BEXLEY AND DISTRICT NHS RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP

NEWSLETTER Issue No 34 February 2015

Happy New Year to you all.

Once again our seasonal lunch was a

great success. Many thanks to Brenda

Williams for organising all this and to

Paul Ramberan for his singing and

getting everyone to join in.

As I mentioned at the New Year lunch,

this is my last year as Chairman. I have

enjoyed all my twenty years in the job

and hope our next Chairman will do the

same.

Edna Wightman

It would be remiss of me not to mention

that our Chairman Edna Wightman will

be in her final throes of office when

the next Newsletter will be published.

Back in October 1994 Edna took over

the reins of Chair from Sidney Dunmall

and has rarely missed a Branch or

Executive meeting in that time. Over

this twenty years Edna has worked

tirelessly to keep the branch alive and

active. She has well represented us at

regional and national level on a number

of issues.

I wish to thank Edna for all her hard

work, and long service to us all, and best

wishes in her retirement!

Tom Owen.

It is with deep regret to announce the

death’s of two of our members.

Beryl Ramlakan passed away on the

1st December 2014. In the last couple of

months of her life she had gone to stay

in Woking to be with her daughter and

family. A number of members from the

branch attended her funeral.

Our thoughts go out at this time to

family and friends.

Joan Horrell previously Joan Card died

on the 24th January 2015 in Tunbridge

Wells. She had moved there from

Bexleyheath and not long after suffered

a severe stroke in July 2014.

Carol Rowe had visited her in a nursing

home in November when she was not so

well.

Our thoughts go out at this time to

family and friends.

From our Chairman

CONTENTS

Page

From our Chairman 1

Obituaries 1

Editor’s letter 1

Tower of London poppies 2/3

Tour of BBC 4

Branch web site 4

Outing 4

Membership 4

AGM June 4

OBITUARIES

Editor’s Letter

Page 1

Tower of London Poppies

Last year was the centenary of the start of the First World War. A number of our

members went to the Tower of London to remember this occasion and here is

Pat Chandler’s memories of the event.

As just three of over 8,000 volunteers, my sister Phil, daughter Helen and myself,

were privileged to help put together and plant some of the 888,246 ceramic poppies

at the Tower of London. Before we left home, we were warned to prepare ourselves

for bad weather, so we set off in clothing appropriate for a tropical monsoon,

rather than a spot of ‘gardening’! In the end the weather turned out fine. The rain

that fell the day before had helped us as the ground was softer to plant each poppy.

It was demanding but very rewarding work, especially in the company of the other

volunteers in our group. The camaraderie made a difficult task much easier.

I first went to see the poppies in August, during the weekend of ‘Ride London’. It

was wonderful to be able to walk to the Tower from the South Bank along roads

free of all traffic. No noise or pollution, it was a special afternoon with a rare

opportunity to enjoy London without cars, taxis and buses. I have returned several

times since that day, each time marvelling at the progress being made with

thousands of poppies being added throughout late Summer and early Autumn. The

final effect was stunning.

Page 2

‘Blood swept lands and seas of red. An installation by ceramic artist, Paul Cummins.’

The origins of the Poppy as a symbol of remembrance

Written by John McCrae, a Canadian physician who served in the conflict, the

inspiration for the poem came upon the death of a friend and colleague who died in

the second battle of Ypres. He began to include poppies in his poems on noticing

how quickly they grew around the graves of fallen soldiers. Later Moina Michael

recognised the significance of the poppy and raised funds for former US Service-

men by selling artificial poppies. A French woman, Madame Guerin, also took up the

idea, which enabled her to raise funds to rebuild areas of France destroyed by the

war

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”

“In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row.

That mark our place and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below”

Extract from

“In Flanders Fields”

by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Page 3

This tour arranged by Pat Chandler

will take place on Tuesday 7th April

2015. Gail McKensie will collect £ 12

per person at the February branch

meeting from those people who have

already given their names to Pat.

This tour requires money to be paid in

advance.

We commence the walk from Charing

Cross station at 11:30 am. Please meet

in the station by the waiting room

opposite Burger King. The BBC tour will

take 1.5 hrs. If anyone is unable to walk

there please meet at Broadcasting

House, Portland Place, at the top end of

Regent Street by 12:30. Nearest tube

station is Oxford Circus (5 mins)

(Bakerloo, Victoria, Central). Buses 88,

453 & C2. Other buses to Oxford

Circus. There is a café inside for light

snacks, hot and cold drinks. We need to

arrive at least 15 mins before the tour

starts as there are security checks.

Please make sure you have no sharp

objects in your bags.

The Branch site is now live on the

Internet. You can access it in one of

two ways. Firstly type in Bexley &

District NHS Retirement Fellowship

and then click on Branch website link.

This is our Head Office web page for

the branch. Secondly a direct link by

typing.

www.bexleynhsrf.btck.co.uk

“Downton Abbey”

( Highclere Castle)

House and grounds

on

Tuesday 21st July 2015

Book your seats now on the

coach with Brenda Williams

our Social Secretary

very limited availability

Price £25

A reminder to let you know please

renew your membership at the April

branch meeting. Pay our Treasurer Val

Bamber £12.50p preferably in cash.

Thank you.

It is not too early to be thinking about

the Annual General Meeting in June

when all the Branch Officer’s and

Committee posts come up for election.

It is always refreshing to see newer and

younger members wishing to take over

the baton and giving it a try.

Please consider how you may help.

Editor.

Branch News

Tour of BBC

Branch Web Site

Outing

Membership

A.G.M June

Page 4