December - For The Retirees
Transcription
December - For The Retirees
American Express Retirees Club Newsletter – December 2013 / January 2014 Editor’s Notes by Peter Smith Now we don’t have access to the meeting rooms at Amex House it’s difficult to organize regular meetings for the club as the cost of suitable alternative meeting rooms can prove prohibitive, so if you know of anywhere that might be suitable and cheap please let us know. As a replacement we have tried to organize a number of trips out but once again if they involve a coach hire that can also prove cost prohibitive unless we can find at least 40 people to attend. One possibility is to combine the trips with another club who have similar difficulties, so if you belong to any other clubs that might consider combining activities please let us know. There are three provisional outings offered in this Newsletter, the P&O Cruise Ship Tour two Driving Experiences plus Target Shooting, if there are sufficient numbers. If you are interested please contact myself or Chris Belton to register your interest and we can then move on to making the specific arrangements. We will try to make them weekend events where possible as we know many of you continue to work. Whatever happened to Retirement? I hope you have a very happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you in the New Year. Chairman’s Report Christmas / New Year Social event - I am trying to organise a bit of a social event for Saturday 4th January probably to be held at a pub in Patcham starting at 1330-ish. If you would like to come along please let me know as soon as possible. The contact details are at the end of the Newsletter as usual. I anticipate the cost to be under £20. It all depends on you – I will make all the necessary arrangements once I have some idea of how many to book for. Events for 2014 - Events for the coming year are beginning to take shape and you can find the list on the website as well as in the Newsletter. There are some interesting options and if you haven’t been inside a prison, and I’m guessing most of you haven’t, then there’s an opportunity for you to do so. Similarly, if you’ve ever wondered about cruising and thought “it’s not for me” then take a look on board a P&O cruise ship plus a couple of hair raising driving experiences. We are also hoping to get a couple of dates for The Houses of Parliament as these have proved so popular in recent years. If you would like to attend any of them just let me or Peter Smith know – terms and conditions apply as they say!! Retiree Website and Retirees Blog - The observant amongst you will know that some significant changes have been made to the website recently. The number of pages has been reduced as a result of reviewing the usage statistics on the site as a whole. The Blog continues to be a conundrum to me as over 50 visits to the site are made each month and yet it is only me and a cou- 1 ple of others who contribute. Remember also that even if you receive the Newsletter by post, the new web version is available online with more colour and more pages.…and (almost) finally May I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very happy Christmas and to thank you for your continuing support of The Retirees Club. Future Events Annual General Meeting - Arrangements are currently underway for the clubs AGM, it will be held in the Savannah Bar in Haywards Heath, West Sussex from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday 1 st February 2014. This venue has been chosen as the meeting rooms at Amex House are no longer available to us, it is centrally placed for those in the South and local parking is available. Refreshments for all attendees will be provided. If you need transport to the venue please contact Chris Belton or myself the Editor and we will try to organize lifts in other attendee’s cars for you. P & O Cruise Ship Grand Tour and Meal - Date to be announced (provisionally March to April it could be any day of the week we are going to try for a Saturday or Sunday in order to maximize attendance.) – We are trying to organize a guided tour on a P & O Cruise Ship for all Retirees and their friends and relatives. The group will be shown around the ships facilities, bars, pools, gym and spa, theatres and lounges and should take approximately two hours and will end with a three course meal in one of the ships on- board restaurants. The tour is purely about showing off the ships and there will be no pressure on attendees to book holidays. Due to the nature of this tour, it may not be suitable for those with impaired mobility but do not despair, as there is limited space available for a group that will tour the ship at a slower pace but we do need to know in advance when the booking is made. The total cost of the tour and meal is currently advertised at £25 per person; however, you will need to provide your own transport to and from the P & O cruise terminal in Southampton in time for check in at 10:00am, disembarkation will take place between 1.30pm and 1.45pm. If there are sufficient travelers from a central area we will try to organize a coach or minibus, alternatively you might want to consider booking a hotel room the night before, details will be circulated on suitable locations at a later date. If you are interested please contact me (the Editor) by post, phone or e-mail informing me of the number of people in your party. I will then send you a provisional booking which needs to be returned with payment, which is fully refundable up to the date of the formal booking, cancellation terms then apply. There are no restrictions on numbers attending. Please note the closing date for provisional bookings and payment is January 31st 2014, subject to space availability. Potential Events (depending on interest) Blind Fold 4 x 4 Driving* – No not a joke but a genuinely unique and exciting experience driving a 4x4 off road vehicle. You will receive initial instruction and training and then take the wheel, blindfolded, driving over a rugged purpose built, off road driving course. This activity requires you to pay extra attention, listen carefully to your commands, coordination skills and teamwork. 2 Target Shooting* – This takes place in the same location as above on a purpose built range challenging your accuracy and speed using various types of handheld air guns and includes professional instruction and a certificate at the end plus your individual score cards. *These two events will be held at a special built centre located midway between Horsham and Crawley, West Sussex a couple of miles off the M23, you will therefore need to provide your own transport to the venue.. The first hour of each session of one event costs £15 and a further £10 if you wish to repeat the experience or add a second event. F1 Racing Car Driving Experience – Experience all the thrills, bumps, twists, turns and adrenaline rush without the danger. The session includes a full briefing, a practice session and performance review followed by a line on the starting grid for the race in a full motion simulator with a booming sound system and speeds of up to 200mph, followed by awards on the podium at the finish. This experience is open to everyone with one year’s driving experience, non-participating spectators are welcome and there is also a junior GT zone available for those under 18 years. This event will take place in a special indoor centre near Gatwick Airport, which is easily accessible by road or rail/taxi. This event will probably take place on a Monday and last for just under two hours, the cost being in the region of £25 to £35 per person, spectators are free as are some of the junior experiences. Alternative less stressful activities are available, full details will be provided at a later date. These above events are offered in order to define the number of people interested in attending, if there is sufficient interest we will proceed with a booking. Free parking is available at both locations although you will need to provide your own transport to the venue. Meals are available on both sites at your own expense. The sessions are friendly and informal and all your friends and family are welcome to come along to participate or as spectators. If you are interested please contact myself (the Editor) or Chris Belton details are in the Newsletter. Bank of England Museum visit 6 November 2013 3 A large group of Retirees and guests, 38 in all, were to assemble in a large public area opposite the bank but the weather wasn’t at all kind! Luckily there was shelter from the rain close by. The Museum was first opened in November 1988 and traces the history of the Bank to its foundation by Royal Charter in 1694 – it says so in my guide book!! First things first though, the role of the bank today is to set interest rates to keep inflation under control. Today inflation in the UK is fairly low but in the 1970's it averaged 13% per year and in 1975 reached a peak of 27%. The Bank issues notes (but not coins – who knew?), and generally assesses the health of the financial system to keep all things stable. Just out of interest there are over 2.8 billion of our bank notes in circulation worth about £55 billion. In 2012 the Bank printed around 1300 million new notes and destroyed 750 million old ones. Once we had passed through the airport type security we found our way to the presentation room for a slide show and talk followed by a question and answer session. By the way, coins are produced by the Royal Mint. The museum itself consists of a range of displays including a replica of the 18th century Stock Office, designed by Sir John Soane the leading English architect of the time. First built in 1793 it stood on this site until the rebuilding of the bank in its present form between the wars and has been reconstructed on the basis on Soane's original drawings. The Bank building that you see today was completed just before the start of the second world war in 1939 and was miraculously not hit by any bombs during the war. The Bank was granted its Royal Charter by William III and it is on display along with the names of those who subscribed to the Bank's original £1,200,000 loan capital. The "Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" is thought to date from 1797 and comes from a cartoon entitled "The political ravishment or the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street in Danger". There is a "Banknote Gallery" displaying part of the world's finest collection of Bank of England notes and traces their development from the simple handwritten receipts of the late 17th century to today's technologically sophisticated notes. It includes a one million pound note! The gold on display includes bars from the Roman period and the Coronation Bar given to Queen Elizabeth in 1953. There is a 13kg gold bar that you could touch, but clearly not take home. 4 You may have read or seen on the news that the Bank is undergoing a consultation process concerning the issuance of new notes made from polymer plastic. There were examples of the proposed £5 and £10 pound notes and I have to say that the look and feel was really very good. They will last over twice as long as current paper notes. For example a paper £5 note only lasts about eight months before it needs to be destroyed as unusable. Notes sent for destruction end up these days as compost for your garden as they can no longer be burnt due to environmental issues – who knew? 5 Interesting Internet Sites (for those of you with computers) If you are viewing this on the club website either copy and paste the link into your web browser or Ctrl+Click to follow link. Or type the address exactly as shown directly into your web browser. We are all aware of the need to protect our computers against viruses, spyware and other malicious programmes, some of the commercial programmes can be expensive and can slow down your computers operation. This a free programme from a reliable source that will give you everyday protection. Microsoft Security Essentials: Developed by Microsoft and supplied free of charge. It regularly updates itself and can be set to perform a scan at a time that suits you. It is an antivirus software product that provides protection against different types of malware such as computer viruses, spyware, rootkits and Trojan horses. It runs on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, but not on Windows 8, which has a built-in AV component. Type Microsoft Security Essentials Download into your browser and select a download from the search results (it is free), ignore any other requests for you to buy other programmes. 10 Dodgy Definitions Cigarette: a pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end and a fool at the other! Marriage: An agreement where a man loses his bachelor’s degree and a woman gains her masters. Lecture: An art of transmitting information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of students without passing through the minds of either. Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present. Compromise: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes they got the biggest piece. Tears: The hydraulic force by which will power is defeated by water-power! Conference Room: A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on. Ecstasy: A feeling when you feel you are going to feel a feeling you have never felt before. Classic: A book which people praise but never read Smile: A curve that can set a lot of things straight! Kids! Teacher: Why are you late? Student: Class started before I got here. Teacher: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him? Louie: Because George still had the axe in his hand..... Teacher: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested? Harold: A Teacher 6 Top Ten Ice Cream Consumers (pints per head) Australia 44.3 New Zealand 33.4 USA 33 Sweden 28.5 Canada 26.6 Iceland 24.7 Norway 24.3 Finland 23.2 Denmark 20.3 Germany 20.1 Coffee Consumers (kg’s per annum) Finland 12.0 Norway 9.9 Iceland 9.0 Denmark 8.7 Netherlands 8.4 Sweden 8.2 Switzerland 7.9 Belgium 6.8 Canada 6.5 Italy 5.9 7 Obituaries (Information for these obituaries is supplied by ACS unless otherwise noted) We regret to report the death of the following Retirees or their spouses; Mrs Carol Packham on the 17th September 2013 who resided in East Sussex leaves a husband. Mr William Woods on the 22nd October 2013 who resided in Cheshire and leaves a spouse, Mrs S Woods. Marion Rose Hill on the 13th October 2013 who resided in Rottingdean. The funeral was held on Thursday 24th October, Marion worked at Amex for 26 years and leaves a husband Abe Hill. (Details supplied by ACS and Andrew Holbrook). Luciano Fiori on the 14th November 2013 after quite a long battle with cancer. He was in hospital having had a bad fall. (information supplied by Andrew Risby) Readers Write Published in EL Pais – 24th October 2013 - (Not yet published in the UK) Madrid court throws out clauses in Ryanair ticket terms Judge rules that 40-euro fee for reprinting of boarding pass breaches consumer protection laws. A Madrid commercial court has declared a number of clauses in the terms and conditions of carriage of low-cost carrier Ryanair null and void. Among these is the airline's 40-euro fee for the reprinting of a passenger boarding pass at the airport. In a press release posted on its website, the Spanish consumer protection group OCU said Thursday that the Irish airline's practices “violate consumer-protection legislation,” explaining, for example, that in some cases the charge for printing the boarding pass is greater than the cost of the ticket. The ruling came in response to a suit files by OCU in 2011 against what it argued were abusive clauses included in the travel conditions of Ryanair, Iberia, Spanair and Vueling. The court has thrown out a total of eight clauses, including Ryanair's insistence on the production of certain identity documents before allowing passengers to travel. OCU said this clause causes a lot of problems for passengers travelling with small children, who can be deprived the right to board a plane because they are carrying the Spanish Libro de Familia (family book) for their youngsters rather than the passport or Spanish Identity card required by the Dublin-based airline. It also declared null and void Ryanair's requirement that all legal complaints against the carrier be filed with the Irish authorities, as well as the carrier's requirement that tickets should be paid for at the airline using a debit or credit card and not in cash. The court also ruled as abusive the airline's refusal to accept items in baggage such as money, jewelry, precious metals, keys cameras, computers, medicines, spectacles, sunglasses, contact lenses, watches, cellphones and personal electronic devices. The judge also ordered Ryanair to publish its ruling in one of the three major newspapers in Spain. Ryanair can now appeal the court's decision. 8 OCU said it does not believe Ryanair will comply with the judge's ruling and urged the authorities to take action against the airline if it persists with its abusive practices. (Our thanks for this article supplied by our correspondent in Catalunya, Spain, who wishes to remain anonymous in case Ryanair drops, a brick through his roof. He wishes to highlight the courts cynicism as detailed in the final paragraph. Ed.) Quiz – Sayings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. “If wishes were horses then ………” “Nothing is certain but death and …….” “The longest journey starts with …….” “You catch more flies with honey than with ……..” (Careful now!) “To err is human, to forgive is ……” “Only fools and horses ……” Marry in haste, repent at ……” “It is better to light a candle than …..” Who took the punishment on behalf of those who could not be touched? “A pound of flesh” has its origins in what play? And finally A woman takes her 16-year-old daughter to the doctor. The doctor says “What's the problem, Mrs Jones?" "It's my daughter, Debbie. She keeps getting these cravings. She's putting on weight, and is sick most mornings." The doctor gives Debbie a good examination, then turns to the mother and says, - "Well, I don't know how to tell you this, but your daughter is pregnant - about 4 months, would be my guess." The mother says, "Pregnant?! She can't be. She has never ever been with a man! Have you Debbie?" Debbie says, "No mother! I've never even kissed a man!" The doctor walked over to the window and just stood there staring out of it. About 5 minutes passed and finally the mother says, "Is there something wrong out there doctor?" The doctor replies, "No, not really, it's just that the last time anything like this happened, a star appeared in the east and three wise men came over the hill. And there's no way I'm going to miss it this time!" 9 Travel Offers Fantastic Travel Discounts Exclusive to Amex Retirees Make the most of your travel benefits! IDEAL CHRISTMAS PRESENT Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two at the Park Lane Hotel - London Includes: 1 Glass of Champagne and afternoon tea in the Palm Court Restaurant Amex Retiree’s price: from £39.50 pp TWO NIGHT THEATRE PACKAGE (only available 20 December) 2 nights Bed and Full Breakfast at The 4* Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel - Waterloo Includes: Top Evening Tickets to see The Jersey Boys Amex Retiree’s price: from £165 CITY BREAK TO VENICE 2 Nights Bed and Breakfast at The 3* Hotel Hesperia Includes: Return Flights From Gatwick Amex Retiree’s price: from £188 WINTER SUN – GRAN CANARIA 7 nights all inclusive at the Maspalomas Oasis Club Bungalows Includes: Flights from Gatwick, Transfers and Baggage Amex Retiree’s price: from £449 SANTA BREAK TO LAPLAND 4 nights Half Board at The Akas Hotel (free thermal suits and boots) Includes: Direct Flights and Transfers from Gatwick and a Private Visit to Santa Amex Retiree’s price: from £547 (based on 2 adults and 2 children under 12) CHRISTMAS SKI OFFER - ITALY 7 nights all inclusive at the Hotel Locanda locatori – Passo Tonale 10 Includes: Flights from Gatwick and Transfers Amex Retiree’s price: from £660 SRI LANKA 7 nights all inclusive at Club Bentota Includes: Flights from Gatwick and Transfers Amex Retiree’s price: from £840 11 12 Can't read this email? Click to view in browser webbookings@kanootravel.co.uk 3* AMSTEL BOTEL, AMSTERDAM 3 Nights, Bed & Breakfast Departs: 02/02/2014 A completely different hotel experience, the Amstel Botel is a floating hotel in the centre of Amsterdam in the former NDSM shipyard. The are is now a cultural hotspot featuring artist studios, cafes, restaurants and exhibitions. The hotel overlooks both land and water and is guaranteed to provide a holiday to remember! from £180pp Click here to view this offer 13 0800 458 3412 - 2* AJIEL CITY HOTEL, PARIS 3 Nights, Bed & Breakfast Departs: 13/12/2013 from Manchester The Ajiel Hotel benefits from an incredible location in the cultural heart of Paris. Within walking distance of the hotel is incredible dining, shopping and entertainment venues. A short metro trip will also get you to all of the major tourist attractions this great city offers, including; the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, Notre Dame and the Bastille. The hotel has incredible value for money, great services and facilities and acts as a great place from which to explore the revered French capital. from £225pp Click here to view this offer 2* TAORMINA, ROME CITY, ROME 5* ATLANTIS, THE PALM, DUBAI 4 Nights, Bed & Breakfast Departs: 12/01/2014 from Manchester 3 Nights, Half Board, flights with Qatar Airways from Manchester, Departs: 15/05/2014 to 20/06/2014 Housed within an historical building dating back to the early 19th century, the Taormina has plenty of character and is located in the heart of Rome between the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Danta Giovanni Lateranus and Danta Croce in Gerusalemme. Both the Collosseum and the Forum Romanum are within walking distance of the hotel, along with underground services as well as bus and tram links. The Roma Termini is also located near the hotel. Atlantis, The Palm is a magnificent, oceanic tribute to a mythological age. A vast waterscape, Atlantis is a place of sunken aquatic chambers, submerged ruins, and exhilarating water rides. Where shark experiences thrill and dolphin encounters leave lifelong impressions. A world where an exotic marine landscape is combined with sumptuous guest rooms and suites, diverse restaurants and stylish boutiques to form the ultimate resort destination. from £193pp Click here to view this offer 14 from £559pp Click here to view this offer 5* OCCIDENTAL GRAND XCARET, MEXICO 4* CLUB MED PALMIYE, TURKEY 7 Nights, All Inclusive, fights from Gatwick with British Airways, departs: 07/05/2014 7 Nights, All Inclusive, fights from Manchester, Departs: 03/05/2014 The Occidental Grand Xcaret is located on the spectacular eco-archeological Xcaret Park which is on the Riviera Maya. This destination is great for singles, couples and families with a unique opportunities for adventurers or travellers wishing to see the beauty of the Caribbean Sea. Close to Antalya in Turkey, Palmiye is located near a huge beach and the wild peaks of the Taurus mountains, by the warm sparking blue Mediterranean Sea. The 800 meter beach is lining with incredible orange trees, and the resort features 12 tennis courts for you to perfect your stroke on. Also at the resort is a Spa and activities for children. from £889pp Click here to view this offer from £755pp Click here to view this offer 0800 458 3412 or email webbookings@kanootravel.co.uk To book or make an enquiry call us on and let us help you plan your perfect trip! 15 Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. ©Kanoo Travel UK Kanoo Website webbookings@kanootravel.co.uk - 0800 458 3412 The England football team are on their way to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil thanks to Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard's heroics against Poland. But would you or someone you know not want the chance to join them there? Brazil features some of the best footballing stadiums in the World, as well as being an incredible location for travellers. Below we have some incredible flight offers that are at unbeatable rates. These won't last long though so make sure you book soon! 16 SAO PAULO RIO from £1121 FORTALEZA from £1152 JANIERO BRASILIA from £1154 £1122 BELO HORIZONTE from £1152 RECIFE DE SALVADOR from £1292 CURITIBA from £1301 NATAL 0800 458 3412 or email webbookings@kanootravel.co.uk call us on and let us help you plan your perfect World Cup! Flights are subject to availability, terms and conditions apply, all flights are economy class. Prices correct at time of publishing. 17 from £970 To book or make an enquiry about any of these flights please ©Kanoo Travel UK Kanoo Website from £1152 from £1122 MANAUS from Information Pages Quiz Answers 1. beggars would ride 2. taxes 3. a single step 4. vinegar 5. divine 6. work 7. leisure 8. curse the darkness 9. The whipping boy 10. The Merchant of Venice Pension Administrator American Express UK Pension Plan Xerox Global Benefits Administration Temple Grove Temple Circus Bristol BS1 6HG Helpline Number : 0870 901 6972 Non UK residents : +44 1179 101520 Email : amexadmin@xerox.com You must notify the Pension Administrator of any change of address, any Retiree death or if you wish to “opt in” to receive the paper version of the Newsletter. They can also answer any pension related question. Please note the Retirees Club is unable to act on your behalf Retirees Club Committee - Contact Details Chairman: Treasurer: Events Sec.: News Editor: Chris Belton Susan Clay-Joyce Eadie Forgham Peter Smith Chairman@theretirees.co.uk sshipway2002@yahoo.co.uk edithforgham@btinternet.com news@theretirees.co.uk 01444 01273 01273 01243 452441 565009 588992 552045 You may post items for inclusion in the Newsletter to : 3 Downview Way, Yapton, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0HN 18 New Retirees If you are recently retired and seeing this Newsletter for the first time – welcome to The Retirees Club. You are invited to attend any of our events and this invitation is extended to your guests. Details of our events together with all other Retiree news can be found on our website www.theretirees.co.uk. Remember too that you must “opt in” if you wish to continue to receive the Newsletter in the mail after receiving your first copy. There is a form you may use at the end of this Newsletter. 19 Donation - 2013 The Chairman, American Express Retirees’ Club 9 Juniper Court, Lower Village, Haywards Heath, RH16 4FZ I wish to make a donation and enclose a cheque for £…………………….. Please make cheques payable to “American Express Retirees Club” all donations will be acknowledged either by post or email. (Your details please in BLOCK CAPITALS) Name ……………………………………………………………. Address ……………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… Postcode ……………………………………………. Tel. No .………………………………………… Email …………………………………………………... You may also make a bank transfer if you prefer : Sort Code 20-20-62 Account Number 53725146 Account Name American Express Retirees Club Please mark you payment “Donation from“ and add your last name. 20 Newsletter Opt In Form I would like to “opt in” to receive the Retiree Newsletter by post please. My details are below : Name Pensioner Payroll Number Address Town Postcode Once completed it should be sent as an attachment by email to : amexadmin@xerox.com Or print and post to : The American Express UK Pension Plan, Xerox Global Benefits Administration Temple Circus Temple Way Bristol BS1 6HG 21 Events schedule Date Event Location Organiser Saturday 4 January Saturday 1 February 1400 – 1600 Wednesday 12 March 1830 March / April Christmas Social Annual General Meeting Patcham Savannah Bar Haywards Heath Bank Tube Station Cost £7.50pp Southampton Cost £25pp approx Chris Belton Chris Belton April May Wednesday 4 June London Walk The Ancient City at night P&O Cruise Ship Grand Tour Houses of Parliament Spring Social Event The Geffrye Museum Cost to be advised Shoreditch Chris Belton Peter Smith Chris Belton The museum of the home July September October October November 22 Lunch at The Clink Houses of Parliament Autumn Social British Airways Heritage Centre Highdown Prison Sutton, Surrey £25pp approx Chris Belton Heathrow Airport Chris Belton