Opening remarks from the Chair
Welcome to our Autumn Newsletter. Another year seems to have shot by and here we are announcing in this edition the 2019 Christmas luncheon at the superb Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth on Thursday, 5th December. Do come and join us there to enjoy the wonderful decorations as well as our lovely company!
Since July we have enjoyed a “Dangerous Obsession” at the Sidmouth Theatre and the Seaton to Colyton Tramway excursion with Cream Tea at the restored Victorian Colyton station. It may have been a damp day, but not so the spirits of the intrepid 24 travellers. We had our own single decker tram and an amusing driver with commentary. Thanks to Barbara and Peter Johnson for arranging these trips.
Our Autumn lunch occurs on 31st October at the Tiverton Hotel, but your choices should already be in for this occasion.
Into the New Year, we plan a coffee morning for Tuesday, 4th February at the White Horse on the Sidmouth Road near Aylesbeare. Our AGM is set for Tuesday, 10th March at the Exeter Golf and Country Club, with an entertaining speaker arranged, but more on that in the January newsletter.
Please do remember to take a look at our Website for up-to-date information and reports on our activities (www.exeterspreadeagles.org).
Finances
We are on target to achieve a deficit this year of about £700, to use up some of our surplus funds. The HO Forum for 2019 has been cancelled as the senior executive of the Bank are no longer willing to attend to give us a run-down of the strategies and health of Barclays. Also, the state of your Pension Fund from the Trustees is now set out annually in brochure form to each pensioner, thus diluting another part of the Forum. It leaves very little else to discuss or impart to the Pension Clubs: A sad loss, but also a cost saving measure. For good news, funding to the Clubs remains in place!
Our numbers have remained steady this year, with 176 active members and their spouses/partners plus 100 inactive across 180 addresses. We welcome new members Margaret and Roy Graveney to our active number and look forward to seeing them in due course.
Finally, should I not see you at either the October or December lunches I wish you all a lovely Christmas and a healthy New Year! (yes, I know, it’s a bit early).
Garry Adams, Chairman and Treasurer
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Pensioning us all off!
Barclays outsources the majority of its Personnel and Pension work to Willis Towers Watson. They, WTW, wrote to all Pensioners Clubs recently regarding the Barclays Bank UK Fund Retirement website. This is the site that would be quite useful for all pensioners, but has become increasingly difficult to open. The letter, an excerpt shown below, acknowledges the difficulties, but only explains why and offers few solutions for us all.
“We are aware of the inconvenience that is sometimes experienced by members of the Fund due to the policy of resetting passwords in ePA every three months. This is not a policy made up by Willis Towers Watson, the Fund administrator. It is a requirement set by Barclays IT Security for WTW as a third party supplier of web portal services to the Trustee.”
The letter goes on to say that, within these constraints, it is working to improve matters, but this will take time. If any member would like a full copy of this communication, please do get in touch.
And then we get another letter, this time about updating the data WTW holds about Barclays’ pensioners. They will be writing to pensioners asking them to complete a form so that all information held is still up-to-date and correct. There should be nothing to worry about in all this, they are ensuring that they still hold the correct information about you, your address and your next of kin. Once again, do get in touch if you would like a full copy.
And finally, some good news! In September, or so I am told, WTW wrote to us all, announcing the annual increase in pensions. Will it be time to book that cruise?
Andrew Green, Hon. Secretary
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Functions
Our next function is our Christmas lunch which is on Thursday, 5th December 2019 at the Victoria Hotel, The Esplanade, Sidmouth EX10 8RY.
Menu/booking form is attached (click here) and should be returned to me with your cheque by Monday, 18th November. Cheques will be banked on Thursday, 28th November. No refunds will be given after this date. The cost per head for members is £15.00 and £30.00 per head for non-members. The cost includes a glass and a half of wine OR a glass of orange, apple or grapefruit juice. Please also let me know when replying of any special dietary requirements you may have, e.g. if you do not want sauces or gravy.
For those who like to make this event more of an occasion, you can arrive from 11.00am to purchase tea/coffee and the bar will be open from 12 noon. Should you wish to sit with particular friends would you please indicate on the Booking Form so that I can complete the Seating Plan. Please check the Seating Plan when you arrive to see where you are seated.
Some future dates for your diary Tuesday, 4th February 2020 Free Coffee Morning, White Horse Inn, Woodbury Salterton EX5 1EP (A3052 Sidmouth Road), 10.15am12noon
Tuesday, 10th March 2020 AGM and Lunch, Exeter Golf & Country Club
Lynne Ring, Committee Member
Tel: 01392 879446
Email: lynne_ring@hotmail.com [Please note my email address has an underscore between Lynne and Ring]
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Theatre Outing
On the evening of 28th August a party of 23 members met at the Manor Pavilion Theatre in Sidmouth to enjoy our third annual visit to the Summer Play Festival. The Festival comprises a series of 12 plays in as many weeks. This year we enjoyed a Psychological Thriller entitled “Dangerous Obsession” by N J Crisp.
The curtain opened to reveal a very well-designed set depicting a large conservatory where all the action took place. The three characters successfully built up the suspense through a series of revelations, culminating in an exciting climax with the inevitable twist at the end.
Hopefully we will be able to offer more Theatre outings next year – look out for details in our 2020 Newsletters.
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Seaton Tramway Ride & Cream Tea
It was a very wet day that saw a group of 24 somewhat bedraggled members assemble in Seaton for our Tram Ride up to Colyton for a Cream Tea at the station café before departing for the return journey. Initially a goodly number of us began our outing with an impromptu light lunch at the adjacent Jurassic Centre café, getting the social gathering off to a good start.
Several members had braved flooded roads on their journeys to and from Seaton, whilst typically, the previous and following days were dry and sunny! Nevertheless we didn’t allow the weather to spoil our enjoyment. We had a private single-decker Tram with fully enclosed accommodation – padded seats no less – so (apart from the odd leaking drip) we travelled comfortably. Mick had kindly brought along his replica Spread Eagle as our mascot. Do check out our website to see the photos.
We all enjoyed the scrumptious Cream Tea at Colyton which included two scones each and generous individual portions of jam and cream. There was the usual discussion as to which way to apply the jam and cream and the conversation flowed as well as the tea and coffee.
Barbara and Peter Johnson, Committee Members