Oddfellows International Membership
Oddfellows Christmas Special In this issue: • We spend New Year’s Eve with Hollywood’s star cast • Festive fun and gift ideas • Become a digital champion • George in the garden • ...and much more since 1810
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
Oddfellows International Membership Welcome to the December edition of the monthly online magazine for Oddfellows members This month we’re bringing you an e-zine full of festive features and Christmas cheer. We’ve got pages of gift ideas to help you keep costs down, as well as all the details of our recent carol service. Some of Hollywood’s biggest names talk to us about the release of the star-studded film New Year’s Eve. We travel to the Vale of York for December’s Branch profile. And we have our usual selection of latest news and features – including an update on the Society’s proposed incorporation and winter tips from our resident gardener, George Hill. We hope you enjoy reading. From everyone at the Oddfellows, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you have a story to tell then why not share it with us? Email editorial@oddfellows.co.uk, call 0161 832 9361 or find us on Twitter @the_oddfellows. You can also find us on YouTube (www.youtube.com/Oddfellows) or on Facebook www.facebook.com/OddfellowsSociety.
A new BBC campaign is appealing to the nation’s web surfers to help their friends and family get active online – by giving up just 60 minutes of their day. Give an Hour is encouraging the UK’s 30 million regular Internet users to volunteer an hour of their time and become ‘digital champions’, helping people who are yet to explore the online world. As many as nine million people in Britain still don’t use the Internet, so the BBC has launched this campaign to improve the nation’s digital literacy. Research conducted recently shows how friends and families play an essential role in encouraging people to get online. Fiona Bruce, BBC presenter and Give an Hour campaigner, said: “The Internet is an incredible thing. Helping someone to go online can open up their world far beyond the four walls of their home.” Anybody interested in becoming a ‘digital champion’ can access a range of simple downloadable guides to help them get people interested – plus a selection of celebrity-fronted videos with tips on topics including health, wellbeing and how to save money. Working with Race Online 2012 and other partners, the BBC hopes these resources, combined with the enthusiasm of volunteers, will help demonstrate the benefits and opportunities the Internet can bring. For more information about becoming a digital champion, visit www.bbc.co.uk/giveanhour or email caroline@raceonline2012.org. Alternatively, you can email editorial@oddfellows.co.uk.
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Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
Christmas gift ideas If you’re looking for original Christmas gift ideas that won’t break the bank, look no further. Di and Paula from Unity Office in Manchester share their tips for homemade presents that your friends and family will love.
Citrus salt body scrub This is quick, easy and cheap to make. And, most importantly, it will leave you looking and smelling lovely. Ingredients To make one medium-sized jar you’ll need: ½ cup of sea salt ½ cup of sweet almond oil -
Diane Burton
Paula Grainger
(Light olive oil or vegetable oil can work as alternative) ½ tsp of lemon zest ½ tsp of orange zest 1 airtight container
Instructions Pour all of the ingredients into a medium bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Take care not to let any water touch the mixture or the salt will dissolve. Once you’re happy it’s mixed well, pour the mixture into the airtight container and seal. Decorate the container, add label* and store in a cool dry place.
*Label Type or write the following information on the outside of the container Citrus salt body scrub Wash body as normal then apply scrub to body in a firm circular scrubbing motion; using hands or a soft washcloth for maximum coverage. Rinse body thoroughly after use and pat dry with a towel.
Easy calendar A home-made photo calendar makes a really thoughtful present that’s guaranteed to get used all year round. The hardest part is choosing the photo! Materials Instructions • One good photo of people, places, animals or Print out the photo or picture on high-quality paper. Cut it events. out, making sure to leave a white border around the edge. • Backing board. This is available in large sheets and can be easily cut to size. Black looks particularly effective but there are lots of colours available • Double-sided tape • 10cm piece of string • One small stick-on calendar (available from most stationers or craft shops).
Next cut out the backing board to the correct size, allowing for a border around the photo. Stick the photo onto the board using the double-sided tape, then fasten the calendar securely. Stick it anywhere on the page, just be careful not to cover anything important in the image! Finally, cut the string to right length – depending on how big you want your loop for hanging. Attach it centrally to the back with the double-sided tape and making sure it’s secure.
The Perfect Christmas gift Why not spread some joy this Christmas and buy someone you know a year’s membership to the Oddfellows. It only costs £25 or £23 by Direct Debit). Visit www.oddfellows.co.uk for more details.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
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Events newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | March 2011 | Edition 03
Oddfellows International Membership Members brave wild weather for first carols of the season Wakefield Cathedral kindly hosted our annual Carol Service on 3 December 2011 - its first of the Christmas period. The Cathedral was the perfect venue for this magical evening and proved the ideal shelter from the wet, windy-weather – so windy in fact that our banner outside almost blew away!
Members of the Cathedral Choir
Before the service the Mayor and her Consort attended a VIP reception complete with mulled wine. More than 300 people came along to the main event, gathering beforehand for a chat and a mince pie in the Cathedral Café. The guests were all warmed up by the Yorkshire Fellowship Band; who performed a splendid rendition of ‘Oh Come, All Ye Faithful’ before the service. Various directors, including our Chairman and Grand Master Charles Vaughan, read lessons throughout the service. Members and visitors take their seats The Cathedral Choir then proved to be the perfect accompaniment to the congregation’s singing with their lively versions of ‘Mary had a Baby’ and ‘Ding Dong, Merrily on High’. There was a collection on the night, which raised over £250. Half of this will be going to the Cathedral’s funds. The other half will go to the H A Andrews Fund which currently supports Spinal Research UK. More photos and videos will be available online soon.
The Yorkshire fellowship band in action
Help us to end loneliness If you now someone who might be on their own or feeling lonely at this time of year, make time to give them a telephone call or go and see them. Better still, why not bring them along to your next Branch event or meeting? Visit www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk for more information. 4
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
Preparing for incorporation At the 2011 AMC Oddfellows members voted in favour of proceeding to incorporation. So, as part of the Society’s ongoing preparations, here are what the proposed changes would mean: What is incorporation? Incorporation is the term given for the Oddfellows potentially becoming a limited company. But there won’t be any shares, therefore there’s no danger of the Society being sold or taken over. Incorporation will allow us to acquire a legal personality as a corporate body, however the vast majority of day-to-day services remain the same. Members will notice very little difference in their own Branches. What incorporation isn’t? Unlike normal companies that can be owned by anyone, incorporated friendly societies must be owned by the people they provide benefits for; that means you. And while registered companies can dispense with an AGM or elected board members, an incorporated friendly society must always keep both of these. Why do we need to do it? Put simply, incorporation will protect the Society’s wide range of services that provide benefits for its members. It will also secure current sources of income and allow the Society to attract new ones. According to longstanding guidelines issued by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), friendly societies should only pursue insurance, benevolent or social-related activities. At the moment the Society is exempt from this, but when new Directive legislation comes into force in the next few years this exemption will have to be surrendered. Therefore if the Society does not incorporate, a number of our existing benefits may be deemed by the FSA as being unrelated to these areas. This could mean the closure of essential services like the Advice and Care line, as well as other offers like holiday home exchange and the sale of Warner holidays. What would this mean for the Society? If incorporation is agreed, the AMC will still be the governing body for the Society. The size of the Board will not increase and we will be able to retain the experience of its current members. The Society will also still benefit from its existing tax concessions. What would this mean for Branches? “Pursuant to this Scheme, all the property, rights and liabilities of each of the Branches of the Society immediately before the incorporation of the Society shall continue as the property, rights and liabilities of those respective Branches, as Branches of the Incorporated Society…” In other words, the day-to-day running of each Branch will remain largely unchanged. All existing Branch names and structure will stay the same and it will be ‘business as usual’. Incorporation will safeguard a Branch’s assets for its own future benefit. When will this happen? Further information will be released in time for the planned debate on incorporation at the 2012 AMC. If you would like any more information regarding incorporation you can contact CEO Philip Howcroft at Unity Office on 0161 832 9361 or email his secretary, vanessa.darkin@oddfellows.co.uk.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
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Events newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | March 2011 | Edition 03
Oddfellows International Membership
A Night for Seeing Stars If Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron can’t find someone to kiss at midnight, then we’re all in trouble. We ask the A-listers why they chose to join Garry Marshall’s ensemble cast in New Year’s Eve. Actors take on film roles for very different reasons. For Zac Efron, seasonal romcom New Year’s Eve gave him a chance to tick something very important off his wish list. “It was everything I dreamed it would be,” explains the High School Musical star; who gets to kiss Michelle Pfeiffer in the new film despite being less than half her age. “Apparently he has a bucket list of people he wants to kiss before he dies,” jokes his co-star Pfeiffer; looking effortlessly glamorous and much younger than her 53 years. For Hilary Swank, the film fulfilled her mother’s wish that she’d finally play a character who survives until the end – having perished in both of her Oscar-winning roles. “She said, ‘Do you have to die in every movie you do? Can you ever live to see the credits?’” The trio are among the cream of Hollywood that Pretty Woman director Garry Marshall has assembled for his latest movie. Set in New York as a million partygoers descend on Times Square for the countdown to 2012, the film focuses on hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts. Some of the 6
cast – including Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Biel – had so much fun in Marshall’s last film, Valentine’s Day, that they’re back for more. And such is Marshall’s appeal that Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Katherine Heigl, Glee’s Lea Michele and Josh Duhamel jumped on board too. The one star who nearly evaded the director’s clutches was musician Jon Bon Jovi. “Nobody could find out where he was,” says Marshall. “I've been in the business long enough to know that my sister Penny [who directed Big, Awakenings and A League of Their Own] knows everybody, so when we couldn’t find him, I called her. “An hour later she called back and said, ‘He read the script, he liked it, he'll do it – and I told him you'll be nice to him’.” Like Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve is a series of vignettes showing the lives of singleton and attached New Yorkers on the last day of the year when the most important question becomes: Who are you kissing at midnight? “There’s a French word, portmanteau, that I sometimes mispronounce, but it means a series of stories that all intertwine and come together, like Love Actually,” says 77year-old Marshall, who proposed to his wife Barbara on New Year’s Eve almost 50 years ago.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
“After Valentine’s Day, some people called and said, ‘When are you going to do New Year’s Eve?’, while some said, ‘When are you going to retire?’ But if you can get up in the morning and see Hilary, Michelle and Lea, why would you want to go fishing?” Swank plays Claire, the new Vice President of the Times Square Alliance, whose job it is to see that New York’s celebrations go off without a hitch, including the iconic crystal ball drop. “As an audience member, you think someone pushes a button and it just happens, but there’s so much that can go wrong,” says the actress, who shadowed her real-life counterpart for the role. When the ball’s propulsion mechanism seems to be faulty, Claire turns to laid-off engineer Kominsky – played by Hector Elizondo – who’s appeared in all 17 of Marshall’s films. Meanwhile Pfeiffer plays Ingrid; a frustrated, overlooked assistant who decides to tackle her unfulfilled resolutions after a brush with death. “Afraid of her own shadow, she’s carved out a simple, safe existence that won’t throw her any surprises,” says the actress. With a little help from bike courier Paul (Efron, who Pfeiffer starred with in Hairspray), Ingrid races against the clock to cross off her wish list. The actress first worked with Marshall 20 years ago on Frankie & Johnny and admits: “He’s definitely one of my favourites. You’re willing to try anything and make a fool of yourself with him because you trust him. “He loves actors, he’s protective, and you become part of his family. I still get Christmas cards!”And it seems the feeling’s mutual. “One of my favourite scenes of the entire film is at the end when Michelle’s in the crowd, she's all alone and suddenly Zac shows up and kisses her,” says Marshall. “He says his line and the last cut is of Michelle, and that smile she has on her face at that moment, you can't buy that any place, that's the money.”
EXTRA TIME: NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS What will the cast of New Year’s Eve be promising to do in 2012? Michelle Pfeiffer: “To reflect and look at ways that I can just simplify my life, and find ways that I can appreciate the many blessings that I have. It's just so easy to get caught up in the rat race that you forget it's all good.” Hilary Swank: “I'll always try and find at least 20 minutes in the day to just sit down and not do anything and take that time for myself to be reflective, but all of a sudden it's bedtime and you haven't found that 20 minutes. So usually it's the same resolution every year.” Garry Marshall: “To stop swearing at inanimate objects.” Zac Efron: “I want to spend more time with my family because they're so instrumental in my life and I never get the chance to go off with them individually. I want to take my little brother and my dad hiking on the Appalachian trail, and then go somewhere unforgettable with my mum and say thank you.” Lea Michele: “I made a resolution a couple of years ago to not wear gross boxers and T-shirts to bed, but to wear something nice so that I feel good, and I actually stuck with that one.” Abigail Breslin: “I always say I'll stop biting my nails, but I haven't yet. It used to be that if I put nail polish on I would stop, but now I just bite through it.” New Year’s Eve is released in cinemas now.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
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Events newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | March 2011 | Edition 12 03
Oddfellows International Membership
District profile: Vale of York
Vital statistics • Established in 1828 • There are more than 950 members in the District today • The District meets at Oddfellows Hall – 176 Boothferry Road, Goole – once a month.
The story so far Today’s Vale of York District is the culmination of 183 years of strong Oddfellows traditions in the area. The District, which stretches from Whitby in the north to the Humber and the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, includes the historical Branches of York, Scarborough, Pontefract and Goole. The Branches joined forces in the 1980s to make the Meet the team large, active District that we know today. District Chairman: John Stephenson (PPGM) John, a longstanding member, is holding this position for the As it stands second time. Members meet at four Branches across the District. The Mechanics Branch District Secretary: Peter Needham (PGM) meets in the historic city of York – A former Grand Master (Chairman of the Society) Peter has held popular with tourists for its cobbled his current position at a District level since 1979. streets and city walls. The Rutland and Agricultural Branch meets in Social Organisers: Daphne Stephenson (PGM) and Rita Turner. Scarborough against the natural beauty Because of the size of the District, this role is shared by two of the East Yorkshire coast, while the members. Daphne – another former Grand Master – looks after the Good Samaritan and the Viking Goole area while Rita covers York and Scarborough. Both have Branches meet in Goole – where the done so for more than a decade. District’s Oddfellows Hall hosts main Welfare Officer: Christine Smith meetings for the whole District. For more than ten years, Christine has tirelessly carried out welfare Making friends visits to the District’s members in times of illness and need. Members in the District always like to enjoy the social side of life. Recent events include quiz nights, guest speakers and a weekend away in London. And the diary is full for the rest of the year and beyond, starting with a trip to the Christmas market in Thursford this month. “Our door’s always open for new members or friends from around the world to visit,” says Peter Needham, District Secretary. Helping people The Vale of York is a big supporter of charitable causes, such as the the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Peter and his daughter Claire also recently completed more than 4,000-miles of sailing for charity as part of The Clipper round the world yacht race, as seen in previous editions of this Ezine. For more information please call Peter on 01652 651594, email peter.needham@oddfellows.co.uk or Click here to see their events page. 8
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
Local Recipe This traditional Yorkshire recipe is hundreds of years old but lay unused in the East Yorkshire archives until it was recently rediscovered. Michelin-starred Head Chef James MacKenzie has now brought it back to life and serves it to diners at ‘The Pipe and Glass’ in Beverley, East Yorkshire. Ginger burnt cream with stewed rhubarb and East Yorkshire sugar cakes Serves 4
Ingredients Burnt cream mix 350ml double cream 125ml milk Five egg yolks 75g caster sugar 2tbsp grated root ginger Stewed rhubarb Four sticks of rhubarb 150g caster sugar
East Yorkshire sugar cakes 1lb 8oz plain flour 8oz caster sugar 1lb butter (melted) 1oz mixed spice 1oz ground nutmeg ½ tsp ground cloves
Method Sugar cakes Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Lay cling film on a board and roll into sausages. Wrap in the cling film and put into fridge to set. Once set, slice and bake in the oven at 180C for approximately 10 minutes. Stewed rhubarb Chop the sticks of rhubarb into 3cm lengths and place in a baking tray. Sprinkle the sugar and a little water over the rhubarb, cover with foil and bake in the oven at 180C for 10 - 12 minutes until just cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tray. This helps the rhubarb to keep its shape. Burnt cream Mix the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl. Heat the milk and cream in a pan with the ginger. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat and leave the ginger to infuse with flavour for a few minutes. Then strain the liquid through a sieve over the egg mix and pour into four individual oven proof dishes (one dish per portion). Place the dishes in an oven tray and add some water to the tray until it reaches a third of the way up the dishes. Bake in the oven at 160C for 30-40 minutes. Once cooked, remove it from the oven and place in the fridge to set. After it’s set, glaze the top of the creams with some caster sugar and a blow torch, or under a grill. Serve with the sugar cakes and rhubarb, which is best just warmed slightly. Recently named Michelin pub of the year for 2012, ‘The Pipe and Glass Inn’ dates back to the 15th Century. Its owners James and Kate MacKenzie are committed to sourcing as much local and seasonal produce as possible, and James’ debut cookbook ‘On the Menu’ is released this month (Priced £30. Click here to find out more).
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
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Oddfellows International Membership A Resolution worth keeping As the New Year starts and the tax year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to get your financial affairs in order. You may have recently received a P800 tax form. The P800 form is a calculation of your tax status for the 2010/11 tax year and is sent out each autumn as HMRC finish reconciling its records. We always advise that you check all tax information you receive very carefully just in case any tax rebates or bills turn out to be incorrect later on. If you find you do owe money don’t worry; all is not lost. Try and think about a possible reason for this happening. Have you kept HMRC informed of any changes like a new pension or a new job that may affect your tax code? If you have changed jobs in the last year, check that your employer informed HMRC correctly. Perhaps you still need to file your tax return? If HMRC sent you a reminder to file for the current tax year you must make sure it reaches them informing them of any tax due by 31 January 2012. The postal deadline has now passed, so the only way to avoid the £100 late-filing penalty now is to file online. Just remember to leave at least seven working days before the deadline to allow time to get your activation PIN from HMRC.
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Perhaps you feel you’ve done nothing wrong. If this is the case you can challenge HMRC and ask for your case to be investigated – persistence often pays. Often people give up when they feel there has been a mistake. But if you feel you’ve been wronged, get in touch with them and ask for an investigation – a good outcome is often achieved. In February you should receive your coding notices for the next tax year, but we can discuss this next time. In the meantime why not get a folder ready so that you can file all of next year’s information in one place? If nothing else it will keep your tax adviser happy. Once you have all the information collated, it will be possible to check if your tax was correct for 2010/11. Having everything in one place will help you know if money is owed or a refund is due. And if you feel HMRC owe you a refund, you may not want to wait until next autumn – you can contact them and ask for it earlier. This article is written by TaxHelp for Older People (TOP), a registered charity that offers free tax advice to older people on incomes below £17,000 a year. If you need any help on any tax-related matters, you can call their helpline number is 0845 601 3321 or you can visit http://www.taxvol.org.uk/.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
George in the garden Top tips from our resident gardener
Winter is approaching and the garden is slowing down. It’s time to think about the pot plants you’ll be giving as Christmas presents and consider which varieties of fruit you want to grow next year. Favourite plant right now The Mahonia Charity takes some beating – it’s a hardy shrub with a lovely yellow flower and a strong scent. Flower garden Lots of people like to give plants as Christmas presents. Move your hyacinth plants inside from the greenhouse or shed now and they should flower in time for the holiday season. If you’re growing cyclamen, don’t water them from the top. Instead, stand them in a tray of water for a few hours to let moisture come up from the base. This prevents mould and rot in the crown. Keep them away from drafts too or the leaves may turn yellow. Keep these plants in the middle of the room in a tray or bowl. Don’t leave them by windows or radiators where there’s very cold or dry air; warmth and humidity are just what house plants like. The fruit garden Now’s the ideal time to plant an orchard and there are lots of varieties to choose from. Charles Ross makes a nice eating apple, while the Bramley is hard to beat for cooking. Howgate Wonder is an exceptional variety too. All of these are pretty much disease-resistant. If you like pears there are three outstanding varieties; Conference, William and Doyenne du Comice; the aristocrat of pears.
Alternatively plant plum trees, Denniston’s Superb gages and fig trees. The best fig tree – the Brown Turkey variety – grows best against a warm south-facing wall. It hardly ever fails. With all fruit trees try and use blood bone and fish fertiliser. Fork it in a ring around the tree about 12 inches thick. Make sure it doesn’t touch the bark or the bacteria can damage the tree. Finish off the last of the pruning now. When pruning young trees, cut off a third of the growth, down to an outward-facing bud. This will create a nice bowl-shape when they grown and develop later. Also finish pruning your gooseberry and raspberry bushes and remove the new growth from your redcurrants. They always fruit again where they’ve fruited before. But for blackcurrants the opposite applies – remove as much old wood as possible. Mulch your raspberries, blackcurrants and gooseberry bushes with manure or compost. That way every time it rains they get a liquid feed that holds in the moisture. Vegetable garden There’s not much to do here right now. Just carry on digging up your leeks and parsnips; you’ve grown them, so enjoy them! Secrets to improve your patch • Prune your raspberry bush down to six inches above the ground. It will then fruit all through next October • Don’t prune your hydrangeas now – leave deadheads on. This will protect the young buds that provide flowers next summer • Add some moss around the soil of your hyacinth. This creates moisture and humidity to help the plant through the winter • When buying fruit trees, choose the half-standard varieties. This will let you pick the fruit without needing steps • Don’t over-feed your fig tree. Once it’s established keep it a bit hungry – it will crop better.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12
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Oddfellows International Membership Reader offers Extra benefits for Oddfellows members Members can now take advantage of five new discount offers just in time to help with some Christmas shopping. They provide some novel ideas for presents as well as great savings for Christmas. The discounts are available throughout the year and are exclusive to members of the Oddfellows: To find out more about these products and to access the special discounts, members should log onto the members section of the website www.oddfellows.co.uk and click on members benefits. Offer 1 - 15% off over 15,000 designer led gifts, art and home ware at Bouf.com
Offer 2 - 10% off French cooking holidays with Cook in France. Learn to cook the way you’ve always dreamed on one of these fun, friendly cooking holidays in South-West France. They offer flexible programmes to suit novice, intermediate and advanced cooks alike. And there’s no washing up to do either.
Offer 3 - 50% off limited edition Royal Wedding dolls from Arku.com. Celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Princess Catherine with your very own collectable. Each doll is numbered and Arku will make a £1 donation to the RNLI for each sale.
Offer 4 - Buy one get one free on 100% natural soluble food supplements from ‘Works with Water’. They’re scientifically proven to help maintain low cholesterol, blood pressure and healthy skin.
Offer 5 - 15% off comprehensive exercise programmes with Home Exercise and Rehab. These video programmes are suitable for all – whether you’re recovering from injury, have muscle or joint problems or just want to stay fit. DISCLAIMER: Links to third party sites do not constitute an endorsement by the Oddfellows and use of the advertised products and services is entirely at your risk. The Oddfellows do not accept any liability or responsibility for any third party material appearing in the ezine or on the website. The Oddfellows has not investigated the claims made by any advertiser and product information is based solely on material received from suppliers. 12
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | December 2011 | Edition 12