Basingstoke Civil Service Retirement Fellowship
Chairman - Mr Geoff Howard; tel. 01252 653659.
Secretary - Mrs Doris Kay; tel. 01256 327171.
The Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12 noon
at Brookvale Village Hall, Lower Brook Street, Basingstoke. The meeting begins
with refreshments followed by a speaker on a variety of topics.
The subject at the 5th July meeting will be Wills and Estate Planning. On 2nd
August Steve Woolley will be telling us about British deer.
Each month we have an outing or a holiday arranged for members, including a
Christmas lunch in December.
Advance Notice National Fellowship Holiday 7 -11th April 2008 at Sand Bay Holiday Village. Weston Super Mare cost in the region of £159 per person (Deposit of £15 per person required by June 2007
All ex-Civil Servants and their friends are welcome to join us.
Our proposed schedule for 2007 is as follows:
| Thursday 19th April | Petwoth Park, house and gardens (National Trust) | |
| June | Hatfield House | |
| July | Gosport Ferry Trip to Isle of Wight | |
| August | Hungerford Canal Tirp and lunch | |
| September | Chester Holiday | |
| October | Visit to Teddington Brirish Legion Poppy Factory plus Richmond/Kingston | |
| November | Torquay Tinsel and Turkey Weekend | |
| December | Christmas Lunch at Guildford College |
| Oct 14th - 2007 On the 3rd October 61 members listened to an excellent and moving talk by Liz Goddard about' Mercy Ships'. This, a Christian oraganisation, was founded in 1978 with a retired passenger/cargo vessel renamed 'Anastasis'. For 30 years it faithfully served the world's poor - those who have no access to medical treatment. They must pay to see a doctor and often resort to witch-doctors who also expect payment. Operations on board, routine in the UK , performed by volunteer surgeons, without discrimination regarding faith, are cataracts, cleft lip and palate (a common defect in children), disfiguring abnormalities and childbirth injuries to women causing incontinence. The 'Anastasis' has now been retired and a new ship 'Africa Mercy' with much improved equipment has now been commissioned by voluntary contributions. It operates in Sierra Leone and Liberia, the poorest countries. As well as the surgical work performed by doctors and nurses, other staff go into the community for dentistry, training locals in health care and doing construction work such as repairing water systems. The list is endless. Our own Dr Keith Thompson is Vice Chairman of UK Board of Trustees and serves regularly on board. It is said to be the UK's best kept charity secret but the news should be spread. Do we always realise how lucky we are? For further information ring 0870 870 7447 or 01438 727 800 Aug 14th - 2007 plaques were presented to Bert Clarkson for his long service as Group and Branch Chairman, now retired from both these offices. He chaired our meetings with much patience (needed at times) and skill. Many thanks Bert. After this, Eric Moody gave a graphic tour through his life as a pilot with BOAC and BA. Born in Lyndhurst, it was his ambition from the age of 4 to fly aeroplanes. After many obstacles (including his crooked nose which at first made him medically unfit) he flew in VC10's, later becoming 1st Officer in Jumbo Jets then Captain and until he retired in 1976. His talk ended with a dramatic account of successfully landing a Boeing 747 after it was caught in a volcanic eruption and St. Elmo's fire when at one stage all 4 engines failed - a most frightening experience! Trips to come Sept 11 - Forest Lodge Garden Centre and Country Market near Borden Oct 23 - Royal British Legion Poppy Factory. Lunch available if ordered. Nov 9 - 12 Holly and Mistletoe Break, Ashley Court Hotel, Torquay. Places still available. Please contact Kate Tel. 01256 328791 June 9th - 2007 Holland was cold and windy, nevertheless we enjoyed our trip down the canals on MVPrinses Christina with excellent food, service and pleasant company, relaxing in the comfortable lounge well away from the gale roaring on the top deck. On return, over 60 members came for a talk by Jill Baldry who has made a remarkable rise through the ranks of the police service while bringing up 3 boys, gained a Master's Degree and other qualifications to become a Chief Inspector, otherwise known as Basingstoke's 'Top Cop'. She spoke for at least 35 minutes, without hesitation or a note, explaining the changing face of police work. There is more work done by less people, many behind the scenes working with technology and forensics which now play a large part. Many new ideas are being employed to stop thieves and the police now work closely with Community Support Officers, Neighbourhood Watch and other societies as well as with the Probation Service for rehabilitation. She said, for our reassurance that the crime rate has gone down - I must say that listening nightly to the news this does not seem so but figures can be 'skewed'. In many diverse situations the police have to weigh up the risks involved and if the response to a call out for a petty crime may sometimes be slow perhaps we should understand the number of more serious crimes in which they may be involved. Outings - Thurs. Aug 16th - Kennet and Avon Canal - now fully booked Oct (date to be announced) Visit to Royal British Legion Poppy Factory Twickenham (lunch can be booked in advance if preferred). Nov 9th/12th Holly and Mistletoe Break at Torquay (cost £173) Please contact Kate on 01256 328791 All retired civil servants and their partners are welcome at our meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 10am at Brookvale Village Hall, Lower Brook St. Coffee and tea are available, April 16th - 2007 Our next outing is on April 18th to Petworth Park. We have a 5 day holiday to Holland in May which is fully booked and on June 13th a visit to Hatfield House. If interested please contact Kate Lambeth on 01256 328791 All retired Civil Servants and their partners are welcome at our meetings held on the first Wednesday of each month at 10am at the Brookvale Village Hall, Lower Brook St Basingstoke. Coffee or tea and biscuits are available. Oct 7th - 2006 Geoff gave an amusing commentary accompanying pictures of 54 different birds which had visited his own garden, including robins, wagtails, siskins, crossbills, blue tits and gold finches. In the surrounding countryside he had photographed other birds such as a kestrel, a jackdaw, a ringed plover, a kingfisher and a night jar. He also recounted an amusing story of caring for a young green woodpecker which had a deformed foot. Geoff was eventually able to help it to learn to fly and then it was released into the local woods. His other slides were of 10 different British butterflies and animals such as foxes, rabbits, mice, a roe deer, a weasel, a squirrel, a hedgehog and a mink. All members and their partners are welcome at our meetings at 10 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at Brookvale Village Hall, Lower Brook Street, Basingstoke. Tea or coffee and biscuits are available. The speaker at the next meeting on 1st November will be Maggie Stredder with a “Morcombe and Wise Experience.”
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| July 5th - 2006 An interesting talk was given by Christine Marsh - Jenks about the North Hants. Hospital's bid to gain foundation status. It is one of the highest performing hospitals and has an international liver cancer centre. Financially, it managed to break even last year. The NHS, in a constant state of change, has multiple providers, some from the independent and voluntary sectors. Choice of hospitals and information on this now available to all. Basingstoke is now in the final stages of taking foundation status which means that local people are invited to become members. Basingstoke and Deane covers a wide area and 280,00 members could be enrolled. There would be 27 governors elected by members - to include staff, patient and carer groups and partner organisations. The aims are to improve patient care, extend specialist services and develop staff training. The hospital would become independent of the Sec. of State and regulated by MONITOR. An audience member mentioned that Frimley Park Hospital attained foundation status 2 years ago and has much improved (no contract cleaners now employed) Information booklets are available with a form at the back which anyone can fill in to become a member. email foundation@nhht.nhs.uk STOP PRESS - Basingstoke Gazette dated Aug. 3rd The DOH has approved the bid and it is now being considered and awaiting the green light from MONITOR. A decision will be made, either in the autumn or next spring.
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| Cotswolds Tour June 17th – 2006 We stopped for coffee at the 17th C. inn, The Fleece, at Cirencester on our Cotswolds tour. This was once the Roman town of Corinium and has an interesting museum. Our chairman Geoff and his wife Joyce grew up in this area (what a lovely place to be born in) and were anxious to show us the local beauty spots so the coach took us up to the top of Birdlip Hill with stunning views – then down into Gloucester to look round the cathedral. Then we drove through the Forest of Dean to Symonds Yat Rock for more spectacular views overlooking Gloucester, Herefordshire and Monmouth. There were Peregrine Falcons nesting on the rock – a place to which they come every year and are closely guarded by the RSPB. It was a long day but very enjoyable. Click on a picture for a larger view. |
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Our main website is
www.csrf.org.uk
and there is a page for the Basingstoke branch here at
www.csrf.org.uk/branches/branch.asp?b=172
