IBM Retirees Club (Midlands)
(www.retireesmidclub.org.uk)
November 2005 Newsletter
Editorial
20 members and guests enjoyed the visit to Three Choirs at Newent. Our host described the various processes which go to make the finished wines, accompanied by the tinkling sound of the bottling plant, whilst we tasted a selection of their products. We then adjourned for an excellent lunch, after which there was a further chance to look at the shop and taste any wines which took your fancy. For anybody visiting Three Choirs, it is worth mentioning that the staff will let you taste any wine that you might like to buy as they want you to be happy with your purchase. Thanks to Rick for organising this event.
The announcement for the 2006 rambling weekend is in this Newsletter, together with a booking form. The Lake District is a popular area so get your booking form to Gordon as soon as possible.
You may notice (or you may not!) that the Newsletter has a slightly different look this month. Amongst other changes, I have moved the links from the head to the end of the newsletter to give a less 'clutterd' look. All comments (positive or negative) gratefully received.
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Gordon Jones, our Membership Secretary, maintains the membership database so if you change your e-mail address or any other personal details - address, telephone number, etc. - please note that Gordon is the only person who can action changes. He can be contacted by e-mail at gordon_jones@lineone.net or telephone 01455-556192.
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Brian Wilson, Newsletter Editor. Telephone: 01926-777710 e-mail: brian_h_wilson@msn.com
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Pub Lunch Tuesday 22nd November (organiser, Ray Castle)
Just a reminder for those of you going to the lunch - the Shakespeare is in Chapel Street, Welford. Turn off the B439 Stratford on Avon/Evesham Road into Welford where signposted, go over the bridge, past The Four Alls and up into the village. After approximately one mile you will see the maypole on your left. You can't miss it, as it's 64 feet high. Immediately turn left into Chapel Street and the Shakespeare is on your right. There is limited parking at the pub, otherwise park in the street. Time is 12:30 for 1.
Any problems on the day, phone Ray at home before 12.
Ray Castle, Box Acre, Barton Road, Welford on Avon, Warks, CV37 8EY
Telephone 01789 751228 Email: ray@boxacre.freeserve.co.uk
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IBM Retiree's Club Christmas Lunch Wednesday 14th December 2005 (organiser - Tony Mancell)
Anyone who has not yet booked for our Christmas Lunch should do so as soon as possible as we have set a cut off for booking forms to be with the organiser by 30th November in order to make final arrangements with the hotel.
For your reference, their web site is www.woodhouseatprincethorpe.co.uk . This shows the location of the hotel and also the Orchard Room Restaurant which we will be using. The cost is £12.50 per head for members and first guest.
See October Newsletter for further details.
Please send your booking form together with a cheque for the appropriate amount as soon as possible to the organiser:-
Tony Mancell , 73 Mill Street, Harbury, Warwickshire, CV33 9HS
Telephone: 01926-613313 Email: Tony.Mancell@btinternet.com
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DIARY DATE
ALL (AND MORE) WILL BE REVEALED BY NELL GWYNNE AFTER THE EARLY SPRING LUNCH ON SUNDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2006
AT
THE RESTAURANT IN THE PARK, JEFFSON GARDENS, LEAMINGTON
Don't miss it! Details and booking form in December newsletter.
Anne Hope
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The 2006 Rambling Weekend - 5th to 8th May 2006 (organiser - Gordon Jones)
We have booked the 2006 Rambling Weekend at Keswick Country House Hotel, Keswick in the lakes (note that this is not the Bank Holiday weekend).
We have to put down a deposit of £25.00 per person and at the moment we have forty places on hold. The Retirees' Club cannot afford to have this amount money tied into a 2006 function at this time in 2005 and so we are asking for £25 per person deposits from people who intend to go so that we can pay a deposit for all the places we need. The maximum number of places will be forty nine, the capacity of the coach, but we need to go back to the hotel in the near future as they may let rooms go if we do not secure them with a deposit.
Trip outline:
Hotel & Board. The Keswick Country House Hotel, Keswick. Four days, three nights, half board.
Costs
Club members and first guest. All £165.00
Second guests will be accepted if places are available. Sharing D/T £190.00
Single £230.00 *
* The hotel has applied this single room uplift and the committee has decided that we cannot share it across the group for second guests.
Arrangements
The organisation will be similar to previous years, using the coach the walkers will be dropped off and picked up as appropriate each day and the rest of the group are taken sight seeing.
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Places for members and first guests will be allotted as soon as the booking form, complete with cheque, is in my hand. If you wish to be informed that you are on the list please write your current email address on the booking form and indicate that you want a reply or, if you do not have email include a SAE.
Gordon Jones gordon_jones@lineone.net or telephone 01455-556192
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IBM Retirees PC Group
Many of you will know of the Retirees PC group which has been chaired by Harry Green for more years than perhaps even he would like to think. Harry has announced that he would like to hand over the organisation of the Group after the November meeting and let somebody else have a go.
The club first met on 24 January 1997 and the November meeting will be the 67th meeting that has taken place. During that time there have been 66 different retirees attend the meetings with a total of 834 attendences up to the last meeting. The meetings are now generally held on the third Friday of each odd month. i.e. January, March, May etc.
Harry has organised some interesting and indeed inspirational sessions on a wide range of topics and has given up much time and energy in the process, as I know from my own attendance over the last few years. I am sure we would all like to thank Harry for his efforts and wish him well for the future.
I understand that a new organiser has volunteered to take over the Group and I hope to give more details in the next Newsletter.
Brian Wilson
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SPAM (Self-Promotional Advertising Messages)
The word Spam is believed to come from the Monty Python restaurant sketch, where everything on the menu contained at least one portion of Spam, although there has been an attempt to retrofit it as an acronym for Self-Promotional Advertising Message. Hormel, the manufacturer of the tinned meat product, states that it stands for Spiced Ham, though some critics have claimed that it is 'Stuff Posing as Meat'. Hormel has also been less than delighted with the association of their product with unwanted email and has tried to discourage the use of the word by purveyors of junk email filters. However, this is a fairly hopeless task, though product images and the Spam trademark are protected by law. Still, as the company has sold over six billion tins and has created a Spam museum in Minnesota, the brand identity seems safe enough.
Spotted in PC World Magazine
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Newsletter Links
Links to Booking Forms by individual events
Click here to see 2005 Diary Click here for Committee Contact List
Click here for General Notes About Events Click here for 2005 AGM Minutes
Click here for Archived Newsletters Click here for Membership Information
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