This is the second Newsletter since I sent one in May seeking volunteers to join our committee. I have received some responses from members who have said they would have liked to be able to volunteer but for health reasons feel unable to do so. I have discussed this with your Chair, and he agreed to organise one more meeting before the National AGM to explain the situation and if agreement is reached to continue as a branch, seek to elect a new committee. Attached is a notice for that meeting which will be held on the 29 September at 2:30pm in Harpenden. Please come along if you can, whether you can volunteer for the committee or not to decide on the Branch’s future.
We will hold the next meeting of the South Beds and Harpenden Group on Thursday 29 September 2022. Make no mistake, this will be a make-or-break meeting. Please come along and have your say on the future of the Group. You will be very welcome.
The world or at least our Group has stood still for the last two-and a-bit years, but we are getting back to some sort of normality. As you would expect CSPA Head Office is now open full time again having worked from home for a while, campaigning and meetings took place via ZOOM but are now back to normal meeting face to face. Some Groups have held meetings while others like us have gone with the tide waiting for all clear siren to sound.
I am sorry to have to tell you that Tony Glynos has taken the decision to stand down from the post of Secretary of the Group and other members of our committee feel they too should follow his example due mainly to the state of their health.
Head Office news: Darlene Vendryes, Office Manager and Linda Smith, Minutes Secretary retired at the end of June. Marion McAuliffe is now Office Manager and is responsible for the duties formerly undertaken by Darlene. Doreen Parkinson is now new Minute taker and Sally Tsoukaris has taken over from Marion as Deputy Office Manager/PA to General Secretary.
Cost of Living Crisis
Members are reeling from the news that energy bills are now expected to triple within months plunging more of us into poverty. Household energy bills will hit five hundred pounds a month by January 2023 alone we are told. It is obscene that big companies can rake in billions during an unprecedented cost of living crisis while millions suffer. The Chancellor’s measures are not enough, he must do more to rein in these gross profits and help those facing a grim winter ahead.
The gas companies blame the price hikes on Russia for cutting world supplies during Ukraine war. As you would expect we are joining other pensioner groups campaigning that help is needed.
We are concerned that broken manifesto promises of maintaining the triple lock could happen again, the cost of living going up at an alarming rate. Banks are still closing branches with over 4,685 closed since 2015 and another 226 more scheduled to close by the end of this year. We have also lost 12,178 cash machines since 2018 and shops encouraging us to use cards rather than cash.
That little plastic card we tend to use without a thought, is in fact especially important in this modern world. In the wrong hands, anyone can spend up to a hundred pounds of your money, repeatedly and again, so keep it safe.
The digital world is affecting our lives more than most of us like, the fact that we need a smartphone now to park our car, we need a smartphone to get the benefit of offers from the major supermarkets. It is proving impossible to speak to a human to give us advice. Strange as it sounds the Daily Mail is running a campaign asking their readers to write to their MPs, asking that phone calls are answered within ten minutes, so it is not just us “Old Folk” who are getting frustrated with having to hold on waiting for someone to condescend to pick up the phone.
No wonder we look back at the 60s and 70s with fond memories. It is understandable that many of today’s pensioners are not Happy Bunnies.
The CSPA publish two interesting documents, which I am sorry to say that while they can be sent to you free of charge, the service is only available if you have an internet connection.
One is called Group Circular and is available about every 6 to 8 weeks and the other is available monthly, this is an E-newsletter. Go to enquiries@cspa.co.uk and ask to be put on the mailing list.
Its free to members and keeps you up to date with all that the Alliance is doing.
Independent Age records poverty in later life, more than two million older people are living in poverty in the UK. The Experiences of Poverty in Later life project by independent Age aims to amplify the voices of some of these older people, by highlighting the experiences of people facing financial hardship in later life. In-depth interviews were conducted with older people who were experiencing financial hardship. The government gave bus companies extra money to help them keep running while several people worked from home, now that they have returned to the workplace and are again using the bus services that money is being withdrawn and no doubt our bus services will be reduced. How can we say that the CSPA is not needed today?
The Charity for Civil Servants can help with all sorts of financial issues at this time with the cost of living going up in the manner it is. The charity is there for you, so if you need help give them a call. For confidential help and advice go to, www.foryoubyyou.org.uk or call 0800 056 2424 or email help@foryoubyyou.org.uk
Getting back to our own Group, we need to reform following Tony’s standing down. Tony kept the Group together for many years with the help of your committee. We now need more volunteers to step forward. One or two members have voiced interest in helping with the running of the Group in this uncertain period. We all need the CSPA as much now as ever, we must continue the fight another day, we cannot admit defeat and walk away, our lives will be that much poorer if we do.
Each of the committee jobs can be adjusted to suit the time the job holder feels able and well enough to give and shared across the committee if needed. We have been functioning holding only two meetings a year and a committee meeting between each meeting.
Whether or not you are able to join our committee it is most important that you attend our next meeting on the 29 September at the Harpenden Trust Centre, 90 Southdown Road, Harpenden ALS 1PS in Randall Room starting at 2.30pm.
Will we get a couple or three volunteers to stand on a new committee and take us into the post COVID era? Your support is needed, should we meet via ZOOM in future? Should we merge with a local Group which would involve more travelling? Please come along and discuss our next move.
All best wishes
Frank Edwards
CSPA Eastern Region Executive Member
