling and my Grandfather - talk by Reverend Alan Hewitt

Sanderstead & Selsdon

Ralph Perryman Secretary 020 8657 3487 Selsdon Centre for the Retired, 132 Addington Road, Selsdon, South Croydon Second Thursday of the month at 2.30pm 09/12/10 Christmas Buffet Party 13/01/11 My Years as a Journalist - Barbara Stevens 10/02/11 AGM and Quiz

South East Middlesex

Mrs June Brown Secretary 020 8891 4680 junebrownuk@hotmail.com

Staines

Dorothy Dib Secretary 01784 441990 Various restaurants for lunch Third Tuesday of each month

ANSWERS TO BUMPER GENERAL KNOWLEDGE QUIZ 1. Groundhog Day; 2. The Police Scenes of Crime Officer; 3. Star Spangled Banner; 4. The Red Poppy; 5. El Nino; 6. United Kingdom; 7. Beaumaris; 8. Involuntary speech recognition; 9. Casablanca; 10. A; 11. Threadneedle Street; 12. Artichoke; 13. Vodka and Orange Juice; 14. Eight; 15. Washington D.C.; 16. 12; 17. Milliner; 18. Dog License; 19. Two – the letters ‘D’ and ‘G’; 20. Nike; 21. Full House; 22. £500; 23. Horses; 24. 12; 25. Toyota Corolla; 26. UK; 27. Admiral of the Fleet; 28. The Salvation Army; 29. Citroen; 30. The Duke of Edinburgh; 31. 43; 32. November 2nd; 33. Phyllis; 34. Prehistoric Cave Paintings; 35. 4th Day; 36. The Valkyries; 37. The Plimsoll Line; 38. C – Underfloor heating; 39. The Wealthy; 40. Cooking Pot

Sutton

Peter Hodson Chairman 020 8643 5402 Friends Meeting House, 10 Cedar Road, Sutton Monday afternoons 2.00 - 3.45pm 29/11/10 American Supper and Social Afternoon 07/12/10 Lunch at Carshalton College (TBC) 17/01/11 Informal Lunch (TBA) 31/01/11 AGM and Social Afternoon 07/02/11 Informal Lunch (TBC) 28/02/11 Shopping Rights and Consumer Affairs - a talk by Brian Cox of LBS

West Wickham & Hayes

Mrs Beryl Talbot Chairman 020 8325 3063 The Griffith Jones Room, Emmanuel Church, The Grove, West Wickham First Wednesday in the month at 2.30pm

Worcester Park

Peter Tharby Chairman 020 8337 7423 petertharby@blueyonder.co.uk Old Malden Scout Hall, 411 Malden Road, Worcester Park First Monday each month at 2.00-4.00pm (If Bank Holiday, then second Monday) 06/12/10 Our ever popular Christmas Lunch 10/01/11 A Probation Officer’s Tale - a talk by Willie Harper 07/02/11 The National Parks of the Rocky Mountains - a return visit from Roger Bricknell

GRATEFUL THANKS TO ALL who contributed to the planner section which is continuing to prove popular. Apologies if your entry is edited, but occasionally due to space restrictions we will edit comments and give priority to contact details and the forthcoming activities, dates and events that are planned. Deadline for contributions to the SPRING 2011 planner is 14 JANUARY 2011. Please note this planner will run from 1 March - 31 May 2011 so please make sure you include as full as listing as possible. Your submission can be sent by post (please send your entry well before the deadline as the post can at times be unreliable), by email or by completing and submitting the online form at www.csrf.org.uk (on the Publications drop down list). The Spring 2011 issue will include full listing of ALL groups, so if you have only had a supplementary listing up until now, please do not forget to send us your FULL activities calendar. If your group would like to contribute to a future issue, or you want any advice or guidance call Belinda Stalker on 020 8691 7411 or email: belinda.stalker@csrf.org.uk. Keep those photos coming as well, if they can’t be included in the planner or the magazine we will upload them to the gallery section of the Fellowship’s website.

WINTER 2010 www.crsf.org.uk