RETIREES CLUB
(www.retireesmidclub.org.uk)
Links to Booking Forms by individual events
Click here to see 2003-programme
Click here for Committee Contact List
Click here for Archived Newsletters
MAY 2003 NEWSLETTER
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Editorial
Apologies for the slight lateness of the April edition of the Newsletter - this was due to the handover taking longer than expected. What I plan to do in future is to issue the Newsletter shortly after the monthly Committee meeting, which in practice means about mid-month. The hardcopy version to those who have asked for this will be posted at the same time.
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We are still negotiating with IBM but it still looks inevitable that we will have to pay for postage on the hardcopy Newsletter distribution; we may also have to pay for envelopes as well. Postage charges will affect our events budget so your committee urge all who can do so to migrate to the Web site! Contact Gordon Jones gordon_jones@lineone.net to get yourself on the distribution list.
Contact Gordon for all membership changes such as address, telephone number, e-mail address. Those members who have recently been in contact with Gordon to request change to e-mail distribution may find hard-copy still arrives for a short period - no action is required.
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You will notice a link to 'Archived Newsletters' at the head of the Newsletter. This takes you to a list of old newsletters, the titles of which are pointers to the actual text. I don't plan to hold Newsletters which are over 12 months old. Regarding the pointer to 'Committee Contacts', I will include a listing in the body of the Newsletter when there have been any changes.
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Brian Wilson, Editor. Telephone: 01926-777710 e-mail: brian_h_wilson@msn.com
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Rambling weekend - May 23rd/26th 2003
The list is now closed but anyone wishing to join the party should telephone Gordon Jones as it may be possible to be included if the hotel has a room available.
Timings: Friday 23rd May. We aim to leave IBM Warwick at 08:00 (note change from previous provisional timings).
Route: We are going to Tenby via the quicker route to allow for the walkers to have the opportunity to walk in from out of town. We propose the Heads of the Valleys scenic route on the way back. There will be more information on the coach.
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Summer Lunch - Sunday 22nd June
Don't forget to return your booking form and cheque to Jean by 6th June.
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Upton Jazz Festival - Saturday 28th June
Whatever your taste in jazz, you are likely to find what you are looking for at the 18th Oliver Cromwell Jazz Festival on the banks of the River Severn at Upton between Worcester and Tewkesbury. From Trad to Modern, Dixieland to Big Band, in 11 venues and almost 100 different groups from all over the world, the range is vast and of very high quality. If you have been with us in the past, you can repeat a great experience, if you are new to such festivals it really is a great place to start with a wonderful atmosphere.
To make your day out even more enjoyable, we have arranged a lunch at the White Lion Hotel in the High Street where you can meet up with old friends and of course make new ones. The lunch is optional but is highly recommended and of course subsidised. If you don't join the lunch, there are lots of places to eat and drink and the pubs are open all day.
Your Jazz Day Ticket for the Saturday will allow you to attend any event at any venue. Music starts at 9.00 am and ends around midnight. Around the big marquees on Fish Meadow there will be the usual range of stalls for added interest, sustenance and shopping.
Your one-day ticket would cost £24 - we are offering it for £12. The 2-course lunch (main and dessert) would cost £15 - we are offering it for £9.
Great value for a great day out!!
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Shakespeare Express - Sunday 13th July
We only have a few seats left so please contact Brian Wilson direct (01926-777710) as soon as possible to be sure of a place. However, it may be possible to run another trip if there proves to be sufficient interest.
Lunch will be served on the 12.02 from Stratford, arriving Snow Hill at 12:56. You can start your journey either from Birmingham Snow Hill or Stratford. The timings are 10:38 from Snow Hill arriving in Stratford at 11:38 in time to join the 12:02. Or you can join the 12:02 at Stratford and return on the 17:42 from Snow Hill which will allow time to spend in Birmingham.
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Euro Trip - Highlights of Normandy Sept 8th/12th 2003
Normandy sights - Honfleur, Bayeux, M. St Michel etc. Hotel in central Caen 4 nights HB Coaching out via Portsmouth to Caen, returning Cherbourg to Portsmouth. Members price is £185 ph; second and further guests £250 ph Deposits (£50 ph) required by 28th May please - there are not too many places left so don't delay.
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Health Insurance
Pat Hay has come up with the following information.
'Following on from the discussion at the 2002 AGM, several people have been doing some research, looking for Healthcare Insurance at more affordable prices than that offered by Royal and Sun Alliance.One of the best methods found for looking at the options is offered by '121 Healthcare', www.121healthcare.com. This web site takes your basic details and gives you an estimate of the cost of health care at a large number of companies, including savings for offering to pay an excess. It also gives a summary of the cover offered by each of the policies; for instance, in the case of a couple where the elder insured person is age 59, the lowest price found was less than a third of the RSA price, although the cover was a bit restricted. However, for about half the RSA price, you could get a well-featured policy from another well known company.'
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Associate Membership
In response to queries by existing members on behalf of friends, here is a definition of Associate Membership.
An IBM employee who retires or who is retired before the age of 50 may apply to become an Associate Member of the IBM Retireees Club. Enquiries should be directed at the Membership Secretary (Gordon Jones) who will have to confirm with Human Resources at Greenock that the person is eligible. If Greenock agree that the person may become an Associate Member, then we may include them in the membership on receipt of an annual £25 subscription. This subscription is for the member only and will cover any first guest of that member for the lower prices at Club functions. Employees retiring aged 50 or more and in receipt of an IBM pension are normally eligible to be full members but have to be authorised by Greenock before we can include them on our list.
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