Foresters Magazine (Winter 2013)

F resters magazine

WINTER 2013

Straightforward financial solutions with a human touch

LEARNING FOR ThE LOVE OF IT

Rediscover the world at the University of the Third Age

CHARITY WITH EVERY CLICK

Donate without it costing you a penny

Win!

ight A luxury two-n y a st l te ho Baking books Up to ÂŁ100 in M&S vouchers T&Cs apply

Save while you spend HoW TO MAKE THE MOST OF CASHBACK WHEN YOU SHOP

Welcome... to your first Foresters magazine of 2013.

Firstly, may I extend my best wishes to you all for a very prosperous and healthy year.

You may notice that we’ve refreshed the magazine’s design a little. It matches our new brand treatment and website, and we hope you like the results.

We’ve kept all of your favourite features, including puzzles and some fantastic competitions!

I’m embracing my new role as Foresters’ Chief Executive, and you can read more about my plans on page 8. I would like to sincerely thank Foresters’ members for all the kind messages of congratulations that I’ve received, and I look forward to working with you in the coming months and years.

With best wishes,

Contents 13

A two-night stay in Sussex Baking books An archery taster day T&Cs apply

6 UNISEX PRICING The new EU gender

directive and how it might affect your financial planning

7 WRAP UP SAVINGS TAX FREE The Foresters Stocks & Shares ISA explained

Cover: Masterfile

Foresters magazine is produced for Foresters Friendly Society by Specialist Publications.

For Foresters: Marketing Director: Neil Armitage; Marketing Manager: Sally Waterfield; Address: Foresters Friendly Society, Foresters House, 29-33 Shirley Road, Southampton SO15 3EW; Website: www. forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Incorporated Friendly Society no 511F, FSA Registration no 110029.

For SPECIALIST: Editor: Lucie Wood; Art Editor: Greta Solman; Picture Researcher: Sinead Millea; Production: Pip Leyland; Promotions: Gabriela Staniszewska; Address: Specialist Publications, Clifton Heights, Triangle West, Bristol BS8 1EJ; Tel: 0117 925 1696; Website: www.specialistuk. com © Specialist Publications UK Ltd 2013

8 UNDER NEW COMMAND Introducing Foresters’ new Chief Executive and Chairman

12 A DIGITAL WALLET Is cash on the way out?

13 NAILED IT! Amy Oliver, the rising GB Archery star, and her life post-London 2012

14 SAVE WHILE YOU SPEND Savvy shoppers use cashback websites, codes and cards

22

16 SHORT AND SWEET We look at Britain’s baking obsession 18 THE UK’S BEST GARDENS The top 10 to visit this spring 20 BACK TO SCHOOL The University of the Third Age 22 HOW TO MAKE MONEY FROM… Turn your hobby into profit

24 HERITAGE Joining Foresters in the 19th century meant proving good health

25 CHARITY WITH EVERY CLICK How to donate online

26 FORESTERS IN ACTION

Foresters members’ latest fundraising efforts & events

28 COMPETITIONS Win a

holiday and baking books!

25

Images: Plain Picture, Getty, Masterfile

ul a P Paul Osborn

Win!

3 foresters news

New!

News...

Our Guarante Savings Plan Ca ed lculato

Survey results, RDR and our new Guaranteed Savings Plan calculator… The latest news and views from Foresters Friendly Society and beyond

Contented customers For the third year running, our annual Customer Satisfaction Survey reveals some exceptionally happy customers!

Direct new policyholders cited a 98% satisfaction level in the way in which their initial enquiry was dealt, and 95% of claimants agreed that Foresters is easy to do business with. Foresters’ Marketing Director, Neil Armitage, said that Foresters offers value for money in tough times and commented: “We have seen that word of mouth has become increasingly important as a source of referrals with those that know the Society ‘singing our praises’.”

Our online calc makes it easy foulator you to see your r potential return with a Foresters’ Guaranteed Savings Plan

r

Simply choose how much you would like to save each month, and how many years you would like to save for, and the calculator will reveal the amount you are guaranteed to receive.

For example, if you save £70 a month for 20 years, you will have paid £16,800 into the savings plan.

This amount will have a guaranteed growth of £734, which means that you are guaranteed to get £17,534 back at the end of the term. The guarantee is subject to all monthly contributions being made.

What’s more, because we want to help you make the most of your money, we invest it in our Order Insurance With Profits Fund. So, the calculator also shows you how much your savings could grow by depending on the performance of this fund, which will increase the final amount you receive.

Visit www.forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk to take a look.

Over to you…

In our last edition, we asked you what you thought of Foresters magazine. The responses came flooding in and we’ve put the results together. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive – just take a look at the stats below. We always love to hear from you so if you would like to appear as a Foresters member in the magazine or if you have a feature idea, email us at theforester@theforestersfriendlysociety.co.uk.

Your opinion matters!

We are currently pulling together a customer panel that is representative of the Foresters’ database and includes members and policyholders.

You may receive a call from us to see if you would like to be part of the panel. This is simply to find out what you think about topics such as amends to existing products, our website or new product developments.

READERS

95% of you felt that the content was relevant to you

media

98% Of you liked the summer 2012 issue of the magazine

time

85% of you spend up to an hour reading the magazine

The lucky winner of the £100 of Marks & Spencer vouchers was Amy L Rosengard of London.

&

The majority of you liked the competitions and puzzle page best of all!

4 FINANCE news

In theOther press financial news

Retail Distribution Review (RDR) What is it?

How will it affect me?

Financial advisers are no longer allowed to claim commission for giving out financial advice on investment products such as ISAs, bonds and pensions. Instead, from now on they must charge their customers a clear and upfront fee.

This new piece of legislation from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is designed to overhaul the way we buy financial products and receive financial advice.

It is hoped that it will rule out the temptation for advisers to recommend products to their customers that have the largest commission, rather than it being the most appropriate product.

RDR does mean that you will have to pay for financial advice now, though its supporters say that financial advice has never been ‘free’, and that it will provide greater transparency. Critics argue that many investors will be left without access to financial advice as advisers target more lucrative clients.

Public awareness of RDR remains low, says a report by Defaqto. Only 55% of financial advisers feel that their clients understand how they will be paying for financial advice from now on. Meanwhile, 39% think that the general public are aware of the RDR but do not fully understand its implications.

It seems that men, not women, are the culprits when it comes to spending money, new research* has revealed. Women typically save nearly twice as much of their earnings as men, tucking 40% of their gross salary, or on average £8,015, away.

Meanwhile, men put aside just 22% or £7,538 of their yearly wage.

Women in the South West were the biggest savers (as a proportion of yearly income) at 49%, closely followed by the East Midlands at 47%, the study of Halifax savings accounts revealed. Men who saved the biggest proportion of their income were to be found in Wales and the South West at only 28%.

Richard Fearon, head of Halifax Savings, said: “While women have slightly higher savings balances than men, the fact that they save almost double the amount of their earnings would suggest that saving is a greater priority to women and they manage their money more effectively to be able to do this.” *A study of Halifax savings accounts across England and Wales, November 2012.

Child Trust Funds A new tax year in April 2013 means that the annual allowance for the Child Trust Fund will increase from £3,600 as it currently stands, to £3,720. While you can no longer open a new Child Trust Fund with Foresters, you can still top up existing funds with lump sum contributions (£50 minimum) or monthly ones (from £5). Visit our website for a top-up form or call us on 08000 214 523.

Images: Getty

Hey, big spender!

New ISA allowance

go to page 7

to find out mor e ab From 6 April 2013, a new tax-free Foresters’ Stoc out ks & savings allowance for ISAs will come Shares ISA into effect. It will increase from £11,280 to £11,520, following a rise in the cost of living. This means that investors will be able to contribute up to £960 a month into an ISA during the 2013/14 tax year. It will be possible to save up to £5,760 into a cash ISA and the remainder into a Stocks & Shares ISA.

Life in limbo The current economic climate means that many Britons are putting important life events on hold, says a survey. Twothirds of us are postponing key decisions such as marriage and retirement or sacrificing holidays and home improvements to get by, reported Moneysupermarket.com*.

Of the 18 to 34 age bracket, 8% are putting off having their first child and are postponing weddings for three years on average.

In terms of area, people of all ages living in Wales (41%) were the most likely to put off travelling while finances are tight, in contrast to London (28%) and the East Midlands (29%).

When asked what is needed to get plans back on track, 34% of respondents said this would only happen when they win the lottery. Others were more optimistic, with 52% hoping for an increase in income and 46% holding out for a reduction in the cost of living. *Life in Limbo?: How the economy has put our lives on hold, research commissioned by MSM, 2012.

The UK’s debt to older people is revealed Those nearing or in retirement carried out a huge £27billion of unpaid work in 2012, says a new report*. Caring for grandchildren, elderly parents and other family members, charity work and voluntary community work were all part of the invaluable contribution by older people.

Yet, despite their work, the Retirement Nation report by MGM Advantage found that many older people feel that their efforts go unrewarded, and that politicians, society and the media could give them far more respect. A post for the Minister of Retirement is being called for.

The findings, based on a survey of more than 2,000 people aged over 55, also found that childcare was the biggest contribution, with pensioners providing 326 hours in free childcare last year, saving the economy £15.5 billion.

Simonne Gnessen, a contributor to the report, said: “Without doubt, this group refuses to sit back and watch life pass them by. As they transition into this next stage of life, their health and wealth enable them to continue, if not amplify, their involvement in society to levels not previously witnessed. We must not underestimate their power and influence, but at the same time, as a group, they need to make their voice heard and command more respect from society.”

However, other reports suggest that older people will increasingly have to work during retirement due to inadequate savings and pensions, which will drastically reduce the amount of childcare and voluntary work they can take on. *Retirement Nation report by MGM Advantage, November 2012.

6 FINANCE LATEST

As of 21st December last year, a new law called the EU Gender Directive means that insurers can legally no longer take into account if a customer is male or female when setting the cost of insurance policies. We look at the expected impacts on your wallet…

pricing

Men

Women

For men, the cost of insurance policies for motor vehicles, critical illness and life insurance will most likely remain largely unchanged. Statistical differences mean that men have traditionally paid more for these types of insurance. Men are statistically less safe on the road, so the cost of car insurance was higher, while men also have lower life expectancies than women, which often made life insurance more expensive.

In the case of annuities (the income paid from a pension fund), in general men have often received higher rates, due to their shorter life expectancy, but experts have warned that those rates could fall as a result of the changes. Predictions have ranged from a fall of between 3-5% to a fall as high as 13%.

For women, the era of lower rates for car insurance and life cover could well be over.

Now that ‘gender neutral’ insurance is in place, offering women cheaper insurance, because statistically women make fewer car insurance claims, or are likely to live longer, is no longer allowed under EU law.

Although the true effect of the changes won’t really be known until they have been in place for some time, most predictions suggest the price of cover in these areas for women will increase to be similar to the price men pay.

For women reaching retirement, the value of their annuity (usually lower than those for men), due to the average life expectancy, could increase as the differences between the annuity levels for men and women are standardised.

How does this affect the Foresters Friendly Society 50+ Life Cover policy?

Sally Butters, Actuarial Manager at Foresters Friendly Society, explains: “Generally speaking, the life cover guaranteed benefits are lower for females and higher for males arranging a 50+ Life Cover policy, as a result of the EU ruling.

“Both genders’ rates have become the same, so there is a unisex rate. Unlike areas such as car insurance, with life insurance it is difficult to take into account factors around behaviour, such as a good driving record.

“All existing Foresters 50+ Life Cover and Autumn Gold policies will not be affected by this change.”

Sally explains that rather than meet halfway in between, rates for women have risen in line with the rates men pay, partly due to uncertainty around how the changes will affect people’s buying patterns.

Images: Plain Picture, Getty

Unisex

Focus on...isas 7

Focus on…

ISAs

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) are a no-brainer when it comes to investing your hard-earned cash

I

f you have savings, an ISA should be your first port of call. Unlike standard savings accounts, ISAs are protected from the taxman, which means greater returns. A basic rate taxpayer saves 20% of the interest earned and higher rate taxpayers save 40%. There are various options when it comes to choosing which type of ISA is right for you – read on to find out more.

Cash ISA This tax year (ending 5th April 2013) you can invest up to £5,640 into a Cash ISA. This allowance will rise on 6th April this year to £5,760. Cash ISAs come in two types – Instant Access, where you have direct access to your money and can withdraw at any time, and Fixed Rate, in which you lock away your money for a set period of time to get a better rate of interest.

Stocks & Shares ISA For a longer-term investment, a Stocks & Shares ISA can yield better returns, though there is a risk that you may not get back as much as you put in. Your full ISA allowance of £11,280 (£11,520 in the 2013/14 tax year) can be put into a Stocks & Shares ISA, or

you can split this amount with a Cash ISA. Your contributions may be invested into a With Profits fund, which is managed with the aim of providing annual bonuses to increase the value of your ISA, as well as a possible final bonus when the ISA is cashed-in.

Transferring ISAs You can transfer existing ISAs into a Stocks & Shares ISA of your choice. All you need to do is complete a transfer form and your ISA provider will then manage the transfer from your exiting ISA provider on your behalf.

More about how ISAs work It’s important to note that the ISA allowances are fixed for each tax year. So, if you don’t use your maximum allowance this tax year, it’s gone for good. Crucially, if you withdraw money from your ISA, you can’t make up the allowance again. For example, if you invest your maximum allowance of £5,640 into a Cash ISA and need to withdraw £1,000, you can’t reinvest it as you have used up your allowance for that tax year.

Our Stocks & Shares ISA Foresters’ ISA is a great way to invest tax-free for the medium or long-term. You can contribute regular amounts by Direct Debit, invest lump sums, or make a combination of both. Our ISA invests in Foresters’ With Profits Order Insurance Fund so that an annual and a final bonus may be added to increase the value of your ISA. Bonuses will depend on how much profit the fund makes and they are not guaranteed. You may not get back what you put in, dependent on the investment term and the conditions at withdrawal. To find out more, see the enclosed leaflet, call us on 08000 214 523 or visit www.forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk

8 FORESTERS Q&A

future Facing the

head on

Introducing Foresters Friendly Society’s new Chief Executive, Paul Osborn and Mike Wilkinson, the new Chairman. As leading members of the Board, we find out what they believe makes the Society so special…

Q A

Please can you explain the specifics of your roles as Chief Executive and Chairman?

Mike: Any company has to have a Board of Directors who acts for all the stakeholders. As a mutual, we don’t have shareholders. The Chairman is literally the Chairman of the Board. My job is to make sure that all views are heard and to come to a consensus view – on strategy, business plans, products. My main job is to appoint the CEO, i.e. Paul who is responsible for all the operational duties of the company. Paul appoints staff, presents a budget for approval; he does everything. My role is to review all of this, challenge, ask for an independent review if needed and approve as necessary.

Paul: Mike’s role is very much leadership of the Board which includes an element of communication with members and stakeholders. My role is more about the dayto-day management of the Society and to implement the strategy that has been set by the Board and to monitor results.

Q A

What do you see as the benefits of being a mutual?

Mike: Many big financial institutions have lost the trust of individuals and government. Friendly societies, for better, for worse, are still largely trusted.

Being a mutual, profit and growth, which have become abused recently, are not the main objectives for us.

Paul: As a mutual, Foresters is very much about its members. The members own the assets and are a major part of the governance structure. All the decisions made for the future of the Society are for the membership. The money doesn’t go externally to shareholders; it is ploughed back into the Society.

Q A

How will the Foresters Board be taking the Society forwards?

Paul: Glyn Carpenter and John Levett [Foresters’ former Chairman and nonexecutive director] retired from the Board in 2012. They both provided a fantastic service to the Board and the Society over the past nine years. Their decision to retire at the end of September showed their commitment to the future of the Society. Going forward, we now have a more experienced insurance Board that provides a new start and an exciting future, which the branch network will be a fundamental part of.

Mike: One of the key things we’ve identified is that we have four main stakeholders: members, policyholders, distributors and staff. So, you cannot afford to side with one stakeholder over another. The whole purpose of being a mutual is to treat everybody fairly and to communicate what’s happening.

“

I like to think of Foresters as a big family rather than a group of policyholders Paul

Q A

”

What do you think is so special about Foresters?

Paul: First and foremost, it’s the social and benevolent side of Foresters Friendly Society that makes it different from the usual insurance company. It’s about looking after its members, rather than looking after shareholders. We paid out £957,000 in benevolent funds in 2011 and we provide educational grants, dental and optical grants, as well as offering access to social events. I like to think of Foresters as a big family rather than a group of policyholders.

Mike: Foresters has a unique position in retaining a lot of its personal contact, whereas society as a whole is moving on to different means of communication where ‘local’, ‘community’, ‘benevolence’ are words that young people of today tend not to associate with. It’s important to retain that local presence and benevolence so that it fits with the modern world. There are challenges in doing that. Without that local base, Foresters would not be special.

10 FORESTERS Q&A

Mike: Absolutely. We have a lot of social members, and I’m meeting as many of them as I can. I meet people who have been members for 50 or 60 years, either born and brought up as Foresters, or in the case of Glyn [Carpenter], becoming a member was a condition of getting married! That sense of belonging is dwindling. Foresters had a million members pre-World War 2. It’s important to try to build on our benevolent and social values for the 21st century, while ensuring we offer competitive financial products. It’s the Board’s job to define a complete proposition that works for all of our members.

Q A

“

Do you think Foresters is currently divided between its social members and its financial policyholder members, who may find the branch structure confusing?

How do you see Foresters Friendly Society evolving over the next 10 to 20 years?

Paul: In terms of the branch structure, this may not continue to work in its current form for younger people because they don’t essentially have the time, but we need to modernise and provide something that does work for them. It does work for people who are retired. They can get out, meet people, and develop their social lives.

Mike: An older membership base is not such a bad thing. If you think of the key added value to people in retirement, it’s the social side, which is just as much a benefit as any other financial product.

Paul: Definitely. Getting out to meet people can make you as happy as having more money!

Q A

Mike: The big institutions lost the idea that customers were actually customers rather than profit centres. Interest rates were artificially low for too long and credit was readily available. Who was lending the money? The East. Capital will migrate back to the East while we pay back the debts we have over-borrowed on. And that’s going to be permanent I think, which means much slower growth in Western economies for quite some time.

Paul: The crisis started with the mortgagelending problems in America, and that escalated onto the banking sector. There was an element of greed and competition and things were growing too quickly. That bubble burst and it’s the US and Europe, who were spending more money than they could earn, who are suffering now. I think there’s going to be at least two to three more years of recession with low interest rates and slow growth while the high borrowing is paid back by higher taxes.

Q A

”

Mike What is your opinion on the UK’s current financial crisis and do you think it could have been avoided?

What, do you think, is the key to the UK’s economic recovery?

Paul: The key to improving the UK economy is to achieve growth and reduce our high public borrowing. At the moment, this is being done by reducing Government spending through austerity

cuts. In the near future, growth will need to be stimulated by investment in the UK’s infrastructure and higher lending by banks to businesses to allow the creation of jobs.

Mike: If austerity means the reduction of government expenditure in the welfare state then that ties in with our strategy as a mutual and our self-help philosophy. That will free up money in the private sector to generate more employment and more growth.

Q A

How does 2013 look for Foresters?

MIKE: 2013 will see more product developments for the Society as we add to our range of existing financial policies.

We will also continue to invest in the benevolent benefits that membership of the Society offers and these will be developed throughout the year. Our branch network remains an important part of our strategy going forward and we will continue to work with our regional branch representatives. We will work hard to maintain our high customer satisfaction levels to make sure we offer our members the best possible service.

Images: Gareth Iwan Jones

Q A

It’s important to try and build on benevolent values for the 21st century

CV SNAPSHOT Paul Osborn

CV SNAPSHOT Mike Wilkinson

Title: Chief Executive Age: 48

Title: Chairman Age: 60

Paul joined Foresters in 2006 and a year later was appointed to the Board as Finance Director. Previously, he worked for 13 years at Teachers Provident Society, also a friendly society, holding senior positions in finance and investment, and spent 10 years working for a London-based firm of chartered accountants.

“Having been on the Board of Foresters for six years, I feel I understand Foresters as much as anyone can,” Paul says. “I understand how the financial, benevolent, social and insurance side of the Society operates. I appreciate the responsibilities of the regulators and the importance and value of the members.”

Paul lives in Bournemouth, only 100 yards from the beach. He is married with a three-year old daughter and is a big Manchester City supporter. He also enjoys playing cricket and golf when time allows.

Mike retired from full-time work in March 2012, having spent his 35-year career as an actuary working in the life insurance industry. He has been a partner in an actuarial consulting firm, Board member and latterly Chief Actuary of Genworth Financial, Europe.

“What I bring to Foresters is financial expertise and broad general management experience,” he says. “I’ve a lot to give and I think I’ve helped out in giving people a different perspective. I have a lot of experience and have been around a bit!”

Mike has been married for 34 years, has two grown-up children and he has recently become a grandfather for the first time. He divides his time between his house in Shropshire and a flat in London. He has a Ph.D. in Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Theory and takes an interest in modern science and history. Mike also practises magic!

12 future of money

1830 The first cheque book is issued by the Bank of England.

1966 Credit cards appear in the UK, allowing consumers to buy now, pay later.

1967 The first ATM hole-inthe-wall in the UK is installed at a Barclays Bank in North London, allowing people to withdraw up to £10 at a time.

1969 Cheque guarantee cards are introduced to improve payment security.

1983 The first online banking system is introduced by the Bank of Scotland, allowing customers to view statements via a computer hooked up to a telephone line.

1987 Barclays’ Visa Delta is the first debit card in the UK. Debit cards quickly surpass cheques as the most popular way to pay.

1999 Early smartphones enable customers to use mobile banking via texts.

2004 Chip and PIN cards appear, replacing signatures with a four-digit number.

2008 The first ‘contactless’ credit cards are issued

by Barclaycard.

2012 Biometrics such as fingerprint recognition and retina scans to authorise payments are tested.

2018 The date by which Britain’s Payments Council would like to see cheques phased out completely.

A

digital

Could cash become obsolete as new methods of payment become the future of personal finance?

wallet

T

here was a time when chip and pin cards and cash machines seemed futuristic, but they’re now becoming archaic in the face of new electronic payment methods. These new ways of using money might seem daunting, but once you get the hang of them they could actually make your life easier, and your money safer. We take a look at what to expect from these up-and-coming ways of spending.

Money goes mobile More and more businesses are adapting to allow customers to pay with a mobile smartphone. Typically, an app is downloaded onto your phone, which is linked to your bank account. Then, you can pay simply by tapping ‘pay here’ or scanning a barcode, such as a QR code (see the box below right).

Tap and go Contactless payment is set to revolutionise the way we pay for low-value purchases.

Designed to save time at the checkout, especially where speed is essential at petrol stations and supermarkets, it works by simply tapping or waving the card at a contactless terminal to authorise purchases up to £20. The card contains a chip and a radio frequency antenna to transmit the payment wirelessly. Marks & Spencer, Boots and Tesco have already embraced this new technology in selected stores. Contactless payment was available at the London 2012 Games, and is now available on London buses.

Things get personal If you’re wondering about the security of these methods, then you might be comforted

to know that you could soon be able to pay using your own unique fingerprint. A French supermarket chain is currently testing biometric technology, which allows shoppers to pay for groceries by placing their fingers on a biometric reader. Retina scans and voice patterns are other methods of payment currently being explored.

Plastic fantastic Before we exchange all our physical money for digits on a screen, we might see a more subtle change from paper to plastic cash, as world banks try to thwart counterfeiters with increasingly complicated designs and technologies that are difficult to forge. But this might be short-lived if, before long, we’re carrying out our business by barely lifting a finger.

QR codes

You may have spotted these square-shaped barcodes made up of smaller black and white squares. These are QR codes. Using a smartphone with the correct reader software, these Quick Response codes can be scanned, causing the phone’s browser to launch the website programmed within it.

A QR code provides direct and easy access to information, special offers, videos or other online content. You might find a QR code on product packaging or labels, in newspapers, on advertisements, or on the menu in a restaurant, where you can skip the queue by using them to order and pay for your meal. Why not download an app and scan in this one?

Images: Getty

Payment method timeline

ARCHERY 13

Nailed it!

During the London 2012 Games, 25-year-old GB archer Amy Oliver claimed the biggest win of her career by thrashing world number one Deepika Kumari at Lords.

We spoke to her about the 2012 Games, training, and those amazing fingernails…

My family are all archers. My mum and dad do archery (and met through the sport) as do my grandparents, so I’ve always been brought up with it. I had my first lesson when I was seven, but I didn’t really like it as I felt it was more of a boys’ sport.

I’m quite a girly girl. At the time, I was into ballet and used to be in a majorette band.

When that ended, I decided to have a go at archery again and the rest is history.

A lot of training is involved. At first, I just trained every weekend. As I got better, I was chosen to go to Lilleshall National Sports Centre (in Shropshire) and train with the head coach. About six years ago, I got funding and have been doing it full-time since then.

Repetition is key. As an archer, you’ve got to practise doing the same thing all the time.

Before the Olympic Games, I was seeing my coach (Lloyd Brown) three times a week. As well as practising my technique, I was also in the gym, building up my stamina so I could shoot all day. It’s not just pulling back and shooting arrows; core and upper body strength are also really important.

Your personal life is put on hold. It’s difficult as you’re living out of a suitcase most of the time, but everyone around me understands what I do and they’re really supportive.

“

Beating the world number one - that was the highlight of my career

”

Getting on Team GB was amazing. I was really excited, but then started thinking “Oh my God, why did I want to do this?” Once I got there, it just felt like any other competition, just with more hype and TV cameras…

There were so many memorable experiences. The Opening Ceremony was amazing and the buzz was fantastic. Shooting in the head-to-heads and beating the world number one – that was the highlight of my career.

After the Olympics, I wanted to do something different so I decided to do a college course. I also recently had surgery on my shoulder, so it’s given me something else to think about instead of just going crazy. I’m doing Level 3 Nail Enhancements – I said I was a girly girl!

I’m not sure I’ve inspired a generation, but I’ve definitely inspired myself. I really want to try out for Rio in 2016. I can’t wait to start training again.

Archery is a sport for all ages. Since the Olympics, we’ve had a lot of people come into the club and ask for beginner lessons, which is awesome. My granddad still shoots and he’s in his 80s!

Foresters has helped me to achieve my dream. Its support played a big part in me making it as an Olympic archer. I really appreciate its faith in me and in British archery.

A huge thank you to Foresters!

Foresters Friendly Society is the official sponsor of Archery GB.

14 money-saving tips

Save

Cut the cost of shopping by using cashback websites, discount codes and credit cards – we show you how…

while you

spend

ashback and online discounting are just two of the reasons why we’re all deserting the high street in favour of shopping from home. Approximately 12% of the UK’s retail revenue now comes from online shopping, and e-commerce is one of the fastest growing markets in Europe.

Discount codes do count Online discounts are often sent by companies to repeat customers, or to customers who were once loyal and have now strayed, and might be included in emails or e-newsletters. Think of them as a little thank you for signing up to all those mailing lists.

They’re easy to use – just type the code into the box at the checkout and the discount will be automatically applied. You can also search online for discount codes before you buy – Myvouchercodes.co.uk and Vouchercodes.co.uk are some of the most comprehensive sites.

Cashback websites like TopCashBack.co.uk, Quidco.com and Kidstart.co.uk give you cash back on your purchases from a range of different retailers, as long as you shop via their site. Register with them and cookies will track your visit on your computer as you click through to online shops via their site. When you pay, a small percentage of your purchase price (typically around 3%) will appear in your cashback account a few months later. For the average family spending £200 a month in an online supermarket, this could amount to £72 a year back just on food alone.

Cashback percentages vary from shop to shop but you can save a considerable amount of money this way, particularly when buying big ticket items and annual insurance deals. The discounts are possible because online retailers set up a marketing partnership, called an affiliate programme, with the cashback website where they pay them for the number of visitors the website sends them. This money in part funds the cashback you receive as a customer.

Think clearly There are a few caveats, however.

When using cashback credit cards, the best way to make the most of that initial 5% cashback deal is to do all your major shopping by credit card in that first three months. And, you must pay off your card in full at the end of each month to actually make money on this deal, and this goes for all cashback cards.

Watch out too for any annual fees that apply to the cards that could also wipe out any savings you might have made.

With cashback websites, you’re only a winner if you buy the same things you’d ordinarily buy anyway. You also need to be sure you’ve found the cheapest product first – buying a camera for £150 through a cashback site might generate some unexpected money, but not if you would save £50 by buying it through a different website.

Images: Alamy

C

Money back

Get some credit Using plastic can also pay. Capital One and Amex both offer cards with a cashback rate of 5% for the first three months, while Santander has a card with a fixed rate of 3% cashback on fuel purchases, 2% on department store purchases and 1% on supermarket shopping.

Get appy for savvy shopping If you have an Android phone or iPhone, Quidco has launched an app that gives you personalised deals and discounts or even cash by visiting a store near you and ‘checking in’ (Quidco.com/app). Again, this is only useful to you if you can avoid being tempted and play the retailers at their own game; their theory is that this money-saving app will bring you into their store and you’ll end up buying something.

Cashback sites and cards aren’t complicated to use but to get the best from them, make sure you don’t get tempted by bargains that you don’t need. Clever shopping could save you a fortune.

Cashback queen Natasha-Rachel Smith, 28, from southeast London has been using cashback sites since 2006 and has saved £6,000.

“I put this money towards my mortgage deposit savings which helped me to buy a property last year.

I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread.

“I was a personal finance journalist when I learned about cashback sites and was amazed – you get money for nothing! I have since changed my shopping strategy to make the most of it so I now mostly shop online and at retailers with no delivery costs. I buy what I would be buying anyway, and I save on petrol and parking as well as getting cashback.”

16 BAKING

Short sweet and

We are a nation of bakers. Across the country, amateur chefs are sighing contentedly over their creations, proud that their careful measuring, mixing and watching has paid off. And the crumbs are getting everywhere…

Vogue for vintage Television, of course, must take some credit.

From Delia Smith’s reinvention as national saviour in the 1990s, via Sex & The City’s fetishisation of the luxury cupcake in the early noughties, up to the enormous recent success of The Great British Bakeoff (7.2 million people tuned in to watch the last series’ finale), the small screen has triggered many a late-night carb craving.

Less glamourously, could our return to the kitchen simply be a case of frugality in tough times? After all, along with alcohol, it’s the ready-made treats that send our supermarket bills rocketing. With flour, butter, sugar and eggs we can make our own – batch upon batch of them. Or is it part of the general

vogue for all things ‘vintage’, evoking ‘the good old days’ of 1950s Britain with the help of retro breadbins and old-fashioned aprons?

No one knows for sure.

Youthful revolution One thing we do know is this: surprisingly, it’s not down to older people. The current baking revolution, it turns out, is being driven by the younger generation. Another recent survey** found that 16 to 24 year olds are six times more likely to bake something from scratch every day compared with any other age group. In comparison, only 1% of the over 55s surveyed bake every day and one fifth of the older generation bake no more than once a month.

Moreover, these young pastryphiles bake for slightly different reasons than their older forebears. To the young, it’s not about cutting costs and feeding a family – it’s a means of expressing their creativity, and rising to a challenge. The Brits’ top five baking creations might still be those old classics of apple pie, Victoria sponge, fairy cakes, chocolate brownies and cheesecake, but the real fun, for the young, is in the tricky stuff. Nowadays, it’s all about crafting the perfect macaroon, or making an unforgettably lavish birthday cake. And afterwards? Hold the cake slice,

Images: Getty

F

ew of us nowadays appear able to resist the lure of the wooden spoon and mixing bowl. According to one recent survey by the FairTrade Foundation*, 63% of us bake tarts and pies between a few times a year to every day, and 62% make muffins.

But it hasn’t always been this way. From the 1960s to the 1980s, ready-made meals and microwaves grew in popularity as interest in home baking waned. So what happened?

Why is baking now on its way to becoming our number one pastime?

* 2012 study by the Fairtrade Found ation in partnership with AllRecipes.com, exploring baking habits representative UK online panel of 2,000 among a statistically people aged 18 and above. ** 2012 study of over 1,000 people in the UK and Ireland by Leisure Range Cookers.

 WIN!

The Great British Bake Off: How to turn everyday bakes into showstoppers (BBC Books, £20) is the latest book inspired by the series.

Stepping up the skill level, it will show you how to bake beautiful, enticing recipes from cakes to puddings to bread and patisseries to Did you know...? wow at every r was The biggest cupcake eve occasion. We e, wid ) hes inc (56 142 cm ighed have FIVE of these 91 cm (36 inches) tall, we was the 1,176.6kg (2,594 lb) and fabulous books to a gourmet bakery in of rk wo giveaway. Turn to Washington DC in 2011. page 29 to enter.

because after producing the perfect article, this new generation of bakers will take a photo and share it proudly with the world via social media.

According to the same survey, over half of us were taught to bake by our mothers, with 33% saying their favourite recipes were handed down from mother or grandmother.

Nonetheless, cookery books remain the most popular source for recipes, followed by websites.

Best baking books It comes as no surprise, then, to find so many cookery books by famous bakers vying for space on our floury worktops. There’s a host of household names in Celebrity Bake Book (Accent Press, £14.99), published in aid of the Ben Kinsella Trust and packed with such A-list-endorsed dainties as Michel Roux’s pear and The higher the alt itude, roquefort tart the faster a cake and Twiggy’s rises, and dries ou t– coconut cake. reduce sugar and add The Great British moisture if you live up Bake Off star a mountain!

Paul Hollywood, meanwhile, guides even the most timid novice through everything from pitta bread to pecan loaf in his own book How To Bake, using easy-to-follow recipes that don’t require you to pace the aisles looking for obscure ingredients. “Baking goes hand in hand with existing” for Annie Bell, whose Baking Bible (Kyle Books, £25) deploys mouthwatering photography to help coax you into making your own chocolate Th éclairs and meringues. come wo r d The gadgets may Vik es fr ‘cak be more hi-tech and ing om e’ ‘ka the the audience spread ka’ . further than the kitchen table, but at its heart home baking still offers the same pleasures it has always done – it’s fun, it’s creative, it saves you money. And it smells and tastes fantastic.

Did you know...?

Did kno you w.. .?

18 GARDENING

Best Gardens

The great British garden is the envy of the world – so natural, so varied, so full of surprises. Let our pick of the ten best help you plan some colourful days out.

Westonbury Mill Water Gardens, Herefordshire British gardening at its riotous, eccentric best. Monet would have loved this two-and-a -half acres of lush plantlife, thriving on the banks of streams and ponds (though he may have raised an eyebrow at the dome made of broken bottles!). The gargoyle over the entrance to the Stone Tower is a self-portrait of owner Richard Pim. Reopens 1st April. www.westonburymillwatergardens.com

Little Sparta, Lanarkshire Decorated with poems carved into stone and wood sculptures, Yorkshire Lavender Gardens, this thoughtful Yorkshire and uplifting oasis was the Row upon row of purple, lilac, pink and life’s work of artist even white stretching as far as the eye can and philosopher see… who needs the south of France? This Ian Hamilton 60-acre hillside farm (above) set in an Area Findlay and his wife Sue, and is now protected of Outstanding Natural Beauty invites you to and maintained by trustees. Reflecting breathe in its heady scent as you walk through its creator’s fascination with inspirational gardens, meadows and Ancient Greek and Roman parkland – there’s even a lavender mythology, and the maze. You won’t be surprised to French Revolution, it hear it also makes and sells its has been called one own lavender products. Best of Scotland’s most of all, it’s free admission.

National Gardens Scheme important works Reopens 17th March. of art. Reopens www.yorkshire Inspired by our choice of gardens? The National Gardens Scheme sees 3,700 24th May. lavender.com private gardens across the country www. opening their gates to the public on littlesparta. selected dates – with proceeds going co.uk to charity. Participating gardens are listed in the Yellow Book, published annually each February for £9.99. www.ngs.org.uk

Clearbeck Garden, Lancashire Four acres of fun in the rolling moorland of Tatham Fells. A maze, a pyramid, a boat house, stepping stones, all manner of follies and cheerful sculptures – including a fish with scales made from unwanted CDs – make this a great one to visit with the young, or just the young at heart. Open 27th to 29th May and 23rd and 30th June. www.clearbeckgarden.org.uk

Corpusty Mill, Norfolk A theatrical, witty, modern masterpiece owned by former documentary maker Roger Last. Bordered on one side by the River Bure, the garden is dominated by interestingly shaped and coloured trees and shrubs. Don’t miss the mysterious, four-chambered grotto inspired by the larger one at Stourhead. After dark, it’s lit by tea lights. Reopens in May by appointment. www.corpustymillgarden.co.uk

Bide-A-Wee Cottage Garden, Northumberland A plant-lover’s paradise. This charmingly named gem started life as a small sandstone quarry whose rock faces now nurture over 500 varieties of perennial, grass, shrub and fern as well as the National Collection of centaurea (a type of knapweed). Many varieties are available in the adjacent nursery and, if you can’t transport them home yourself, they’ll deliver to your door. Reopens mid-April. www.bideawee.co.uk

Images: Getty, Peter Osborne, Clive Nichols

The UK’s

Pettifers, Oxfordshire This idyllic little spot (above), brimming with owner Gina Price’s beloved grasses, seems to blend seamlessly into the surrounding countryside. Especially delightful in spring is the Botticelli wildflower meadow, with its swathes of pink snake’s-head fritillaries and blue anemones, and the two crocus lawns. Few gardens combine formality with wildness as convincingly as this one. Open by appointment. www.pettifers.com

The Veddw, Monmouthshire The owner of Veddw (pronounced ‘veedu’), Anne Wareham, is a well-known and slightly controversial figure in the country’s gardening circles. Her core belief is that gardeners should not keep looking to the past, but constantly challenge themselves. This invigorating, and occasionally downright zany wonderland, with its curvy hedges and inky black pool, might just convince you she’s on to something. Reopens 2nd June. www.veddw.com

Great Dixter, East Sussex Garden enthusiasts flock to Great Dixter, the grand yet friendly arts and crafts-style creation of the late, much-loved gardening writer Christopher Lloyd, who was born in the Tudor manor house here. Expect a kaleidoscope of colours – and look out for the famous yew topiary (the squirrels are wonderful) and fabulous kitchen garden, which must be every cook’s dream.

Reopens 1st April. www.greatdixter.co.uk

Secret Gardens of Sandwich, Kent Enclosed by the old city walls and packed with good ideas, this serene spot has been restored in recent years. Created by horticultural dream team Edwin Lutyens (who also built the grand Queen Annestyle house at the centre) and Gertrude Jekyll, it celebrated its 100th birthday in 2012. Do seek out the Wollemi Pine, a rare plant that dinosaurs might have chewed on. Open all year round. www.the-secretgardens.co.uk

20 OLDER AND WISER

Back to

school

O

ne of the best things you can do for your brain as you get older is to keep on learning new things. Developing new connections in your brain improves cognitive function and helps reduce memory loss. A recent study showed that knitting, playing board games, or learning other crafts during mid-life can reduce memory loss by 40% to 50%.

Did you know that one of the key markers of populations in the world who live longest is that they are sociable and contribute to society? The ideal retirement, then, shouldn’t be all about sunning yourself on foreign beaches, but about finding ways to stimulate yourself, make new friends and give something back.

The University of the Third Age (U3A) fits the bill and is a little different from what you might expect. Instead of curriculums, entry requirements, exams and ivy-clad lecture halls, the school operates with self-managed learning co-operatives, meaning that its members get together with other participants and, drawing on their collective knowledge, experience and skills, decide themselves what to study, do and create. Subjects could range from art, languages, music, computing crafts or walking.

Tutors aren’t paid but there is a resource centre that can support learning activities and, with 840 local groups across the UK, there are plenty of inspiring examples to follow.

Learning for the love of it “I originally joined because one of my friends was taking part,” says Caroline Linley-Shaw, a retired nurse from Brixham, Devon, who attends a local U3A group. “As I’m just approaching retirement, I’m looking for different

things to try.” Since she became a member last year, Caroline has attended a handful of lectures, including talks on diverse subjects such as eating in different countries, life on board a narrow boat and the social history of the Brixham trawlermen.

“The best thing about it is that you can do what you want when you want,” Caroline explains. “It’s a very good way to meet people, and it’s fun. It’s only once a month too, so you’re not signing up to something with a huge obligation to attend, and it’s not expensive either – just 60p for tea or coffee at the lectures.”

The U3A name comes from the idea that there are three ages of learning: the first, a compulsory stage at school, college, or university; the second on the job in the workplace: and the third without any agenda, just for fun. The organisation is focused on people no longer in full-time work who want to keep on learning simply for the love of it.

“We have offshoot groups like a theatre group, a natural history group, an archaeology group and a walking group – what happens and what is organised all depends on To find a University the membership of the of the Third Age group area,” explains Paddy in your area, visit Jewry, a retired podiatrist who also regularly attends www.u3a.org.uk or the Devon group. call 0208 466 6139.

At a national level, the organisation runs shared learning projects in association with museums including The British Museum and The Guildhall Library, and you could find yourself participating in projects that

Get involved

Images: Getty

Does learning sound like a lot of hard work when you’re just getting over a lifetime of employment? Not if you talk to regular participants of the University of the Third Age...

have a wider benefit for the institutions as well.

“What makes this different from learning with the Open University or a local evening school is not just the lack of curricula or examinations,” says Francis Beckett, Editor of The Third Age Matters magazine, produced by the group, “but it’s the fact that it’s simply learning what you feel like learning when you feel like it. We have members from university professors to those who left school at 14. The unifying factor is that they’re all interested in learning.

For many of them, this is the chance to do that one thing they’ve always been interested in, but haven’t had the opportunity to explore – until now.”

Meeting the cost of higher education fees The Foresters Friendly Society’s Educational Award can help towards the cost of learning for those in higher education. This discretionary grant of up to £220 a year is available for Foresters members over 16 studying full-time in further education for a recognised qualification. Over a two or three-year course, this can really add up.

Neil Armitage, Marketing Director, says: “A good education is more important than ever but with rising costs, many parents are concerned that their children will end up with a huge debt.

“Making a positive contribution to people’s lives was Foresters’ main aim when it was set up in 1834, and with the Educational Award, we want to encourage people of all ages to continue with their education to give them the best chance of success in their working lives.”

22 How TO...

How to make money from...

...writing T

his year’s fiction phenomenon Fifty Shades of Grey was originally self-published as an e-book to download. Sales of Fifty Shades quickly grew and the trilogy was picked up less than a year later by Vintage books for a re-release. The series has now sold more than 60 million copies worldwide and has the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time, surpassing the Harry Potter books.

While erotic fiction may not be everyone’s cup of tea, its runaway success showed how the publishing world has changed. The advent of e-readers has opened up the self-publishing market. “Self£50 of publishing is very Waterstones vouchers! easy,” says Mindy Gibbins-Klein, Why not put fingers to keyboard or pen to paper and enter our short founder and CEO story competition? We have £50 of of The Book Waterstones vouchers for the best short Midwife, whose work of fiction that we receive, which courses have will be published in the next issue of Foresters magazine! Send your entry of helped more than no more than 500 words to: 500 writers. “There lucie.wood@specialistuk.com or are a myriad of Lucie Wood, Specialist Publications, solutions ranging from Clifton Heights, Bristol, BS8 1EJ by 1 April 2013. pure DIY to assisted selfpublishing and partnership publishing,” she says.

win!

Another way to be published is to target specialist magazines in subject areas you are interested in. Iain Duff, editor of Camping Magazine, recommends would-be writers to do their research. “It’s not enough to simply have a great knowledge of your subject and a flair for writing, although both are essential,’ he says.

“Just as important is understanding exactly what your publication of choice requires, so you can tailor your ideas to match.”

Go online to cash in It’s also possible to make money from blogging.

By using Google Adsense to feature relevant ads or hosting affiliate links, you could earn revenue if your readers click on them.

However, this is unlikely to be enough to buy the yacht with.

Otherwise, blogs can be useful in generating other paid-for work. Josephine Middleton runs an award-winning parenting blog. “It started out as a way to showcase my writing,” she says.

“It can also be a useful lever – when pitching features to magazines, I’ll often blog around the subject first, and then direct editors to the post saying: ‘See, it’s something that sparked a lot of debate’,” she says.

It seems that getting published takes determination but is certainly more achievable than ever before.

Images: Getty, Masterfile

Have you ever wanted to turn your hand to writing? A study by the Gallup Organisation revealed that 81% of mature adults long to write a book. In today’s world of many different publishing options, the determined can realise their ambitions – with the bonus of making money from it, too.

Top tips from world-famous authors “Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes.

Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.”

Jane Yolen

“Write without pay until somebody offers to pay you. If nobody offers within three years, sawing wood is what you were intended for.”

Mark Twain

...or

photography

No longer an expensive hobby or, with the increasing sophistication of digital cameras and cameraphones, one in which you even need to know your f-stops. Photo-editing software means everyone now has access to a digital darkroom and the ability to produce first-class images to sell.

A

s local papers and magazines cut budgets, publishers increasingly look to amateur photographers to provide pictures. This is even more applicable online where the immediacy of access to an image can be more important than how it was shot.

News sites are increasingly using everything from mobile phone images to amateur videos as hooks for their news stories.

It’s who you know Other would-be photographers launch their careers by accepting a little extra cash from informal portrait photography to capturing friends’ weddings. Colin Deller is a passionate amateur photographer who has used his photography skills to help in the marketing of his car valeting business. He advises persistency. “Go out and take lots of photographs. A professional-looking website helps but also go along to events, talk to people and offer to take photos for free at first,” he says.

Alternatively, picture agencies are always

looking for new stock photographs that are used by companies for brochures, websites and marketing materials. Agencies to investigate include: Fotolia, Picturenation, Shutterstock, Bigstockphoto and istockphoto. Have a look at the agencies’ existing images and see if your images will complement them but be unique too.

You could also offer to take photos for your local estate agent, who in the spring rush might welcome the extra help.

Making money from your hobby requires persistence and patience, but by continuing to take photos and spread the word you could soon be up and running.

win! £50

Argos gift card!

Why not dust off your camera to capture some stunning photographic moments? We will give £50 to spend at Argos for the best photograph we receive, which will be published in the next issue of Foresters magazine! Send your digital or print entry to: lucie.wood@specialistuk.com or Lucie Wood, Specialist Publications, Clifton Heights, Bristol, BS8 1EJ by 1 April 2013. (Up to three photographs per entry).

Inspiration from famous photographers “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”

Ansel Adams

“Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.” Yousuf Karsh

24 HERITAGE

Foresters

Admittance into the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society during the 19th century was not unlike the underwriting practice used by insurance companies today, says Roger Logan, Honorary Secretary of the Foresters Heritage Trust

F

or the greater part of the 19th century, many working people relied on friendly societies to look after them at times of sickness and death. When the breadwinner of the family fell ill and families received no wages, illness and death left many people destitute. Naturally enough, however, friendly societies were keen to take on board healthy candidates who could support other members.

Strict requirements

What is a Friendly Society?

Also known as benevolent or mutual societies, before the introduction of the welfare state and employer health insurance, friendly societies provided essential financial and social support to their members.

Many of these still exist today and, like Foresters Friendly Society, have developed into mutually run financial organisations. Foresters continues to offer healthcare benefits to its members at no extra cost.

Constraints on Foresters membership, defined in its General Laws, included a compulsory health statement, which has many similarities with today’s profession of underwriting, where financial providers seek to assess the risks of accepting an applicant. Health statements were made by applicants wishing to join a Court (a local branch) and endorsed when verified by the Court doctor (his duties outlined in documents such as bottom left) – a negative bill of health from the doctor meant rejection.

To become a member of the Ancient Order of Foresters, as Foresters Friendly Society was then known, was much more involved than

simply taking out a financial product as today.

It included passing a number of well-defined vetting procedures. Prior to the Friendly Societies Act of 1850, when Foresters obtained legal status, it was entirely in the hands of the existing members who else could join.

In 1848, for example, General Laws required that no one should be admitted to the Ancient Order of Foresters “who is unhealthy, or of bad character, lives an idle or dissolute life, frequents bad company, is guilty of excess in drinking, or is of a quarrelsome nature”.

Responsibility for ensuring that no one with these unsavoury characteristics entered the Order was placed with the proposer and seconder of each candidate, they being “responsible to the Court for the previous character of the person proposed”.

Membership, it must be remembered, was in a specific Court, not the Order generally.

By 1874, a new declaration of health form (pictured top left) contained some 11 questions, all health related, that required answering. A Frederick Mills, aged 18, was a single man who provided answers on the whole acceptable. Only his final answer may have posed a problem: “Q. Have any near relatives died of consumption? A. One sister. I have four sisters and five brothers surviving. All in good health.” The time of the underwriter and actuary had not yet come, but it was to become a significant one in Foresters’ culture. For more information about this and other aspects of Foresters’ unique history visit the Foresters Heritage Trust website at: www. aoforestersheritage. com

Images: Getty

heritage

FUNDRAISING 25

Charity

with every click

Micro-giving is a new way for online shoppers of modest means to donate to charity, sometimes without any personal cost at all. We look at the different ways to donate with a simple click…

F

undraising used to be hard work involving the waving round of sponsorship forms or standing on cold street corners. While the digital age has certainly made raising money easier with online sponsorship forms or donations via Direct Debits, in the current financial climate our purse strings remain tight.

Digital fundraising With this in mind, many charities are looking at new ways they can ask their supporters to donate, in some cases at no cost to the giver. For example, Everyclick.com is an online search engine powered by Yahoo! but with the difference of a commission paid to your nominated causes, earned simply from using Everyclick to search the web. Other sites such as Thehungersite.com and Thebreastcancersite.com display sponsors’ advertising which help to raise funds. Simply clicking on a button can help those flooded on the US East Coast or provide free mammograms for women.

Yahoo! has also launched GiveAsYouLive.com – a shopping loyalty service where, instead of accruing individual rewards, shoppers earn money for their chosen charity instead. “GiveAsYouLive is an online giving platform that works in partnership with over 2,200 UK retailers,” explains Polly Gowers, the company’s CEO and founder. “We donate a percentage of online spend to the charity of the

shopper’s choice.” Gower claims that to date GiveAsYouLive has raised more than £3 million for UK charities and good causes and is predicted to raise more than £1.7 million this year.

Sites such as these work by retailers paying a fee to the hosting site for encouraging

“

Emphasis on digital fundraising will help charities during this diff icult economic time

”

shoppers to spend with them, which is donated to your chosen cause. To cover running costs, the micro-charity sites retain an element of the retailer’s commission.

Other companies, such as ebay.co.uk and easyJet.com, encourage shoppers to contribute by automatically adding a small charitable donation to the total at the checkout stage, which customers can either accept or

decline. While some customers might feel this is a further infringement on their wallet, it is at least a convenient and fast way to do your bit.

“In this day and age, so much of our lives are online. I believe that putting more emphasis on digital fundraising will help charities during this difficult economic time. There are hidden millions available to charities. To get to them, charities must offer their supporters a way to give that fits with their lifestyle,” says Gowers.

How social media and fundraising fit together Online users can also tap in to the power of social media to help raise money for good causes by creating a blog, a Facebook page or a Twitter account, or by uploading videos to YouTube. Sharing your fundraising exploits online is a great way to raise awareness of your cause on a regular basis, engage an audience and encourage further donations.

A study by Blackbaud, a provider of software for not-for-profit organisations, showed that using social media could increase fundraising by a huge 40%!

Some examples of using social media are: updating your Facebook status regularly so that supporters of your cause are kept up to date; tweeting your JustGiving page; writing a blog: or creating a short, humourous ‘please donate’ video and posting it online.

26 foresters

Foresters

in action

All the latest news from Foresters members’ sterling fundraising efforts, including Jubilee celebrations and a great excuse for eating cakes…

Run your socks off!

Members of branch 2242 joined with neighbouring branches in the South London area for a tour of The Poppy Factory in Richmond, Surrey.

Since 1922, The Poppy Factory has been employing wounded, sick and injured members of the armed forces. It makes poppies, remembrance crosses, and wreaths for the Royal British Legion.

Members were able to see the different wreaths made for each member of the royal family, as well as other dignitaries to lay at the cenotaph on Remembrance Day, before turning their hand to making up poppies.

The children of the group put together over 100 poppies between them during the short time they were there! The branch left donations towards the cause and left feeling much admiration for the diligent people working there. For more information go to Poppyfactory.org

Love is in the air!

Two Foresters members tied the knot recently after meeting each other through the Society.

Linda Arlow and John Levett met while attending High Court (the AGM) and were both London United District Chief Rangers in 1997. After being friends for many years, they got to know each other better and discovered that a spark was there! The pair, who now live near Brighton, were married on 22 November 2012 at the Hickstead Hotel in West Sussex. Linda and John are planning to honeymoon in May when the weather is warmer.

We wish them huge congratulations from everyone at Foresters!

Images: Getty

The Poppy Factory

A young member of Foresters from branch 9389 completed the Boston to Skegness Seabank Marathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer nurses and his sea scout group. He raised a grand total of £476. Thomas Hicks, who is just 15, completed the 26-mile route in four hours and 31 minutes which was an hour better than his time last year.

A royal year

Flying the flag

Many of you celebrated the Jubilee in style with street parties and fundraising all over the country. Mrs Gladys Wren, 82, of Leeds (branch 4727) joined in by being ‘Queen’ for the day for her local pensioners’ group, Supporting The Elderly People (STEP). Everyone wore red, white and blue, and there were bunting, banners and flags. “We had two parties and I presented prizes,” Gladys said. “I really enjoyed wearing a crown and we all had a lovely time.”

Coffee and cakes, cakes, cakes!

Staff at Foresters’ head office helped to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support on 28 September 2012 by holding a coffee morning. Lovely home-baked goods made by staff were sold with all the money raised given to the charity. The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning is Macmillan Cancer Support’s biggest fundraising event, and nearly £14 million was raised from the 2012 event, beating the previous year. Foresters clearly has some secret bakers who were just waiting to take part!

Two of the older members of branch 3658 enjoyed a year mixing with roy alty during 2012. Roly and Kathleen Baker fro were invited to attend a Garde m Suffolk n Party at Buckingham Palace in July.

Roly is one of the last surviving of the Far East Prisoners of Wa members r Association.

He was also invited to attend a lunch at St James`s Palace as a memb er of the Not Forgotten Association (for exservice men and women with disabilities) where he met Prince Edward.

The couple’s royal year conclu ded when Kathleen Baker received a bir thday card from the Queen on her 100th birthday!

Fundraising in focus The Wessex area and its Area Chief Ranger, Mr P Swadling, had a marvellous year of fundraising, illustrated by their presentation of a cheque for £2,315 to Gift of Sight in November 2012. The money will fund the charity’s world-class research into the prevention and treatment of blindness. The charity responded with huge appreciation: “This amount will be a tremendous help to our research, and please thank all the members of the Area for their support in helping to raise such an incredible sum,” wrote Professor Andrew Lotery of the University of Southampton who works for the charity.

Children’s Trust

i

Foresters branches really upped the ante in 2012 and raised some fantastic amounts for charity. Branch 808 were delighted to hand over a cheque for £750 to Caroline O’Doherty (pictured left), Trust Manager at The Sick Children’s Trust charity in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. She thanked them for their enormous generosity. The majority of the funds were raised by selling raffle tickets for a donated doll’s house, which was itself given to the Trust’s playroom.

28 competitions

Competitions Win!

Relax in luxury with a two-night stay at a townhouse boutique hotel

P

elham House is a romantic and stylish safe haven, dating from the 16th century and located in the heart of Lewes, East Sussex.

Guests come here to enjoy the hotel’s peaceful and elegant ambience and its glorious gardens. The hotel includes an eclectic mix of original, historic features, combined with simple and contemporary flair.

Relax in one of the 31 boutique-style bedrooms, all with an ensuite bathroom, tea and coffee-making facilities, and comfortable beds with the finest cotton sheets. Many of the bedrooms are south-facing, looking out over the property’s mature gardens and the South Downs, recently named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Dine in splendour in the 16th century carved oak-panelled Dining Room or enjoy the lovely views from the Garden Room.

Enjoy sampling the locally inspired dishes created from seasonal produce by head chef Glenn Lester.

Bordering the tranquillity of the South Downs, and yet with the cultural town of Lewes on your doorstep and Brighton only a 10-minute drive away, you can safely say that this hotel enjoys the best of both worlds.

Reader offer

Half price per person with a complimentary box of chocolates!

For just £49.50 per person, per night, you can stay in a Superior bedroom at Pelham House. You will be greeted with a box of chocolates on your arrival and enjoy a full English breakfast in the morning.

Plus, if you choose a three-course meal for two in the restaurant, you will receive a complimentary bottle of house wine.

Call 01273 488600 quoting ‘Foresters’ to book this special offer. www.pelhamhouse.com

Win a two-night stay in a Superior room at this boutique hotel that includes a three-course dinner each evening and a full English breakfast each morning!

Terms and conditions: The prize draw and reader offer are subject to availability and are based on two people sharing.

Dinner reservations must be made in advance. Car parking is limited and must be reserved at time of booking – a fee of £6.50 per day applies. The winner is responsible for his/her own travel arrangements to and from the hotel and the prize can be taken until 30 November 2013. The reader offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer and cannot be applied towards previous or existing reservations. Upgrades available with a supplement. The offer excludes 14 Feb 2013 and ends 30 April 2013.

To enter, simply answer the question: Who created the Statue of David in 1504, one of the world’s most renowned works of art?

Simply write your answer on the entry form and post to us, or email your answer. See opposite for more details.

Entry form

Win!

You can enter all our competitions in one go. SIMPLY tick the boxes of the ones you’d like to enter, write your answers and contact details, and post this back to us by 1 april 2013. good luck!

WIN

a luxury two-night stay at Pelham House boutique hotel: Who created the Statue of David in 1504, one of the world’s most renowned works of art?

An adult and child set of designer aprons!

Win!

forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk including the name(s) of the prize(s) you’d like to win in the subject line. The closing date is 1 April 2013.

Win! Images: Getty

Try your hand at archery As the official sponsors of Archery GB, we are delighted to offer six lucky Foresters members and their guests the chance to win an archery taster day on Friday 22nd March 2013.

The day will take place at the National Sports Centre in Lilleshall, Shropshire and will include training by members of the Archery GB team and lunch.* * Transport not included. Winners can bring one guest each and will be required to take part in publicity. The judge’s decision is final.

WIN Great British Bake Off book WIN A set of Sophie Allport aprons

WIN Archery taster day

Now fill in your details below: Name: Address:



These wonderful Sophie Allport aprons are available in adult and child sizes (RRP £13 and £8).

We have FOUR SETS of each gorgeous design – Chicken, Butterfly, Good Life (pictured) and Labrador – to giveaway!

Sophie Allport’s pretty designs are all inspired by her love of nature and the The latest countryside. These aprons are part of a Great British Bake Off book wider collection of china, kitchen textiles and stationery all available from As the popular BBC2 series showed us, baking is the perfect way to mark an occasion, www.sophieallport.com or 0845 0177 866.

You could win an apron set to bake with celebrate and lift spirits. Inspired by the the little person in your life... impressive creations of the programme’s Showstopper Challenge, the latest book The Great British Bake Off: How to turn everyday bakes into showstoppers (BBC Books, £20) shows you how to make your bake extra HOW TO ENTER special. From cupcakes, mouthwatering Simply tick the relevant boxes desserts, breads and celebration cakes to on the entry form, write your exciting finishes using chocolate curls and answer in if required, not spun sugar, you’ll be able to test your skill in forgetting to include your the kitchen or give the perfect gift. contact details, and post We have FIVE copies to give away to back to us. Alternatively, you can email us at theforester@ Foresters magazine readers!

Phone number: Send your answers to: Foresters magazine Competitions, Specialist Publications, Clifton Heights, Triangle West, Bristol, BS8 1EJ. Or email your answers including your contact details to: theforester@forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk

Our lucky winners from the last issue: Kindle e-reader & £10 book voucher: Mrs Maureen Fowler, Berks.

Cosmos books: Carol Bird, Cheltenham; Mrs P Bowcock, North Yorkshire; Mr John Flint, Stoke-On-Trent; D Blain, Leicestershire; Mrs HD Ashby, Mkt Harborough; Mrs Lin Macmillan, West Lothian; Mrs May Pearce, East Yorkshire; Mrs Susan Pitt, Holmfirth; Mr James Nicholson, Essex; Mr John White, Salisbury.

Titanic exhibition tickets: Mrs Kate Portsmouth, Potters Bar; Mr Rob Rick, Southampton; Mr Peter G Sheldrake, Norfolk; Mr David Symonds, Liss; Mrs S Gorman, Derbyshire.

How to create an eco garden book: Mr K Hadfield, Derby; Ms J Tomlinson, Derby; Mrs Gaynor Peers, N Wales; Miss J E Thorpe, Norfolk; Mr Martin Wright, Maidstone.

30 puzzles

Puzzles

Quizzes and conundrums for you to busy your brain cells with...

✁

Colin’s Crossword Number 79

Send us your completed crossword by 1 April 2013, and the first name from the hat with the correct answers will win a £50 M&S voucher. Two runners-up will each win a £25 M&S voucher. We will also give away a Foresters 2013 calendar to 10 lucky runners-up.

RED ARC is pleased to sponsor Colin’s Crossword on behalf of Foresters Care. For more information about Foresters Care and the complementary services available to Foresters members, please ring 01273 716 700 during normal business hours.

Sudoku

Place a number from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so that each row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers from 1 to 9.

7 6

3 4 2

5 6 1

6

7

1

9 5 8

6 3 7 4 2

7 5 8 6

Wordwheel

3

5 1

9

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or Using only the letters in more, all must contain the Wordwheel, you A U thehave central letter and ten minutes to C I letters can onlywords be fi nd as many as possible, used once in none everyof whichThere may be plurals, E T word. is at least foreign words or proper one nine-letter word in V T nouns. Each word must thebewheel. of three letters or more,

L

all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word.

Across 7. Full number for a football or cricket team (6) 8. Count of population taken every 10 years (6) 10. Violent storm with whirling winds (7) 11. A state induced by a magician (5) 12. A small shelter for pigeons or doves (4) 13. A person who rises up against authority (5) 17. A ______ registered nurse (5) 1 8 4 7 9 5 3 6 2 2 18.

3 9 1 6 8 5 7 P4 opular for dogs to bite on (4) 7 5 6 2 8 3 4 1 9 6 7 3 8 1 9 2 4 5 22.

A building used as a home (5) 9 4 5 6 3 2 7 8 1 8 2 1 5 7 4 9 3 6 S6 omething kept back or set aside (7) 4 23.

9 7 3 1 5 2 8 5 6 8 4 2 7 1 9 3 3 24.

1 2 9 6 7 4 A5 8machine for pressing or drying clothes (6) 25. Units of weight, each one 16 ounces (6)

Down 1. Iceberg or Webb’s Wonderful ______ (7) 2. Things not revealed, mysteries (7) 3. Foot brake of a car (5) 4. Highly contagious disease common in children (7) 5. County to the east of London (5) 6. Sacred song found in the Old Testament (5) 9. The name of our Friendly Society (9) 14. Tower that forms the superstructure of a church (7) 15. Fast or violent stream (7) 16. To free from captivity (7) 19. The first digit of the hand (5) 20. A child’s word for rabbit (5) 21. Racecourse famous for its Ladies Day (5)

Spot the difference

Can you spot seven differences between these pictures?

Cooking corner TV chef Rachel Allen makes baking look easy. And sometimes it really is! Try her delicious muffin recipe below. She says: “The combination of peanut butter and banana works so well in these muffins, which are really easy to make. They’ll keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container, though when their amazing smell draws everyone into the kitchen, I can’t promise they’ll last more than 4-5 minutes!”

nana Muffins

Crunchy Peanut Butter Ba

Answers to last issue’s puzzles: Suduko: [see left] Word Wheel: The nineletter word is MATRIMONY. Crossword number 78: ACROSS: 1 Rules. 4 Dentist.

8. Butlers. 9. Alibi. 10 Leek.

11 Lap. 12 Ages. 15 Bassey.

16 Replay. 19 Told. 21 Cot. 22 ABBA. 26 Liner. 27 Imperil.

28 Surname. 29 Rolls.

DOWN: 1 Rebel.

2 Letters. 3. Seed. 4 Dismal. 5 Noah. 6 Icing. 7 Thirsty. 13 Net. 14. Web. 15 Bottles. 17 Liberal. 18 Mobile. 20 Lunar. 23 Atlas.

24 Area. 25 Spur.

4 3 8 6 7 1 9 5 2

1 9 6 5 8 2 4 7 3

7 2 5 9 4 3 8 1 6

2 5 7 8 1 6 3 9 4

6 8 9 4 3 5 7 2 1

3 1 4 2 9 7 6 8 5

9 7 1 3 5 4 2 6 8

5 4 2 7 6 8 1 3 9

8 6 3 1 2 9 5 4 7

Congratulations to Miss S Greenstreet from Eastbourne who won the last issue’s crossword and a £50 M&S voucher! The runnersup were John Davies from Cheshire and A Murphy from Edinburgh who both received a £25 M&S voucher.

Terms & Conditions: All entries for the competitions and prize draws must be sent to us by 1 April 2013 to be eligible for entry. The winners will be the first names with the correct answers pulled randomly from the hat on 2 April 2013. Prizes are all subject to availability and there is no cash alternative. The editor’s decision is final. For the names of winners of previous competitions, please send an SAE to: Foresters magazine, Specialist Publications, Clifton Heights, Triangle West, Bristol BS8 1EJ.

Prep time: 10 minutes Baking time: 20-25 minutes Ready in: 50 minutes Makes: 12 muffins You will need: 75g (3oz) butter, softened 200g (7oz) caster sugar 150g (5oz) crunchy peanut butter 2 very ripe bananas (about 200g/7oz when peeled and mashed) 4 eggs, beaten 250g (9oz) self-raising flour Also: A 12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer.

Add the sugar, peanut butter and the mashed bananas, then beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating continuously. Sift in the flour and fold in gently to combine.

Divide the batter between the muffin cases, filling each up to three-quarters full, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen and golden. Place on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave on the rack to finish cooling.

From Cake by Rachel Allen (Collins, RRP £25, hardback).

To apply for or f ind out more about any of our products: 08000 214 523

50+ Life Cover ver-50s life insurance, with O a lump sum payout after death Available to UK residents aged between 50 and 80 No medicals involved and cover from 33p a day Receive a full legal Will if you pay monthly premiums of £25 or more, or a £30 M&S voucher If you die during the first two years of the policy, payouts are limited to the return of premiums, other than in the case of accidental death

www.forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk quoting ‘WINTER 2013’

Bond I nvest a lump sum between £1,000 and £150,000 Withdraw money as a one-off or on a regular basis (subject to conditions) No time restrictions on how long you keep your Bond You may not get back what you pay in, dependent on the investment term and the conditions at surrender

ISA tocks and Shares ISA investing S in our With Profits fund No Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax to pay Contribute monthly amounts, a lump sum, or a combination You may not get back what you pay in, dependent on the investment term and the conditions at withdrawal Tax rules may change and depend on individual circumstances

Tax Exempt Savings Plan Monthly contributions of £25 Pays a cash lump sum, free

from Income and Capital Gains Tax after a chosen fixed term of 10 to 25 years For anyone aged 16 and over, with no upper age limit Tax rules may change and depend on individual circumstances

Member Benef its

Ethical Child Savings Plan Invests in ethical companies Pays a cash lump sum, free

from Income and Capital Gains Tax Monthly contributions of £25 (or £15 if you apply online) Y our child may not receive the full amount saved dependent on the performance of the ethical section of our With Profits fund T ax rules may change and depend on individual circumstances

Child Tax Exempt Savings Plan Pays a cash lump sum, free

from Income and Capital Gains Tax after a chosen fixed term of 10 to 25 years Monthly contributions of £25 (or £15 if you apply online) Y ou choose when your child receives the lump sum (from age 16 onwards and subject to a 10-year minimum term) T ax rules may change and depend on individual circumstances

Guaranteed Savings Plan eceive a lump sum after a R fixed term of 10 to 25 years Contribute between £50 and £100 a month Provides a guaranteed sum of more than you pay in For anyone aged 16 and over, with no upper age limit You must maintain the premiums for the full term of the plan for the guarantee to apply

Child Trust Fund Please note we have now closed this product for new business, but you can still top up existing trust funds with lump sum contributions (£50 minimum) or monthly ones (from £5) Any money paid into Foresters Friendly Society products is invested in the Society’s With Profits fund. Should you apply for any of our products, it’s important that you carefully read all the documentation provided to ensure you fully understand how the policy(ies) work(s). Terms and conditions apply.

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Incorporated Friendly Society No 511F, FSA Registration No 110029.

Take out one or more of our products and you automatically become a member of the Society, giving you benefits including: S avings and discounts from leading brand names S ocial events 2 4-hour advice helpline I llness or disability support Discretionary

grants Member benefits are not authorised and regulated by the FSA.

Recommend a frie nd Product Changes

If there’s someon might benefit from e you know who tak products, let us kn ing out one of our policy you will both ow. If they take out a Spencer voucher receive a £10 Marks & from us as a thank you!

T&Cs apply.

www.forestersfrie ndly society.co.uk/mgm 08000 214 523