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VOL 2, ISSUE 5
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NOVEMBER 2021
Bi-monthly Newsletter from VM Pensions Management
Make your home a holiday
HAPPY PLACE
THE VM STORY:
A NEW CHAPTER 7 CHARITABLE GIVING IDEAS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Transform Your Everyday.
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Make your home a holiday
HAPPY PLACE
As the holidays approach, so do plans for family Zoom calls and small safe home gatherings. If you’re doing Zoom, you might want to give some thought to your background on screen. If you are having family and friends over, you definitely want to consider your home’s décor. Whichever way you choose to host, a festive space will lighten the mood and set the stage for the kind of memories you’ll make this year — special times with your special people — that’s what it’s all about.
A festive space lightens moods and sets the stage for the kind of memories you’ll make this year.
So here are 5 ideas that should help make your home suitable for any hosting style, while creating an atmosphere that your family and friends are sure to appreciate.
ENGAGE MULTIPLE SENSES - The décor focus tends to
ZIP TIES - While these handy items aren’t exactly
be on the visuals. This year you should think about adding
decorative, they’re very helpful in setting up and maintaining your decor. Use zip ties to affix your more fragile decorations to the tree to ensure they remain the beautiful keepsakes they are. You can also use zip ties to clip tree branches in place or affix lights as needed.
another dimension such as scent. Smelling is probably the sense that is most strongly connected to memories. Remember the last time a whiff of perfume or the smell of a home cooked meal instantly transported you back to another time and place?
They’re also great when you need to tame a bunch of wild
Essential oils also have the ability to add a touch of familiarity
extension cords.
to your home. They are a great way to introduce scents
into your space in a way that won’t be overpowering. You can also put vanilla or cinnamon in a coffee cup and place it in the oven at 300°C for an hour. Your space will smell divine. MAKE THE HOUSE PHOTO FRIENDLY - A picture is worth a thousand words. Lucky for you, it’s easy to get your favourite photos printed these days. Use your home printer or take them to be printed -- some pharmacies do this. Then you can use a bunch of picture frames and fill table tops or hang them. Putting many photos in the same place will give your guests the warm fuzzies and spark
The décor focus tends to be on what the place looks like. This year you should think about adding another dimension.
lots of great conversations. These can work for video calls too if you put them all on the same wall or on a coffee table that can be seen on camera.
create a warm mood. A good rule of thumb is to stick to
LIGHTS ARE EVERYTHING - Lights are not just for trees.
Stick with LED lights, whenever possible, to make sure a
They have the ability to transform the ambience of a space. They’re great for spots where you expect people to gather and spend time chatting or relaxing. If you can, get lots of them and use them anywhere you want to
one or two colours per setting, so it doesn’t get too busy. big electricity bill isn’t one of the things on your list this season. DON’T OVERDO IT - Use this bit of advice whenever and wherever necessary. With all the emotions the holidays bring, it’s easy to find yourself doing too much then getting burnt out. So don’t overdo food, decorations, errands, spending … fill in the blank. You’ll have a far more peaceful and enjoyable time and so will those closest to you. Whatever you do this season and however you do it, remember to spend some time appreciating the people and relationships that mean the most to you. With the slow return to normalcy, the best gifts are intangible. Happy holidays and happy gathering!
THRIVE | NOV 2021 | 3
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Transform your Everyday.
A new chapter for VM Pensions
The story of VM Pensions Management began with Victoria Mutual, which was started 143 years ago as an ambitious dream held by a group of churchmen who imagined a better reality for the average, hardworking people of the island at a time of great inequality in Jamaica.
having a friendly, helpful team. Many of our Members have an emotional attachment to us because we were the first banking relationship they formed, through our schools’ savings product. The business is vibrant, active and has been making meaningful moves towards growth and modernisation.
The bold dream was that all men and women in the nation should be empowered to own their own homes and achieve their financial dreams. The churchmen believed the only prerequisite for empowerment was a willingness to work hard and an ability to exercise discipline consistently, through savings.
The Transformation
The Evolution Over the years, Victoria Mutual has evolved significantly to meet the changing needs of our Members and Clients. As part of this progression, VM Pensions Management Ltd was formed in 1996. Today, we are a proud part of this strong, integrated group with offerings that go well beyond traditional savings and loans.
The Journey Since 2016, the group’s evolution has been accelerated with a purposeful move to digital and a more proactive drive to develop and enhance our product and service offerings to meet the fast-changing goals and demands of our individual and corporate Members and Clients. We achieved significant milestones throughout this period.
Where we are Today, ‘VM’ is a household name and a trusted and beloved player in the financial sector, not just in Jamaica, but globally. We are known for putting people before profits and for
As part of our transformation, the organisation formally known as ‘Victoria Mutual’ is now exclusively ‘The VM Group’. All subsidiaries of the Group have also moved to ‘VM’ emphasizing our enthusiastic move into this new, modern chapter of our relationship with the people we serve. Your ‘VM Group’ is still the caring, friendly organisation that has been standing with you through good times and challenging ones for generations. We are energized and eager to help you transform your lives – to transform your everyday. At VM Pensions Management, the new VM means, we’ve intensified our drive to assist more Jamaicans to prepare for their retirement whilst continuing to provide exceptional service for our clients. We believe that regardless of how big or small, dreams are meant to be pursued. We exist to open doors to greater financial wellbeing. We are in the business of Transforming Lives. We all want to live a long and happy life, but none of us know how long we will live. We do not always have control of our circumstances, but we can take steps now to put ourselves in the best possible position to secure our comfort and happiness in our latter years. We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones to make our best efforts to ensure a brighter future.
THRIVE | NOV 2021 | 5
MEET THE TEAM
Tramain Kirby MANAGER, FINANCIAL REPORTING
Tramain is a key player on the VM Pensions team. He overseas financial reporting for VM Pensions’ portfolio of clients as well as the operations unit within the business. He has accumulated more than a decade of experience in pensions management, including previous stints as Audit Supervisor at C.R. Hylton & Co., and Nairne and Partners. Tramain is member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. He also holds a BSc in Accounting from the University of the West Indies. H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
7 Charitable Giving Ideas for the Holidays When it comes to the Christmas holiday, no one culture, religion, or even family celebrates in exactly the same way. While families assign their own unique traditions and meaning to this special day, most would probably agree that it is a holiday that celebrates the concept of giving. People are planning to purchase gifts for loved ones to show their appreciation and gratitude for them. Even though adults have the purchasing power to afford gifts, children also excitedly participate, in a slightly different way. If you were to ask a kid what the true meaning of Christmas is, they would likely have one answer: presents! Read the full article here: https://www.kidsacademy.mobi/storytime/ holiday-ideas-to-give-back
Tramain has been a vegan for over 20 years and enjoys cooking and creating new recipes. He also enjoys playing and watching basketball, being out in nature and spending time with his family.
TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW FULLY VESTED Being fully vested means a person has rights to the full amount of some benefit, most commonly employee benefits such as stock options, profit sharing or retirement benefits. Source: Investopedia
VM Pensions Management Ltd 73-75 Half Way Tree Road Kingston 10, Jamaica Tel: 876-754-7265 Fax: 876-754-8359 Email: pensions.info@myvmgroup.com
Transform Your Everyday.