OBITUARIES
With great sadness, I have to record the following deaths: -
Mrs Alma Stapp, wife of Malcolm, passed away on 16th June 2010 after a long illness.
Stanley Woods passed away on 28th July 2010, shortly after returning to the UK from France, where they had lived for 9yrs, after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Mrs Woods has since been in touch to thank members for their support and attendance at the funeral.
Jim Atkins (not a NARPO member but was Sgt in Hudds for a number of years) passed away very suddenly at his Wakefield home on 22nd July, at the age of 67.
Peter Simpson passed away on 21st August, aged 67. Peter joined Hudds Borough in 1967 and was a traffic officer when he resigned, firstly to become an HGV driver and later a publican. He had suffered from severe multiple sclerosis and spent the last few years of his life in a care home.
As ever, our deepest sympathies are extended to the bereaved.
WELFARE
I’m sure that most colleagues will by now have heard of the freak and tragic accident which befell Mrs Betty Sharp (wife of the late Harry), in early June whilst shopping in town. Just as she was entering a store in New Street, the very large shop sign across the frontage suddenly fell on her causing very severe injuries including a fractured spine, shoulder and numerous internal injuries. Despite those injuries, Betty has put up a very brave fight and after several weeks in Intensive Care at the HRI, and later on a Ward, she was transferred to the Rehabilitation Unit at Calderdale Hospital. I am therefore delighted to say that she is now home. The family have requested that any visits be kept short, not at mealtimes or between 2pm and 3pm or so, as Betty still requires plenty of rest to aid her recuperation.
Sue Murgatroyd is convalescing at home after a heart valve replacement operation.
SOCIAL
Sunday Lunch
The next Sunday lunch will take place on 17th October 2010 at the Huddersfield Rugby Union Club, Brewery Drive (off Bridge St) Lockwood. 12.30pm for 1pm.
As usual, the menu and order form is attached and it would be appreciated if you could complete and return it to Leonora by 9th October at the very latest.
You are asked to park at the back of the building (not the first car park you come to on the right which is for the fitness club) and use the door at the rear. For the less able bodied, there is a lift, which is situated at the end of the building next to Brewery Drive (i.e. you will drive past it going to the car park).
And, no, it is not a carvery!
BRANCH MEETING
Please note that the next meeting will be at 7.15pm on Tuesday 14th September 2010 at our normal venue, the Huddersfield Central Lodge Hotel.
The guest speaker is Trevor Moody with a lighthearted look at Comedians of the Good Old Days.
Be sure to check the small print.
However, don’t forget the new NARPO annual group travel scheme. Members can join the scheme providing they were under 85 yrs on 1.5.2010. Having joined, there is no age limit. Also, pre-existing medical conditions are covered, providing the member is fit to travel. The scheme is available to members who are UK residents.
The rates are single £80.00 / couple £115 and the scheme runs from 1st May until 30th April –full amount payable even if you join during the insurance year.
Tel 0800 3308 575
EUROPROFILE DOOR LOCKS
Many of you will have read in the local press about house burglaries where entry has been gained by snapping the Europrofile door locks. This is where the intruder takes off the outer door handle, gets hold of the lock barrel with molegrips and exerts sideways pressure to snap the barrel in the middle of the door. I recently had mine checked and were found to be Europrofile. I had them replaced and was amazed by the ease with which the old ones were snapped by way of demonstration.
Local new company Europal Locks will check your locks and replace them if necessary for £49 per lock inc. VAT. Contact Secretary for details. Mention NARPO when speaking to them. (OK, it’s a plug for a retiring cops new business but as a crime scene investigator for a number of years, he knows what he is talking about)
LEALTA MEMBER BENEFITS CARD
The following is an extract from a recent branch circular:-
At the NEC meeting in July the Committee approved a new member benefit card provided by Lealta Benefits, who offer a membership discount programme providing discounts at all different types of retail outlets throughout the Country. The current number of discounts available is approx 21,500.
The benefits available via the programme range from over 300 National brands, including 4% discount at ASDA and 8% discount at B and Q via pre loaded cards, with a minimum £50 load value, to over 21,000 local discounts of 10% or more at shops, restaurants, services and much more.
The service does not include any Insurance or Financial Services so there is no potential for it to conflict with our current main member service providers and allows us the opportunity to exclude any other particular areas that we may so wish e.g. car purchasing which would conflict with NARPO Drive.
The discounts are accessed by a central web portal which brands the discounts with our logo and adapts the content dependant on the services we require [as above]. This is supported by a helpdesk, which is available all year round, as well as launch literature provided with the card which clearly outlines how each offer works.
Lealta generate their income by selling the cards to their clients at a price dependent on the number of participants. In our case we have been given an assurance that the cards, which are valid for two years at a time, would be priced at £3 per annum each irrespective of the number of participants.
Lealta currently have amongst their clients UNISON who endorse the card nationally and Lealta representatives then visit either local or regional UNISON Branches to promote the scheme and invite the Branch to take up the offer as a member benefit for their Branch members.
Lealta will market the NARPO scheme in a similar way to that by contacting and visiting local branches and promoting the scheme to them. Presentations of the scheme can be made by Lealta either locally, by force area or regionally.
Under NARPO Fund rules Branches would be permitted to purchase the cards and then have the option of providing it as a benefit / gift or passing all or some of the charge on to individual members.
We believe this card is an excellent opportunity for branches to offer some real benefits for its existing members and is an ideal incentive to encourage prospective members to join, whether the branch pick up the cost or not.
Current clients of the scheme include:
UNISON
NORTHERN FOODS
MORGAN MOTORS
Further to the recent Branch circular in relation to the above, Lealta have provided us with a login to their current website which shows all the current benefits on offer both nationally and locally.
Contact Secretary for Log in details .
RECRUITING NEW NARPO MEMBERS
The forthcoming annual narpo conference will hold a debate on the recruitment of new members. It appears that narpo no longer ‘automatically’ attracts police retirees to its ranks and any suggestions as to how we could remedy the situation would be welcome. On a local basis, I can confirm that retirees are supplied with narpo information packs at pre-retirement courses (although we are no longer permitted to do presentations). In Kirklees Division, retirees are also given information packs, and the Personnel Officer has agreed to supply a letter from myself, as local Secretary, to divisional retirees.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:
(Meetings at the Central Lodge Hotel, Beast Market, Huddersfield.)
Tuesday 14th September 7.15pm Meeting and speaker, Trevor Moody on comedians of the good old days.
Tuesday 7th December We thought we may try a daytime meeting on this one. Details later.
Tuesday 15th March 2011 Annual General Meeting
LADIES SECTION 2009/10
Still meeting each month @ DHQ.
Sep1st Audio visual(New Mill Choir)
Oct 6th Talk on Lace making
Nov 3rd Speaker to be confirmed
Dec 1st Christmas Lunch. Venue to be arranged
AND FINALLY: (with thanks to Alan Laurie)
EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN! (Enrolment forms available)
HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS - Step by step guide with slide presentation
TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS? Roundtable discussion
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR Practising with hamper (Pictures and graphics)
REMOTE CONTROL Losing the remote control - Help line and support groups
LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS Starting with looking in the right place instead of turning the house upside down while screaming - Open forum
EMPTY MILK CARTONS; DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN? Group discussion and role play
HEALTH WATCH; BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH PowerPoint presentation
REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST Real life testimonial from the one man who did
LIVING WITH ADULTS; BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER Online class and role playing
HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques
REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES & CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE Bring your calendar or PDA to class
GETTING OVER IT; LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME
Individual counsellors available
Kind regards
Terry Jepson
Hon Sec