Oddfellows International Membership
Happy New Year! In this issue: • The year’s biggest events revealed • Tom Hiddleston talks about his new film • District profile: Deeside • George in the garden – 2012 planner • ... and much more since 1810
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
Oddfellows International Membership Welcome to the January 2012 edition of the e-zine, exclusively for all Oddfellows members. This month we look ahead to some of the exciting events due to happen this year. We explore the historical origins of those hardto-keep New Year’s resolutions, while our resident gardener George Hill offers his greenfingered tips for the next 12 months. Rising British star Tom Hiddleston shares his experiences of working with Steven Spielberg, as the eagerly-awaited adaptation of War Horse hits the big screen.
Our District profile heads to Deeside – and we have our usual selection of latest news and features, just for our members. We hope you enjoy reading. 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 find us on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook by clicking on the icons below.
A message from the Grand Master After a frantic festive season, the New Year has arrived – and with it some big challenges and successes for us all. There have been some fantastic examples of Branches recruiting new members in 2011. And as we enter the year of the London Olympics, I’d like to personally ask that Branches continue to carry the torch of recruitment out into their local areas. There are so many benefits to being an Oddfellow – so let’s get out there and make our future members aware. As always, the New Year brings with it a full diary of Society events across the UK – including May’s conference in Southport. Whichever event you’re planning to organise or attend this year, enjoy it. And on a personal note, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has helped the Society over the past twelve months. However big or small each contribution may seem, we couldn’t do it without you. Happy New Year – I hope that this year brings you all good fortune, happiness and health. Charles Vaughan, Grand Master (Chairman of the Society) 2
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
Dates for your diary Planning your year ahead? Let our list of 2012’s big events help you decide… MAR CH
Weekend Seminar (Stratfordupon-Avon)
APR IL
Spring Break – 13 -17 Diano Marina, £378pp, single supplement £44
23-2 5
The Oddfellows take an all-inclusive break to the Italian Riviera. Staying five minutes from the beach. Full day excursion to Monaco. Call 01709 837353 – Quote ‘Oddfellows Trip.’
This twice-yearly event invites Branches to send nominated representatives to a weekend event of workshops, debates and social events.
The Olympic Torch relay begins
AMC 2012 Southport
MAY
18
JUN E
JULY Summer Holiday 2012 – Bodelwyddan Castle, North Wales
2-6
2-5
It will be 60 years since HRH Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne, and the nation is planning a four-day weekend of celebrations to mark this historic occasion.
21-2 5
The Society’s Annual Moveable Conference (AMC) heads to the North West for a week of debates, dinner dances and discussion. Steeped in the Society’s history, the AMC remains at the forefront of its future.
The wait is over – 2012 sees the biggest event in the sporting calendar come to London, with the Olympic Torch relay kicking off the celebrations.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations
MAY
£249pp* (half board)
The Oddfellows will take their annual summer holiday at the grade-II listed Bodelwyddan Castle in Denbighshire, North Wales. Call Judith Childs on 01442 203431 and quote 44GPA.
*Key Facts - Holiday Offers Terms and conditions apply. Contact the Active Travel Club at active@oddfellows.co.uk or call 0161 832 9361 for more details
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
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Events newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | March 2012 | Edition 03
Oddfellows International Membership Dates for your diary (Continued) London 2012 Olympic Games
JULY -AUG
Friendship Month 2012
27-1 2
DEC EMB ER
SEP TEM BER
Turkey & Tinsel Holiday 10-1 4 Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich
21-2 3
The second workshop session of the year, designed to inform and engage with Branch-nominated members.
£186pp* (based on two sharing)
Come and enjoy a Christmas trip with the Oddfellows at Alvaston Hall, set in 41 acres of Cheshire countryside. Call Judith Childs on 01442 203431 and quote code 45GPA.
*Key Facts - Holiday Offers Terms and conditions apply. Contact the Active Travel Club at active@oddfellows.co.uk or call 0161 832 9361 for more details
Step into 2012 with Oddshop Now’s the perfect time to get organised with our new range of 2012 calendars and diaries. The new calendar celebrates the hidden architecture of Lancashire – with stunning pictures selected by the Society’s current Chairman, Charles Vaughan. This 30x23cm planner can be yours for just £3. And for £2.50 you can get a stylish black and gold pocket diary. It’s set out with a week to view and also includes a brief introduction to the Oddfellows Society. Both are available to order, along with a host of other gifts that are perfect for you or a friend. Click here for details. 4
2012
After the success of last year, Friendship Month is set to return – bigger and better. Keep in touch with your local Branch to find out what’s going on in your area. There’ll be lots of events planned.
After seven years of preparation, the world’s largest sporting event comes to the UK. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime occasion to see your sporting heroes and soak up the atmosphere of the Olympiad.
Weekend Seminar (Leeds)
SEP TEM BER
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
Children of the resolution With the New Year barely two weeks old, there’s a good chance that any resolutions we’ve made have, at best, been tested – and most likely broken. But, as this article reveals, there’s more to those traditional hard-to-keep resolutions than meets the eye...
Origins or improve The idea of resolving to change k more something in our lives dates bac examples than 2,000 years. The first known ns. come from the ancient Babylonia r with a Later, the Romans began each yea r whom promise to their God Janus, afte and January is named. The Christian wers to follo ir the Jewish faiths both require tain cer reflect and ask for forgiveness at times of year. tions are And the fact that New Year’s resolu es today so popular in westernised countri ired, in suggests that they have been insp ctice of pra n part, by the traditional Christia sacrifice at Lent.
2012 – s n o i t olu Top resin shape
Get t Eat righ oney Save m oking Quit sm er Volunte
Made to be bro ken...? According to a 20 07 study, 88% of people who make New Ye ar’s resolutions fa il. Some psychologi sts even say that resolutions are do omed to fail if left to willpower alone.
The sec ret
to succe ss
In contra st to the hig with vag ue or bro h failure rate of p a eo d resoluti follow a p ons, thos ple lan are tw e ice as lik who ely to su cceed. Our advic e: and rewa set regular, achie rd yourse v lf when y able goals And don ou reach ’t be too hard on them. up every yourself once in a if you slip while! Do you m an Share yo age to keep you r resoluti ur stories ons? by email magazin in e@oddfe g llows.co.u k
More popula r than ever
Research sh ows that alm ost 40% of people now claim to mak e a New Year’s resolution ea ch year. Res o lutions as we know them u sually start o n 1 January hopefully, la and, st throughou t the year. Bu isn’t always t it that easy.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
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Events newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | March 2012 | Edition 03
Oddfellows International Membership
Tom Hiddleston as Captain Nicholls
From Casualty to Spielberg As he continues his meteoric rise to fame with a leading role in new movie War Horse, dashing British star Tom Hiddleston explains why he has no plans to take a break.
Fans don’t have to wait long for his next movie appearance, as he portrays debonair cavalry officer Captain Nicholls in War Horse, Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the stage play based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel.
What a difference a year makes. Back in 2010, few cinemagoers had Tom Hiddleston on their radar. Fast forward 12 months and the English actor has been a staple on the big screen, appearing in four films, including Kenneth Branagh’s Thor and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris.
“It’s been a roller coaster ride. The directors I’ve worked with in the space of one year are on the wish list of the directors I’d like to work with in a lifetime,” says Eton-educated Hiddleston.
His hard work and constant perseverance have already paid off, winning him a place on the shortlist for the Bafta Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award alongside Thor co-star Chris Hemsworth and British actors like Chris O’Dowd and Eddie Redmayne. Yet the success hasn’t gone to his head and Hiddleston, looking sharp in a fitted three-piece designer suit and slicked-back hair, still has to pinch himself at times. “It’s been a very busy year, but it’s great!” says the 30-yearold. “It’s strange because, to be totally honest, before the beginning of 2010 I had only made one feature film in my entire life, and then I made five in the space of 12 months.” As well as playing villain Loki in Thor and American author F Scott Fitzgerald in Allen’s nostalgic romantic drama, the London-born actor has starred in mentor Joanna Hogg’s Archipelago and Terence Davies’s period piece The Deep Blue Sea, alongside Rachel Weisz. 6
“To go from Kenneth Branagh to Steven Spielberg to Woody Allen to Terence Davies – all four of them are some of the most accomplished cinematic artists in living memory and in the history of cinema. I’ve been very, very lucky.” Set amid the backdrop of the First World War, War Horse centres on the close connection between a young boy, Albert, played by Jeremy Irvine, and his horse Joey. Hiddleston’s character buys Joey, only to ride him into the battlefield. “The experience of the film is breathtaking. Just because it’s a war film, it’s about hope and courage and perseverance, set against the shocking waste of that particular war,” says Hiddleston. “This story about one horse is really about the durability and the courage of the human spirit. Steven told me he’d been looking for a story to tell about the First World War for a while, and then he saw the stage show and was moved beyond words by it.”
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
Hiddleston won the role in War Horse after impressing the Oscar-winning director, who likens him to screen legend Errol Flynn. The admiration is mutual. “He’s a master craftsman,” says the actor. “Steven gave me the most amazing note during the cavalry charge. “He said: ‘Give me your war face at the top of the shot, but as you feel the camera move across your face, I want you to de-age yourself by 20 years. I want to see the child in you.’ That was one of the most astonishing acting notes I’ve ever been given.” The role has also given him a new appreciation of horses. “All through the film, I noticed that whatever I was feeling, the horses would reflect back to me,” he says. “They sense fear, arrogance, and they can sense a kind of inner peace.” It was also challenging at times, as he had to master riding on a horse with weapon in hand. Hiddleston, who got a double first in Classics from Cambridge, confesses he’s like an excitable child on set, because he’s deeply passionate about his job. “I love acting – I love shooting a scene and the moment of creation,” he says. He was inspired to act after watching a Henrik Ibsen play. “When I was 14, I saw John Gabriel Borkman with Vanessa Redgrave and Eileen Atkins. It wasn’t an easy time in my life at that age and I felt a unity of understanding in the audience. “But I don’t want to be too po-faced about it. Long before I saw the play, I saw Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and wanted to do that too. “Some of the great times of my life were in Thor and The Avengers, where it’s superheroes, gods and flying through space and time.” Hiddleston made his screen debut in the ITV film The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby in 2001. A handful of TV roles in Wallander, Cranford and Casualty, as well as stage parts in The Changeling, Cymbeline and Othello, soon followed. “It feels very rewarding because success didn’t happen instantly,” he admits. “It hasn’t been easy and there has been rejection along the way. It’s a tough profession but it’s also the best job in the world. It has taken me 10 years and I’ve had to question myself and do a lot of soul-searching in that time.” After such a busy year, other actors may be itching to put their feet up, but not Hiddleston. He is reprising his role as Marvel baddie Loki in The Avengers (opposite Robert
Hiddleton’s co-star Jeremy Irvine Downey Jr, Samuel L Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans) before the forthcoming sequel, Thor 2. “I grew up watching the bad guys. The best characters in Tim Burton’s Batman and Die Hard are Jack Nicholson’s Joker and Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber, so this year’s a fulfilment of a long-held dream where I get to be the ultimate baddie in a big blockbuster,” he says. “That’s cool! I’m aware of the privilege of being in that position.” Hiddleston, who is dating Wallander co-star Susannah Fielding, is also preparing to play Henry V in a BBC adaptation. “I’m in a blessed and privileged position because all actors want to do is work – and I’ve been working a lot,” he says.
EXTRA TIME Horses on film As Joey emerges as the real star of War Horse, here’s a look back at other recent movies celebrating horses :: Black Beauty (1994): Alan Cumming lends his voice to the famous stallion in the fifth feature film adaptation of Anna Sewell’s 1877 classic novel :: The Horse Whisperer (1998): Robert Redford directs and plays a talented trainer with a gift for understanding horses :: Seabiscuit (2003): Gary Ross’s film is based on the true story of the unlikely champion US thoroughbred, who became a symbol of hope during the Great Depression :: Secretariat (2010): Another true-life tale charts the success of thoroughbred racehorse Secretariat, who won the Triple Crown in 1973. War Horse opens in cinemas on January 13
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
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Events newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | March 2012 | Edition 13 03
Oddfellows International Membership
District profile: Deeside
Vital statistics • Established in 1948
Deeside District as we know it was created in 1948 after the amalgamation of five smaller Districts.
• There are 889 members in the District today
For the next 50 years, it held its meetings at the Oddfellows Hall – a gradetwo listed building in Chester city centre. Its members took the decision to move to Saltney in 1998 and have never looked back since.
• The District meets once a month at the Oddfellows Hall, 65 High Street, Saltney, Chester CH4 8SG
As it stands, Deeside covers some of the UK’s most breathtaking scenery – stretching across North and West Wales, the Wirral and parts of Cheshire. Taking in Denbighshire, Anglesey, Wrexham and Chester, as well as Colwyn Bay and Flintshire, the District today consists of four main Lodges – City of Chester, Wepre and Gladstone, Briton’s Pride Meet the team and Woodhouse and Gwynedd. District Chairman: Lesley Jenks Making friends After joining the Society in 2001, Les has been a Benefiting from a large number of active members, the District constantly active member – getting involved with all organises at least one social event each month. On top of this, aspects of his Branch and District. some members meet for weekly coffee mornings, fortnightly Scrabble clubs and theatre trips. “We love meeting new people and entertaining,” says District Secretary Denise Turner, “and all of our events are open to new-comers.” Helping people Despite being a relatively small District, Deeside makes a large contribution to the community locally and nationally. In recent years, two local members have risen to the position of Chairman of the Society, while two others have been awarded the Meritorious Service Jewel – the Society’s highest honour. And with a history of strong fundraising, Deeside members’ links with the local area have led to a long line of donations to charitable causes. For more details call Denise on 01244 675757, email denise.turner@oddfellows.co.uk or click here for the Districts’ events page. 8
District Secretary: Denise Turner A member for 27 years, Denise has been a Financial Lodge Secretary since 2007 and has held her current position once before. Social Organiser and Welfare Officer: Rose Cugley A dedicated member for nearly 50 years, Rose is one of only a handful of members to receive the Meritorious Service Jewel in honour of her outstanding contribution to the Oddfellows. During her time as a member, Rose has been involved in a wide range of Society committees and services. Her previous positions include Branch Secretary (for 40 years) District Secretary and Group Conference President.
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
Local recipe Pant Ysgawn brûlée with tomato chutney Preparation time: 1 hour Cooking time: 1 hour Serves: 6
Ingredients 1 pint double cream ¼ clove garlic 3 egg yolks 300g Pant Ysgawn goats’ cheese 1 egg 4 leaves basil sliced Cayenne pepper and salt to taste Grated Parmesan
1 loaf bloomer bread 8 oz plum tomatoes cut into quarters 1 medium red onion chopped 1 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar 2 oz sugar Olive oil
Method For the brûlée 1. Warm the double cream with the garlic on a low heat to infuse. Be careful not to let it boil. Allow to cool and remove garlic. 2. Mix the eggs in a separate bowl, then add the cream and cheese and blend it altogether – but do not whisk. Add the basil, a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper. 3. Divide between six ramekins, then place the ramekins in a tray half-filled with water. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 120°C. Chill once cooked. 4. To serve – dust with Parmesan and then glaze with a blow torch, or under the grill. For the tomato chutney 1. Slice the onion and sauté with olive oil until soft. 2. Add the tomatoes, honey, sugar and cook for between 10 and 15 minutes on a medium heat until sticky. 3. Season to taste and then refrigerate. 4. Serve with the brûlée and warm bloomer bread. Enjoy!
This recipe was generously supplied by St George’s Hotel, Llandudno, in partnership with Giants North Wales – a cultural tourism initiative http://nwt.co.uk/
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
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Oddfellows International Membership
George in the garden Top tips from our resident gardener Your month-by-month guide to 2012 January • Plan ahead to decide what you want to grow next year • Treat your lawn with lawn fertiliser and rake off debris February • Prune your winter-flowering shrubs once they’ve finished flowering • Prune any recently-planted fruit trees • Dig organic matter into your vegetable patch
July • Remove any deadheads from your roses • Sow your biannual plants now • Remove runners from your strawberry plants and plant them nearby • Prune fruit tree foliage to let fruit ripen • Plant your spring cabbage and leeks August • Plant your tulip and daffodil bulbs • Move the strawberry plant runners you planted in July into a greenhouse • Ease off on the watering of your tomatoes
March • Replant any herbaceous plants • Sow your pansies and violas • Sow early onions, parsnips, potatoes or broad beans • Spray your blackcurrants with fungicide
September • Take dahlia cuttings and store inside a greenhouse • Pick your apples and pears • Lift your onions and store them somewhere dry • Harvest autumnal crops
April • Take cuttings of any herbaceous perennials • Remove deadheads from your daffodils • Sow your parsley, tomatoes, celery and celeriac • Spray your raspberries and apples
October • Prune your rambling roses • Pot the bulbs now for your Christmas flowering plants • Trim your fruit trees • Prune your blackberry bushes
May • Spray your roses • Lightly spray weed killer on your lawn • Thin your raspberry canes • Plant your runner beans in a sheltered place June • Plant your bedding plants • Plant your marrows • Keep your greenhouse plants wellwatered
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November • Plant the last of your spring bulbs • Pot lily of the valley in a greenhouse • Lift artichokes, parsnips and horseradishes • Plant raspberry and blackberry bushes December • Move your hyacinth plants inside to flower at Christmas • Leave deadheads on your hydrangeas to protect the young buds • Plant new fruit trees and finish off your pruning • Mulch your raspberry and blackcurrant bushes with compost • Dig up leeks and parsnips
Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
Crossword As it’s the New Year, we thought we’d include this crossword as a little extra for you – good luck!
Across 1 - Calming (8) 5 - Wrap (anag) (4) 8 - Muscular strength (5) 9 - Coffee bean crushing device (7) 10 - Cigarette constituent (7) 12 - Confirms a decision (7) 14 - Savage (7) 16 - Compensates for (7) 18 - Dribble (7) 19 - Indian city (5) 20 - System of contemplation and exercise (4) 21 - Strong type of coffee (8)
Down 1 - Cries (4) 2 - Roofing material (6) 3 - Rockfall (9) 4 - Things (anag) (6) 6 - Advance evidence for (6) 7 - Forgiven (8) 11 - One who serves drinks (9) 12 - Undeserving (8) 13 - In the ___ : about to happen (6) 14 - Courtroom officials (6) 15 - Templates (6) 17 - Joan ___ : Spanish artist (4)
Across: 1 - SETTLING, 5 - WARP, 8 - BRAWN, 9 - GRINDER, 10 - TOBACCO, 12 - UPHOLDS, 14 UNTAMED, 16 - OFFSETS, 18 - TRICKLE, 19 - DELHI, 20 - YOGA, 21 - EXPRESSO Down: 1 - SOBS, 2 - THATCH, 3 - LANDSLIDE, 4 - NIGHTS, 6 - ADDUCE, 7 - PARDONED, 11 - WAITER, 12 - UNWORTHY, 13 - OFFING, 14 - USHERS, 15 - MOULDS, 17 - MIRO
Solution Newsletter for the Oddfellows International Membership | January 2012 | Edition 13
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Oddfellows International Membership Reader offers Extra benefits for Oddfellows members Members can take advantage of five discount offers, available throughout the year and exclusive to members of the Oddfellows: To find out more about these products and to access the special discounts, 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 homeware 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 Arklu.com. Celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Princess Catherine with your very own collectable. Each doll is numbered and Arklu 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 | January 2012 | Edition 13