IBM Retirees Club (Midlands)
IBM Retirees Club (Midlands)
July 2013 Newsletter
Editorial
In this newsletter we have further calls for the trips to the National Arboretum at Westonbirt and Abbey-Cwm-Hir.
The committee will be having its annual planning meeting in August, so if you have any ideas for future events, either single or multi day, please let us know.
Michael Fabianski, Newsletter Editor. E-mail: ibmmidretnews@gmail.com
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You might be interested in taking part in a “Study of Mindfulness” being undertaken by Jennifer Dilworth of Coventry University. Participation is by means of an online questionnaire; you can find more details at the end of this newsletter,
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Excursion to Sidmouth
Leaving IBM Warwick at 10:00 on Thursday, 11 July, we had lunch in Weston-super-Mare, and checked in to our hotel in Sidmouth in time for a wander round the town before dinner. It was then that we were introduced to the vast number of gulls that maintain a constant cacophony of screeching, and pebble-dash practically every building with their droppings.
After an early start on Friday, we travelled to the Dartington Crystal factory, and followed the factory visit with a bit of retail therapy. We returned to Sidmouth via the Historic Quayside in Exeter for lunch and some more shopping.
Saturday morning, it being our coach driver’s day off, we enjoyed an hour’s cruise along part of the Jurassic Coast. The afternoon was free to explore Sidmouth and environs, including Lyme Regis.
On Sunday, we visited Pecorama, famous for its gardens and miniature steam train, and then on to Seaton for a ride on the miniature tramway, where, even though we had been allocated a garish pink-liveried tram, we enjoyed a ride along the River Axe to Colyton for yet another cream tea.
On Monday, we returned to Warwick, with a lunch stop en route at Clark’s Shopping Village for our final dose of retail therapy.
Simon Barratt
Click on any of the images below to see a larger photo. You can see lots more photos on Dropbox.
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Events
Click here to see the list of the events which are planned for the current year. The following is the status of those which have been announced.Booking Conditions. Click here to read the terms and conditions.
Photographs from Past Events. Click here or here to view a selection of photographs from past events.
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Westonbirt The National Arboretum - Sunday 13th October 2013 (Organiser Carole Robertson)
Westonbirt the National Arboretum, Tetbury,south Cotswolds, is one of the most magical and important tree gardens in the world. 17 miles of paths to explore, 16,000 trees and shrubs — some of the oldest, rarest and largest of their kind in the UK.
A coach from/to IBM Warwick to the Arboretum with a professional guide for a walk around this National treasure — all this for £23 per head for members and first guest and £29 for second guests.
I have requested a Guide for our tour and will confirm departure time from Warwick when I have a firm slot booked. I will purchase concession entrance tickets in advance and hand these out on the coach. The plan is to travel to Westonbirt and give us all enough time to have some refreshments before we start our tour. There is a choice of Café or Restaurant at Westonbirt [this cost not included in ticket price.].
Carole Robertson - Email:carole.robertson@talktalk.net, Telephone: 0121 704 9677
Refer to the document Event Booking Conditions for terms and conditions.
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Coach trip and day out at Abbey-Cwm Hir (‘A palace in Radnorshire’) on Wednesday November 20th 2013 (Organiser Peter Barnes)
The owners have spent significant time and energy in creating a magnificent Christmas collection. The owner Victoria Humpherson has made the statement that this is the only property in the UK to have all 52 rooms decorated with Christmas trees and to individual themes; for example, 2011 had a Victorian theme and 2012 had a Gothic theme.
(You can obtain more detailed information from the website: abbeycwmhir.com)
The coach will leave IBM Warwick at 8am, with a comfort stop in Leominster and stopping for a sumptuous lunch at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells. We are then taken to Abbey-Cwm-Hir, where we will all be expected to take off our shoes to protect the carpets and flooring, so you will need to take your slippers with you.
After the tour we will increase the tension by holding a “best decorated slipper” competion complete with prizes being given to the two couples with the best decorated slippers in the opinions of the judges (my wife and myself).
We will then be offered coffee or tea and a mince pie before we begin our journey home with a planned arrival in Warwick at about 8pm.
For planning purposes, the cost will be approximately £40 per member and first guest, depending upon numbers attending. The price for additional guests is estimated to be £47.
The meal at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells will be a delicious two course meal, with Christmas crackers and your choices from those shown below:
Peter Barnes - Email: l-barnes3@sky.com, Telephone: 01926 612010
Refer to the document Event Booking Conditions for terms and conditions.
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Announcements and Advertisments
A study of Mindfulness: investigating how we pay attention in the present moment
The purpose of this study is to look at ‘mindfulness’. Mindfulness is about “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgementally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p.4). It is a concept that originated in Buddhist traditions. Research has found that levels of ‘mindfulness’ vary from person to person (Keng, Smoski, Robins, 2011).
This study will investigate mindfulness across the life-span, in young adulthood and in more senior years. This will help us to develop our understanding of mindfulness. This will also be important in informing healthcare treatments which aim to increase wellbeing.
The four Questionnair sections take around 10-20 minutes to complete. If you are aged between 18 and 35 or aged 65 and over we would like to invite you to take part. In collecting data for this study we will not use information that will identify you personally i.e. you can contribute anonymously.
Further information about the study and online completion is provided in the link below, which can be clicked on or copied into your web browser.
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Sub-Groups of IBM Club and Retirees Club
IBM Retirees PC and Technology Group (founded by Harry Green)
The IBM Retirees PC and Technology Group meets every alternate month for a lively discussion on PC and technology topics in the digital age. There are usually one or two specific presentations given by members or by outside speakers, which the members of the Group have requested. We try to provide a reasonable balance between PC “techie” topics, new technology, and topics of a more general nature such as digital television, Internet telephony and digital photography. So whether you are a newcomer to the PC or a more experienced user, we hope you will find something of interest. You are very welcome to join us.
Contacts:- Roger Goodman email:- roger@northside.me.uk Alan Bridgman email:- abri@waitrose.com
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IBM Midlands Golf Society
IBM Retirees and spouses/partners are eligible to play, the events being subsidised by IBM.
Please contact one of the undersigned with any queries.
Contacts:- Graham Seal email:- gaseal@sky.com Michael Davies email:- enosmd@ntlworld.com
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Click on the links below for specific information. Links to booking forms are from the event announcement.
IBM Midlands Retiree Club Constitution
Committee Contacts
AGM Minutes
Newsletter Archives
IBM Club Warwick
UK IBM Club
Newsletter Production
IBM Alumni Programme
IBM Hursley Museum
IBM Shares
Employee Purchase Plan
IBM Pensions Trust
(Rewards, IBM Contacts and other useful information)