Autumn 2016

Season’s Greetings from all at Retirement Security Limited

A War-Time Story

A REPORT FROM THE 2016 AGM

… AND THE USUAL MIX OF NEWS, PHOTOGRAPHY AND QUIZZES

Court Circular

Retirement Security Limited

A REPORT FROM THE RSL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

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“What a turn-out!”These are the first words Retirement Security Limited’s new Chief Executive, Richard Sharples, speaks to Court Circular on our arrival at the grand Lansdowne Club just off Berkeley Square in Mayfair, London.

It was hard to disagree with the sentiment: looking around the gilt-edged ballroom, as rather appropriate stream of classical opera - chosen by RSL’s administration assistant, Nick Payne – swirled out of the speakers, the assembled were tucking into a buffet lunch, and generally catching up and getting to know each other.

The Annual General Meeting of Retirement Security Limited is always an opportunity for staff and owners alike to gather to hear the latest news from across the network; from the year’s accounts to chatting with old friends. For Shareholders, the AGM is the centrepiece of RSL’s year as it gives them a chance to ask questions directly of the Board.

2016’s event, however, was particularly well intended – and in large part, of course, this was because of Richard’s appointment. The main event of the AGM was a speech

from the new chief executive, who having shadowed Bob for some months was set to commence his new role the very next day.

The address promised to focus on his priorities for the Courts – and ended with the lengthy Q & A session in which the many assembled Owners and Shareholders would be given the opportunity to learn about Richard’s thinking on whatever issues they wished to raise.

Bob Bessell opened the formal proceedings of the AGM. As the chatter of lunchtime died down, Bob spoke – without a microphone – to the whole room, introducing a representative of RSL’s auditors who presented a straightforward set of accounts.

Following the election of Directors, and a confirmation of Cooper Adams as auditors, Bob announced that he was “entirely satisfied” with the appointment of Richard Sharples as the company’s new chief executive. “It took us a long time,” he says, “but we have found absolutely the right person.”

Given this glowing recommendation, Richard kicked off with a thank you: to Bob, of course, but also to all those in attendance – and every single Court, of which he had visited by the day of the AGM all but one. “This is a fantastic opportunity,” he says of his new role, “and everyone, up to and including the team in Stratford, have made me feel so welcome.”

Richard’s talk proves to be a fascinating insight into his ideas for RSL – and yet he also emphasises that he sees it as the opening of a conversation. Several times during the talk, he insists that, “This is just an idea – I want to hear what everyone else thinks, too.”

By 2026, he says, the number of people above eighty-give years old will double; eight million people will be over 60 – and seven million households currently want to downsize. Only one per cent of Britain’s over-sixties currently live in tailor-made retirement housing. In the USA, it is seventeen per cent.

A REPORT FROM THE RSL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

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“What a turn-out!”This is obviously an environment of opportunity for RSL, and Richard listed a series of goals he believes the company should meet in order to be better both today and in the future: improve teamwork, enhance communication both internally and externally, and garner constant feedback from Owners.

“RSL has a unique model and some very talented individuals,” Richard says. “It’s a people business – and to succeed we have to work together. At every point, the Owners must come first.” At this, Richard spoke directly to the Owners in his audience. “Your needs should be at the centre of everything we do,” he concluded.

There followed a good half-hour of questions from Owners and Shareholders, spanning issues from provision of care in the Courts to how Owner feedback might be better gathered. Fittingly, however, the AGM closed with a focus on Bob and his wife, Margaret: gifted with opera tickets and flowers, they received the thanks of all present with good grace and humour.

“There is almost infinite room for more very sheltered housing,” Bob Bessell says – a belief that has powered RSL’s values at every one of its AGMs over the years … and which was at the heart of Richard’s thinking, too. The new chief executive has already sent his slides around to every Court, and will be offering some more ideas for the future in the first quarter of 2017.

Anything else? Well, for one thing: as the meeting closed and the crowd began to thin out, one phrase was overheard again and again: see you next year!

NewsPeter Standley awarded France’s highest military honour

The Legion of Honour is France’s equivalent of the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest military honour. On Saturday November 5th, Marlborough Court’s Peter Standley was presented with the Legion of Honour for his wartime services to France.

On November 5th, Captain François Jean, Consul Honoraire de Franceand representing the French government, came to Eastbourne to present the award to Peter in front of his family and friends, and the directors, managers and Owners of Marlborough Court. Congratulations, Peter!

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Tannery Court in Abergele has a full calendar most months, and since the last issue of Court Circular its Owners have been busy with two events in particular. In September, the Court held a Fashion Show, with clothes by the Edinburgh Woollen Mill. Owners from the Court modelled an array of fashions from the Autumn/Winter collection – and they all proved to be naturals. Fashions were all discounted by twenty per cent.

The Fashion Show was in aid of Alzheimer’s Society, and £233.00 was presented on the evening to the Society.

On Thursday 17th November, meanwhile, Tannery Court held its third evening of live music with the fifties and sixties covers band Kabana. Amanda Jones from the British Heart Foundation gave a talk at the beginning of the evening about the pioneering research that is carried out by the Foundation before the band got underway. Owners

really enjoyed this lively evening with plenty of dancing and memories from yesteryear.

Not only that, but the nominated charity did well again: members of Kabana Band were invited back to the Court a few days later to join Owners in making a presentation of the £214 raised on the evening to Amanda. Well done, all – and keep on rocking!

No Tarrying at Tannery

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Annie Creary, Blake Court’s gardener, has collected another coveted award. At the Enfield in Bloom presentations held at the town’s Royal Chase Hotel on Thursday 17th November, Blake Court were awarded gold in the best communal gardens category. Annie was there to collect the award along with the Court’s manager, Kate Dennis.

“The gardens at Blake Court are stunning,” says Kate, “and this is due to the hard work of both Annie and many of our Owners - who are inspired by her enthusiasm and encouragement. Annie is a big part of the court and often goes above and beyond to

support the Court and our Owners, so a big thank you and well done is in order.”

Court Circular seconds Kate’s vote of thanks!

Residents at Elizabeth Court have been continuing their enjoyable programme of trips around the countryside. “In April we had a very windy day in Bournemouth,” one of the Court’s Owners,” Mrs Pattillo, writes. “This included a visit to the Russell-Coates museum where a collection of artefacts and works of art were on display.

“In May, we visited a nearby Lavender Farm where we had coffee in the sunshine. This was followed by a visit to the Breamore Countryside Museum, where all the tools and machines used for farming in the past were on display.

“In October, our destination was a beautiful Georgian house at Hinton Ampner. The grounds were gorgeous as we walked around in the sunshine. The following month, we visited the Milestone Museum in Basingstoke and saw an exhibition of shops, houses, a station and vehicles from the Edwardian and Victorian ages.

“After the educational and informative parts of our trips we enjoy our lunches - ranging from fish and chips at the seaside to riverside locations and country inns. Back at Elizabeth Court our drama group is enjoying play readings ranging from Ibsen to Agatha Christie and our singers are enjoying Old Time songs and looking forward to singing carols as we approach Christmas.”

It sounds like it can be difficult to pack everything into one’s diary at Elizabeth Court. We look forward to snaps from future trips!

Blake Court Gardener

Trips at Elizabeth Court

Sophistication at Saxon Court

It is a truism that a lick of paint goes a long way – how often are we amazed by what a difference the smallest of changes can make to a room? But Saxon Court has gone one further recently, enjoying a full refurbishment which has truly added a touch of class to its communal areas and corridors.

Every inch of the public parts of the court have been refreshed and refined, in what amounts to an impressive facelift for the Court. As these photographs sent to us by Designer Alison Hunt show, the investment has paid off: Saxon looks better than ever!

The decorators retained Saxon’s signature sunny teal colour, but added extra dash of fuchsia pink throughout the downstairs reception. This vibrant and fresh hue replaces a slightly dated ochre and red colour pattern, bringing Saxon bang up to date aesthetically speaking.

With beautiful new furnishings and lighting - and magical seaside pictures reflecting the Court’s enviable position along the Hove seafront, the Court should be quite rightly proud.

“Visitors are always welcome,” says Angela, “so why not come along and stay in our tranquil guest suite?” It’s an offer that may be harder to refuse than ever …

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News Feature Parties at Priory Court

Few issues of Court Circular go by without us marking one anniversary or another, and this one is no different. We’re happy to report on several celebrations at Priory Court, where Owners have in the last few months been spoiled for social choice.

Priory Court Priory Court celebrated its eighteenth Birthday recently in magnificent style. The Court is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, where Edward Lear composed “The Owl and the Pussycat whilst staying at the Earl of Derby’s stately home - now part of the Knowsley Safari Park. Completed in 1998, the Court celebrated its big birthday with a spectacular meal - and star-studded entertainment from Julie A Scott.

Around the same time, Priory Owners Mr & Mrs Cunliffe celebrated their Golden Anniversary with a letter from the Queen – and Mr Smith, Mrs Boyce and Mr Coole enjoyed birthday celebrations, too! Owners have therefore been regularly seen in recent months in Priory’s lounge with cake, drinks, laughter and singing filling the Court.

With a Hallowe’en party at

the end of October to boot, and several birthdays to celebrate with candles and cake, Priory Court has been a buzz of activity over the last few months. Will anyone have any energy left for Christmas, we wonder? (Somehow, we suspect so!)

Mr & Mrs Cunliffe

Mrs Boyce

Court Locations

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1 TIDDINGTON COURT – Knight’s Lane, Tiddington, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7BP1b MARGARET COURT - Main Street Tiddington, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7AY2 PLYMOUTH COURT – Plymouth Close, Headless Cross, Redditch, Worcestershire, B97 4NR3 KENNET COURT – Woosehill, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 9DB4 SAXON COURT – 321 Kingsway, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 4ND5 OAKTREE COURT – Portland Drive, Willen, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK15 9LP6 ST. GEORGE’S COURT – Clarence Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 4LL7 ASHBY COURT – Ashby Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1RR8 EMMBROOK COURT – Off Woolacombe Drive, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 5TZ9 GREYFRIARS COURT – Court Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2RF10 KING RICHARD COURT – Wootton Brook Close, East Hunsbury, Northampton, NN4 0XU11 DEERHURST COURT – George Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 3BY11b DOVEHOUSE COURT – Grange Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 1EW12 GORSELANDS COURT – Aigburth Vale, Liverpool, L17 0DG 13 BURCOT COURT – Four Oaks Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 2XU 14 FORUM COURT – 80 Lord Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 1JP 15 ELIZABETH COURT – Crane Bridge Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7UX 16 MELTON COURT – 37 Lindsay Road, Branksome, Poole, Dorset, BH13 6BH 17 PINNER COURT – 313 High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, West Midlands, B17 9QL 18 BLAKE COURT – 1 Newsholme Drive, Winchmore Hill, London, N21 1SQ 19 FULLERTON COURT – 27 Udney Park Road, Teddington, Richmond-on-Thames, TW11 9BF20 PRIORY COURT – Ellison Grove, Huyton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Merseyside, L36 9GE21 MINSTER COURT – Off York Way, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln, LN4 2TS22 OSBORNE COURT – Central Road, Port Sunlight, Wirral, CH62 5AW23 MARLBOROUGH COURT – Southfields Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 1BT24 CATHEDRAL GREEN COURT – Crawthorne Road, Peterborough, PE1 4YS 25 BUSHMEAD COURT – Hancock Drive, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 7GY 26 THE BLUNDELLSANDS CLASSIC – 19 Blundellsands Road West, Blundellsands, Merseyside, L23 6BA 27 BOWLING GREEN COURT – 2 Brook Street, Chester, CH1 3DP 28 TANNERY COURT – Water Street, Abergele, LL22 7SR29 CARRS – Church Street, Wilmslow, SK9 1AW30 BOAT LANE COURT – 34 Brett Street, Northenden, Manchester, M22 4EZ

Every issue of Court Circular features dispatches from every corner of England, and all places in between. It can be difficult to keep track of where each Court is, however, so here - by popular request! - is a cut-out-and-keep map of the whole RSL network.

From Southport to Eastbourne, Abergele to Enfield, every Court is here. So next time you read a Court Circular story and wonder where those particular events took place - you know where to look!

Court contact details and locations

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1 TIDDINGTON COURT – Knight’s Lane, Tiddington, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7BP1b MARGARET COURT - Main Street Tiddington, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7AY2 PLYMOUTH COURT – Plymouth Close, Headless Cross, Redditch, Worcestershire, B97 4NR3 KENNET COURT – Woosehill, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 9DB4 SAXON COURT – 321 Kingsway, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 4ND5 OAKTREE COURT – Portland Drive, Willen, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK15 9LP6 ST. GEORGE’S COURT – Clarence Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 4LL7 ASHBY COURT – Ashby Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 1RR8 EMMBROOK COURT – Off Woolacombe Drive, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 5TZ9 GREYFRIARS COURT – Court Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2RF10 KING RICHARD COURT – Wootton Brook Close, East Hunsbury, Northampton, NN4 0XU11 DEERHURST COURT – George Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 3BY11b DOVEHOUSE COURT – Grange Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 1EW12 GORSELANDS COURT – Aigburth Vale, Liverpool, L17 0DG 13 BURCOT COURT – Four Oaks Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 2XU 14 FORUM COURT – 80 Lord Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 1JP 15 ELIZABETH COURT – Crane Bridge Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 7UX 16 MELTON COURT – 37 Lindsay Road, Branksome, Poole, Dorset, BH13 6BH 17 PINNER COURT – 313 High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, West Midlands, B17 9QL 18 BLAKE COURT – 1 Newsholme Drive, Winchmore Hill, London, N21 1SQ 19 FULLERTON COURT – 27 Udney Park Road, Teddington, Richmond-on-Thames, TW11 9BF20 PRIORY COURT – Ellison Grove, Huyton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Merseyside, L36 9GE21 MINSTER COURT – Off York Way, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln, LN4 2TS22 OSBORNE COURT – Central Road, Port Sunlight, Wirral, CH62 5AW23 MARLBOROUGH COURT – Southfields Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 1BT24 CATHEDRAL GREEN COURT – Crawthorne Road, Peterborough, PE1 4YS 25 BUSHMEAD COURT – Hancock Drive, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 7GY 26 THE BLUNDELLSANDS CLASSIC – 19 Blundellsands Road West, Blundellsands, Merseyside, L23 6BA 27 BOWLING GREEN COURT – 2 Brook Street, Chester, CH1 3DP 28 TANNERY COURT – Water Street, Abergele, LL22 7SR29 CARRS – Church Street, Wilmslow, SK9 1AW30 BOAT LANE COURT – 34 Brett Street, Northenden, Manchester, M22 4EZ

rough

rd upon

ry

rt

n 1 & 1b Stratford-upon-Avonn 2 Redditch

n 11 & 11b Solihulln 17 Harborne

n 6 & 13 Sutton Coldfieldn 7 Hinckley

n 21 Lincoln

n 24 Peterborough

n 10 Northampton

n 5 Milton Keynesn 25 Luton

n 18 Enfield

n 19 Teddington

n 9 Lewesn 4 Hove

n 23 Eastbourne

n 8 Readingn 3 Wokingham

n 16 Poole

n 15 Sailsbury

n 14 Southportn 26 Bundellsands

n 20 Huyton n 12 Liverpool

n 22 Port Sunlightn 29 Wilmslown 27 Chestern

28 Abergele

n 30 Manchester

Meet The OwnerMrs Grace Bager lives at Elizabeth Court in Salisbury - a city famous for its glorious cathedral. One of the leading examples of ‘Early English’ architecture, work on the cathedral first began in 1220 and took almost forty years to complete. Grace’s own life story, too, is rich in history and incident.

“I grew up in Portland and left school in December, 1939,” she tells us. “I had thought of University of Art College, but decided that I had to join up.”

Grace therefore enlisted with the Auxiliary Territorial Service - the women’s branch of the British Army, first formed in 1938 as a women’s voluntary service. All women in the British Army during the Second World War - except for medics - joined the ATS.

“In January 1940, I was posted to Manorbier near Tenby,” Grace continues, “to train as a Kine-Theodolite operator - or “Kine girl”. We studied camera technology and the trigernometry underlying it. I was posted to Bude a month later to the Costal Artillery Experimental Establishment (CAEE), and thence to Wales in Spring 1941 for radar work - which became the focus of our duties.”

The kinetheodolite is a photographic instrument which collects trajectory data - making useful in anti-aircraft artillery gunnery practice.

Grace was one of five hundred ATS personnel - and among the earliest - to be trained in the operation of the kinetheodolite.

“We worked in the open air,” Grace explains, “and although both Towyn and Aberporth were beautiful places they were also bitterly cold. One girl was reduced to tears. Living conditions were basic and grim, with one small heater in our sleeping quarters.

“Military discipline was observed, but at one point the Brigadier called us his “gals” and sent an SOS for warm trousers and uniforms because we were still in civvies. Some girls used to a different life were even allowed to bring their horses, which were obligingly stabled by the Brigadier.”

The Kine-Theodolite was a curious-looking contraption which required accurate data-taking and was focused on recording the bursts of anti-aircraft shells to check their accuracy. “The work was strange but fascinating,” Grace says. “It was very varied and changing daily. I enjoyed it: we worked as a group and were a mixed bunch but got on very well.”

In 1943, however, Grace was reposted to the Radar Research and Development Establishment (RRDE) in Malvern, where she worked on the search for German V1 and V2 rocket bases.

“This was a completely different setting,” she recalls, “since we were living in the servants’ quarters of the Countess of Coventry’s stately home, Croome Court. The work was very secret, and we never knew the result of our labours.”

Finally, in 1944 Grace and some of the other women were sent to newly liberated Belgium, to gain closer proximity to a German rocket site. “The area was still being cleared and we had to walk through a minefield!” she remembers.

Grace was demobbed in 1946 with what she calls “disconcerting abruptness”. Opting for teacher training, Grace had a new challenge to relish, but she still remembers the dislocation of being demobbed. “Seven years of comradeship and hard work were over. There was no appreciation of our work or leave-taking. But I enjoyed teaching in RAF skills in Singapore and Egypt - and met my future husband while home on leave.”

She concludes, “My memories are very special, a mixture of happiness and sadness. Although we were never on the frontline we were well aware of our involvement with enemy action - and the tragic loss of life.”

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Grace Bager: A Kine Girl with the ATS

Elizabeth Court

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From All At RSL

Has another year of Court Circular gone by already? It seems not too long ago since we were raising a glass to the approaching Yuletide of 2015!

This last year has of course been a turbulent one for the world, with the new full of surprisingly headlines seemingly every day. That frenetic pace of history might be one reason Christmas seems to have come so soon this year.

The season of good will is an excellent moment to pause and reflect, however. The peace and quiet it can bring is always welcome – and often very useful. We hope that your Christmas is full of

joy and relaxation in equal measure.

Certainly the last twelve months have been a period of change for RSL, too. As we report in the opening pages of this edition, the 2016 AGM was a chance for Owners and staff alike to get to know a brand new chief executive.

Christmas is a time for looking forward, too, however: Richard is possessed of a good deal of energy – and has ideas which are set to make the next year, too, an exciting one for RSL and every Court. As we tuck into our Christmas dinners, then, there’s much to look forward to as every Court works together for the future.

First and foremost, however, Christmas is a time simply to celebrate in the fine company of friends and family – so allow Court Circular to take this opportunity to wish all of our readers, every Owner and every member of staff, the very best of the season. May it be a memorable one for all the right reasons.

Merry Christmas to all!

Merry Christmas

Standing: Kelly Wilshire, AnnMarie Taplin, Nick Chriscoli, Nick Payne, Richard Sharples, Mike Prince, Karon Swinburn, Amy Gillman.Seated: Michelle Hackett,Carol Ashby, Michelle Vjestica, Anita Haines, Angela Jones, Alison Hunt

Quiz

ACROSS

1 THISTLE5 ELBOW8 ARENA9 CABARET10 NEEDLES11 RATIO12 AUGUST14 COBALT17 RADAR19 DECAGON22 BAGPIPE23 ORBIT24 TITLE25 TOENAIL

DOWN

1 TRAIN2 ICEBERG3 TRAIL4 EXCUSE5 EMBARGO6 BERET7 WITHOUT12 ACROBAT13 SARDINE15 ALGEBRA16 ADVENT18 DIGIT20 CLOVE21 NATAL

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

Call: 01789 292 952 Web: www.retirementsecurity.co.uk Email: courtcircular@retirementsecurity.co.uk

ACROSS

5 City and port of Ireland, famous for its crystal (9)8 Particularly large heavy tools (13)9 Biblical song or lyric (5)10 A stack of sheaves in the field (5)11 Italian city where a horseback race, the Palio, is heldin the main square every year (5)12 Emperors of Russia before the Revolution of 1917 (5)15 A delusion or unreal perception (13)16 In a war or dispute, the one who attacks first (9)

DOWN

1 Commonly used name for a cranefly (5-4-4)2 Name meaning ‘rock’ (5)3 Edible entrails such as heart, liver etc (5)4 The adaptation of a novel or story for the theatre (13)6 Style of literature, music and art which is said toemphasise Greek or Roman characteristics (9)7 Tuberous substance, originally used by South AmericanIndians as an antidote to poisoned arrows (9)13 Yellow pigment (5)14 Fear or anxiety (5)

last issue’s puzzle solutions

CROSS WORD

SUDOKU Fill in the grid so that every row, every columnand every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.