Out of the Blue - St Helens NARPO



Out of the Blue

ST. HELENS & DISTRICT

NARPO NEWSLETTER

JR 58 APRIL 2020

Members,

Perhaps some of you were hoping to have seen the back of me, as I stated my intention to step down at the AGM. However I was re-elected, along with Ann, as assistant secretary. There were some changes to the committee with `big Fred` our chairman and his lady wife Margaret standing down. Fred and I, along with a few others took over the running of the branch many years ago now. Fred later became Chairman at the premature death of Ian Shaw. Margaret took a very active committee role in organising our functions and arranging our holidays and coach excursions. I shall miss them for their help and guidance and wish them well for the future. I know that they will keep their eye on the branch. Fred was awarded a very well deserved Life Membership award for all the work he has done over the many years and Margaret was presented with a bouquet.

We have a new Chair, elected at the AGM - Anita Ashcroft QPM, who introduces herself later in this Newsletter, and a reformed committee with three new committee members. Liz Broughton, Keran Kean and Tony Mullen.

During this present lock-down situation our concern is to our members, particularly those who live alone and indeed those who may not have access to the internet. Please, if you know of any who may need assistance, give them a quick telephone call to ensure all is well. Make me or a committee member aware and let`s try and look after each other.

I was firmly in the belief that all branch correspondence was to be done by the Secretary. However I was very much surprised and somewhat shocked when, at the AGM I too was presented with a NARPO Life membership award. I had no idea whatsoever having gone to great lengths of keeping Fred`s award secret, not knowing what was being done behind my back. My thanks to those concerned in organising this. I am greatly honoured.

John Russell sthelensnarpo@ 01695 312280 07774 618654

OBITUARY. It is with sadness, as always, that I report to you the deaths of branch members.

Maureen RYLEY. Reg HASLAM and George EDMUNDSON

Branch members attended at the funeral services for these members and the funeral drape was utilised.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR NEW CHAIR - Dear Members,

As you are probably aware, the St. Helens NARPO AGM took place at Bishop Road on Wednesday, 3rd March, 2020 at 7.30 pm. As in previous years, we had a guest speaker on the night, and we welcomed the Merseyside Mayor, Steve Rotherham who gave us an informative talk about his position and his vision for the Merseyside Partnership going forward.

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As is usual on this occasion, all your committee members stand down from their posts and those who wish to continue for another year, signal their intention to stand again.

This year our Chairman, Fred Dickinson and his committee member wife Margaret, both decided to step down for personal reasons after giving many selfless years of service to St. Helens NARPO members. Both Fred and Margaret will be sorely missed as they were very active members of the committee, arranging many holidays and outings etc for the membership over the years. Margaret was presented with a large bouquet of flowers on the night and Fred was honoured with life membership of the branch. We give them both our grateful thanks and wish them both every happiness for the future. We look forward to seeing them at our branch functions in the not too distant future. Their departures will leave" big shoes" to fill.

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Another surprise was also in store on the same night! Our very own `treasure`, John Russell was also given a life membership of the branch for his unstinting service as secretary of our branch. He had no idea this was happening as he was presented with his award. ( Ann can definitely keep a secret as JR was totally shocked on the night!).

Introducing our New Chair.

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Hello, My name is Anita Ashcroft. I have been a member of St. Helens NARPO for five years and have been a committee member for the last four years. I am a St Helens Girl - born and bred. I was originally from Parr, but I now live in the Eccleston Park area of St. Helens .

I joined Merseyside Police in 1978 and I served as a police officer for 32 and a half years, all within the Merseyside area. I worked mostly as a uniformed patrol and Traffic officer at the following Police Stations. Copperas Hill, St. Anne Street, Smithdown Lane, Oliver Lyme Road, Maghull Traffic, Newton -le Willows and St. Helens. So I know the Merseyside area very well.

In March, 2000 I was told to come off streets patrols due to health reasons, I was offered a pension, but I declined it, preferring instead to set up a Home Office Project for the Force,

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working multi agency with prolific and priority offenders, most of whom were substance miss-users. This was one of five projects set up throughout England and Wales. It worked very well, and was judged to be the best practice by the Home Office with a 33 % reduction in crime throughout the Merseyside area. As a result of this, I was awarded the Queens Police Medal in the New Year`s honours list, 2009 for distinguished service. I retired from Merseyside Police in August, 2010. My hobbies are:- travel, gardening, Football and DIY.

I feel very honoured to be selected as your new Chair and together with all the other committee members I will continue to work hard on your behalf, ensuring that the branch continues to go from strength to strength so that you as members feel not only supported but also enabled to participate in future activities such as day trips out, annual holidays and gain support on welfare matters should it be required.

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BILL’S Quiz April 2020.

1) Who was the British Prime Minister at the time of the first moon landings?

2) What are the names of the two Mersey Tunnels?

3) How many times did King Henry VIII marry a widow?

4) On 25 December 1643, Captain William Mynors of the East Indian Company vessel, The Royal Mary, first saw and named which Island in the Indian Ocean?

5) All the Kings from the Royal House of Lancaster had which first name? – Richard: Henry: Edward: George.

6) Most religious prayers end with the word Amen. But what does Amen mean?

7) Tennis player Rafael Nadal was born on which Mediterranean island?

8) What was the name of the prison in the TV show Porridge?

9) On 1960’s television Situation Comedy, who lived at 23 Railway Cuttings, East Cheam?

10) Which river has the largest delta in the world? - Amazon: Ganges: Mississippi: Yangtze.

11) There are 20 football teams in the English Premier League & each team plays 38 games. How many games in total are played during one season?

12) Which famous jockey had the nickname ‘The Long Fellow’?

13) Name the two co-stars of the iconic film Brief Encounter.

14) Which modern country was originally named New Holland?

15) How many US States make up the region known as New England?

Answers on page 9

St. Helens NARPO Annual Holiday . 16th - 20th March, 2020 to the Isle Of Wight

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This year saw 34 members set off on the annual holiday to the Isle Of Wight. Originally, 49 members should have travelled but due to the current Corona Virus threat, a number were medically advised not to travel due to present and existing health conditions. It was a long journey , with an early start - with just over six hours of travel, which we filled with quizzes provided by Bill and Eileen Brown and John Russell and Ann Houghton ( Thank you all).

We stayed at the lovely Warner Adult only Hotel, at Bembridge Coast . This beautiful hotel with excellent accommodation was accessed by ferry and had wonderful views looking out over the Solent. It's amazing 23 acres of gardens providing lovely walks when we were not touring the island.

The only casualty due to Covid 19 was that we were not allowed access to Osborne House, (Queen Victoria's residence) which had shut down in line with all English Heritage Properties across the country. Many of us wanted to see it but it wasn't to be! Instead, we toured differing parts of the Island from Shanklin to Cowes, Godshill to Newport. They even had their very own St. Helens, which we travelled through on a number of occasions!

Our three course breakfasts and three course evening meals ensured that we all came back heavier than we started off. The weather was extremely kind to us being bright and sunny and only changed on the day we left. The holiday was a resounding success and we were very lucky to have travelled when we did because on our last day as we prepared to return home, our Hotel and all the others on the Island were forced to shut down due to the threat of the Corona Virus. They were even in the process of stopping all the passenger ferries for the same reason. We will all look back with fond memories of our trip as we now endure our enforced lock - down !

MESSAGE FROM OUR TREASURER. Ray MUSPRATT. - Well, everyone, it's Springtime already. I think it's fair to say that this Spring is like no other anyone has experienced before, except perhaps, those members old enough to remember WW2. As I write this, the sun is shining brightly, it's 16C outside and the garden is looking a whole lot better. Spring flowers are in full bloom, their bright colours illuminating a dark period this country is going through.

So, now more than ever before, we need to look after one another and your NARPO branch is there to assist in any way possible. Boris asked for an army of 250,000 volunteers to assist those in the community unable to help themselves and 400,000 have signed up. So during this very difficult and challenging time, we need to help one another. If you are aware of any member requiring assistance of any kind, please bring it to the attention of a committee member and we will do all in our power to help. Most of our members, and indeed, the committee, are considered vulnerable as we are 70+ but I'm sure we can find someone to help if required.

I would like to thank all those of you who attended our AGM last month. We had an attendance of over 100 yet again, which enjoyed not only the free drink and hotpot, but also an excellent speech by the Merseyside Mayor, Steve Rotherham, who outlined his role and what he hopes to accomplish during his tenure.

As you know, our Chair, Anita Ashcroft, organised a NARPO Branch trip to the Warners complex at Bembridge, Isle of Wight. It was an unmitigated success. Unfortunately, some members could not make the trip because of the virus pandemic and underlying health issues. They, understandably, decided not to travel. Because of the CoVid-19 crisis, the hotel closed after we left on the Friday. My thanks go to Anita for her splendid organisation.

On the subject of trips, I have organised a day trip to York, scheduled for 8th June, travelling with our sponsors, Hattons Travel. The ongoing situation will determine whether or not this trip takes place. I suspect not but if that is the case, I will reschedule for later in the year. I already have 31 people on the list who have paid, and this is without advertising in the Newsletter, only at the AGM. I can categorically say that no one will lose their money. Those wanting their money returned will get it and also those who cannot, for whatever reason, travel on the rescheduled date. Please telephone me on 01942 212217 if that is the case. Should more than 49 people wish to go, there will be a waiting list. If this waiting list is very long, we could take two coaches. Details of the trip will be published in a later Newsletter , I feel it futile to make further arrangements at this time when there is so much uncertainty.

I officiated at two funerals recently of retired police officers known to many of our members. The first was that of Constable 7628 Dave 'Johnno' Johnston. He worked in the St Helens Division in uniform and in the Community Against Drugs Team. Many of our members were among the 160 mourners at West Lancs Crematorium in Burscough. The second was that of Inspector Reg Haslam, a member of our Branch. His send off at St Helens Crematorium was attended by around 150 mourners with police motorcyclists as an escort. It was fitting since Reg spent a lot of his service as a police motorcyclist in three ranks. I got to know him well during the past few years and I, like others, will miss him terribly. He was a great bloke.

That's all for this Newsletter. These are uncertain times but we will manage if we take heed of the advice given and help one another if required.

Remember, the Branch committee are here to help. Ray

GARDENERS CORNER

Hello fellow gardeners ~ it’s that man again. This edition, after a little research, I have a bit of fun for you …………

Genuine reasons NOT to go in the garden could be a phobia such as :--

Alliumphobia Fear of garlic (don’t go to France, then)

Amathophobia Fear of dust (keep moving – dust can’t settle)

Anthrophobia Fear of flowers (don’t grow ‘em – can’t eat most of ‘em)

Arachnophobia Fear of spiders (quite common)

Astraphobia Fear of thunder and lightening (that never struck me)

Automysophobia Fear of being dirty (soap is cheap)

Botanophobia Fear of plants (The Day of the Triffids – scary)

Bufonophobia Fear of toads (no problem - just steer clear of Toad Hall)

Dendrophobia Fear of trees (is it one of Tolkien’s Ents?)

Doraphobia Fear of fur or skins of animals

Entomophobia Fear of insects (tell ‘em to buzz off)

Eosophobia Fear of dawn or daylight (are you a vampire?)

Felinophobia Fear of cats (keep a dog)

Frigophobia Fear of cold (work hard – you’ll soon get warm)

Heliophobia Fear of the sun (wear a hat with a wide brim)

More unusual names ……….. for groups of creatures.

The below are thought to have originated in the fifteenth century and were first listed in the Book of St.Albans (by Dame Juliana Barnes in 1486)

A cete of badgers A drift of bees

A peep of chickens A dissimulation of small birds

A piteousness of doves A raft of ducks on water

A business of ferrets A charm of finches

A cloud of flies A skulk of foxes

A kindle of kittens A tiding of magpies

A richesse of martins A labour of moles

A kit of pigeons A flight of swallows

A wedge of swans A herd of wrens

Culture vulture terms :--

Apiculture bee breeding for honey, beeswax or royal jelly

Arboriculture cultivation of trees and shrubs for ornamental or scientific purposes

Permaculture an ecologically friendly system of gardening and agriculture

Silviculture the commercial cultivation of trees and woodland

Sericulture silkworm breeding on mulberry trees for raw silk

Vermiculture the farming of earthworms for compost or fishing

Viniculture the cultivation of grapes for wine-making

Floriculture the cultivation of flowering plants

Horticulture the cultivation of plants

Pomiculture the cultivation of fruit

Citriculture the cultivation of citrus fruits

Olericulture the cultivation of vegetables

The fun never ends ……………….

A thickly planted lawn measuring 100ft x 100ft will on average contain 8.5 million grass plants with three billion miles of roots to support it – the equivalent to 15 return trips to the sun.

Spring is upon us, I hope you all enjoy sorting out your soggy gardens in better weather.

You can always contact me if you have specific or difficult problems that need some advice ~ I’ll be back again soon. Please stay safe and well. Fred

Margaret`s Munchies aka Dickinson`s Delights

BAKED COD WITH A HERB AND CHEDDAR CHEESE CRUST

Serves 2

6 tbsps fresh white breadcrumbs

30g(1oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 teasp chopped Parsley

1 tbsp olive oil

15g (1/2 oz butter, melted

salt and pepper

2 cod fillets (preferably skinned) about 175g (6oz) each

Preheat the oven to 220C (425F, gas 7

Mix the breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley in a small bowl

Add the oil, melted butter, salt and pepper and mix together. Lay the fish in a buttered gratin dish where it can lie in a single layer.

Pat the breadcrumb crust all over the fish and cook for 11-15 minutes. Check to see if it's done by prodding with a knife. The fish should be pearly white. Serve immediately. Margaret.

CHAPLAINS CORNER

Greetings in the name of the risen Saviour, Jesus Christ. We can’t ignore the current situation, the threat posed to each and every one of us by Covid 19. Indeed the situation is awful and we’re told that things will get worse before they get better. However I want to look at things from a spiritual perspective, after all, God is still on his throne.

In the latter part of the 19th century the bubonic plague was ravaging the population of Sydney, Australia. John Alexander Dowie was a Pastor there and had seen numerous members of his congregation die. In those days people thought that the plague was a judgment sent by God. Dowie explained that this was not so. Sadly today people are saying that covid 19 had been sent by God as a punishment. This is absolutely wrong. In John Chapter 10 verse 10, we read the words of Jesus; The thief (satan) does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.

There can be no doubt that we are in crisis, both nationally and internationally. Our emergency services are at full stretch. We do need to recognise the gravity of the situation and comply with the advice and instructions from government. However I should like to pass on some scriptures that I pray will give you comfort and peace.

Isaiah chapter 54 verse 17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

Psalm 91 has been quoted widely; in verse 3 we read (The Lord) shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

John 14 verse 27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Matthew 11 verse 28 Come to me (Jesus) all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

Proverbs 12 verse 25 Anxiety in the heart causes depression but a good word makes it glad.

Perhaps the most well known verse is John 3 verse 16 For God so loved the world (you) that he gave his only begotten son (Jesus) that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

These words of the Lord’s prayer. This is from Luke 11

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.

Finally, from Numbers 6, The Lord bless you and keep you The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any help. God bless you, John Rowley My mobile phone number is 07761754114, email johnr3700@

Bill`s Quiz Answers: - 1) Harold Wilson. 2) Kingsway (Wallasey) & Queensway (Birkenhead)

3) Two widows. Catherine of Aragon & Katherine Parr. 4) Christmas Island.

5) Henry IV: Henry V: & Henry VI. 6) So be it: or The End: 7) Majorca. 8) Slade Prison.

9) Tony Hancock. 10) Ganges. 11) 380.(Each game involves 2 teams. 38 x 20 divided by 2 = 380) 12) Lester Piggott 13) Celia Johnson & Trevor Howard. 14) Australia. 15) 6. (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.)

Remember: - Being an adult is just walking around and wondering what you are forgetting

- I ordered a chicken and an Egg from Amazon – I’ll let you know

- I applied for a job today and they wanted 3 references so I sent them a dictionary a Thesaurus and a map

And finally - If anyone knows how to fix broken hinges - my door is always open.

Let`s consider when this is all over of enjoying a Hattons trip out and having a great big get-together at Bishop Road Police Club. PLEASE TAKE CARE AND KEEP SAFE.

Ann Houghton – Assistant Branch Secretary

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