coming to care • savings for sixties a world without
Transcription
coming to care • savings for sixties a world without
ISSUE 174 SPRING 2016 A WORLD WITHOUT ENERGY COMING TO CARE • SAVINGS FOR SIXTIES SPA LI ND A'S ED I TO R I A L SP RI N G 2016 Dear readers, Welcome to your latest issue of SPA News. I hope by the time you receive this that there's a little bit of spring optimism in the air, and that we can put away the winter woollies for another year! The cover of this issue celebrates a photo competition that Shell and National Geographic ran together to celebrate images that 'capture our world'; read more about it on p10. We got a huge – and pleasantly surprising – response to two small (literally) items from the winter magazine: tie pins and paperweights! As such, we decided to devote a couple of pages to memorabilia, and you'll find these on pages 17 and 18. The intrepid Helen has been on a recce to Tilbury to spend an evening on one of South Quay Travel's cruise ships; honestly, the things she does for our readers is above and beyond the call of duty. I say that because I've seen the photo of her onboard, with a cold wind rearranging her hair-do and a steel-grey sky as a backdrop; suffice to say, she didn't come back with a tan. You can read her report on p23. On p19 we have some suggestions of where you might, as pensioners, be able to pick up some reasonable discounts and savings, and on p20 there's information from Pensions that should add clarity to what we can – and can't – do with our pensions in the light of the government's recent changes. Elsewhere we have the usual array of what we hope you find interesting and/ CONTACTS SPA BENEFITS Editor Linda Fernley Email: linda@hellosoutherly.com SPA Secretary Helen Page Tel: 020 7934 5129 Email: helen.page@shell.com Assistant Secretary Lynn Forsdyke Tel: 020 7934 5137 Email: L.Forsdyke@shell.com SPBA Treasurer Ian Landeryou Tel: 020 7934 5131 Email: Ian.C.Landeryou@shell.com SPA, 40 Bank Street, London E14 5NR www.pensions.shell.co.uk/spa www.facebook.com/shell.spa.news 2 | SPA NEWS or informative articles. On pages 11-13 Tina Gilchrist does a round-up of all things financial and on the Time Out pages 22-23 there are offers for Henley Regatta and the National Gallery. On page 14 there's a very amusing, and insightful, report from SPA member Kenneth Shovlar, about his experiences of living in a care home, and on the same pages, some advice on how best to manage your finances to deal with possible long-term care requirements. A warm thanks for your letters, jokes and snippets of information – please keep them coming. The deadline for the summer issue of your magazine is 1 June. Warm wishes, Linda. These are some of the regular benefits, to the best of our knowledge. Some may be not always be available. You may need to show your membership card and/or quote SPA. Our message, however, is always to “shop around” Details on the SPA website: www.shell.co.uk/spa INSURANCE Home, motor, travel: Sutton Winson 50plus Insurance (Bluefin) Health, Bupa Health, HMCA Denplan 0800 116 4330 0800 195 8002 0800 600 500 quote 9147 01423 866985 www.hmca.co.uk/shellpa 0800 838 951 www.denplan.co.uk FINANCE Foreign exchange, UK Forex Fin. Advice, Affinity State benefits, CBG Solutions https://www.ukforex.co.uk/?pid=1344 0800 019 6076 ref. Shell/Mar/2012 01423 819452 LEISURE Woodbank (Aberdeen) Lensbury Breaks Lensbury membership Fitness First Fred.Olsen Cruises Saga cruises 01224 884700 020 8614 6444 020 8614 6466 01202 845812 corporatemarketing@fitnessfirst.com 0800 0355 110 www.fredolsencruises.com quote SPA10 0800 051 3355 www.saga.co.uk/cruises Cruise & Maritime Voyages and South Quay Travel 0845 3752318 P&O, Cunard & Princess Cruises 0843 374 2288 quoting '000GEN' SPA L E T T E RS THE OLDIE VS SPA NEWS! THEN AND NOW... - GORDON DOW - PETER PENNINGTON Dear Linda, I feel compelled to write and ask if you're also editing The Oldie? I ask because both recent issues arrived about the same time and both had articles on: a) Munros, Corbetts and Marilyns (the last two I'd never heard of before reading both magazines), and b) tea ladies. Spooky! Thirteen years ago we moved to a lovely village, Chayofa, just outside of Los Cristianos in Tenerife. I just thought you might like these 'now and then' photos of the, now disused, petrol station in the village. As you can see, people sometimes tie their horses up by the old station; who says Shell isn't environmentally friendly! Garage - then and now I wish! It's a total coincidence but just goes to show how closely we have our finger on the zeitgeist pulse - ha ha ... Ed. FRONT COVER INSPIRATION HEALTH WISE! I was much taken with Colin Morsley's Scottish mountain photograph on the front of the last magazine, so I painted it. Not being a mountaineer I wasn't much concerned with what mountain, but when I looked at the back cover I realised that I'd in fact painted half of Ben Nevis, which was revealed in all its glory when you opened it all up! The other half became a painting in its own right. Putting the two together, as a diptych, it became a panorama, but I had a lot of fun with it, and enjoyed putting the paint on thick. I did it for my son, Mark, who has done a lot of climbing, mostly with his son, my grandson, George Atkinson who, at aged 16 gained the Ben Nevis Diptych I refer to the article on page 17 of the autumn edition of SPA News 'Getting the best out of private medical health'. After a mere 50 years with BUPA I fell out with them. They admitted they were at fault but the compensation they offered was not acceptable to me. I subsequently joined HMCA and found them excellent ... AND at lower cost to BUPA. They carried on paying for treatment I was receiving with no hesitation. Hope the above comment is useful to you … I’d be happy to speak to any SPA member. We loved these paintings, Diana - thanks for sending them to us. Ed Thanks Colin - always nice to hear a 'good news' story. Ed - DIANA ATKINSON PAPER BOY world record for the worldwide 'Seven Summits', and is still the UK record holder, I think. - CM GIBSON - HUGH MARTIN I expect you may have had enough on this subject by now but the various contributions certainly revived some memories for me. I, too, recall the disappointment when tea ladies were introduced and our trips to the coffee shops came to an end. The triangular “bread and scrape” on Monday to Thursday did not cause too much of a problem, but as an office boy in AngloSaxon Production Department one of my regular jobs on Friday afternoons was to follow Nellie and her trolley along the corridor with a wet cloth to remove the surplus raspberry jam, leaking from the Swiss Rolls, from all the door handles. Another important task entrusted to me was buying evening papers. Because of the wartime shortage of newsprint, the evening papers were often sold out to people leaving their offices at 5pm. St Helens Court closed at 5.30pm, so each day I was sent out at 4.45 to buy preordered Star, News, and Standard, and take copies round to various offices. You can guess how much work was done in the last half-hour of the day, particularly when there was a Test Match on (no mobile phones, or even portable radios). Happy days! I love the idea of Hugh running around wiping sticky door handles! Ed SPA NEWS | 3 SPA LE T T E R S Spotted in an antiques shop in the small town of Omarama, Otago, New Zealand, and sent in by Renny Snell. MARINE MEMORIES - PAULINE MURRILL Pristine condition, evidently restored. Yours for NZ$3,500. I really enjoyed the article on Noel Taylor (Winter issue p10) and learning about the interesting challenges he has been involved in, both with Shell and before and afterwards. You can't keep a good man down! I was a Secretary working for Captain Lawrence and Captain English in Shell Marine and remember Noel Taylor as quite a character. I shared an office with Anne Stubbings, who worked for Captain Dickson. I left in December 1978 after eight years working in various departments. My son was born in January1979 and he never had cold feet because I also fondly remember the tea lady who very kindly knitted many pairs of bootees for my expected baby, which she delivered [the bootees, not the baby, I hope? Ed] along with smiles, advice and the teas and coffees. I'm glad to be a Shell pensioner and to receive SPA News, and I also belong to the Shell Travel Club. I recently enjoyed the Thursford Xmas Spectacular as part of a varied trip organised by Rod Brown – also Shell Marine. Thank you for an interesting and varied SPA News. Thank you, Pauline – it pleases us enormously to know that you enjoy your magazine. Ed EPA WARNING - NEIL NORMAN Our Probus club had a presentation on Wills, Trusts and Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA). It became obvious to our members that those of us who had the old EPA and had arranged it to avoid paying registration fees in advance, did not have the instrument we intended it to be. Registration by our family when they needed to use it could take many months, in which time handling our affairs could be fraught with problems. We were advised to have the new version and have it registered. Perhaps this is a topic that could be highlighted in a future issue? Thanks for including the request from the Shell Art Collection in the last issue; I'd kept a number of things to remember my wonderful time as a Lubricants Sales Engineer, including The Shell Guide to Great Britain (1964) and the Shell Guide to France, neither of which the museum had. I was very happy to hand them over. Thanks for that, Neil. The new version is a Lasting Power of Attorney. There was an article about LPAs in issue 165; if anyone would like a copy, contact the office. Ed 4 | SPA NEWS POINTLESS PENSIONERS! - GIL SPRINGETT I thought readers might be interested in to know that these two Shell pensioners appeared on the TV game show Pointless in January. Another suggested activity for the retired?! FROM TEA LADIES TO HEAD CHEFS - DAVID TROTT I read the letter 'Everything stopped for Tea' with interest [written by Peter Terry - see erratum. Ed]. What got my attention was the date he started work and that he served in the RAF at a similar time to me. Could I have met him whilst I was serving in Shepherd’s Grove RAF station in Suffolk around 1949? A fellow airman – I don’t remember his name – was always talking about his job before being called up, which was with Shell in the city of London. I particularly remember him saying Shell had introduced a cleaning product called 'Teepol' and how good it was! In 1951 I was demobilised and I went to work as assistant Chef in the city and in 1954 a chef from Shell in St Helens Court introduced me to Head Chef Mr Ernie Ross, who offered me a position as Sauce Cook. I worked in all of Shell’s kitchens, being the last chef to close each one as they transferred to Shell Centre, where I then went to work in the original three kitchens. I finished as Head Chef in the 24th floor Directors kitchen. I was offered the Chef position at Sittingbourne, Kent, and this being a lot closer to home, I accepted and that’s where I finished 30 years’ service with Shell. It transpired that Peter Terry wasn't the person that David met in the RAF; does anybody recognise themselves from David's story? Ed Thanks Gil – great shot and we loved the title of your missive! Committee member Brian Keech reports that although not making the final, the pair did well to reach Head to Head in their second show! Ed ERRATUM In 'Thanks for the memories' in the Winter 2015 issue (p23) we published a photograph to illustrate the story. The vessel was not the Capalonga, but a later and much more sophisticated vessel the MSV Stadive. Thanks to Peter Jordan for pointing that out. In the same issue, the writers of letters relating to Tea Ladies were mixed up: so Everything Stopped for Tea was written by Peter Terry and the other three letters were from Peter Low, Gillian Garvie and Martin Knowles, in that order. Apologies to all! SPA NEWS | 5 SPA H E LE N'S PA G E It has been a volatile start to the year, reflected in this issue of SPA News being packed with business and finance. Would the BG merger go ahead or not? (After much nail biting, it did.) The price of a barrel of oil yoyos up and down, with the longer term graph pointing downwards. Have we reached the bottom? What will be the impact on the merger? What does it do to the viability of other high-cost projects? No one has the definitive answer, of course, otherwise we’d all be very wealthy pensioners, but, during the annual interview between SPA Chair, Richard Springett, and Shell UK Chair, Erik Bonino, Erik was optimistic that, having seen the ups and downs of the oil price over many years, the company will weather the storm, as it has so many times in the past. The short (eight minute) video will be shown at this year’s annual branch chairs’ conference in April, and again at the roadshows in Aberdeen and Warwickshire. If you’re unable to join us at any of these events, it can be borrowed via your local branch. The video also includes an upbeat five-minute interview with Per ReiffMusgrove, General Manager, Trustee Services Unit, about the performance of the pension funds. But there’s nothing more important than our own finances, so it was no surprise when over 1,500 pensioners contacted the company at the start of the year, worried why their monthly pension had not been paid. The fault lay with Royal Bank of Scotland, not helped by the fact that 4 January was also a Bank Holiday in Scotland. All those who were out of pocket should now have been compensated. There are a couple of learning points though: • Pension is paid in advance, not arrears, which is easy to forget after the first few payments, so it was only paid 27 days ahead instead of 31 • As some Bank Holidays fall on the first of the month, it’s a good idea to set up monthly payments, such as direct debits and standing orders, to leave the account on, say 6th, instead of 1st, to reduce the risk of having insufficient funds. Many thanks to all those who contributed to the online memory page, recording 50 years of working in the North Sea. The stories were compiled by Padraig McClusky and 6 | SPA NEWS Douglas Bader's wife could be viewed on the website www.shell.co.uk/about-us/ fifty-years-of-achievement.html The website may already be closed by the time you receive this - but all is not lost! If you’d like an e-version of the anecdotes, please contact SPA office and we’ll email it to you. As a policy, we do not normally feature obituaries but we make an exception for Lady Joan, the second wife and widow of Sir Douglas Bader. He made a spirited contribution to rebutting German air attacks during the Battle of Britain, all the more remarkable given that he suffered a double amputation in 1931, following a crash, but continued to fly with a pair of replacement metal legs. In peace time, Bader returned to Shell Transport and Trading, which allowed him to make a number of round-the-world promotional flying trips. Paul Brickhill’s biography was made into the popular film Reach for the Sky (1956), and brought him widespread fame as a war hero. From 1958 until his retirement in 1969 he was managing director of Shell Aircraft Ltd, but he increasingly devoted time to charitable activities on behalf of the disabled. Lady Joan continued his work, following his death. On a personal note, SPA heard two bits of gossip about Bader, neither of which can be confirmed. One: that his (false) leg, was stored in the Shell Archives for many years. The second, that he was a thoroughly irascible character, and at a cocktail reception in the Far East, the staff walked out because of his abusive treatment of his first wife. Does anyone else have any memories or anecdotes? I’d like to finish off by urging you to remember to cast your vote for our national committee vacancy. If you can join us for a glass of wine and a few nibbles and meet the successful candidate at the AGM on 12 May, Shell Centre, that would be tickety- boo. Don’t forget to book your place! FR OM THE SPA SE CR ETARY DATES FOR YOUR DIARY We would love you to join us at any or all of our events this year. AGM and drinks reception: 4.30pm, Thursday 12 May in Shell Centre Inserted in your copy of SPANews, is an invitation to join fellow colleagues at this social occasion, and to hear what we have been getting up to over the last year and the results of the election for a committee member. Those of you who have attended in the past will know that the quality of Shell Centre canapes is second to none. Why not make a weekend of it and take advantage of the members’ rates on offer at Lensbury. If you can’t make it to London, don’t forget to vote. ROADSHOW: 2-4pm, Thursday 16 June, Woodend Barn, Banchory, Aberdeen AB31 5QA Whatever your question, you’ll find the answer here. This is the fourth year of our ever-popular roadshow, including representatives from Pensions, Shell Health, insurance, financial planning, State Benefits, AgeUK and local PLRs. The SPA Chair and Secretary will of course be there to meet as many members as possible. Watch two short videos with: • Erik Bonino, UK Country Chair – what keeps him awake at night? • Per Reiff-Musgrove, Manager Trustee Services Unit – how is your pensions fund doing? During the 10-minute video interviews, enjoy complimentary tea and cakes. In fact, the whole event is FREE. You’re welcome to bring a partner or guest too. The roadshows are particularly attractive to those who find they don’t have time to join local events on a regular basis. If you don’t live near Aberdeen, why not make a weekend of it and enjoy member rates at Woodbank Country House? ROADSHOW: 2-4pm, Thursday 29 September, Kings Court, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5QQ 2 1 1) Martyn Wallis 2) Andreas Underwood PENSIONER LIAISON REPRESENTATIVE UPDATE Phil Bentley, Pensioner Liaison Representative for Dorset, East Somerset and part of Wiltshire has been replaced by Martyn Wallis. New PLR Andreas Underwood has taken over from Peter Williams. Andreas will be covering South and West Yorkshire, Lincolnshire (excluding post codes beginning with PE) and Nottinghamshire. The Pensions Administration Unit is currently recruiting for a new PLR to cover the Cambridge, Luton, Ipswich, Northampton, Norwich, Peterborough and Stevenage area. If you’re interested in this vacancy, please contact Jenny Cuttle or Kara Duncombe at j.cuttle@ shell.com or k.duncombe@shell.com for full details of the position. SPA NEWS | 7 SPA LI GH T E R SI DE BELLISSIMO! For several years, a man was having an affair with an Italian woman. One night, she confided in him that she was pregnant. Not wanting to ruin his reputation or his marriage, he said he would pay her a large sum of money if she would go to Italy to secretly have the child. Furthermore, if she stayed in Italy to raise the child, he would also provide child support until the child turned 18. She agreed, but asked how he would know when the baby was born. To keep it discreet, he told her to simply mail him a post card, and write 'Spaghetti' on the back. He would then arrange for the child support payments to begin. One day, about nine months later, he came home to his confused wife. "Darling", she said, "you received a very strange post card today." "Oh, just give it to me and I'll explain it later," he said. The wife watched as her husband read the card, turned white, and fainted. On the card was written: Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Three with meatballs, two without. Send extra sauce. At an airport a man went to the check-in desk and put down three bags saying I want this one to go to Manchester, this one to Copenhagen, and that one to Berlin. The check-in clerk said: "Sorry Sir, we can't do that." The traveller replied: "But you managed it last time I travelled with you." A senior Bishop often undertook lectures at major venues and usually booked the same chauffeur and his car. They became friends and discussed many things on their journeys. One day the chauffeur said he couldn't understand why he earned so much less than the bishop, when all he had to do was stand in front of people and talk. The Bishop said: "I started from a poor background, had to get a scholarship to college, and earn money to pay my way through university for three years, and then another three years in Theological College to be ordained. I was appointed curate to an inner city Parish for two years, had my own Parish for another three, and then became canon. After another five years I was made bishop. That's why I'm paid to do this work. The chauffeur said: "I think I could do your lecture, given the right notes." "Well," said the bishop, "if you think it's so easy, let's swap clothes and change places for the day." 8 | SPA NEWS So they did, and continued to Cambridge, where the bishop was to lecture on the theological differences between the Gospels of John and Matthew. The bishop handed over his notes and answers to some probable questions. The driver read through them and took his stand on the podium, while the bishop, dressed as chauffeur, stood at the back of the auditorium. All went well until a member of the audience asked: "Why do you think the two Gospels are so different?" The chauffeur replied: "That's such a simple question that I'll ask my driver at the back of the hall to answer it for you." Squirrels had infested three churches in a town. After much prayer the vicar at the first church decided the animals were put there by God and should be left in peace. Soon they multiplied and overran the building. The vicar at the second church felt she couldn't harm any of God's creatures so humanely trapped them and set them free at the edge of town. Three days later, they found their way back and started breeding. Only the third Vicar succeeded in keeping the squirrels at bay. He baptised them and welcomed them into the congregation. Now he only sees them at Christmas and Easter. FOR OUR LEXOPHILES (or word lovers to you and me) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate. A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months. When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U.C.L.A. A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail. A will is a dead giveaway. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress. A boiled egg is hard to beat. When you've seen one shopping centre you've seen the mall. Police were called to a nursery where a three-year-old was resisting a rest. A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired. When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered. He had a photographic memory which was never developed. When she saw her first strands of grey hair, she thought she'd dye. Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it. Those who get too big for their pants will be exposed in the end. SPA BUS INES S N E WS MAKE THE FUTURE LONDON – A FESTIVAL OF IDEAS AND INNOVATION As we outlined in the last issue, Shell Eco-marathon Europe is going to be held in London for the first time. It is the centerpiece of the Make the Future London Festival, and takes place at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from June 30 to July 3, 2016. Make the Future London will showcase bright energy ideas and provide a platform for innovation, collaboration and conversation around the global energy challenge: how can we produce and consume much more energy, and much less CO2? Alongside Shell Eco-marathon, the festival is packed with interactive visitor experiences that explore how we will transition to a low-carbon world, from the way we move people and their things around, to how we might live and work in our cities, and the ingenuity and bright ideas that could shape the future energy system. Make the Future London is also about inspiring young minds. Shell has launched The Bright Ideas Challenge, a new schools competition, inviting students aged 11-14 to imagine creative solutions to the energy challenges faced by future cities. We hope you, your family and your friends will be able to attend what promises to be an exciting event. THREE THINGS... SHELL’S POSITION ON THE UK’S EU REFERENDUM You may have seen media coverage of the UK’s EU Referendum, which references a pro-EU letter signed by business leaders, including our CEO, Ben van Beurden deal which strengthens Britain's special status in the EU, which was agreed by all EU leaders at a meeting of the European Council on 19 February 2016. 02 What is Shell’s position on a possible UK exit from the EU? 01 What is the status of the UK’s EU Referendum? The Prime Minister has called a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union, to be held on Thursday 23 June 2016. This follows a Shell has said publicly that we favour the UK remaining in the EU. We are a company with a strong heritage in the UK and in Europe. The UK leaving the EU might affect the freedom of movement of staff and trade. We believe Shell also benefits from the UK being a powerful global player as part of a strong Europe. 03 Why has Shell gone public on this position? The Shell General Business Principles state that Shell companies do not take part in party politics. However, Shell companies have the right and the responsibility to make our position known on any matters which affect us, our employees, our customers, our shareholders or local communities, in a manner which is in accordance with our values and the Business Principles. As an individual, however, how you vote in the referendum is entirely a matter for you. SPA NEWS | 9 SPA F E AT U R E CAPTURING THE WORLD AROUND US TOGETHER WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, SHELL CREATED A YOUR SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES, CHALLENGING ITS MEMBERS TO TAKE CAPTIVATING IMAGERY TO REFLECT THE WORLD AROUND THEM. Last summer, Shell and National Geographic launched a three-part photography series that explored the world’s relationship to energy. The special series was part of ‘Your Shot’, National Geographic’s photography community of 690,000 members who have uploaded over 5.8 million photos. The series launched by asking photographers to snap pictures of what a ‘World Without Energy’ looks like to them. While reviewing the photos, Director of Your Shot, Monica C. Corcoran, commented: "What struck me most as I looked at the photos was how many of you already live in a world without energy." This assignment resulted in nearly 8,000 pictures submitted, 400 comments and 40,000 social interactions on National Geographic’s social channels. Our front cover photo (by Aditya Waikul) is a ferris wheel in Nashik, India that operates on human power – look closely at the men in the centre pedalling furiously to keep the wheel turning. The second assignment – ‘Bright Ideas in Action’ – required photographers to take a closer look at the world around them and show the ways people are turning bright ideas into real world innovations. The final assignment, ‘Future Cities’, aimed to inspire people to think about what cities will look like in the future as more people choose to live in urban areas. Members all over the world captured images that show innovative ideas that help cities and the people in them thrive sustainably. Each assignment actively encouraged members of the community to critically think about our future together and what they can do to contribute. 1 More photographs can be seen online: http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/ stories/world-without-energy/ http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/ stories/bright-ideas-action/ http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/ stories/future-cities/ 2 1. Paper rollers by Ilknur Can 2. Sun-baked bowls by Hasib Wahab 10 | SPA NEWS BENEV OL ENCE T INA'S N EWS STAT E BE N EF I T S STATE BENEFITS New rules: PIP and terminal illness: New regulations modify the requirement for a terminally ill claimant who is transferring from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to wait a minimum of 28 days after the first pay day for PIP to be paid. Currently, DLA entitlement ends for claimants who are transferring from DLA to PIP 28 days from the first pay day following the PIP decision, regardless of whether they receive more or less under PIP. Terminally ill DLA claimants are also subject to this rule. From 4 Apr 2016, the new rules mean that where a terminally ill DLA claimant is awarded a greater weekly rate of PIP than their current DLA weekly rate, their DLA entitlement will end the earlier of: • the last day of the DLA payment period; or • the first Tuesday after the PIP decision. Their PIP entitlement will begin the following day. Carer's Allowance exempt from benefit cap: The government has announced that claimants of carer’s allowance are to be exempted from the benefit cap. The decision follows a recent High Court ruling that the benefit cap unlawfully discriminated against disabled people and so their carers as well. The ruling applied to single carers in receipt of carer’s allowance and looking after a member of their family, and who couldn't be expected to take any of the suggested steps to avoid the cap. However, the government has announced it will exempt all recipients of carer’s allowance from the benefit cap, whether single or part of a couple. Online Help to Prepare for PIP/ESA Benefits Assessments: Independent charity SeAp has just launched www.c-app.org.uk a digital service to help people applying for disability related benefits. The site gives users all the information they need about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support by Tina Gilchri st Allowance (ESA). This site will enable you to: • Understand the benefits and how to apply • Understand the forms and assessment processes • Know how to answer the questions in your assessment • Know more about your rights. Universal Credit: The full Universal Credit (UC) roll-out for all new claims begins in May 2016 and is open to all new claims from all claimant types, including Employment and Support Allowance. Anyone currently on benefits or Tax Credits who has a change of circumstance that would naturally trigger a new claim, will have their entire household assessed under UC. When the transition process completes in mid-2018, the DWP will begin migrating all remaining existing benefit claimants to the full UC service; this process will complete in 2021. State Pension Increases: I have received a number of calls from pensioners saying they didn't receive the full 2.9% increase in their state pension that the government promised. To clear up any confusion, the increase of 2.9% only applied to the Basic State Pension. The increase does not apply to the SERPS/S2P and Graduated part of the pension; these have not been increased. New State Pension: A reminder that anyone who reaches State Retirement age on or after 6 Apr 2016 will receive a State Pension of up to £155.65 based on the new rules. If you are in a Pension Scheme that was contracted out of the SERPS/S2P section of the old scheme, you may receive less than this amount. However, you will never receive less pension than you would have received under the old rules. Those receiving a State Pension on or before 5 Apr 2016 come under the old rules and will see no change. Please note: The State Benefits Summary matrix for 2016/2017 is on www.pensions.shell.co.uk/spa For a hard copy, please contact the SPA office (see p2). TAXATION Income Tax Allowances that reduce taxable income (2016/17) • Personal Allowance (PA) £11,000. • PA will be reduced for those with income above £100,000 pa, tapering down to zero. • Married Couples Allowance (MCA)**, only available to those born on or before 5 April 1935 (those age 75 and over before 5 April 2010), and relief is restricted to 10%. MCA is £8,355 (gives a tax saving of £835.50). • Blind Persons Allowance £2,290 • Transferable Tax Allowance for married couples and civil partners £1,100 (for those born after 6 April 1935) **MCA is reduced by £1 for every £2 that taxable income exceeds £27,700 pa. but will only reduce below the basic PA of £11,000 if income is above the £100,000 threshold. Income Tax Bands (2016/17) • Income is taxed at 20% on the first £32,000 of taxable income over your personal allowance. • Income between £32,001 (£43,001 incl PA) and £150,000 is taxed at 40%. • An additional rate of Income Tax of 45% will apply to income over £150,000. • Savings income only, nil-rate band of £5,000 above the PA. So anyone with a total income (incl savings income) of less than £16,000, may not pay tax on their savings income. • Personal savings allowance for basic rate taxpayers £1,000, and for higher rate taxpayers £500. Tax from Building Society Interest: Following the introduction of the personal savings allowance, from Apr2016, Banks & Building Societies SPA NE WS | 11 SPA T I NA'S PA G ES will automatically stop taking 20% income tax from the interest earned on non-ISA savings. So if your total non-ISA savings income from Banks & Building Societies exceeds the personal savings allowance of £1,000 (see 2.2 above) for basic rate taxpayers, and £500 for higher rate taxpayers, you will need to declare it. Scottish Taxpayers: The Scottish government announced in the December budget that total income tax rates that apply to Scottish income taxpayers for the tax year 2016/2017 will be reduced by 10% for people living in Scotland. You’ll then pay the Scottish rate of 10% on top of your UK rate. There is no overall change to the Income Tax rate you pay – whether you pay the basic, higher or additional rates, but some of the Income Tax collected under the Scottish rate will fund the Scottish government, and the rest will fund the UK government. There will also be a 3% increase in Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), for the purchase of additional properties. For further information visit www.gov.scot FINANCE Individual Savings Account (ISA): A reminder that if you have not used up your ISA Allowance for the tax year 2015/16, and wish to do so, you must do it before 5 Apr 2016. The Annual overall limit that can be invested in an ISA for the 2015/16 tax year is £15,240. All of this can be invested in either cash or stocks and shares or a mixture of both. The limit for a Junior ISA for the 2015/16 tax year is £4,080. The ISA limits will remain the same for the 2016/17 tax year. Probate Fee Increase: Obtaining a grant of probate is the process by which someone is given authority to deal with property, money and possessions of a person after they die. It is usually sought by the executor of a will or a person acting on their behalf. Under new proposals, the present flat fee of £215 to apply for a grant of probate will be replaced with a system of tiered charges. The value of estates below which no fee is payable would increase from £5,000 to £50,000 (57% of the total). For estates worth between £50,000 and £300,000 the new fee will be £300, rising to £1,000 12 | SPA NEWS for estates between £300,000 and £500,000, £4,000 for estates between £500,000 and £1m, £8,000 for estates between £1m and £1.6m, £12,000 for those between £1.6m and £2m, and £20,000 for estates over £2m. GENERAL Care home ratings: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has launched an interactive map of care home ratings in England at www.cqc. org.uk/ This tool gives a picture of services geographically and will help people who use services, their families, and carers to choose those services. The map will make it easier for the public, providers and other partners to search for care homes by geographic location or postcode, compare ratings and read the most recent inspection reports. There are limitations to the display of care homes where there are duplicate postcodes, and the CQC encourages people to use their website search bar and to read their in-depth inspection reports alongside the map to get a full picture of services in their area. Shingles Vaccine: Public Health England (PHE) is reminding eligible older people to get the shingles vaccine to help prevent the painful infection. New figures show a drop in vaccine coverage. From 1 Sep 2015, the shingles vaccine has been offered to people aged 70 years on 1 Sep 2015. People aged 78 years on 1 Sep 2015 can also get vaccinated. Those eligible for immunisation in the first two years of the programme but not yet vaccinated against shingles remain eligible until their 80th birthday. These are people aged 71, 72 or 79 on 1 Sept 2015. The shingles vaccine is available at any time throughout the year to eligible people. Royal Mail Postage increases: On 29 Mar 2016 a first class normal stamp increased from 63p to 64p, while the cost of a normal second class stamp increased from 54p to 55p. The cost of a large letter first class stamp increased from 95p to 96p, and a large letter second class stamp increased from 74p to 75p. Warning – bogus Council Tax refund scams: The government is warning of a number of Council Tax refund scams currently operating around the country. Someone may telephone, or appear personally at your door, claiming to be able to reduce your Council Tax bill. Examples of tactics used by bogus agents to get you to part with your money include: Charging an upfront fee with an added 20% of the reduction should they successfully reduce your Council Tax band; insisting you are definitely in the wrong band and are owed back payments on your Council Tax bill, when in fact your band is correct; saying they are from the local council or Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and asking for your bank details so they can provide a refund. The fraudsters then steal money from your bank account. Please DO NOT give your bank details to anyone, either on the doorstep or by phone. DO NOT let anyone into your home without seeing appropriate identification, or feel under pressure from cold-callers to pay an immediate upfront fee. Remember, you can have your band checked free of charge by contacting the VOA online at: www. gov.uk/guidance/valuationoffice-agency-and-council-tax. Confirm over the phone with a coldcaller’s head office to check they are legitimate. Ensure that if a cold-caller used the telephone, your last call ended properly before redialling the number, or better still, redial using a different telephone, such as a mobile phone. Fixed penalty scam email: warning for DVSA customers: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is warning the public about scam emails claiming to be from the DVSA Fixed Penalty Office. The emails contain an attachment to a ‘fixed penalty receipt’. DVSA never sends fixed penalty notices to customers by email. If you have received this email, do not: • click on any links in it • reply to the email or contact the senders in any way • open any attachments that arrive with the email If you have clicked on a link in the email, do not supply any information on the website that may open. You should report the email to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 Text phone users: 0300 123 2050, or visit the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and internet crime: www.actionfraud. police.uk/ CONTACTS Tina Gilchrist of CBG Solutions Ltd has been contracted by the SPBA to provide updates and a helpline on state benefits. For the helpline service, contact Tina: CBG Solutions Ltd 44 Rydal Road Harrogate North Yorkshire HG1 4SD 01423 819452 or 07711 555931 tina.gilchrist@cbgsolutions.co.uk When you contact Tina, please mention the SPA and give her a phone number on which she can speak to you if necessary. Ian Landeryou SPBA Secretary/Treasurer 020 7934 5131 Ian.C.Landeryou@shell.com SPBA DONATIONS – NEW GIFT AID DECLARATION The tax efficient method of donating to the SPBA is by Gift Aid, as the SPBA is able to reclaim basic rate tax which boosts the donation by 25%. So, for every £1 donated as Gift Aid, the SPBA receives £1.25. Also, the donor is able to reclaim any higher rate tax paid, up to the amount of their donations. Effective 1 Apr 2016, the Gift Aid declaration will change for donations made by 'new donors'. The declaration to be signed by the donor states: I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less income tax and/or Capital Gains tax in a tax year than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all of my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. The change in the declaration is to make the donor aware it is their responsibility to ensure the Gift Aid reclaim amount of their total donations to charities does not exceed their tax payments, and to make them aware that the consequence of failing to do this is to them, rather than the charity. When completing the SPBA Gift Aid reclaim, names, addresses, and the amount claimed per donor is supplied to HMRC. This is necessary for the Gift Aid to be repaid to the SPBA. The most popular method of donating to the SPBA is by regular monthly/annual amounts. For those donors, their current declaration still applies, so there's no need to complete a new Gift Aid form. However, if you have changed your name or address from that recorded on your current Gift Aid declaration, a new form is required by the SPBA for Gift Aid to be claimed. The Trustees would like to take this opportunity to thank all donors for their contributions to the SPBA, which allows the Association to help fellow Shell pensioners in need. In 2015 the benevolence given by the SPBA exceeded the income of the Association, so new donations would be appreciated to allow the Trustees to continue to provide assistance where it is required. Should you wish to make a donation, or need to complete a new Gift Aid declaration, the forms are available for download via the SPA website: Who We Are; Related Organisations; SPBA or please contact the Secretary /Treasurer, Ian Landeryou. SPA NE WS | 13 SPA F E AT U R E COMING TO CARE KENNETH SHOVLAR Kenneth Shovlar It was a hot Friday afternoon some three years ago when I, a Londoner, stood ringing the front door bell at a care home in northwest England. A home chosen for me by my daughter and destined to be my next resting place. “He can’t be a proper Shell pensioner,” I hear you say. Proper Shell pensioners spend most of their time on discounted Saga Cruise holidays! And when they are not doing that, they are running marathons dressed in a barrel and taking selfies at yet another Far Eastern reunion. “Well said,” I concede, but the Shell pensioner community does in reality encompass many thousands of us, of different ages, varying health and family circumstances. My move to the north of England came rather suddenly. The managers of St Thomas’s Hospital in London became fed up of seeing me brought into A & E yet one more time, having fallen over in the middle of the road, damaging some part of me in the process (for those interested in the niceties of diagnosis, I should add that 14 14 || SPA SPA NEWS NEWS it was a problem of balance rather than booze!) St Thomas’s decreed that I should be discharged only to a care home near my daughter or else … I wasn’t quite sure what the “or else” meant, but it did have a rather sinister ring to it and so I opted for the care home. The bureaucracy of transferring from an NHS hospital in London to a care home in northwest England was substantial. But all of the parties involved worked with a will to get me satisfactorily re-settled and off the streets (literally). There can be no doubt that care homes have a very bad press in the UK. Every article written is related to some dire event. This, from my personal experience, is a grossly unfair reporting of the situation on the ground. The vast majority of care homes, including mine, are very well managed and staffed, with the welfare of their residents at the top of their list. It is a 24/7/365 operation, which many of us from our Shell days may be familiar with and we remember the ingenuity required to cope with all the unpredictable events which may arise. Moreover care homes are freely open to visitors and regularly inspected. These inspections include interviews with residents. A care home has a number of basic duties: top of these are medication and health matters. All of us old ones take loads of pills on a daily basis and a pill trolley comes round twice a day, very reminiscent of the tea trolleys of the St Helen’s days in the 1950s. Mind you, the pills don’t have quite the same flavour as the doughnuts from Joe Lyons. Liaison with the NHS is excellent and I have had my front teeth replaced (those London streets are so hard), hearing aids provided, and cataract operations carried out, all with the full assistance of and escorts provided by the care home. Food is plain but tasty and copious. Again, it reminds me of the food provided by the vintage Shell canteens of yesteryear. Peace descends for two hours after lunch! There have been a number of letters in the press complaining that care homes (and hospitals) show disrespect to their loved ones by not addressing them as Mr or Mrs X. In a north country care home the use of first names for residents and staff is de rigueur with the addition of colloquial endearments. Informality was one of the first characteristics I noticed about Shell when I joined all those years ago. It is an informality and friendliness that still preserves the managementstaff relationship, essential when the processes and products being handled are potentially life-threatening. Mind you, I can’t recall many colloquial endearments being exchanged in my talks with my Shell bosses. Finally, for the benefit of my fellow male pensioners, I should mention that care homes are predominantly a female environment, both staff and residents. The macho world of the oil rig, refinery and depot are far away. A male coming here must cast his mind back to the days of his successful courtship of Ginny Jones in Typing, and adopt the good manners and courteous behaviour of those days long ago. Shell Pensioners Benevolent Association has links to two housing association providers, Riverside Group (Merseyside) and Hanover Housing (England & Wales). They may be able to assist a Shell Pensioner looking to move into care or sheltered housing. There is no financial benefit. Contact your PLR for details. LONG-TERM CARE: WILL I NEED TO SELL MY HOME TO MEET THE COSTS? BETTINA BULL, AFFINITY ESTATE PLANNING The cost of care in the UK is on the rise. In addition, average life spans have increased in recent years and are continuing to do so. One consequence of this is that many more people are likely to need either residential or domiciliary long-term care at some point in their lives, and local authorities are obliged to try to recover the cost for this. But who will be responsible for picking up the cost and will it mean selling your family home? The local authority will take into account the total value of your estate, including your savings, investments and your property when deciding whether you are responsible for meeting your own care costs. The following limits apply, dependent on where you live: England Wales Northern Ireland Scotland Upper limit: £23,250 £24,000 £23,250 £26,000 Lower limit: £14,250 The upper and lower limits are the same £14,250 £16,000 Individuals with assets in excess of the standard limits will be required to pay for their own residential care costs in most circumstances until their assets fall below the upper limit and to make a partial contribution until their assets fall below the lower limit. Income is also taken into account by the local authority when assessing their contribution to long-term care costs, even when someone’s estate is virtually exhausted. Assuming a husband and wife or civil partners own their house jointly, and one spouse needs care, the property is not included in the calculation of assets while the other spouse is still resident in the property. By contrast, if after the death of one of the spouses the surviving spouse has to go into care, the entire property value, in excess of standard limits (above) becomes available to cover care fees. Many people regard it as unfair that those who have managed to buy a property and accumulate some savings through a lifetime of hard work and financial prudence are forced to pay while others who have not made the same sacrifices make no contribution. An expensive business Average care home fees now reach over £500 per week. In some cases this could amount to £40,000 per year. The length of time people are spending in care is increasing with the rise in illnesses such as dementia. Therefore it’s easy to see how a large proportion of your estate can easily be depleted by care costs. Solutions There are legitimate ways of safeguarding your life savings from being eroded in such a way. For couples, one option is to set up a Trust in their Wills. Under this arrangement each partner would leave any assets held in their sole name as well as their share of the family residence to a Trust, which would be set up on their death through their will. The surviving spouse would have a life interest in the Trust, which entitles them to remain in the home rent free and also receive any income that may be payable on investments. It is also possible to buy a replacement property, for example to downsize, with the consent of the Trustees. The result is that those assets which have passed into the Trust would be excluded from the assessable capital of the surviving spouse for the purpose of contributing to long-term care. Therefore, the Trust fund is safeguarded for the beneficiaries, often the children, which would also apply in case of remarriage or bankruptcy of the survivor. OFFER FOR SPA MEMBERS £60 DISCOUNT ON A PAIR OF WILLS To arrange a free initial, no obligation consultation for a limited period, please call Affinity on 0800 0197714 quoting reference 'SPA LTC Spring 2016' Bettina Bull is Director of Affinity Estate Planning, a member of the Institute of Professional Willwriters, which specialise in Trust and tax planning through Wills as well as Lasting Powers of Attorney. If you would like further information, Affinity can be contacted on 0800 0197714. SPA NE WS | 15 SPA F E AT U R E DO YOU VOLUNTEER FOR A CHARITY IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY? If yes, then the organisation you support may be eligible for Shell support. Volunteering Grants: Shell Employee Action (SEA) grants of £350 are available to current staff and pensioners. To be eligible for a grant you must volunteer a minimum of 20 hours annually within a UK community group or charity. Fundraising Grants are awarded to individuals taking part in fundraising activities (such as running a marathon) for a UK charity. The scheme awards a 'top up' grant of up to £350 for individuals and £500 for groups. The applicant has to provide evidence that it has already raised money. All organisations must either be registered with the Charity Commission or the Scottish Charity Regulator. Otherwise, they have to be validated by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) before an application can be approved. CAF will liaise directly with the organisation to support them in this process. Grants are processed monthly. Applications are welcome from all community initiatives, except political or narrow sectarian organisations. General criteria • Shell pensioners are eligible, but partners are not. • You may apply for one grant in a 12-month period. • The scheme does not support individuals, salary costs, premises costs, building or refurbishment costs, religious, commercial or political aims, funding for disaster relief or • research activities and projects outside of the UK. All SEA grants are made at the sole discretion of Shell, and Shell reserves the right to decline a request. Applications are now only accepted online: https://grantstream.com/ ShellUK/employee/en RETURN TO INDIA by Charles Smiles I worked for Shell from 1971 to 1998 (14 years at Teesport Refinery, and the remaining at Shell Mex House in the Manufacturing, Supply and Trading Division), and have been retired for 17 years. As a recognised outreach from St. Nicholas Church, in Arundel, I became involved with the Indian Charity FEAST (Foundation for Education & Social Transformation). Founded in 1998 by Fr. Jeremias George, a Catholic Priest who carries out his work in southern India (Nagercoil, Chunkankadai in the Kanyakumari District of Kerala), the Charity helps the poorest of poor, irrespective of religion, and focuses on families living in the fishing villages and surrounding areas affected by the tsunami in 2004. Our main aim is to get children into education, support the elderly with food, build houses, and help the abandoned and disabled, and every penny donated gets spent on sponsorship and support. 16 | SPA NEWS Since the Charity began, we've seen the drop-out rate for schooling (because families wanted children to leave school to earn money) reduce from 80% down to 20%. Over 80% of sponsored children still in education have obtained either a bachelors degree at University level or undergone professional training, enabling them to find employment. In November 2015, I was fortunate to visit Nagercoil again, seven years since my initial visit. One of my sponsored children is Michael, who I first met when he was 10. His father died before he was born and his mother developed chronic asthma, preventing her from working. Michael would have had to leave school, so I've been sponsoring him since 2008 and he's progressed through junior and intermediate school, and is now on his 2nd year at college, after which he'll study to be a Chartered Accountant. He now speaks some English and was very enthusiastic in telling me about his plans. It shows the sponsorship plan works, and am very proud of what Michael has achieved. I also sponsor two girls, now in their early teens and flourishing at school, and I've recently taken on a nine-year-old boy, who when I met him, told me he wants to be a scientist – all the children have high aspirations. Since my return, I've agreed to look after the UK sponsorship Charity account for FEAST. If anyone would like to know more about the charity, or would consider a sponsorship, please contact me (details available through SPA office). £8 p/m sponsors a child in education until college age and hopefully beyond £5 p/m sponsors an elderly person re food, integrating them back into the family unit £1,500 builds a basic concrete dwelling to move a family out of shack accommodation with mud floors and banana leaf roofs. PINS & NEEDLES by Helen Page Who would have guessed that 12 grubby tie pins and brooches, found in the back of a cupboard, would generate such excitement? The pins were offered in the last issue to those who were judged deserving of the old awards. One thing everyone agreed on was that the ruby pins were awarded for long service. And that was where the consensus ended. Members were convinced they were for 15, 20, 25 and 40 years. We were surprised, here in the office, to learn just how valuable they are. The original price list from Mappin & Webb shows they cost nearly £200 plus VAT, over 30 years ago. Member Tony Oxford went into the jewellers to ask about them. The presentation box only had one royal warrant; the company was awarded a second warrant for HRH Prince Charles in 1980, so that sets the date prior to then. They can still be bought from Charles Green, Tel 0121 236 1874, though they are eye-wateringly expensive: a set of three-stone cufflinks will set you back £470. 1 Quite a few members were disappointed that they missed out on their award during their working career, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It seems different countries had their own rewards, which were not always so generous. Though hotly contested, these were the most popular suggestions: • • • • • • • 10 years - Plain gold (though not real gold) 15 years - Emerald 20 years - Ruby 25 years - One diamond 30 years - Two diamonds 35 years - Three diamonds 40 years - Four diamonds and membership of the 4 Star Club We received a photo of a similar award for 15 years, whilst working in Nigeria, from Myrrdin Jones, but instead of Mappin & Webb it has 'KON REGEER DOUBLÉ' arranged as a circle on the reverse. It's rather fancier than our version. 2 3 1 Michael aged 10 at our first meeting. He's sporting his Ferrari Baseball cap, donated by Shell! 2 Michael on my November visit, now 17 3 Visiting school children, many sponsored by the FEAST charity. Even in that neck of the woods they love a ‘selfie'! Some of the deserving entries went to: Replace pins lost during house moves, travels, trips to the dry cleaners or lost to Johnny Robber’s swag bag, as member, Russell Carter, referred to his burglary • Celebrate 40 years of marriage • A member in his 80s. Having lost his wife a few years ago he has found unexpected happiness with a new lady friend, and would like to give her a gift that's meaningful to him • A member who had admired them on older gentlemen’s lapels and would like to sport one at his upcoming 87th birthday. He obviously still considers himself young. • The funniest award went to a member who, years ago, was asked to present a pin to a member of staff. He told his secretary to leave it on his desk. She was reluctant to leave such an expensive piece of jewellery. He laughed and advised her that it was only cheap metal and paste. If it were a real stone, it could cut through glass. To demonstrate his point, he ran the gem down his window, leaving a deep score – which was never repaired – and a very red face. I too, got a stern telling off for using Brasso to clean the pins. Had I known their worth, I would have treated them with far more deference. SPA NE WS | 17 SPA MI S CE LL A N E O U S RESPONSE TO THE DONATION REQUEST by Shell Art Collection One pin was sent to the Shell Heritage Art Collection, so it can be kept for posterity and viewed by visitors for a long time to come. Nicky and the team at the Shell Heritage Art Collection would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who kindly donated gifts to the Collection. We've received numerous enquiries from readers across the country regarding gifts and mementos collected during their time with Shell. Amongst the new additions to the Collection, we've been lucky enough to receive: Shell engraved Parker pens, various Shell books, cufflinks, a Shell medicine bottle, a mini oil bottle from the 1930s, FROG model aircrafts, a tie pin, and even more on the way. We’re very grateful to everyone who has sent such lovely items to the Collection. It has been very interesting to learn about some of the fascinating stories of time spent within Shell. The scheme to reward staff for long service to Shell began 60 years ago in June 1956. Long service emblems were awarded to staff when they had completed 25, 30, 35 and 40 years service. In its first year, the scheme awarded 3,130 employees with gold lapel studs for the men and brooches for the women. The emblem incorporated the company’s insignia and was decorated with one or more diamonds according to years of service. The gifts were considered a small token that symbolised a great one. If you have anything you would like to donate that you think may be of interest to Nicky and the team, please get in touch. Email: shell.art@beaulieu.co.uk or Tel: 01590 614697. reminded me of this lump of coal (and optimistic slogan), obtained during my time with Shell Coal around 1978. Now very useful for ‘first footing’!" Tom Cannon: "I was given it by a colleague from SMBP days, Keith Mitchell, around the mid 70s. He was rebranded BP and I was Shell. It's 5cm2 and weighs only 144 grams, not much weight for a paperweight!" Pauline Messum: "My husband had many years in Shell International in China, the Philippines, Singapore and Canada, and later seven years as MD of Gulf Oil in Copenhagen. As such, he and I were invited to the inauguration in Hamburg of the North Sea oil installation and presented with a paperweight inscribed with the date 1972." Chris Baldry: "I joined the Investment Division of Shell Pensions in 1983 and left in 1997. This would date the presentation of these paperweights between September 1983 and 1986 since Thelma Tasker’s late husband retired in the latter year. I’ve no idea why I was considered for receipt of this gift, but both Derek Tasker and myself worked in a finance function." Derek Howcroft writes: "I have the BP version. From what I remember, it was BP who discovered oil in the North Sea in 1975, so I wonder if the Shell paperweight was produced about the same time?" Laura Rawlings (was Shingler): "Mine was given to me in 1981 by Captain Visser of m.s. Daphne when I spent 10 days on board sailing from Le Havre to the Fawley refinery at Southampton via Flotta, in the Orkneys. I was working for SITCo ITS in tanker programming and it was customary for us to be sent on a 'tanker trip' to experience life on board, which was most interesting. The only drawback was having to climb over the side of the tanker and down a very small ladder into the boat which could take us ashore! Happy memories!" PAPERWEIGHTS We got a great response to Thelma Tasker's letter in the last issue; she was unsure of when her late husband, Derek, was given his paperweight. Here are some of the many replies: Ian Wright sent a photo of one he received while at Shell at Bacton Gas Terminal in 1976. Pat Lawrence: "I have one which belonged to my late husband, Capt. William Lawrence. Also a glass tankard, with an inscription 'Shell-Esso Brent Oil Ashore Dec. 1976', which puts a definite date on the first Brent Oil." June Procter: "My late husband Ronald served nearly 40 years with Shell in London; on retiring he set up the North London/Herts SPA Branch and was Chairman for three years. It's such a coincidence that Derek (Tasker) and Ron both worked in Shell Centre and both received one of these paper weights – I wonder if they knew each other?" Sue Allen (nee Riddington): "I worked at Shell Centre 1964-79; as far as I remember at some time all employees were given a paperweight containing crude oil to celebrate its discovery in the North Sea. Mine has no Shell symbol but is well over 30 years old!" Kirsty Johns: "The oil paperweight 18 | SPA NEWS SPA M IS CEL L A NE OUS SAVINGS FOR SIXTIES AND OVER Although SPA works hard on your behalf, some discounts and deals are open to everyone over 60. Here are a few of the popular ones we came across: • B&Q stores across the UK offer a special Wednesday discount for 60+. • Boots Health Club – sign up to receive 10% off selected Boots brand products. Other exclusive savings for club members include 25% off Boots brand glasses at Boots Opticians and a free hearing test at Boots Hearing Care Centres. • Odeon Silver Cinema for over 55s – tickets available on selected films and screening times from as little as £3 when you book in person (£3.50 online). Book up to four weeks in advance and pre-movie tea, coffee and biscuits are included. Go to www.odeon.co.uk • A Senior Railcard is available to people over 60. At £30 for the whole year, you get one-third off the price of standard, first class, off-peak and advance fares. And at tesco.com you can buy an annual Senior Railcard at a discount price in exchange for £15 worth of Clubcard points. www.vouchercodes.co.uk offer short-term discounts on well-known high street chain restaurants, including 2-4-1 deals and often up to one-third off the price of a meal. If you have internet access, Seniors Discounts provide regular updates of the latest offers www.seniorsdiscounts.co.uk Register to receive their newsletter via email. The above were sourced from Saga Magazine It's always worth asking if a discount applies when making an expensive purchase. Member, Mrs Cubberley, was buying a new Hyundai car from her local garage. During the course of the conversation it emerged she's a Shell pensioner; she was eligible for a £1,000 discount, even though she'd already agreed to buy the car. She contacted us to make sure other members don’t miss out. APPLYING DISCOUNTS TO APPLIANCES Most of us only replace our appliances every six years or so. Kitchen equipment and appliances typically account for the largest outlay of any room, so it’s worth taking time to make the right choice. Check your space. Measure all dimensions and write the sizes down before looking at appliances. Check capacity. Determine your budget and check prices in readiness – a higher price does not always mean higher quality. Check the appliance's energy ratings; over its life, a little bit more energy used can add up to a lot of money. Read reviews. If a brand or model has a lot of problems, you’ll know it. Consumer magazines, such as Which? are particularly useful. Buttons, knobs, and controls. Some appliances have nice, flat panels that can be cleaned in one wipe; others require a lot of disassembly to get at spills down underneath knobs. Are the knobs easy to grip and operate? Top-freezer refrigerators are less expensive, but bottom-freezer units offer the convenience of eye-level shelving. Choose the features you want, and be realistic. It's easy to spend money for options you don't need, e.g. how many washing cycles do you use? How often will you use the ice dispenser on the fridge? Usually fewer features mean cheaper, and more reliable, equipment. Do you live alone in a small flat, or do you frequently entertain? Will you be chilling empty space? Hotpoint is offering members 35% off new end of line kitchen appliances at the Hotpoint Clearance Store. Delivery is direct from the manufacturer and includes: • Free nationwide delivery (England, Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales) • Free removal/recycling (on a like for like basis). Additional options include: • Gas connection on free-standing appliances (by Hotpoint's gas safe engineers) • Connection services on all other freestanding appliances • Choice selection on timed delivery windows Go to www.hotpointclearance.co.uk and use voucher code: SHELL35 at checkout or Tel: 01733 287 889 SPA NE WS | 19 SPA F I NANC E IS IT TRUE I CAN 'CASH IN' MY SCPF PENSION? BY DONNA LIVINGSTONE, COMMUNICATION AND TRUSTEE SERVICES ADVISER If you’re receiving your Shell Contributory Pension Fund (SCPF) the simple answer is No! You cannot 'cash in' or transfer your SCPF pension to another arrangement. You’ve probably heard about the changes made by the government to give savers more freedom when it comes to taking their pension savings. The new pension freedom changes, introduced from 6 April 2015, allow people aged 55 or over to do what they like with their Defined Contribution (DC) pension pot. As the SCPF is a Defined Benefit (DB) scheme, most of the changes do not apply. If you’re a pensioner, you're already receiving your SCPF pension, so the changes will not affect you, unless you have DC benefits elsewhere that you have yet to take. The government has set up a free retirement guidance service called Pension Wise for people with DC benefits. Visit www.pensionwise.gov.uk for more information. If you have not started to receive your SCPF pension and you want to take advantage of the pension freedoms, you will have to transfer your benefit to a DC arrangement. If your SCPF transfer value is more than £30,000 you must, before transferring, take independent advice from a financial adviser authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Decisions about your pension savings are complicated and important so we strongly encourage you to seek independent financial advice regardless of the value of your pension, before deciding what to do. You can find a list of independent financial advisers in your area at www.unbiased.co.uk THUMBS UP FOR UK FOREX SPA Member Stewart Officer, wrote to share with readers his recent experience with UK Forex. Having seen UK Forex mentioned in the SPA Benefits (Finance) section, I had a very helpful discussion with the organisation and have now used their services. They were extremely helpful in setting up the beneficiaries and it was a very easy process to use. The benefit is you don’t pay fees on the first three transactions. As an example, I transferred £20k to Euros to our ABN-AMRO bank in the Netherlands and saved 1,400 Euros on Exchange Rate compared to if I'd have used Lloyds Bank (we are buying a small property in Carveiro in the Algarve, Portugal). From the deal date to the funds appearing in my bank account was three days and I was kept informed by email every step of the way, on progress of the deal to completion, 20 | SPA NEWS so excellent security. As advertised in the Benefits section on p2 of SPA News, you use the Shell pid (personal identification number) 1344. The benefits gained from this include: • The first three transactions free of charge • Improved margin online with exchange rate (referred to as a preferential rate) • No fee on transfers below £3,000, otherwise it's £7.00 (lower than bank figures) • Registering and setting up bank IBAN, BiC or Swift takes you directly to a Personal Dealer, which simplifies the transaction process • I can personally recommend Andy Atkins on 020 7614 4194 (Dealer) or Nina on 0207 614 4121 (Customer Service) or Paul Marmattino 0207 614 4149 (Dealer). TRUSTEE VIDEO WEBCAST Shell Pension Trust has produced a video webcast for active members of the Shell Contributory Pension Fund. You can watch the full webcast and view the questions and answers on the pensions website www.pensions.shell.co.uk/scpf/ communications.html SPA H E ALT H SPRING INTO HEALTH HAS THE COLD SNAP LEFT YOU WITH CHAPPED LIPS? The lip skin is not hairy and has no sweat glands, so doesn’t have the usual protection layer of sweat and body oils, which keep the skin smooth and regulate warmth. This is why lips tend to dry out faster than other parts of the body and become chapped more easily. It’s particularly prevalent in older people who are ill. TOP TIPS Don’t lick or touch them. It’s tempting to lick or pick at dry lips. Although this brings temporary relief, as the saliva evaporates, it dries out the lips even further. Picking the skin can lead to bleeding, infection or cold sores. Look for a lip balm that contains natural moisturisers, such as beeswax, coconut butter or almond oil. A vitamin E or glycerine-based ointment might be helpful. Lip ointments with flavourings taste good, but only encourage licking, so undoing any good. DO YOU HAVE POOR SIGHT? A member asked: "I’ve been registered as having poor sight and am told that I can get help with setting up my computer, my dvd machine, etc but where do I go for this sort of help?" RNIB's Technology Support Squad is a free national service that can set up, fix issues with, and help you use your device. Get in touch for help with: • Changing your watch battery • Tuning in your digital radio • Setting up audio description on your TV • Setting up a new computer, laptop or printer • Setting up your internet connection • Installing software such as Microsoft Office or JAWS Avoid products with eucalyptus, menthol or camphor listed as ingredients. If the lips are painful, try rubbing in aloe gel, a slice of cucumber or honey. Or make up a rub with olive oil and sugar. If you have a humidifier in the home, try using that to add more moisture to the air, temporarily. Look at other underlying causes, other than temperature. Excessive intake of salt doesn’t help. A vitamin supplement during colder months might be an idea, especially A, B, C B2 and E. Try not to sleep with your mouth open. Chapped lips can be caused by breathing through an open mouth, when you have a stuffy nose. Clear your nose before bed. If you can’t avoid sleeping with your mouth open, apply a lip balm before retiring. Always apply a balm before going out in harsh or windy conditions. There are still surprisingly cold snaps in April and May. HOME-MADE WEEKLY TREATMENT: Mix: A tablespoon of brown sugar A dash of honey (just enough to make the sugar stick) or • A spoon of olive oil • A tiny drop of vanilla essence Mix together in a small container until sticky. Apply to the lips once a week and rub in. Leave for one minute. Wash off and apply regular lip balm. • • WHO HAS PRIORITY ON BUSES? Have you been unable to board public transport with a wheelchair because the allocated space is occupied by a pushchair? What is fair? The following answer is given by Citizens Advice England: “Wheelchair users should be given priority over pushchair users. If there is a pushchair in the wheelchair space when you try to board the bus, the driver should ask the pushchair user to move. However, if the pushchair user refuses to move, the driver can't force them to do so.” Editor’s note: I remember as a child that, when the bus was full, I had to stand, or sit on my mother’s lap, to make a seat for any adult … Call RNIB on 0303 123 9999 SPA NE WS | 21 SPA T I ME OU T LENSBURY: THE PERFECT GETAWAY by Ryan Conway, Reservations Coordinator Retreat to The Lensbury this year, set on the banks of the River Thames. Take an afternoon stroll along the Thames to nearby Richmond or Kingston. Visit Teddington High Street with its mix of local restaurants, boutiques, curiosity stores and coffee shops. Should you wish to venture beyond our 25-acre grounds, Hampton Court, Kew Gardens, Richmond & Bushy Parks are on the doorstep. Central London is 30 minutes away by direct train, and our shuttle service can take you to and from Teddington Station, free of charge* 2 NIGHT OFFER 3-7 NIGHT OFFER SPA members can take advantage of these offers as many times as they like throughout the year, and at any time mid-week or weekend – bookings are now completely unrestricted. Lensbury Members receive even further discounted rates; please ask for details when making your reservation. All rates include full English buffet breakfast, VAT, parking, wi-fi and use of The Lensbury’s leisure facilities, including 25m newly-refurbished indoor pool, gym, sauna & steam, tennis, squash and seasonal watersports, such as boating. Standard Single Standard Double Superior Double/Twin Standard Single Standard Double Superior Double/Twin 2 nights per night £159 £215 £245 £79.50 £107.50 £122.50 5 nights per night £335 £440 £490 A VIP DAY AT HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA: 29 JUNE AND 3 JULY Member Nigel Scandrett, owner of the Maidenhead Steam Company, offered fellow members discounted hospitality during Henley Regatta last year. As he got a good response he is repeating the offer for two dates in 2016. The Garden Party takes place in the riverside gardens of a Tudor mansion, there are two river cruises along the course, a complimentary bar throughout the day, Champagne and Pimms reception, 4-course lunch including a cold lobster option, a trad jazz band and a strawberry cream tea. Car parking is available on site or a complimentary shuttle bus from Henley station. The public price is £294pp but the SPA member offer is £175. http://www.henleyregatta. info/ for more information. Contact Nigel 0203 044 2925 or nigel@maidenheadsteam.co.uk £67 £88 £98 Executive king and queen rooms are also offered at a discount. For information or to make a booking , call 0208 614 6444 or email accommodation@lensbury.com *Shuttle service runs from 7am-9.30am and from 4pm-7.30pm Mon-Fri, on request FREE TICKETS TO DELACROIX AND THE RISE OF MODERN ART "We all paint in Delacroix’s language,” observed Cézanne. From the bold colours and abstract shapes of Matisse and Kandinsky, to the expressiveness of Van Gogh and Gauguin, to the vibrant complementary colours of the Impressionists, all can be traced back to Eugène Delacroix – the last painter of the Grand Style and one of the first modern masters, who transformed 22 | SPA NEWS French painting in the 19th century. ‘Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art’ is an homage to France’s leading exponent of Romanticism who, at the time of his death in 1863, was the most revered artist among the avant-garde in Paris. Drawing inspiration from British art and literature, his real and imagined travels to North Africa, and biblical scenes; every chord of human passion can be found in Delacroix’s paintings – stories of love, murder, violence, and war. “The first merit of a painting is to be a feast for the eye,” he emphasised. This exhibition traces 50 years of Delacroix’s legacy, exploring the profound impact he had on generations of artists to come. SPA has been generously offered 10 pairs of tickets (worth £12 each), CRUISING THE OCEAN WAVES TO SULTRY TILBURY by Helen Page On a dark night in winter, I was invited to an evening of dinner and entertainment on board the Magellan cruise ship, docked at Tilbury. It's named after the 15th century Portuguese explorer, who was the first European to cross the Pacific. The passage was made through the straits at the southern point of America, which were later named after him. It can accommodate 1,250 passengers. The ship didn't leave the port, so I can't report on the sailing experience. Popular destinations include the fjords, Baltics, Iceland and the Canaries. My host was South Quay Travel; their holiday offers have appeared in previous issues of SPANews. As a cruising novice, I was impressed by the standard, not to mention volume, of food. Cruise & Maritime Voyages thought that six courses might not be enough, so added a little smoked salmon “amuse bouche” too! We seem to have few opportunities to dress up these days and most passengers had made a great effort and enjoyed the occasion. After dinner, we were entertained by a cabaret of dancers and performers. They were indeed professional. 1 My experience was free, so I can’t comment on value for money, but I met a few couples who were planning round-theworld or long-distance cruises, and were using this as a taster, which seemed a good idea, before embarking into the unknown for several weeks. My main concern is that this is not for those of us who could do with losing a few pounds. Had I stayed on board for two weeks, I fear I may have had to disembark with the aid of a crane! 2 1) Magellan 2) Helen at Tilbury - not quite the Med! EAST MEETS WEST valid until 15 May. Closing date for applications is 22 April. If you won tickets in the last ballot, please give another member a chance. Please note: Corporate bookings at the National Gallery must now be made online. There is no longer a telephone facility. Winners will be given a weblink and passcode. Eugène Delacroix Lion Hunt, 1861. Oil on canvas. 76.3 x 98.2 cm © The Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois Potter Palmer Collection, 1922.404 You could be forgiven for thinking when walking around Don and Ann Knight's garden that you're in far off Japan, instead of the Vale of Glamorgan. It's a Japanese inspired oasis, complete with dramatic Zen gate, red Pagoda, Torrii gate, Buddha’s and the great Amazon waterfall. Don, who joined Shell in 1969 and left in 1992 to become a self-employed dangerous goods driver, has grown and designed Bonsai over many years. He's been invited to display his bonsai at the Royal Lancashire Horticultural show several times (winning best in show), the Manchester horticultural show, Southport Bonsai show, and annual village shows. Their garden recently won the National Trust of Wales 'Gardenproud' competition. Four years ago Ann and Don opened their garden for the National Garden Scheme, making £2,800 last year, which included a donation of £350 from Shell. Don also does talks for various clubs, asking for a donation of £30 for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. This year their garden will be open on Sunday 15 May with a £3 entrance fee, and they would be delighted to see any old friends or colleagues who are in the area: 21 Monmouth Way, Boverton, Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan CF61 2GT - Tel 01446 794529. 1 2 1) Expert at work 2) Japanese garden SPA NE WS | 23 SPA R E U NI O N S & M E E TI N G S There are a number of reunions and meetings organised throughout the year from different business departments. We will advertise the reunions that we know about. Shell Agrochemicals 34th Reunion Lunch, November 2016, London. Venue will be advised in due course. Contact Peter Langcake at peter.langcake@btinternet.com, 01903 744679. 52nd Shell Venezuela reunion will be celebrated at the Royal Air Force Club, Piccadilly, 19 May 2016 at midday. Contact Andy Cole cole@andrewcole78.orangehome.co.uk East Europe 5 July 2016 midday at Champagne Charlie’s. The usual drinks and finger buffet is organised; costs should be similar to last year. Please spread the word to all Shell colleagues who had anything to do with EE (however small!) London. Contact Tom Salmons 01580 714572 salmons@tiscali.co.uk LMC Mountaineering Club meets regularly during the year for day walks and weekends away. See our programme at: www.hillsandvalleys.co.uk/LMC, or email: LMC@hillsandvalleys.co.uk Oman Golfers Association 63 members have so far booked to attend 2016 Annual Meeting on 5, 6, 7 July at Cave Castle Hotel and Country Club, South Cave, East Yorkshire. For further information on the meeting or the OGA, please contact Fred Gray on 01624 837247, or email: facgray@manx.net Singapore/Malaya, now West Malaysia Lunch 4 May 2016 at the Punchbowl Inn, near Ockley. All welcome. Contact Barry Collins, 01306 887522 penbar@btinternet.com SCUK/SICC 34th Shell Chemicals Reunion Lunch: open to all who have been involved in Chemicals in SCUK and SICC, including partners, guests and deferred pensioners. Friday 22 April 2016 at Lensbury. Contact Jon Warnke 01483 417387, jgwarnke@btinternet.com Shell Chemicals Seniors' Golf Day: Sunningdale Ladies Golf Club, 11 May 2016. Contact Martin Edsall, mgedsall@waitrose.com Hants. Congratulations to winter cup winner, Michael Viney 2016 venues are: 4 May, Drift Golf Club (East Horsley), 2 Sept at Clandon Regis Golf Club (West Clandon), 8 November, North Hants Golf Club (Fleet). Contact Margaret Bedford 020-89405044, mkbedford@talktalk.net Fleming Trophy 2 June 2016 at Ballater Golf Club. Golf tournament organised by Bill Laver and Phil Bonnamy. Although most players live in the Aberdeen area, a few enthusiastic golfers travel from further afield. 2015 winners were Ian Smith and Alison Graham. Contact Bill Laver wglaver@btinternet.com Expro “Long Service” Aberdeen, to recreate the ‘reunion’ flavour of the (long gone!) company Long Service Dinner, held for completing 25 years or more service. The cost will be about £75 per person, for dinner, dancing and live entertainment. Contact May Stratton, maystratton@yahoo.co.uk or Jane Stuart, jane.stuart6@btinternet.com Shell Travel Club, vacancies to: Austria 19 May 2016 for 7 nights, contact Anthony Jonas: and@ukjonas.net Champagne Tour 21 June 2016, 4 nights and Lanzarote 7 October 2016, 7 nights, contact Rob Jenkins: robert.jenkins@hotmail.co.uk. Essex & Suffolk 22 August for 4 nights, contact Rod Brown: rgbrown77@virginmedia.com For Membership, newsletter, information on day trips, contact Pauline Barnes: membership@shelltravelclub.com Shell Fleet For anyone who had careers in the Shell Tanker Fleet and related offices ashore. The 67th AGM and Reunion Dinner will be held on 15 April 2016 at Lensbury. The 21st Autumn Reunion will be held in Birmingham over the weekend of Friday 16 - Sunday 18 Sept 2016. For further information contact the Secretary, Capt Douglas Davidson MBE at sfrsa@aol.com Marine: for old friends and colleagues from SIM and STUK. The next lunch will be 18 May 2016, at Lensbury. Contact Eamonn McGettrick 01227 740586 or email marinereunion@btinternet.com SHELL Expro, East Anglia and all colleagues who worked at Lowestoft, Bacton or Offshore. Venue RNSYC Lowestoft, 9 June 2016. Contact Michael Partridge mjpar8@btinternet.com or Sally Brown spbrown.blackshore@gmail.com Pecten Golf Society welcomes all Shell (and ex-Shell) golfers (male and female) for a friendly round of golf followed by lunch at various courses around the South East of England. Last year we held successful outings to Betchworth Park, Bramley and North Thornton Network 2016 meeting will take place at Thornton Science Park on Thursday 12 May at 1.30 pm. Further details nearer the time. Contact Jane Davis at janethorntonnetwork@gmail.com Golf winners Winter 2015 24 | SPA NEWS S PA BRANCHES YORKSHIRE BRANCH VISIT AIR MUSEUM Last winter, Yorkshire Branch visited the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, near York. 1 Elvington was originally a World War II Bomber Command grass strip airfield, a substation of the nearby Pocklington base. It was rebuilt with hard top runways in 1942 and later in the war was host to two Free French squadrons. In the Cold War, the Americans extended the main runway to 3km (approx two miles) to take nuclear bombers, but was never used, as the Polaris submarine programme took over that role. The site of the RAF base is now an independent air museum, with WWII buildings preserved and providing a wartime atmosphere. The museum also hosts the Allied Air Forces Memorial and in fact the whole museum area is intended as a memorial to air force crews. Our group met for coffee in the ‘NAAFI canteen’ and was briefed by one of the guides, Harry, who had served in the RAF in the cold war period. We were free to explore the by Paul Wood museum, Harry on hand with his extensive knowledge and occasional hair-raising stories of his time in the service. I had a particular interest as my father was a Halifax pilot in 1944/45, flying from the nearby Pocklington base. It was quite staggering to see the sheer size of the aircraft type he’d flown into hostile territory after probably insufficient training (in Oklahoma!) at the age of only 21. We were impressed by the amount and quality of displays at the Yorkshire Air Museum. It has no government funding and is staffed mainly by volunteers with a love of aviation and the history of WWII in Yorkshire. Volunteers probably outnumbered the visitors on the misty December Tuesday that we were there! It is well worth a visit if you’re in the area, even if you only have a passing interest in aviation, as it recounts the day-to-day story of a crucial period in our history (rather than glamourising it) and some of those who fought to defend our country. 2 Editor’s note: Entry costs £6 concessionary price, £5 for groups. 1) Yorkshire Air Museum, Messerschmitt 109 and Halifax 2) YBSPA members at Yorkshire Air Museum THE ISLE OF MAN CELEBRATES BURNS NIGHT A great night was had by all at The Cherry Orchard Hotel, Port Erin. Twenty-six attended – not bad for a small branch! This photo was sent in by branch secretary, Fenella Gray, who was awarded an MBE in 2011 for services to the community. The collage was made by Graham Fox-Hulme, who also took the shots. SPA NE WS | 25 SPA B R AN CH EVE N TS, C A L END A R, 2016 A ND CONTA CTS Cheshire Kenneth Skeldon Email:kenneth.skeldon1@virginmedia.com 10 May Haddon Hall, Bakewell Derbyshire 7 Jun Severn Valley Railway from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth. 29 Jun Southport ”90 Glorious Years” at the Floral Hall. 5 Jul Trip tba, possibly Lake District 18 Aug Nantwich market, Dagfields then Chairman’s Strawberry Tea. Chilterns & Thames Valley Judith Turner Tel: 01895 637188 Email:judith.turnerspa@btinternet.com 5 May Spring Lunch & AGM, Sonning Golf Club Cumbria & Lancashire Ken LovellTel: 01900 823414 Email: kennethlovell@btinternet.com 18 Apr AGM & Lunch, Longlands Inn, Tewitfield, Nr. Carnforth, Lancashire 1 Jun Summer Lunch, Gateway Hotel, Kendal Devon & Cornwall David Watters Tel: 01803 856648 Email: dgwatters@gmx.com 17 May Formal Lunch, Pier House Hotel, Charlestown, Cornwall 28 Jun Pub Lunch, Plymouth area, Devon East Anglia Sally Brown Tel: 01502 585023 Email: spbrown.blackshore@gmail.com 21 Apr AGM & Spring Lunch at Park Farm Hotel, Hethersett nr Norwich 19 May Sizewell/Thorpeness area, Suffolk. 5 mile circular walk with pub lunch. 9 Jun Reunion for Shell Expro East Anglia staff and colleagues who worked at Lowestoft, Bacton or Offshore. Venue RNSYC Lowestoft. See Reunions Page for contacts and more information. 16 Jun Visit to Pensthorpe Natural Park, nr Fakenham, Norfolk. 13 Jul Visit to Lady Spencer Gardens, Gt. Yeldham, Nr Halstead, Essex. Tour with lunch. May Trip to The Severn Valley Railway 6 Jun Summer Lunch June 6th. Isle of Man Fenella Gray Email: fenellagray@manx.net 27 Apr AGM and lunch at Rowany Golf Club 13 Jul: Visit to Milntown house gardens with lunch. Isle of Wight Jocelyn Hardy-Bishop Tel: 01983 866303 Email: johardybishop@hotmail.co.uk 15 Apr The Lifeboat, East Cowes, PO32 6UB Kent Linda Leborgne Tel: 01634 262081 Email: linda@leborgne.freeserve.co.uk 13 Apr Lunch, Fruiterers Arms, with entertainment by Cameo Opera 10 MayAGM, Boughton Golf Club, Nr. Faversham The Marches Gill Stovold Tel: 01568 760241 Email: gill.stovold@virgin.net Apr 14 Spring meeting, Leominster Golf Club 8 Jul American Picnic, The old Rectory, Stoke Prior Midshires Alan Chandler Tel: 0121 705 1648 Email: alan.16@blueyonder.co.uk 14 Apr The Midland Air Museum at Coventry 8 Jun Tour of BMW Mini Plant at Cowley Oxford North London & Herts Robert Hillyard Tel: 01707 654165 Email: robert_hillyard@hotmail.com 11 May Docklands Walk 29 Jun Summer Lunch, Old Hunters Lodge, Whipsnade 26 Jul Visit to Royal Chelsea Hospital and Chelsea Physic Garden 20 Aug Shuttleworth Flying Proms North & Mid Hants Malcolm Wells Tel: 01256 346743 Email: malcolm.j.wells@btinternet.com Essex Northern Ireland Iris Shaw Tel: 01375 679908 Email: irisshaw@tiscali.co.uk Guest speaker each month 18 May AGM,and tea party, Corringham Alma Atkins Tel: 02890 839003 Email: almaatkins@icloud.com 28 Jul AGM with visit to Hillsborough Castle 11 Aug Castleward with lunch in Strangford Greater Manchester (details on branch website) Bryan Clarke Tel: 0161 456 5083 Email: groveblue@sky.com Branch website www.spa-manchester.org.uk Regular events: flat walking every 3rd Thur, hill walking every 2nd Wed 16 Apr Trip to York 26 | SPA NEWS Northumberland & Durham Doug Renton Tel: 0191 252 5331 Email: douglas.renton1@virginmedia.com 19 Apr Pub. Lunch at the “Badger” Ponteland. 12 Jul Pub lunch, The Boatside, Warden, Hexham 1 2 3 4 5 Scotland June Wilson Email: sspamembershipsec@gmail.com Mid AprGeocache Walk/Lunch 14 May AGM 2 Jun Fleming Golf Trophy 16 Jun Presentation by Tina Gilchrist Mid Jul BBQ 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Northumberland Red Lion pub Bolden East Anglia Walkers Sussex N London Herts - punting in Cambridge Yorkshire - supper Selkent Pauline Langley Tel: 020 8856 1816 Email: pelangley0@gmail.com 12 Apr Spring lunch - Cyprianis, Petts Wood 4 May Legal London - Walking tour of Grays Inn and Middle and Lower Temple 26 May Foundling Museum, Brunswick Square 21 Jun Great Fire Walk - Guided walking tour celebrating 350th Anniversay of the Great Fire Severn & Avon Gerry Mapson Tel: 01452 712084 Email: camap.gb@blueyonder.co.uk 12 Apr AGM Minchinhampton Golf Club 17/18 May South Coast Field Trip (Fully Booked) 7 Jun Portishead Walk 6 Jul Garden Party 21 Jul St Fagan (Cardiff, South Wales) South Hants & Dorset Colin Lambert Tel: 01202 749676 Email: colin@lambert14.orangehome.co.uk 14 Apr Lunch, South Lawn Hotel, Milford-on-Sea. South Wales Gill Beach Tel: 01792 369320 Email gillianbeach@mac.com East Surrey Martyn Hankin Tel: 020 8946 2519 E-mail: jandmhankin@hotmail.com. 17 May Lunch at Leatherhead Golf Club. 11 Jul Visit to The Royal Hospital Chelsea. West Surrey Margaret ParsonsTel: 01483 811103 Email: mike_margaretparsons@btinternet.com 13 Apr Spring Lunch, Surbiton Golf Club 16 May Lunch & Quiz at Old Wimbledonians Rugby Club 13 Jun Backstage Tour, National Theatre 20 Jul Concert by Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall 15 Aug Chairman's Walk & 'Pot Luck' Lunch, Claygate Sussex Nigel Beesley 01903 812775 14 Apr Spring Luncheon, Windsor Hotel Worthing 19 Jul Visit to St. Mary's Gardens, Bramber Yorkshire Hanneke Wood Tel: Contact SPA Email: pandhwood@mac.com 27 May (to be confirmed) AGM SPA NE WS | 27 SPA CONGR ATUL ATI O N S Here's a selection of the many wonderful photos we receive. If you wish to share details of your celebration, please contact Lynn who deals with these announcements. B y Ly n n F o r s d y k e GOLDEN (50 YEARS) EMERALD (55 YEARS) DIAMOND (60 YEARS) Horton, Jean and Barry of Sutton Coldfield – 19 Feb. Prior to retirement Barry worked for Shell UK. Dunn, Audrey and Barry of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire – 4 Mar. Prior to retirement Barry worked at Stanlow Refinery. They celebrated their anniversary in Newquay. Carr, Irene and Jeffrey of Bolton - 24 Mar. Both Irene and Jeffrey worked at Shell Carrington. Pritchard, Nita and Reg of Ellesmere Port, Cheshire – 10 Mar. Prior to retirement Reg worked at Shell Stanlow. Mooney, Christine and Terry of Warrington, Cheshire – 12 Feb. Prior to retirement Terry worked in Shell UK Ltd, Manchester Airport. They celebrated with family and friends and are going on a cruise in July. Head, Enid and Mike of Otford, Nr Sevenoaks, Kent – 24 Dec. Prior to retirement Enid worked in Shell Aircraft. Mike worked for Anglo Saxon Petroleum in St. Helen’s Court, leaving in 1961. Swankie, Irene and Dave of Dundee – 31 Aug. Prior to retirement Dave was a Platform Maintenance Engineer in the Brent Field. Irene and Dave celebrated with family for a weekend in Aviemore, and then spent a week in Orkney. 28 | SPA NEWS Scott, Ann and Bill of Giffnock, Glasgow – 26 Jan. Prior to retirement Bill worked at Bishopbriggs Terminal near Glasgow. BLUE SAPPHIRE (65 YEARS) Waring, Joan and Doug of Lincolnshire – 10 Mar. Both Joan and Doug worked for Shell, Joan in Catering and Doug at Stanlow. SPA OBITUARIE S Pensioners who are SPA members will automatically be included in this column. We are happy to include the death of a spouse of an SPA member but are totally reliant upon you advising us of the details. Unfortunately, we are unable to print any obituaries over a year old. We regret to report the death of the following members: Bisiker, John Greville (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 7 December Bournes, Philip John (83) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 14 January Brace, Mrs Marjorie (90) widow of Frederick – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 25 January Bracher, Mrs Patricia M (87) widow of Donald – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 10 January Brady, Ms Eileen (82) widow of John Leo – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 5 February Breen, Mrs Barbara (84) wife of Alfred – Shell Chemicals, Carrington died 26 December Broad, Mrs Nellie (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 26 January Abbot, Mrs Betty (90) widow of Ronald – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 7 February Adams, Mrs Mary (93) widow of John Anthony – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 28 December Allen, William John (87) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 9 January Anderson, Mrs Violet Louisa (88) widow of Angus – Shell Portuguesa S.A.R.L died 17 January Ayling, Brian (78) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 19 December Bader, Lady Joan Eileen (97) widow of Lord Douglas Robert Stewart – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 18 December Bate, Ronald (87) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 7 December Beahon, Mrs Florence Sheila (94) widow of Joseph – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 4 December Bennett, Dr John Edward (86) – Shell Research Ltd died 4 January Bentley, Mrs Winifred Mary (92) widow of Stanley – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 31 January Bevan, Graham (79) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 29 October Brooker, Arthur Ernest (97) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 10 January Caie, Robert Nelson (81) – Shell UK Exploration and Production Ltd died 1 December Castle, Herbert Victor (85) widower of Betty Mildred – Shell Research Ltd died 6 November Castleden, John Robert (88) – Shell Indonesia died 4 January Chaloner, Mrs Eileen Josephine (89) widow of R Chaloner – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 3 January Charlwood, Mrs Dorothy Mary (100) widow of John William – Shell International Ltd died 26 November Cooper, Michael Brodie (90) – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 13 February Coore, Mrs Vera Maud (79) widow of Augustus – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 28 December Cope, Thomas William (74) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 10 November Coulthard, Donald (87) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 22 November Coulton, Mrs Doris Irene (92) widow of Edward Richard – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 29 January Coutts, Brian Frank (76) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 27 January Curphey, Mrs Helen (94) widow of A Curphey – Shell Tankers (UK) Ltd died 5 January Darby, Robin (84) – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 2 January Davies, Mrs Audrey Margaret (93) widow of Charles Albert – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 30 November Davies, G (91) – National Oil & Chemical Marketing Company died 20 November Davies, Mrs Joan (80) widow of Albert McClennon – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 12 December Davis, Mrs Winifred Grace (99) widow of Albert Godfrey Charles – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 25 January Day, Mrs Rosina (89) – Shell Research Ltd died 29 November Charman, Eric John (87) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 9 January Donnellan, Dr John Francis (75) – Shell Research Ltd died 22 January Clarke, Cyril Charles Johnson (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 24 January Doyle, Capt Desmond Arthur (90) – Shell Tankers (UK) Ltd died 7 January Clarke, John (84) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 11 December Dunnett, Mrs Dorothy (93) widow of Daniel Alexander – Shell Research Ltd died 30 December Cook, Mrs Alice (74) widow of Alfred Christopher – Shell Tankers (UK) Ltd died 18 January Cook, Mrs Enid May (95) widow of Raymond Charles – Shell International Trading & Shipping Company Ltd died 11 January Egalton, Mrs Elaine (65) – Shell International Ltd died 24 October Ellis, Mrs Marjorie Katherine (88) widow of John Herbert Maisey – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 18 December SPA NE WS | 29 SPA OB I T U AR I ES Ellul, Anthony (80) – SIPM died 29 January Engert, Mrs Anne Rosemary (83) dependant of William Frank – Shell Tankers (UK) Ltd died 9 January Engledow, Cyril Raymond (87) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 9 February Everett, Trefor John (71) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 30 December Fairfield, Dennis (86) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 4 January Fell, Mrs Doreen (91) widow of George – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 26 October Forbes, Ronald (74) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 28 January Garner, Mrs Marjorie Ashton (94) widow of John Ernest – Shell International Ltd died 1 November Garratt, Mrs Mary (89) widow of David – SIPM died 21 December Gay, Ian Seton (89) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 31 January Gibbons, John Robert (92) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 8 December Gibbs, Albert Frederick (86) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 24 January Graham, Alexander John Ross (83) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 14 January Graham, John Donaldson (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 20 November Grant, L M (94) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 29 November Greaves, Christopher Thomas (70) – SIPM died 11 December Green, Mrs Joan (93) widow of Alfred – SMBP/Power/Nat.Benzole died 11 February Griffiths, Alexander (93) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 25 January Hale, D (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 21 November Hale, David (79) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 4 January Hall, Derek Leonard (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 14 January Hawkins, Leslie (83) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 21 November Hayles, Mrs Valerie Wyndham (91) widow of Guy Vivian – Shell Trinidad Ltd died 29 December Haywood, Mrs Doris (91) widow of Percy – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 19 January 30 | SPA NEWS Heaton, Mrs Marjorie (85) widow of James Alfred – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 28 January Lydall, Mrs Norah Trevor (96) widow of Edward Francis – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 24 November Hemingway, Mrs Marguerite Laurie (94) widow of James – SMBP/Power/Nat. Benzole died 12 January Lynagh, Patrick (86) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 29 November Hepworth, Haydn (87) – Shell UK Exploration and Production Ltd died 23 January Higginson, Eric (92) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 16 January Hones, Malcolm Henry (71) – Enterprise Oil died 2 December Hordern, Arthur Francis (97) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 17 November Houtby, John Terry (81) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 26 January Howe, Mrs Pauline (71) widow of Hugh – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 2 January Hughes, Lionel Victor (84) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 30 December Hunt, Alan (75) – SIPM died 8 December Jeffery, Mrs Jacqueline Marcelle (95) widow of Ralph – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 23 January Jennings, B (88) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 16 January Jones, Mrs Inge (63) – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 12 November Jones, Mrs Jennifer Lesley (69) wife of Richard (Dick) – Shell Research Ltd died 5 September Jones, William Norman (93) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 24 January Kilbey, Mrs Rona Gwendolen (93) widow of Royston Howard – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 20 November Mallier, Paul Louis (80) widower of Nancy Marie – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 29 June Mann, Mrs Edna (88) widow of Eric – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 5 January Matthews, Leslie (85) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 25 December Matley, Brian (81) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 16 January Maybury, Norman (84) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 17 January Mayhew, Michael George (79) – Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd died 8 January Mcdougall, Edward (89) – Shell UK Exploration and Production Ltd died 20 November McIlhinney, Mrs Eileen (96) widow of Norman – SMBP/Power/Nat.Benzole died 24 January McIntosh, Mrs Lydia Watson Pettigrew (86) widow of Frederick – Colas Products died 3 December McKay, E W (93) – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 25 December McKenzie, Mrs Anne (76) partner of J S Liddel – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 17 January Miller, Kenneth John (82) – SIPM died 28 November Morris, Mrs Joyce Myrtle (95) widow of Anthony Charles – Shell International Trading & Shipping Co Ltd died 5 January Moscrop, Francis Robert (89) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 15 November Kyle, Mrs Jannette Birch (76) – Colas Products died 11 December Mossop, David Clement (84) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 10 December Lavery, Gregory Joseph Anthony (81) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 30 December Newton, Mrs Barbara Jeanne (86) widow of Denys Barrett – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 17 November Lawton, Keith (82) – Shell UK Exploration and Production Ltd died 2 February Lithgow, Arthur Spence (70) – Shell International Ltd died 22 January Longdon, Mrs Aileen Patricia (79) widow of Alan David – Shell UK Exploration & Production Ltd died 5 January O’Connell, Mrs Mary Kate (101) widow of Patrick – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 8 January Ortega, Miss J M (95) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 30 November Owen, Mrs Annastasia (85) widow of Wallace Lloyd – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 6 February Owen, Mrs Cynthia Mary Travers (93) widow of Stanley Charles – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 19 October Parker, Mrs Joyce Amelia (95) widow of Ernest Walter – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 27 October Parry, David Michael (86) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 28 November Pentland, Duncan Thomas (72) Shell UK Exploration & Production Ltd died 15 November Perry, Mrs P (87) – SIPM died 30 November Phillips, Miss Diana Lavinia (83) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 25 November Sharpe, Robert William (86) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 10 December Tilbury, Geoffrey John (78) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 7 January Shepherd, Eric Louis (93) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 22 December Towe, Mrs Olive (78) widow of John – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 27 January Short, George (91) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 14 November Trenery, Mrs Ilma Betty (81) widow of Maurice – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 7 February Simcock, Herbert (75) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 8 January Smith, Mrs Beryl Margaret (93) widow of Peter Harry Langley – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 14 September Smith, Derek (73) – Shell Tankers (UK) Ltd died 28 December Phillips, Stanley Richard (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 17 January Smith, Frederick Arthur (88) Shell UK Exploration & Production Ltd died 14 November Philpott, John Gordon (89) – Shell Venezuela SA died 8 January Smith, James (78) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 27 November Pillinger, Mrs Ethel Elena (88) – Shell Research Ltd died 31 October Smith, Mrs Joyce (95) widow of Derrick Strang – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 28 November Plummer, D E (90) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 23 October Preston, Mrs Joan Ruth (87) widow of Thomas Joseph – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 21 January Price, Ralph Samuel (82) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 14 November Psaila, Edgar John Joseph (81) – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 8 December Randoll, Bruce Paul (81) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 21 December Regan, Mrs Margaret Lesley (64) widow of Michael Anthony – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 29 November Rippingale, Mrs Claudia Juliet (79) widow of Frederick Lionel – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 15 November Robertson, Mrs Anna Stewart (94) widow of A S Robertson – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 10 November Robertson, Miss Heather Rose (79) dependant of A Robertson – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 23 December Robertson, J I (93) – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 15 December Romeo, Mrs Maria Ramira (78) – Shell International Ltd died 30 January Smith, Mrs Melanie Jane Scott (58) wife of Adrian – Shell PLR, formerly Shell Lubricants UK died 15 December Snelson, Mrs Iris (87) widow of Frank – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 30 October Sprules, Mrs Lavinia Rhoda (85) widow of Clifford George – Shell Chemicals UK Ltd died 16 December Stack, Mrs Joan Mary (82) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 5 January Stokes, Mrs Doreen Nancy (85) widow of William Dennis – Shell Research Ltd died 11 December Strudwick, Mrs Mary (92) widow of Ivor Percy – Shell Mex & BP died 23 January Sutton, Alan John (89) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 8 February Taylor, Mrs Grace Noreen (94) widow of W Taylor – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 18 November Tully, M B C (90) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 22 December Turner, Mrs Ada (94) widow of George Alfred John – Shell Mex & BP died 16 December Utley, Mrs Barbara Jaqueline (89) widow of F R Utley – Shell International Ltd died 29 November Valentine, David (82) – Shell Research Ltd died 24 January Ward, Peter Adrian (71) – Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd died 9 December Webb, William Pinches (85) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 10 December Willett, Mrs Dorothy Ruth (97) widow of Ernest William – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 1 February Wilson, Mrs Joan (89) widow of Geoffrey Walter – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 11 December Wilson, Robert (69) – Syria Shell Petroleum Development B.V. died 15 January Wood, Jack (91) – Shell Research Ltd died 12 December Wootten, Alan Peter (78) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 11 December Wybrew-Bond, Ian (74) – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 22 December Yates, William Alfred (90) – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 8 January Taylor-Bagshaw, Mrs Constance (87) widow of Arnold – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 25 November Teal, Anthony Frederick (89) – The Shell Petroleum Company of Nigeria died 10 December Sadler, Mrs Rosalie May (91) widow of E H Sadler – SIPM died 24 November Terheyden Van, Mrs Marion Graham (88) widow of Rene Antonius – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 14 January Sedgley, Mrs June Dorothy (90) widow of D J Sedgley – Shell UK Oil Products Ltd died 13 October Tibbs, Ronald (82) – Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd died 29 November SPA NE WS | 31