OCTOBER 2018
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BFG
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The monthly BFG community update includes: Win t
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- What’s on in Paderborn & Bielefeld Stations - Need to know information - Community news - What’s on in the local area
REMEMBRANCE DAY 11 NOVEMBER 2018 Across British Forces Germany, the following events will be conducted and all members of the community are invited and encouraged to attend this historical day and pay your own and collective respect to the many that have sacrificed their life for the good of others. - 1030hrs - Barker Barracks Remembrance Service - 1030hrs - Normandy Barracks Remembrance Service - 1030hrs - Catterick Barracks Remembrance Service - 1830-1930hrs - Battle’s Over Service Normandy Barracks (open to all members of BFG). Dress is civilian attire for all attending.
The Battle’s Over Ceremony is part of the commemorative events marking 100 years after the end of the First World War and pays tribute to the millions killed or wounded in battle, it is being conducted across the UK and the Commonwealth. To mark this significant event the following key events will be conducted during this ceremony: - Last Post - Lighting of a Beacon - Sounding of the Bells in Sennelager - Reading of ‘Tribute to the Millions’ - Piper playing the Lament
Note from Commander BFG
elcome to the 2nd edition of BFG This Month. As well as coverage of some events that took place across BFG in October, we have included some critical need to know items on winter driving in Germany and keeping your children safe whilst playing outside. In addition to the need to know communications, we have worked with the HIVE to provide you with some top tips of things to do through November – HIVE FIVE! This is a particularly useful summary of things to do in your spare time. Looking ahead to next month, we will provide a full write up on the AFF Roadshow as well as details of service closures over the Christmas period across BFG. Also, keep a look out for communications on BREXIT as we will start pushing out messaging as soon as decisions are made. I hope that you are finding ‘BFG This Month’ entertaining and informative. Now that you have received your second copy we would be keen to hear your feedback, to enable us to keep you as well informed as possible in future months. Please send any comments to the BFG Communications Team either via email scs@bfgnet. info or message BFGnet Facebook. Your feedback is always welcome. Enjoy! Brigadier Richard Clements Commander British Forces Germany
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UKBC Information Day UKBCs from across all TLBs are invited to attend a UKBC Information Day. There will be a variety of informative presentations from: • DBS (Relocations & Resourcing) • HR Business Partners • Regional Command • DE&S • G5 Rebasing • G1 and more All to enable your smooth return to the UK and assist you in your search for your next role. There will also be opportunities for1:1 conversations with DBS Relocations on 6th November and it is hoped on one other day (5th or 7th).
6 November 2018 09:00-15:30 Community Rooms (Bob’s Den), Catterick Barracks, Bielefeld
Please register your attendance by looking out for the announcement or by emailing BFG-HQ-BusSp0GpMailbox@mod.uk
If you wish to book an appointment with DBS Relocations or would like more information please contact Simon Fuller, SO2 Bus Sp on (81) Ext 2551 or Izzie Robinson, Bus Sp Asst on (81) Ext 2552
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2nd November 2018 at 20:00 Russian National Philharmonic Stadthalle, 33330 Gütersloh Appearing for the sixth time in Gütersloh since 2007, the popular and highly respected Russan National Philharmonic with Vladimir Spivakov and pianist Nikolai Tokarev. https://www.erfolgskreis-gt. de/veranstaltungen-nichtim-menue/veranstaltungen/ detailansicht/article/15992/
2nd-4th November 2018 Italienischer Markt Kolbeplatz, 33330 Gütersloh Traders from different regions of Italy will be showcasing their specialities: Sicillian sweets, cheeses, sausages, truffle and olive oils, and Mirto liquor from Sardinia. On the Sunday, shops will also be open from 13:00-18:00. https://www.guetersloh. de/de/veranstaltungen/ termine/2122-6811.php 10th November 2018 Honky Tonk Paderborn Locations across Paderborn Get ready for a musical evening in the city! There will be live performances at many locations around Paderborn. Whether a lover of soul, pop, blues, funk, rock, rock ‘n’ roll. folk or reggae - there is something for everyone. http://www.honky-tonk.de/ or ‘Honkers World’ on Facebook 16th November-19th January 2018 Lemgo Eiswelt Lemgo Eiswelt, Am Lippegarten, 32657 Lemgo Lemgo Ice World offers a very special winter experience. The South Tyrolean Hut Village next to the rink offers an atmospheric place to rest whilst warming up with something to eat and drink. http://www.lemgoer-eiswelt.de/
CHRISTMAS CLOSURES ... to be announced in November edition of This Month
30th November-2nd December 2018 Custom Bike Show Benzstrasse 23, Bad Salzuflen 32108 Over 1,000 refurbished machines to admire in four exhibitions. This is the world’s largest bike show. http://www.custombike-show. de/?set_lang=eng
Bluebells Coffee Shop
REMEMBER: Keep checking BFGnet for events as this is updated daily! Don’t miss out!
Best Guy Fawkes Competition Deadline: 9 November 2018 If you would like to get involved in the ‘Best Guy Fawkes Competition’ please contact cpc.paderborn@hotmail.com for arrangement of delivery/collection. The winners will receive PRI vouchers. Get involved! Don’t miss out!
Island Night 17 November 2018 Hosted by the BFG Netters. From 1830-2200hrs in RBL Rochdale. There will be curry, a raffle and Fijian dancing.
This is a reminder that the cafe ‘Bluebells’ at Arndtstrasse, opposite the school and local NAAFI in Paderborn, is open for you 8.30am – 2pm Monday to Friday. Bluebells exists to provide a homely coffee shop and breakfast stop for Service personnel and their families. Bluebells is operated at very moderate prices by the tri-Service charity CESSAC1. In accordance with the BFG overall drawdown plan, CESSAC has been asked to remain open until the end of June 2019. Local support, however, is critical to the café remaining open, so please accept that it can only remain until then if it is used. 1 CESSAC is short for the CofE Soldiers’, Sailors’ & Airmen’s Clubs, Registered Charity 226684 - the CofE in its title simply reflects its origins, not what it does. It has 10 other facilities; in Germany at Bielefeld; across UK in Blandford, Bovington, Colchester and Woodbridge (opened this July); 4 in Cyprus and one in the Falklands.
DATE FOR THE DIARY! 28 November 2018 Families Pantomime at the Kaleidoscope Cinema. FREE tickets will be available in early November. Further information on how to get hold of your tickets coming soon!
See more at www.cessaha. co.uk/CESSAC to learn more about the charity and its housing association (CESSA HA).
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BFG Ladies Netball Trip to
Amsterdam Over the weekend 5 – 7 October 2018 the second annual netball tournament was held in Amsterdam. 18 teams entered from France, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands with 4 of the Germany teams coming from BFG: BFG Belles, Westfalen Warriors, Paderborn Ladies and AllStars. 43 ladies travelled from BFG, on a big red bus compliments of AWS, and with welfare grants from Commander Paderborn Station and Commander Bielefeld Station the teams were able to spend 2 nights in a hotel in the big city. We also welcomed back some old friends and players, Jane Monaghan reunited with the Paderborn Ladies and Meghan Henry with the Cougars playing in Team Belles. After all meeting for breakfast on Saturday morning the teams were issued their netball strip and headed down to the metro for a short trip to the Sportshalle, Zuid. 43 ladies all trying to get tickets from one machine with 1 turnstile what could possibly go wrong!! Only a little panic at 0855 hrs when 3 teams were due to play at 0900 hrs and only 10 players were at the gym with the rest still trying to get onto the Metro!! Mad dash for everyone as they arrived with players putting bibs on that they were not expecting but by the 2nd half calm and poise was restored.
The first 2 games played decided which of the 3 competitions, Cup, Plate and Shield, the teams would compete in, and at 1030 hrs we were informed that all 4 BFG teams would play in the Shield with DĂźsseldorf and Toulouse making up the 5th and 6th teams. The games started in earnest at 1100 hrs with each team having to play 5 more games each. BFG Belles and AllStars fought hard throughout the day playing some excellent netball and gaining in confidence as the day went on. Westfalen Warriors came out on top of the pool after some very close battles with Dusseldorf and Paderborn Ladies. Having come top of the group Westfalen Warriors were then through to the Final of the Shield against Dusseldorf. 3 points up at half time it looked like they had it in the bag but Dusseldorf came out stronger and pushed hard to become the eventual winners by 2 goals in an exceptional game of netball.
Amsterdam Netball presented awards for the Most Valuable Players (MVP) of each team, chosen by the opposing teams, and our winners were: BFG Belles Westfalen Warriors Paderborn Ladies AllStars
Venice Thompson Joint MVP for Lela Mateboto Nacolawa and Elesi Niumatasere Emmy Rogomaicake Hannah Perkins
Player of the whole Tournament went to Venice Thompson!
SSAFA Big Brew Up 2018 The ‘most delicious fundraising event of the year’ is back!!
The QRH held their Big Brew Up on Saturday 15th September, raising
1 PWRR held their Big Brew Up on Monday 1st October, raising
€360!!
UPCOMING BIG BREWS NEAR YOU 20th October at 10:00 and 15:00 Normandy Welfare Office are hosting a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the Welfare Building on Normandy Barracks 30th October, 10:00-12:00 Families NAAFI Sennelager 4th November Paderborn Pirates hosting at the Bad Lippspringe Training Ground
High Tea
€297!!
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n Tuesday 16th October, SSAFA hosted High Tea in Bob’s Den on Catterick Barracks. Tea, coffee and orange juice was served alongside a delicate selection of finger sandwiches, scones and cakes, all enjoyed by children and soldiers alike. Pam Flora, SSAFA Chair of Bielefeld and Gütersloh, invited the Band of the Prince of Wales’ Division to play throughout the event which had three sittings across the afternoon. This allowed around 120 people to reserve seats and enjoy afternoon tea. SSAFA fund collection boxes were dotted around at the event. A very well organised event; thank you to everyone involved.
6th November 1 AMR will be hosting at Serpent’s Retreat on Dempsey Barracks 9th November REME are hosting at the Bullpen on Barker Barracks
DON’T FORGET TO VISIT SSAFA AT BFG BONFIRE NIGHT ON 10 NOVEMBER 2019.
Your Winter Driving Guide Need to know This guide provides advice to assist drivers in coping with the challenges of winter driving. It is in your best interests to familiarise yourself with the suggestions and, if you require further advice or have any specific questions or observations, assistance can be gained from unit MT representatives. On BFGnet Facebook, you can find a CHECKLIST FOR WINTER JOURNEYS and how to deal with car skidding in winter conditions.
INSPECT YOUR TYRES
GET YOU CAR SERVICED! • Visit a mechanic for a check now. • Check your vehicle thoroughly for any obvious signs of damage or wear and tear which would potentially place you at risk whilst driving.
SNOW ON YOUR CAR It is a legal requirement to completely remove all snow from your vehicle prior to embarking on your journey.
CHECK YOUR COOLING SYSTEM
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Learning how best to handle your OWN vehicle in winter weather conditions helps prevent accidents on wet, icy and snowy roads. • Practice cold weather driving when your area gets snow — but not on a main road! • Drive slowly. It’s harder to control or stop your vehicle on a slick or snow-covered surface. • Know what kind of brakes your vehicle has and how to use them properly. In general, if you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), apply firm pressure; if you have non anti-lock brakes, pump the brakes gently (CADENCE BRAKING). • If you find yourself in a skid, stay calm and ease your foot off the accelerator while carefully steering in the direction you want the front of your vehicle to go.
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When coolant freezes it expands. This can potentially damage your vehicle’s engine beyond repair and leave you in an awkward position. • Make sure you have enough coolant in your vehicle which is designed to withstand the winter temperatures you might experience.
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Regardless of season, you should inspect your tyres at least once a month and always before embarking on a long road trip. It takes about five minutes. If you find yourself driving under less-than-optimal road conditions this winter, you will be glad you took the time! • Check tyre pressures and make sure each tyre is filled to the vehicle suggested PSI (pounds per square inch) of air pressure. • Look closely at your tread and replace tyres with uneven wear or insufficient tread. Tread should be at least 1/16 of an inch or greater on all tires. Most modern tyres have tread depth indicators.
KNOW YOUR CAR
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Keep yourself and others safe by planning ahead before you venture out into bad weather.
CHECK YOUR BATTERY
When the temperature drops, so does battery power. Make sure you • Inspect the battery, alternator and belts. • If necessary, replace battery and/or make repairs.
WINDOWS, WIPERS & WASHERS You can go through a lot of windscreen wash fluid fairly quickly in a single snowstorm, so be prepared. • Completely fill your vehicle’s reservoir before the first snow hits. using high-quality, “no-freeze” fluid. • Buy extra to keep on hand in your vehicle. • Ensure your wipers work and replace worn blades.
WINTER TYRES Legal requirements for winter tyres in Germany have changed: as of 1st January 2018 your winter tyres must be marked with the Three Peak Mountain Snow-Flake symbol (3PMSF). There is a transition period in place for winter tyres which allows M+S (“Matsch und Schnee”/slush and snow) and snow-flake symbol marked tyres to remain legally acceptable until 20th September 2024. Remember there is no set period for when your vehicle must have winter tyres, but October - April is the recommended period.
LEARN WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY
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PLAN YOUR TRAVEL
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If you are stopped or stalled in wintry weather, follow these safety tips: • Stay with your car and don’t overexert yourself. If the vehicle driver and passengers feel threatened in any way they should remain in the vehicle, where safe to do so. • Put your hazard lights on to warn other road users and place out your warning triangle. • Contact recovery i.e. ADAC. • Pre-programme these emergency numbers for Police, Ambulance or Fire Brigade in your mobile phone or have them handy in the car: Police – 110; Ambulance and Fire Brigade – 112
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you require any further advice please contact: WO1 (SSM) Gahan, Staff Master Driver Headquarters British Forces Germany on Bielefeld Civilian on 0521 92 54 2411 Military ext: 94 881 2411
Play Safe The aim of this article is to help your children stay safe when playing outside the home. WHAT IS THE RISK? During the winter months the nights get dark and colder earlier, but still, children want to enjoy themselves, and spend time playing outside. Whilst this is a healthy thing to do and should be encouraged for the benefits that it brings, we must also remind our children that they need to stay safe. Many people naturally believe that as they live within the military environment in Germany there is a reduced risk to the safety of their children.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? Below are some ideas that you can use to help your child enjoy the winter months safely: o When your child goes out make sure you know exactly where they are going and who with. o Lay down sensible ground rules for timings that your child is to be home by. o Set boundaries for where they can and cannot go. o Ensure your child knows your address and telephone number and if they have a mobile phone that important numbers are stored in it e.g. home, Police. o Remind your child what to do if spoken to by a stranger. o Tell them who they can trust and tell if they are worried (Police, Teachers etc.) o Tell your children they can break rules to stay safe. They can run away, scream, lie or kick to get away from danger. o The importance of not going with someone, even if they know the person, without their parent’s knowledge and permission cannot be stressed enough. o Advise your child to only play where there are other people around; not in ‘out of the way’ places, o Advise your child not to play out alone after dark. o Remind them of road safety either when walking or on bikes. This list doesn’t cover everything and you may think of other things.
In any environment there is a risk of crime, albeit within the BFG or wider German civilian community. Crime normally happens because the chance is there. Only by reducing these chances can we stop crime affecting our lives.
WHERE CAN I GET FURTHER ADVICE? Additional information and advice on this subject and other areas of child safety can be obtained from your local Crime Prevention Officer at the Military Police Station.
Leaving the military?
What’s on in Nov at the Resettlement Centre Germany?
Employment Support Workshop Monday 5 Nov
CTW JNCO
6-8 Nov
CTP Resettlement Centre Normandy Barracks Sennelager
CTP Resettlement Centre Normandy Barracks Sennelager
(A workshop for those who have served 4 - 6 years
(A workshop for those who have served 6 or more years or a likely MD)
German CV Workshop Thursday 22 Nov
Financial Aspects of Resettlement Wednesday 14 Nov CTP Resettlement Centre Normandy Barracks Sennelager
CTP Resettlement Centre Normandy Barracks Sennelager
(A one day workshop for those planning to stay in Germany)
Keolis Deutschland (eurobahn)
There will be a presentation by Keolis Deutschland(eurobahn) who are looking for people to work on eurobahn, there are various jobs on offer and in various areas eg Minden, Osnabruck, Hamm, Bielefeld etc
Thursday 22 November 1400-1600
For further information, availability or to book,please contact:Civ: 05254 982 5448 or Mil: 94879 5448 rcgermany@ctp.org.uk www.ctp.org.uk