No 5 Dec 2009

The Durham Miner is the magazine of the Durham Miners’ Association, PO Box 6, Red Hill, Durham, DH1 4BB General Secretary D. Hopper, President: D Guy ’s Legacy

his will probably be the last blindly supported Blair should hang Durham Miner before the their heads in shame. Dave Hopper General Election and time is T Greedy bankers have been rewarded as bad. No wonder there were local short for New Labour to clear up the MPs who tried to block the Freedom mess they have created. with billions of pounds of our money for their abject failure when tens of of Information Act. thousands of taxpayers are losing We waited a lifetime for a Labour Labour voters have been badly let Government with sufficient majority their jobs and in some cases their homes. down and it is going to be extremely to radically change society and difficult to stop the Conservatives narrow the gap between rich and coming back into power. Some poor. Now, after 12 years of New We suffer all of this and then we find that MPs, many who raged about people might say, does it matter – Labour the gap between rich and poor aren’t they all the same? is wider than ever and we are left ‘benefit fraud’, were helping with a catalogue of disasters. themselves to vast sums of Taxpayers’ money. We expect the However, I would seriously ask people to remember the damage we Hanging on Bush’s coat tails Blair Tories to have their noses in the trough, but it is profoundly sustained during the 18 years of dragged us into two wars which have Tory rule. Not only was the British caused a horrific loss of human life. demoralising when we find that many of our representatives are just coal mining industry destroyed, but Those war-mongering MPs who the whole manufacturing base of Britain. The privatisation of the Gala 2009 Photo: Keith Potts publicly owned utilities, electricity, water, gas railways has been a costly disaster. Our communities and people were left almost in despair and a whole generation of our youth were denied the opportunity of real employment and job security. The Labour Government has not matched the aspirations of our people but Cameron, Osborne and company will be no different to Thatcher. May I take this opportunity of thanking all our member for their support over the last year and to wish you all and your families a very happy festive season and a prosperous New Year.

1 Compensation Report First Knee Assessments Encouraging

Dave Guy

n April 15 this year the are successful in being awarded an Department of Works and IIDB payment then this new payment O Pensions (DWP) announced may affect the means tested benefit. that Miners’ Knee would be added to the list of ‘prescribed diseases’ Dave Guy speaking at the Gala meaning that sufferers would now be DWP STATISTICS OCT 28 2009 2009 able to apply for State compensation through the Industrial Injuries 25,247 CLAIMS MADE NATIONALLY However, where the case involves a Disablement Benefit (IIDB). 3,411 HAVE BEEN PROCESSED disease which develops over time 858 AWARDED IIDB then the period runs from when a Already over 1,400 members of the claimant knew or ought to have 113 APPEALS HAVE BEEN LODGED DMA have been given assistance at known his condition was caused, or our offices to fill in the appropriate may have been caused, by his forms. The first few members have working conditions. been examined and assessed and the results ranging from 5 to 30 per cent MINERS KNEE LITIGATION. There is obviously an issue to be have been very encouraging. determined by the Court as to Our action against The NCB and whether our claims have been It appears that the long campaign by British Coal to gain compensation for brought in time. If the Judge decides the Durham Miners, the National our members who have suffered they are time-barred then the Court Union and the Miners’ Group of MPs damage to their knees while working will be asked to use its discretion and has at last borne fruit and our underground is quite separate from allow the claims to proceed. members will receive a measure of the decision of the DWP to classify justice for the damage they suffered miners knee as an industrial disease. This statute was waived for the from many years of work While this decision hugely helps our vibration white finger test cases and underground. case we still have to prove that the we are optimistic that it will be on employer was negligent in not taking this occasion. If we are successful This is particularly good news for ex- action to create working practices then the action will proceed to a full miners who have been awarded which could have prevented damage hearing at some point in 2011. percentage points for other industrial to miners’ knees. injuries but have failed to reach the The Defendant’s representatives also 14 percent to qualify for an IIDB A case review of the litigation was applied to have the issue of what payment. In these cases just a few held in Leeds Crown Court on the impact a major knee injury would points could take them over the 13th and 14th October 2009 where have on the development of threshold. Judge Grenfell agreed the case would osteoarthritis of the knee considered. proceed with a five week hearing The Judge declined to order this a If a member has been examined and starting June 28 2010. separate preliminary issue although given an assessment it is imperative he ruled that it could be raised as the that he inform the DMA immediately At this hearing the issue which the case progresses. as an appeal may be required which court will look at is the three year must be registered within four weeks. statute of limitations which There are currently 935 cases on the It is also important that our members determines that personal injury claims Register of which 517 are from understand that if they are in receipt must generally be brought within Durham and out of this list of cases, of any means-tested benefit and they three years of the date of injury. which have been submitted to the

2 Compensation Report court, our side are to select four test the mines in the 70s and the advent of cases. The other side will also select the incentive agreements intensified four. A ruling on these test cases, as to the production of dust to the BENEFIT RATES FROM APRIL whether not they qualify under the detriment of our members’ health. 2009 statute of limitation, will be made SURFACE WORKERS CHEST CASE following the hearing in June/July INCAPACITY BENEFIT 2010 and this will hopefully give us Our members will know we have SHORT TERM an idea of how the rest of the cases been trying to establish grounds for LOWER RATE £67.75 will be treated. including surface workers in the chronic bronchitis and emphysema HIGHER RATE £80.15 In a separate development there has scheme. This required us to find INCAPACITY BENEFIT now been an offer of insurance cover evidence that the dust levels in LONG TERM £89.80 made to enable a further 935 cases to surface areas such as coal preparation STATUTORY SICK PAY £79.15 be entered onto the Register. This is a plants could be compared with those positive development as it means underground. SEVERE DISABLEMENT ALLOWANCE additional fighting funds to run the £57.45 Unfortunately after several years of cases to trial. The additional cases AGE ADDITIONS research the exchange of expert will not be from the Durham area as UNDER 40 - £15.65 all of our members who made a claim evidence has been assessed by 40 – 49 £9.10 and who met the registration criteria leading council and has been deemed have already been registered to be insufficient to give us any 50 – 59 £5.35 prospect of winning if we were to CARERS ALLOWANCE £53.10 Progress is slow and we understand proceed. We have to accept this legal how frustrating this procedure is for opinion and so the DMA have DISABILITY LIVING our members who are suffering from reluctantly abandoned the ALLOWANCE this painful condition. However, they proceedings. We understand the CARE COMPONENT can rest assured that we are doing all disappointment this news will cause HIGHER RATE £70.35 but our members can be assured that that we can to push the process on MIDDLE RATE £47.10 and we will continue to ask the no stone was left unturned in our LOWEST RATE £18.65 government to introduce a scheme search for evidence. MOBILITY COMPONENT which will compensate our members £236.672 MILLION RECOVERED without the need for this costly and HIGHER RATE £49.10 I am pleased to report that the total time-consuming litigation. LOWER RATE £18,65 compensation we have won for our INCREASE IN PNEUMOCONIOSIS members has reached £236.672 CHILD BENEFIT We have been shocked by the million. I am sure you will agree ONLY/ELDEST CHILD £20 increasing number of new cases of that given the difficulties we have OTHER CHILDREN £13.20 Pneumoconiosis which are coming to faced over the past 16 years this our attention 16 years after the last pit figure is a tribute to the hard work INDUSTRIAL INJURIES closed in Durham. It is now evident BENEFIT of our Executive Committee our DISABLEMENT BENEFIT that the increased mechanisation of staff and our solicitors.

AGED 18 OR OVER 20%—£28.72 PLUS £14.36 FOR EVERY 10% TO A MAXIMUM OF £143.60 FOR 100% DISABILITY REDUCED EARNINGS ALLOWANCE

MAXIMUM RATE £57.44 RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE £14.36

Gala 2009 Photo: Keith Potts

3 Obituary 1924 - 2009

On August 20 2009 the Durham Miners Executive Committee attended a memorial service for Lawrence Daly, who was Secretary of the NUM from 1969 to 1983 and who died aged 84 on May 23rd 2009.

awrence was born into a mining socialist intellectual with a natural gift family in Kelty, , on for public speaking. LOctober 20 1924. His father, a He served on the board of the radical founding member of the British magazine The New Reasoner and the Communist Party, was victimised for Review. his activity during the 1926 lockout. Remembering these times Lawrence’s In 1962 he was elected to the Scottish mother recalled, to the socialist NUM Executive Committee, in 1963 he academic and activist Jean McCrindle, became a full time agent and in 1964 he how the family with nine children had was elected Scottish Area Secretary Lawrence Daly been thrown out of the company house after which he joined the Labour Party. the largest advance in wages in their 15 times. It was these conditions which He was an outspoken critic of the entire history. were to mould the views and form the Vietnam War and in 1966 became a character of Lawrence. founding member of the Vietnam A year later in 1975 tragedy struck Leaving school at the age of 14 he Committee and visited Lawrence’s family. While making a began work at Glencraig colliery and at miners in North Vietnam who had been hurried car journey from London to 15 he joined the Young Communist bombed by American bombers. He was , to visit his dying mother, League. He immediately became active later to serve on the Bertrand Russell Lawrence was involved in a car crash in the NUM and by the age of 21 he War Crimes Tribunal, set up to which killed his brother and his sister- was a lodge official. investigate US atrocities in Vietnam. in-law and left him seriously injured. His mother died a week later never In 1968 he beat the ‘right wing’ Joe In 1945 he visited Stalingrad which had knowing what had happened. been almost totally destroyed in the Gormley and was elected National heroic siege which marked the turning Secretary of the NUM. After many months Lawrence slowly point of the Second World War. On this When in 1971 Joe Gormley defeated recovered but was never to regain his visit he met James Callaghan, later to Communist Mick McGahey to become full strength. Many would see this become Labour Prime Minister with the NUM President the leadership of tragedy as a turning point in his life. whom he became a lifelong friend. the Union was evenly divided between His move to London when he become When he returned from the USSR he left and right. National Secretary took him away from wrote the pamphlet A Young Miner his roots in the mining community Visits Stalingrad. When set up the Wilberforce enquiry during the miners’ which had been such a major part of his In 1956 after Nikita Krushchev’s strike of 1972 to examine the pay and life. He told his friends that he missed speech revealing many of Stalin’s conditions of miners it was Lawrence , the crack and the crimes Lawrence publicly tore up his Daly’s evidence which was crucial to comradeship. Communist Party card in disgust. Later the outcome. The passion and skill with After the election of a Labour that year the ’s brutal which he made his presentation was the Government during the 1974 miners’ intervention in Hungary confirmed defining moment of the strike. strike a new Plan for Coal was Lawrence’s doubts and he was joined The inquiry recommended that the proposed for the development of the by thousands of communists who coal industry. After years of decline the deserted the CP. miners should be a regarded as ‘a special case’ and their wages should be future looked more optimistic and Lawrence and a group of socialists increased by £4.50 per week. After Lawrence began to take a more formed the and in further negotiations the offer was pragmatic approach towards the 1958 he became a local councillor for improved and a further 7 rest days Labour leadership and even supported the new group. added. After years of defeats this was a the Government’s attempt to restrain wages. By this time Lawrence had educated stunning victory for the mining himself, through a series of communities of Britain. Joe Gormley retired as President of the correspondence courses and extensive In 1974 a second strike brought down NUM in 1981 and was replaced by reading, and was making his mark as a the Heath government and gave miners . In March 1984 on the

4 Obituary

eve of the Great Strike Lawrence took early retirement on the grounds of ill health. At the height of his powers Lawrence Daly was an inspirational figure and one of the most talented leaders of our time. He was a warm friendly man who loved to socialise. He liked a drink and like many miners probably drank too much. He was a fine singer and had an enormous repertoire of Irish and Scottish songs. It was, however, when he was speaking that he was at his best — his analysis was clinical, his Members of the DMA Executive Committee and Durham Mechanics outside delivery poetic and his passion Dunfirmline Abbey before the memorial service for Lawrence Daly compelling. Jack Jones 1913—2009 A Tribute by Rodney Bickerstaffe, former General Secretary of UNISON

Jack Jones died peacefully on April 21 became a compass for the whole Trade uninterested in wealth and lived in a 2009 at the age of 96. Union Movement. council house all his life. When offered a peerage he turned it down. When He was born into poverty in Not everyone would agree with every given a cheque for £10,000 on his Liverpool’s Docklands in 1913 and detail of his policies but none doubted retirement he asked for it to be given to devoted his life to help the exploited, his hard work and commitment to the pensioners movement. the oppressed and the disadvantage fairness and equality. As chair of the both at home and abroad. TUC International Committee his All his life and even after he died he strong support for solidarity and was attacked by the right-wing press There were three clear periods of major democracy was renowned. but the countless slurs bounce off the achievement in his long life. memory of this great man who became On reaching the age of retirement The first began in 1936 when a group known throughout the labour many who had worked as hard as Jack movement as ‘Incorruptible Jack’. of fascist Spanish generals led by would have rested on their laurels — Franco and backed by Hitler and not Jack Jones. He was just starting the The old class warrior is dead. His Mussolini staged a coup against the third phase of his life in which he courage in the fight against racism and democratically elected Spanish became the driving force behind fascism is as relative today as it was in Government. Jack was appalled and formation of the National Pensioners the 1930s. driven by his hatred of Fascism he Convention which he led for nearly 25 bravely enlisted with the International I was honoured to be with him during years. Every pensioner owes a huge his life and at its end. Brigade to defend Spanish democracy. debt to Jack’s He fought at the battle of Ebro where efforts. Fairness and he was badly wounded in the shoulder, respect for hospitalised, and finally repatriated to pensioners was his England. It was this courage and credo and he commitment which would define the championed the rest of his life. cause of health and social care, free Jack’s parents had given him the travel, education, middle name Larkin in memory of the and of course an Irish trade union leader James Larkin adequate and and Jack in the second phase of his life generous State became a trade union leader in his own Pension. right working in Liverpool and Coventry and finally being elected Jack Jones was a General Secretary of the largest union man of deep From left to right: Rodney Bickerstaffe, Jack Jones and the Transport and General Workers integrity, a great Menai Williams who dressed Jack’s wounds during the battle Union which he led with integrity and family man who was of Ebro 1938. Photo taken 2005

5 Gala 2009

Photos: Keith Potts Thomas Hepburn Memorial Service 2009 International Brigade

Heroes of the SPANISH CIVIL WAR Spanish Civil War 1936—39 n July 17 1936 a group of Remembered O monarchist and fascist Spanish generals staged a coup d’etat against Spain’s democratically elected The International Brigade Memorial Republican Government. What Trust held their 2009 annual General ensued was a bloody and bitter civil Meeting in Red Hills on Saturday war which lasted for three years. The October 10 2009 where they unveiled International Brigade was a 35,000 a plaque to the memory of those strong fighting force of volunteers brigadiers from County Durham who from many countries outside Spain fell fighting fascism in Spain. who took arms against fascism. 2,500 were from the British Isles Dave Hopper addressing members of the many from the North East of IBMT at Red Hills England. While the Fascist governments of ave Hopper welcomed the members of the International Brigade Germany and Italy actively Memorial Trust to Red Hills and said it was an honour to be able to intervened on the side of the D remember those brave men and women who volunteered to fight generals Britain and other European Fascism in Spain. He referred to the Chopwell banner which was displayed on countries took up a policy of the stage. ‘This,’ he said, ‘was the banner of Clifford Lawther, a miner who nonintervention. This ‘non fought with the International brigade and was killed at the battle of intervention’ justified British Prime Jerama.’ Minister Stanley Baldwin in sending Dave also paid tribute to the late Jack Jones, former General Secretary of the the British Navy to blockade Transport and General Workers Union who died at the age of 96 on March 29 Spanish ports to prevent any arms this year and who as a young man fought in Spain under the standard of the and food reaching the anti-fascist International Brigade. forces. Present on the platform was The Soviet Union sent some Jack Edwards a 95 year-old military help which proved veteran of the International insufficient and in 1939 Franco was Brigade and one of the nine installed as the third fascist dictator known survivors of the in Europe — a dictatorship which conflict. He arrived in Spain lasted until his death in 1975. In in January 1937 and over a 1978 Spain adopted a democratic period of two years fought in constitution and gradually Franco’s the battles of Jarama, Teruel, image disappeared, often in the dead Aragon and Ebro. of night, from the towns and cities throughout Spain. Today 70 years since the end of the civil war the mass graves of republicans are being exhumed and those killed and interred are at last to be given a dignified burial. Left: Dave Guy presents 95 year-old brigade veteran The International Memorial Trust Jack Edwards a was formed in 2002 by former monogrammed Parker pen brigaders, the families of former as a memento of his visit to Brigaders historians and other Red Hills interested parties to ‘keep alive the memory and spirt of the men and women who volunteered to defend democracy in Spain’

8 private energy companies through Energy Crisis higher taxes. Will this solve the problem of global warming? No, because whatever we do coal will be burned in massive quantities on a global scale for the Nuclear Madness next hundred years. Carbon capture is therefore the only way the major source of greenhouse gases on a world scale can be significantly reduced. But the Government only pays lip service to the development of carbon-capture power stations while the big money is poured into a nuclear black hole. This is not the first time a Labour Government has made a nuclear blunder. In 1966 a Labour Government took Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station the decision to build a nuclear-power station at Hartlepool right on top of hundreds of millions of tons of coal or years we were told that The French energy company EDF nuclear energy was the reserves. On this occasion they did which is to build four of these not have global warming as an excuse F cheapest means of producing stations at a cost in the order of £20 electricity when in fact it was the for kicking the loyal Labour-voting billion has told the Government that Durham Miners in the teeth. most expensive. We now know that none will be built unless the the post-war-nuclear programme was Government agree to underwrite part Construction began in 1969 and 14 not about producing cheap electricity of the cost and rig the market against years later in 1983 it produced its first at all but all about producing coal and in favour of electricity from electricity. For years after it was plutonium for nuclear bombs. nuclear plants. According to the constantly off line due to technical Now the government wants us to Guardian newspaper the Government failures. We don’t know the total cost believe that the only way to reduce has already drawn up secret plans ‘to of its construction and no one knows emissions and plug the energy gap is tax electricity consumers to subsidise what the cost of de-commissioning to build 10 new-nuclear-power the construction of the UK’s first new will be. But we do know who will stations. nuclear reactors.’ pay the bill —we will. Already the private energy companies So we will have to pay higher prices It is not too late to stop another are lobbying for massive handouts. for electricity and still subsidise the nuclear disaster. Don’t Worry About Tony hen Tony Blair resigned as He has also worked on the after- £5m a year. The Blair family also Prime Minister some may dinner lecture circuit. Last year a own 6 houses bought for £4m, Whave worried that he faced Spanish newspaper reported that he £3.65m, £800,00, £30,000, £1.13m, an uncertain future. had earned up to £240,000 for £260,00 and £265,000. However, reports that, making a 90-minute speech to 2,000 Cherie works as a top lawyer and a ‘Since stepping down as prime entrepreneurs in Barcelona. part time Judge to help with the minister in June 2007, Blair is said to Blair also receives a taxpayer-funded family budget. have earned as much as £15m from a pension of £63,468 a year, plus an variety of business deals and a book annual £84,000 allowance to run a So worry about the innocent men, venture. private office.’ women and children killed in Iraq He has been paid a £4.5m advance for In addition to all that he has set up a and Afghanistan. Worry about the his Downing Street memoirs, a £2.5m company called Tony Blair starving children in Ethiopia, salary as a part-time adviser to the Associates cashing in on his contacts Worry about the unemployed and American investment bank JP made in the course of the Iraq war worry about how you are going to Morgan Chase and £2m for an which offers a consultancy service to pay for Christmas but don’t adviser’s role with the Swiss firm states and businesses in the Middle worry about Tony —’cos the boy Zurich Financial Services. East which is estimated to make him done good (for himself).

9 Solicitors Under The

Microscope Dave Anderson MP

ave Anderson MP, chair of dispute then the solicitor received as there was the possibility of further the all party Coalfield their costs in full. If an offer was compensation which was under D Communities Group, is rejected, to pursue services payments negotiation. Only if the client investigating why there is such a for example, then the solicitor only absolutely insisted on an immediate variation in the average compensation got a percentage of their costs and settlement was the DTI’s offer awards achieved by different the balance was left to the end of the accepted. Although this strategy solicitors. The figures (see table) have claim. delayed the payment of the major part been provided by the Department of of the fees to Thompsons it was Energy and Climate change (DECC) The suspicion is that solicitors who hugely favourable to the claimant as in answer to the parliamentary achieved on average lower awards the service awards could be questions asked by Dave Anderson. were advising their clients to accept significant. In excess of £30,000 in the first offer to create a faster some cases. An article published in the Law turnover — i.e. more profit for less Society Gazette on July 30 2009 effort. The Law Society Gazette has obtained states: unpublished figures from the DTI In the case of VWF claims, the Law which show that at the time when the ‘Given the nature of his constituency Society article explains that there VWF scheme closed, 109,000 of the Anderson can hardly be faulted for were further anomalies where many 170,000 miners claiming voicing his concerns and trying to get thousands of miners were not paid compensation were eligible for to the bottom of what explains these the full amount which could have service damages awards but only — on the face of it glaring been awarded. 59,000 miners had lodged claims. anomalies.’ When the VWF compensation Clearly 50,000 miners who could The Law Society Gazette explains in scheme was first established there have received awards lost out. detail how solicitors were paid for were two categories of compensation It appears highly likely that those processing miners’ claims for Chronic where damage figures were agreed miners who lost out did so as a result Bronchitis and Emphysema (CB&E) — for pain, suffering and loss of of the bad advice of their solicitors and for Vibration White Finger amenity and for disadvantage on the and this would certainly explain the (VWF). labour market. wide discrepancy in the performance The Department of Trade and After 2003, agreement was reached of the different firms. Industry (DTI) Solicitors drew up on how to deal with services When asked to comment on the legal documents called Claims (assistance with everyday tasks) and discrepancy in the performance Handling Agreements which loss of earnings. figures Avalon & Co, Moss Solicitors, governed how solicitors would be Barber and Co and the Union of paid. The overall best performing solicitors, Thompsons, who dealt Democratic Miners / Vendside did not These agreements awarded a fixed with all of the cases for Durham respond. payment for each successful claim Miners and Mechanics and were All other firms claimed that they had processed by a solicitor. In the VWF instrumental in winning the original always acted in the best interests of scheme if an initial offer of test cases warned miners who were their clients pointing out that other compensation was accepted without made offers prior to 2003 not to settle factors could have influenced the final

10 Average Damages factors could have influenced the final awards such as the average Solicitor VWF CB&E Combined degree of disability of their clients or Averages the number of claims that were processed for the families of deceased Thompsons £16,379 £9,202 £25,581 miners. Watson Burton £17,106 £4,346 £21,452 Tom Jones of Thomsons gave the following response: Hugh James £11,319 £7,261 £18,580 ‘One large case could for a firm Raleys Solicitors £12,405 £5,990 £18,395 running only a few cases enormously effect their average. Browell Smith . £10,854 £6,538 £17,392 We ran thousands of miners’ scheme cases so our results cannot UDM £10,607 £3,097 £13,704 be dismissed as a statistical aberration. Any firm that ran a Beresfords £10,399 £2,559 £12,958 significant case load of scheme cases could have achieved similar Graysons £15,537 results. Towells £12,468 ‘We have always strived at Thompsons to achieve the Moss £10,514 maximum compensation available for all our clients in all our cases. It Mark Gilbert Morse £7,535 has been highly gratifying to see a reflection in these tables of the Barber and Co. £2,832 effort made on behalf of former miners and their families referred Avelon £2,375 to us through their union. They are results of which we are proud.’ The table above demonstrates that the best overall performing solicitors were the DMA Solicitors Thompsons. Durham Miners’ Association Membership .Membership of the DMA will entitle you to the following benefits of membership: Our Association’s business has Legal Support been inspected by the Through the Association’s solicitors, Thompsons, the Association can Monitoring and Compliance offer expert support on the following issues: Unit of the Ministry of Justice who have asked us to amend Legal advice and representation where deemed appropriate in any some of our paperwork and litigation concerning an injury or disease incurred or contracted whilst this has been done. working as a miner in the Durham coalfield Legal advice and representation where deemed appropriate for you and Although we have done it the members of your family if you suffer injury in a road accident, before, we are also requested whether as a driver, passenger, cyclist or pedestrian to clarify again that we are no Legal advice and representation where deemed appropriate in any other longer registered with the litigation concerning an injury or disease incurred or contracted outside Certification Office as a Trade the workplace Union and are now a Claims Handling Organisation Free initial legal advice on any matter registered and regulated under A free will for you and your partner the Ministry of Justice. Low cost conveyancing Representation If you change your address Through our network of branch representatives and full time officials ring 0191 3843515 we can provide expert and experienced support and assistance with: for the Durham Miners’ Association If you have a case running ring Mineworkers Pension Scheme entitlements Thompsons on 0191 26 90400 Social Security entitlements including representation before Social Mineworkers pension Scheme Security and Medical Appeal Tribunals 0845 606 4444 Advice and representation on any issues relating to concessionary fuel Fuel Office: 0845 75 90 529 and cash in lieu Cash in Lieu: 0845 759 1562

11 CONVALESCENT HOLIDAYS North East Mineworkers ChristmasChristmas 19841984 Convalescent Trust Fund (NEMCTF) provides funding for holidays for ex- employees of the NCB and British Coal who live in the North East. Transport from designated pickup points is provided to and from the homes. The Holidays are at the following locations: The Yorkshire Miners’ Holiday Home at Low Hall, Scalby near Scarborough. Three weeks’ intake is reserved for men only and two weeks for couples each year. The accommodation is half board with en-suite facilities for an 11-day stay. Sam Watson Rest Home (Richmond Yorkshire) 20 intakes are funded throughout the year for women only and the accommodation is full board. The Derbyshire Miners’ Convalescent Home This home is situated on the seafront at Skegness. Holidays for two groups, predominately couples, are provided and the accommodation is en-suite and full board. These holidays are recommended for couples who have slight to moderate health or mobility needs. Vitalise, Sandpipers — Southport Vitalise are an international specialist provider of holidays for people, who have substantial physical, health or personal care needs and their carers. NEMCTF provides holidays for two groups per year comprising of couples or individuals for one week’s stay. All couples who apply have to be assessed by a social worker from the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO). Due to the long waiting list for holidays for couples each couple is restricted to one holiday only. All who apply for a Vitalise holiday must also be assessed by a social worker from CISWO. Any member who wishes to take advantage of these holidays should get in touch with the DMA office: Tel Photos: Chris Kirkup 0191 3843515

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