THE OFFICIAL BFC MONTHLY MAGAZINE

Issue 44 • June 2010

FREE FORCES LIFESTYLE feel great!Our guide to a healthy summer

VIETNAM Simon Gresswell on the Banana Pancake Trail

RumoursHow do you build a good reputation?

WIN! Great prizes: Dining out, airport parking, THE PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THIS watersports, hotel stays, & more.... YEAR’S BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT...

THE ALL-ISLAND MONTHLY MAGAZINE • AKROTIRI • AYIOS NIKOLAOS • DHEKELIA • EPISKOPI • UN

Maria MPatsiou

MARINA OTHER BRANDS AVAILABLE:

ZENON AVENUE (FINIKOUDES) HOBOS POLICE OF Sports Maria LARNACA Shop Patsiou BANK OF GREECE ZENONOS KITIEOS AVENUE 17 Philiou Zanettou str., Larnaca, Tel: 24828232 Mob: 99668460 (Church of England Soldiers Sailors and Airmen’s Club) A Forces Favourite Charity

Show your support for the England Team in the World Cup 2010 Choose from our extensive range of England supporters memorabilia such as fl ags, caps, car stickers scarves and much more. Available at all our CESSAC Stores. Hurry while stocks last

Don’t forget Father’s Day on 20 June 2010 - choose from UK supplied range of cards and gifts for your Dad!

Best Value Magazines CAFES Gifts • Full food and drink Menus Stationery • Outside catering - Mobile Van Newspapers (Jacket Potatoes, Hot Dogs Etc) Magazines • Function Room for Private parties Toys & • Internet cafe – Free use and Sweets & Free Wifi connection Confectionery Games

CESSAC HQ – Episkopi 25211325 CESSAC Centre Episkopi “The Shop” Grapevine Tea Rooms 25211325 CESSAC Centre Akrotiri “The Shop” Lady Lampson’s Cafe 25952338 CESSAC Centre Dhekelia “The Shop” Beach Cafe 24723214 CESSAC UN Shop and Cafe 22359308 Email: [email protected] JUNE 2010 Contents

7 | Hello 25 CFL DIARY from the Editor May 12th Weekly The Band of the Royal Logistics Slimming World Corps in Concert With Slimming World Consultant Caroline | Goode, who can help you to lose weight with At the Dhekelia Garrison WO and Sgts Mess, 9 Bystander open to all ranks and their families (non- the popular and successful Slimming World eating plan and plenty of support. Mondays entitled personnel welcome, but you must at Episkopi Garrison Epicentre (5-7pm), have some form of ID). Doors open 6pm, Wednesdays at RAF Akrotiri Families Club concert begins 7.30pm. Tickets on sale at (5-7pm) and ursdays at Dhekelia Leisure HIVE, CESSAC, DSU and UKCA - adults €10, Resort (5.30-7.30pm). For more information under 16s free. For more information call Interesting events from BFC or to join, pop along to any of the groups, or Major Parish on 9949 4985. call Caroline on 9774 5869. For information on Slimming World visit the 15th website: www.slimming world.com. Don London Memorial Concert 7th Staged by ABF at Pissouri Amphitheatre, 6.30pm. Featuring the Band of the Royal Barn Dance Logistics Corps. Bring your picnics and cool Hosted by Akrotiri Ladies’ Events, at the boxes! Tickets €10, available by email from Chaplaincy Centre, RAF Akrotiri, from 7pm. [email protected] or call 9963 2119. Put on your boots, checked shirts and stetsons | for a stomping evening of fun. Tickets 15, 30th 10 Diary Dates includes chilli supper, barn dance, bucking bronco, laser shoot and disco. Bring your own K1 Triathlon booze. For more information call 9994 4455. Sprint and super sprint categories. 7am for 8am start, at RAF Akrotiri K1 Triathlon Club. 8th Race fees €5 for members, €10 for non- Mountain 2 Sea members. Bike hire on race day €5. For more ings to keep you entertained information visit www.k1triathlonclub.org or Mountain Bike Race call Emma Claydon on 2596 2224. 55km race from Troodos to Pissouri Bay. Compete in teams of three - mixed, male or female. Course will be set, with regular checkpoints. Entry €30 per person, price includes a t-shirt and fi nishing meal for all get ready for... entrants. For more information and entry forms please contact CJSATC on 2474 4788. June 18 - 20 8th & 9th | Shakespeare at Curium 13 Community News Comedy Nights Your opportunity to see four of the best UK ‘Merchant of Venice’ live at Curium stand-up comedians - Steve Williams, Junior Amphitheatre, for three nights only, from Simpson, Geoff Boyz and Yianni Agisilaou. 8pm. Tickets €20 for adults, €10 for students. Featuring CSE Forces entertainers. Saturday, Proceeds go to local charities Friends for Life May 8 at Dhekelia Leisure Resort (doors open and Friends of the Paphos Hospice. 5pm for 8pm start, bar open until midnight), For tickets call 9999 0535, or for more Updates about life on island information call 9905 8394 or 9942 7572. and Sunday, May 9 at RAF Akrotiri Astra Cinema (doors open 7pm for 8pm start). Over 18s only. Tickets 15, available in advance from your local HIVE, or by calling 9997 6913 or 9939 8713. 9th - 16th Photo: Dave Dunbar Big Breakfast Week Open Arms presents the annual Spring Breakfast Challenge, with a week of breakfast 21 | Bases Faces events taking place around the island - large May 31st-June 4th and small - sponsored by Sodexo and raising money for the Open Arms TPMH Cancer RAF Akrotiri International 10s Festival of Rugby Patients Support Group, as well as local Rugby tournament for men’s, ladies’ and veterans teams, with matches charities. Look out for details of events on the every day and entertainment every evening. Tournament fi nal on website www.openarmstpmh.com, in the Lion Friday, June 4, followed by a fi nal night party with live music. Meet Soona Bowes, PA to Chief of Staff newspaper, on BFBS Radio, and in Bystander For more information visit the website: on page 9. For more information you can www.akrotiri10s.com. contact Sally Dey on 9774 5589 or email [email protected]. 22 | The CFL Interview Introducing Sodexo’s new MD, Chris Bray 25 | Vietnam Part six of Simon Gresswell’s World Travel Diary 30 | Summer Feeling great and glowing with beauty 34 | World Cup Watch List e players to look out for at this year’s World Cup in South Africa 30 37 | Bad Hair Day Footballers and their most wacky hair cuts 39 | Finance 50 | Competitions Handling your holiday money Win some fantastic prizes - be in it to win it! 40 | It’s all Greek to Me Learn useful phrases related to months and seasons 51 | Playtime We review websites, books, CDs, DVDs and games 41 | Traditions Past and present currency in Cyprus 54 | Cinema SSVC cinema schedules for June 42 | Cyprus Sites Part six in our series on walking trails 57 | AFF & HIVE 44 | Cuisine Help and advice for the BFC community Delicious barbecue recipes 58 | Notes to Self 46 | Restaurant Review Information listings for clubs, groups and activities CFL reviews Akakiko in Limassol 22 67 | Telephone Directory 48 | Single Scene Essential numbers for the bases Jaye Evans ponders how to build a good reputation 70 | Gadgets and Gizmos Everyone can be famous, with Kodak’s PlaySport camcorder

37 48

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Managing Editor Production Editor Sales & Marketing Manager Kristian Gray Jaye Evans Deputy Production Editor Audrey Dugdale [email protected] [email protected] Christina Papalexis [email protected] [email protected] hello... CYPRUS FORCES LIFESTYLE CFLTHE OFFICIAL BFC MONTHLY MAGAZINE t doesn’t matter who you are, where you work, or what you like to do with your spare time, over the next four weeks it will be impossible for you to avoid the wave of Publisher: Stuart Bardsley euphoria that is just about to sweep across the globe – that’s right, it is World Cup month. Sales and Marketing Manager: I Audrey Dugdale For those lovers of the beautiful game, the World Cup is the symbol of what we love most about it – the greatest players in the world , all fi ghting to win the greatest prize Mobile: 9932 1057 of all. But for the English readers of CFL, you may also associate the World Cup with Fax: 2596 8093 heartache (unless you were alive in 1966) as we always seem to be let down by our highly- Email: [email protected] paid countrymen when we need them most of all. Editorial staff: 2596 3490 So, in this month’s issue we decided this should be the year when we do not get carried away with the optimism that inevitably grips us all just prior to the big kick off and in Production staff: 2596 3149 order to do that we took a closer look at some of the incredible players that will be lining Accounts queries: 2596 2052 up against the  ee Lions in their pursuit of glory and let me tell you, it does not make happy reading. Address: CFL, Media Operations, Aside from the football genius that will be on display in South Africa there is always HQ BFC, Episkopi, BFPO 53 something else that many armchair fans always look forward to – the haircuts.  at’s Advertisement design: right, over the years, the World Cup and its many nations taking part have given us some Christina Papalexis of the best and some of the worst haircuts imaginable, think spiky green dreadlocks, terrifying mohawks and bizarre triangular shaped tufts of hair. On page 37 we highlight Printers: the 10 worst styles to have graced the pitch. Proteas Press Moving away from the World Cup, if that is even possible, we have also packed in plenty of other readable delights for you to enjoy this month. Simon Greswell continues his own world tour and in this issue we catch up with him in Vietnam and fi nd out what  e views expressed in Cyprus Forces Lifestyle do not necessarily refl ect the policies or opinions of either HM happened when some sub-standard electrical wiring in his hotel made contact with his Government or the Ministry of Defence (or any editorial girlfriend. staff ).  e editor, publisher, printers and staff take no responsibility for errors or omissions in copy. We spoke to the new head of Sodexo in Cyprus, Chris Bray and he was good enough to answer all of our questions on supermarket pricing, upgrading facilities and the challenges of meeting the demands of the British Forces community here on island. THE OFFICIAL BFC MONTHLY MAGAZINE

Issue 44 • June 2010

FREE

CYPRUS FORCES LIFESTYLE We continue walking around the much cooler Troodos mountain range at some of the feelgreat! on the Our guide to wonderfully scenic World Heritage Sites, we put the new Kodak PlaySport to the test in a healthy summer COVER Gadgets and Gizmos and our resident single girl Jaye Evans, looks at how best to cope VIETNAM Simon Gresswell on the STORY: Banana Pancake Trail with the small community rumour mill on page 48. Summer 2010 RumoursHow do you build a good reputation? Feeling Great Enjoy the issue! WIN! Great prizes: PHOTO: Dining out, airport parking, THE PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT THIS watersports, hotel stays, & more.... YEAR’S BIGGEST SPORTING EVENT... Stock photography THE ALL-ISLAND MONTHLY MAGAZINE • AKROTIRI • AYIOS NIKOLAOS • DHEKELIA • EPISKOPI • UN Kristian

JUNE 2010|CFL|7

CFL PEOPLE

A volunteer chef cooks up Bystanderbreakfast for 60 two miles out to sea

Above: Alexandros Yiapanis enjoys his breakfast with pilot Kevin Everett at the Akrotiri Flying Club event. Below: Members of Episkopi Golf Club ‘tea up’ at their breakfast

Above: Sally Shave, David Overall and Charlie Kirkpatrick at their breakfast in the Episkopi Medical Center. Below: Breakfast at Flagstaff House.

The Big Breakfast Challenge

CYPRUS FORCES LIFESTYLE CFLTHE OFFICIAL BFC MONTHLY MAGAZINE he Open Arms Big Breakfast that attracted over 400 visitors. Breakfast with on-going and Competition challenge week took place in May, guests were then treated to a fl ight around the long-term cancer raising well over 15,000. Volunteers local area in one of the club’s aircraft. treatment. Winners Tfrom all over the island picked up Intrepid breakfast goers also took to their “We are not funded St Raphael Hotel: frying pans and sizzled their way thorough speed boats to travel over two miles out to sea by the MOD, every Julie Kadhim 4,300 sausages, 3,300 rashes of bacon and to a fl oating kitchen to claim their bacon rolls penny we spend is Park2fly: buttered over 6,100 rolls in aid of the cancer and coff ee. donated,” explained Toni Calvert charity. If the sausages alone were laid end At the Akrotiri House strawberry cream tea Tricia Grieve, support Sodexo: to end they would stretch the length of fi ve event, families munched their way through co-coordinator Danny Davidson football pitches. 10kg of strawberries in the grandiose gardens for Open Arms. Camel Park: Just like last year the event was sponsored of the Station Commander’s home. “It never ceases Christine Ashworth by Sodexo, who kindly donated over €5,000 Meanwhile, the SBA Police refl ected the to amaze me how CIS Ltd: worth of food for the volunteer chefs. “ is multi-cultural side of the SBAs with a special much eff ort people Kath Wright is a great event that we look forward to each souvla brunch.  ree police offi cers rolled make to support We will contact winners directly year,” said Chris Bray, Managing Director up their sleeves to cook the national dish of Open Arms. I would to arrange prizes. If you have not of Sodexo Cyprus. “Open Arms is a terrifi c Cyprus and attracted over 120 people from like to thank all of heard from us and would like more charity and we are pleased to be involved.” the local community, raising over €800. the caring people information please call 2596 3149. At HQ BFC, chefs cunningly positioned who contributed The Breakfasts their cook tent below the open windows of to the success of Big An impressive 37 breakfast events, big and the Headquarters building, drawing a queue Breakfast week on behalf of the patients and small, were held over an extended one week of hungry customers that stretched 10 metres their families who will benefi t from their period, spearheaded with a huge launch event and raised €400 in three hours. generosity.” at Flagstaff House that was attended by 160 By Sean Tully people. Why support Open Arms? If you are interested in helping Open Arms with Several breakfast organisers added a little Open Arms is a cancer patients support a donation or think they can support you call the spice to their events. Perhaps the most novel group based at the Princess Mary’s Hospital helpline on 2595 2677 (includes 24hr answering was the Flying Club at RAF Akrotiri, who (TPMH) at RAF Akrotiri, that off ers advice service), or mobile 9661 0257. Alternatively, provided economy and business class services to patients and families, as well as helping email [email protected] or visit the at their hugely popular airline themed event to alleviate the additional costs associated website www.openarmstpmh.com. Send your stories & images to: [email protected] or call us on: 2596 3149. Maximum 100 words - please call to discuss longer submissions

JUNE 2010|CFL|9 CFL DIARY june Weekly 20th - 21st Slimming World Aglantzia Jazz Festival With Slimming World Consultant Caroline e fourth annual jazz festival, at the Square of Goode, who can help you to lose weight with Old Aglantzia, in Nicosia. Features two nights the popular and successful Slimming World of live music, from 9pm. Free entry. For more eating plan and plenty of support. Mondays information email [email protected] or at Episkopi Garrison Epicentre (5-7pm), visit the website www.cyprusevents.net. Wednesdays at RAF Akrotiri Families Club (5-7pm) and ursdays at Dhekelia Leisure 21st Resort (5.30-7.30pm). For more information Episkopi Garrison or to join, pop along to any of the groups, or call Caroline on 9774 5869. Armed Forces Day Celebrations For information on Slimming World visit the Flag raising ceremony in Dodge City, Episkopi website: www.slimming world.com. Garrison, 12-3pm (fl ag raising at 12.30pm). Music provided by the Northern Band of Weekly e . Food and drink available. Everyone welcome - come along and Live Music & Karaoke show your support. For more information At e Prince pub in Paphos. Every Friday - please contact Bob Humphries on 2596 3043 singer and guitarist David East. Every Saturday or 9941 3047. - karaoke. Every Sunday - live music from the Duke Box Rockers. For more information visit 25th the website www.theprincepaphos.com or call 2693 3310. An evening by the pool with ‘diamond diva’ Stevie Dean 9th An event for ‘Holiday of a Lifetime’, the charity for disadvantaged children. Delicious summer José Carreras live in Limassol barbecue and free local drinks until midnight. e Spanish tenor who shot to fame as one of Starts 7pm, at Moniatis Hotel in Germasogeia the ree Tenors alongside Luciano Pavarotti village. For tickets and information call Erica and Plácido Domingo comes to Limassol, on 9908 1359. performing with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Miguel 26th Ortega. Takes place at the Limassol Municipal Garden eatre, 8.30pm. For tickets and Dhekelia Garrison information call 7000 9303. Armed Forces Day Celebrations At the Victor Beach Club, from 10am. Includes 10th music from the Royal Corps of Signals band, Comedy Night stalls, games, watersports, bouncy castle, 26 JUNE 2010 face painting, barbecue and a car boot sale. At the 7 Seas Music Club in the Columbia Transport available - look out for details. Car Plaza, Limassol, 9pm. Featuring UK boot sale pitch 5 in advance, 10 on the day. comediens Suzy Bennett and Anna Keirle, Tables will be provided. To book a pitch, call plus Irish comedian Paddy Lennox. Tickets Keith on 2474 4534 or 9654 3280. 15. For more information visit the website www.7seaslive.com. 27th 13th Poppadums Special Buffet From 1pm onwards. More than seven diff erent SSAFA Jazz on the Lawn dishes served with rice, naan bread and with the Crotchet Babes vegetables. Only 16.95 per person. Outside 5-8pm, at Akrotiri House gardens. Bring your children’s play area. For more information own picnic and drinks. Tickets 10 for adults, please call 2694 9435. kids free. Everyone welcome. Tickets on sale at Akrotiri HIVE or call 9779 0500. 18th - 20th get ready for... Shakespeare at Curium ‘Merchant of Venice’ live at Curium July 6 Amphitheatre, for three nights only, from 8pm. Tickets €20 for adults, €10 for students. Dhekelia Arrivals Briefing Proceeds go to local charities Friends for Life Mandatory briefi ng held every two months for Limassol and Friends of the Paphos Hospice. new arrivals to Dhekelia Station. In the Blue For tickets call 9999 0535, or for more Room at the Amenities Centre, 8 - 11.30am. information call 9905 8394 or 9942 7572. Tea and coff ee available free of charge.

SM 1544/05/10

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Fax: +357 25 63 45 99, e-mail: [email protected] / www.santamarinaretreat.com CFL NEWS

Akrotiri Housing and Community Support Officer: Maj (Ret’d) ‘Smudge’ Smith

Calling all parents!

Do your children...... Challenge your parenting skills? ... Run rings around you? ... Rule the roost? ... Leave you feeling tired and menally exhausted? ... Get you to say yes when you mean no?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then the next SSAFA “Coping with Kids” three session course may be for you. It starts on Monday, June 28, 8.30-10.30am at the Chaplaincy Centre, RAF Akrotiri and continues on July 5 and 12 at the same times. WORK SERVICES This is a free course aimed at parents of children aged two to 12 years old. A playgroup can be organised with the kind assistance of SSAFA IDL Helpdesk: 8000 2400 • Military Line: 2477 volunteers, so please mention if you require childcare when booking. (Monday: 7am - 5pm. Tuesday-Friday: 7am - 3pm) To book a place and for more information please contact Out of hours: Akrotiri 2527 6788 • Episkopi 2596 3300 Clare Henderson, SSAFA Health Visitor, on 2527 6858.

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JUNE 2010|CFL|13 CFL NEWS

Ayios Nikolaos Housing and Community Support Officer: Captain Fred Fensom

Community Notices

Dog Nuisance 3. Provide supervision – whenever pool is in use. Complaints from residents throughout Ayios Nikolaos station 4. Bouyancy aids – should be worn by weak swimmers, infants and regarding dogs causing nuisance is rising rapidly. These complaints are toddlers. mainly regarding consistent barking and failure to remove faeces either 5. Drinking – your judgement can be impaired when drinking and when exercising dogs in public areas or within SFA gardens. JSP clearly use of your pool should be avoided. states that all occupants undertake to keep their pets under control at 6. Cover – a suitable cover should be used to prevent access. all times and prevent them from causing a nuisance to others. Dogs 7. Sun – avoid over-exposure to the sun when in the pool. are not to be left outside unattended after the hours of darkness. Any 8. Education – educate your children on the dangers associated with queries or concerns are to be directed to the Housing Estate Manager swimming pools. on 2395 7711. 9. Chemicals – all chemicals are dangerous. Always use the correct chemicals prescribed by the pool supplier. HIVE Website 10. Insurance – consider public liability cover. The HIVE has launched their new website, www.hivecyprus.co.uk. On it you will find the Ayios Nikolaos station webpage, with useful information on unit life, places to visit, clubs, station information WORK SERVICES channel and welfare agency support to the community. IDL Helpdesk: 8000 2400 • Military Line: 2477 Swimming Pool Safety – Top 10 Hints & Tips (Monday: 7am - 5pm. Tuesday-Friday: 7am - 3pm) 1. Empty your pool – when it is not in use for long periods. Out of hours: Ay Nik 2396 7499 • Dhekelia 2396 7499 2. Provide a partition – if practical, to prevent unsupervised access.

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14|CFL|JUNE 2010 CFL NEWS

Episkopi Housing and Community Support Officer: Maj (Ret’d) Pat Chapman

Community Notices

Gardens: Now is the time for trimming married quarter gardens, Pests: If you have problems with pests, rats, mosquitos, etc, telephone as long grass and overgrown gardens pose a fire risk and encourage Estate Managers clerk, Loucas on 2596 2405. snakes. Large quantities of garden rubbish can be placed in the skips. Loan Store: Epi Station provides a Loan Store which has the Skips: Do not put rubbish out waiting for skips, keep in your own following items for loan at reasonable prices: bouncy castle, safari tents, garden until skips are available. Skips will be available every third z-beds, child car seats, toys, industrial carpet cleaners and many other Monday of every month for five days at the following areas: South items. The Loan Store is open between 9.30 – 11.30am, Monday – , North Paramali, Kensington, Gibraltar, Lionheart, Biggin Hill, Friday. Contact Tracy on 2596 2275 for further information. POL point, Old Families Welfare Office. BBQ Area Happy Valley: This facility can be booked at no cost through HCSO Office, contact ext 3340 for further information. Empty Houses: Please ensure children do not play in gardens of empty properties or gardens of individuals who are away. Happy Valley Campsite: This is now open for the summer season. Why not hire a tent from our Loan Store and spend the weekend Parking on Paths: Please note that it is an offence to park on paths, at Happy Valley with the children? Contact ext 3340 for further could all occupants please park in designated lay-by’s or parking bays. information. Swimming Pools: Water must be purchased from a commercial supplier. Adult Supervision is a must for all pool owners. Children must be supervised in and around the pool. All pools (excluding shallow play pools) must be registered with the HCSO and copies of the pool receipt retained. Trim your Gardens Swimming pools Campsite

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JUNE 2010|CFL|15 CFL NEWS

United Nations Property Manager: Major Paul Anderson

Community Notices

‘Come Dine With Me’ lovely tea and much needed drink. e ‘Come Dine With Me’ has arrived in Nicosia and like the popular older children had TV show, it has already provided a great deal of hilarity for both the a fantastic time participants and the residents of the UNPA. So far, three meals have bowling, competing been eaten and scored, with many more to come over the next month. with each other to Particular mention must go to WO1 Charlie ‘Apfel Strudel’ Harmon, gain the most strikes. who provided his dinner guests with a night they won’t forget for is was followed a long, long time. During the same evening, it was also noted how by a meal together, comfortable and natural SSgt Matt ‘Von Trapp’ Truswell looked in his giving them the yodelling outfi t. After the completion of the group stage, the three opportunity to group winners will then engage in a ‘cook off ’ in front of an audience, discuss their the eventual winner being crowned on the same night. achievements. Many thanks Youth Club Outings to all the Youth e UNPA has a thriving Youth Club which meets for two sessions a Club workers and Let battle commence! week, providing the children with a chance to get together and enjoy volunteers, without The children of the UNPA a multitude of activities, including trips into Nicosia. Last month, whom these at the bowling alley. the younger children were treated to an afternoon out at an indoor trips wouldn’t be play centre, where they climbed and played until they sat down to a possible.

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16|CFL|JUNE 2010 CFL NEWS

SBA Police

ESBA Chief Inspector: Andreas Pitsillides WSBA Chief Inspector Ops and Crime: Terry Eleftheriou

nother very busy month went by and once again SBAP ith the global economic recession taking hold and activities and participation was at the forefront of both unemployment on the rise, opportunists are hunting media and our nearby communities. The SBA Police dealt for easy ways to make money. As we start the summer A with or investigated animal theft, protests from Richmond W period, tourists and locals flood our beaches and the villagers, two firearm incidents and a protest at the Pergamos SBA Police is advising the public to take care to protect the contents of checkpoint. In total, 34 sheep valued at about €5,000 were stolen from their cars, to ensure that they don’t become victims of car crime. their sheepfolds in April from locals in Xylophagou and Achna Forest. By the west roundabout in Dhekelia, about 20-25 Richmond non- SIMPLE TIPS TO HELP DETER STEALING FROM MOTOR VEHICLES recognised refugees, were gathered almost on a daily basis displaying LOCK your vehicle. Make sure all windows & doors are secured. banners, protesting for not being provided with travel documents and BE AWARE! It is an offence to leave your vehicle unsecured. other demands. In Achna Forest two shots were discharged in a built up PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES - Do not leave your property in plain area, CID continues to investigate. A local without a permit, escorted view in your vehicle, secure them in the glove box or in the boot three concrete mixers with the intention of building a new racing compartment. Do not do this in the parking lot, as thieves could be track. When Police Officers tried to stop them, the owner showed his monitoring the area. shotgun and threatened to kill them. Following negotiations, the owner ENGRAVE YOUR PROPERTY with your name or driver’s licence and surrendered and was arrested together with another eight persons. make a list of the serial number/s of your property. The SBA Police continue education to improve driver’s behaviour, DO NOT leave important papers and credit cards in your vehicle. addressing all road safety strategies, but despite this, nine drivers were BE ON THE LOOKOUT for someone who is acting suspiciously, arrested for drinking and driving last month. Another 157 drivers were make a note of the person’s appearance, clothing and call the police issued with fixed penalty notices and 191 drivers were given a written immediately on freephone 1443. caution for minor traffic offences.

JUNE 2010|CFL|17 CFL NEWS

EMERGENCY NUMBER: Fire Service Further advice on fire safety is available from your local Defence Fire & Rescue Service Community Fire Safety Cell. Training and Community Fire Safety Officer: Tel: 2596 8079 or 2596 8082 Email: [email protected] Aristos Aristidou Cyprus Net: BFC-EPI HQDFRS STNO TRG

Cigarette safety – the essentials

More people die in fires caused by smoking than in fires with any other single cause. Because tobacco is designed to stay alight, cigarettes can easily start an accidental fire.

PUT IT OUT, RIGHT OUT! THEY ARE HOTTER THAN YOU THINK • Make sure when you put out a cigarette it really is out. Cigarettes can burn at temperatures of • Take extra care if you smoke when you’re drowsy, taking prescription over 700ºC. drugs, or if you have been drinking. It’s too easy to fall asleep and not • Consider buying child-resistant lighters and notice that a cigarette is still burning. matchboxes. Matchboxes now carry this • Don’t light up if you need to lie down. Despite the risk of falling warning label. asleep or setting the bed on fire, people are still smoking in bed. • Use a proper ashtray. Make sure the • People often like to smoke when they’re drinking. But someone who ashtray is heavy, can’t tip over easily, has had a few drinks can end up passing out with a cigarette in their and is made of a material that won’t hand. The result? Severe burns, permanent scarring, or even death. burn. • Don’t leave a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe lying around. They can easily • Never tap your ash into a overbalance as they burn down, land on a carpet or a newspaper, and wastepaper basket - only an start a fire. ashtray. Make sure it can’t be • Take responsibility and keep lighters and matches out of reach of easily knocked over and don’t children let ash build up.

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REAL LIFE Real life – dying for a smoke? Nick was 21, and enjoying his final year at university. Just before Christmas, he came home from a night out and fell asleep on the sofa, unaware that a cigarette end was still smouldering. The sofa began to burn, filling the room with smoke. Nick was woken by the Amathus Avenue, P.O. Box 51064, 3594 Limassol heat but collapsed from the toxic fumes. There was no smoke alarm Tel: 2583 4200 Fax: 2563 6394 fitted and the alarm was not raised till the next morning. The fire [email protected]. www.raphael.com.cy was fairly small, but it was enough to kill a 21-year-old.

18|CFL|JUNE 2010

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6 Christoula Beach Gardens, Oroklini Dhekelia road . Tel: 24 647 657 CFL PEOPLE

Bases faces

On July 31, Soona Bowes, PA to the Chief of Staff, calls time on her decade of service to British Forces Cyprus. But when CFL met with her last month, we discovered there was far more to her story than even she realised.

orn in Aden in India when it was a British colony, Soona Bowes “We have been has a relationship with the British Forces that dates back so lucky with our longer than her 37 year marriage to Fred, a retired Army major postings in the Bcurrently working in Episkopi. Forces. I look back After Aden was granted independence from Britain in 1963 (known at my time in Berlin as the People’s Republic of South Yemen since 1967), Soona and her as perhaps the most interesting of them all as we family made the diffi cult decision to leave the country of their birth six were there for the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was incredible to be there, years later as things began to change dramatically and her homeland things literally changed overnight. One day you are driving through started to become unrecognisable. Checkpoint Charlie with very miserable looking East German guards After arriving in the UK in 1969, the talented artist began her love and the following day, they are waving and smiling at you as you pass.” aff air with the British Forces when she signed up to join the Women’s Soona began her life in Cyprus in 1993 after Fred was posted to Royal Army Corps and it was at this point that she openly admits her UNFICYP in Nicosia and despite his retirement from the Forces in life changed forever. 1995, a civilian job off er in Episkopi in 1996 ensured they could both “I really enjoyed my time working with the WRAC and it was when I remain on the island they had fallen in love with. was posted to Germany that I met my husband, who was posted there “For the fi rst few years I was not working but when we decided to with 652 Army Air Corps at the time.” build a house in Paramali, I needed to get back to work to get some When you speak to many happily married people they are always more money coming in. In 2000 I got a job working as the PA to delighted to regale you with stories of love at fi rst sight and instant the Defence Estates Advisor and Branch Clerk and then after a year chemistry, so it is refreshing to hear Soona’s recollection of her fi rst I started my job working as the PA to what would have been the experience with the man whom she would eventually share her life equivalent of Chief of Staff at the time.” with. In the past 10 years Soona has seen many changes and many new “I met Fred in Germany when I actually had to work for him as his bosses, but it was during Op TELIC where she believes that things assistant clerk and if I am being honest, I really didn’t like working for changed forever for BFC. him at all. He was a very demanding boss; he would always send me off “Op TELIC was an incredible time for everyone working in BFC as on these little errands and wanted to know where his coff ee was.” it was just so busy and for perhaps the fi rst time people began looking Luckily for Soona and her would-be husband, their feelings began to at what we were doing here. I think that is when people realised the change towards one another and after their wedding in 1974, Soona operational capabilities of Cyprus and how effi ciently things can work.” made what she describes as the obvious decision at the time, to leave So, with just less than two months left before she retires, how does the Forces after only four years. she feel about saying goodbye? “ ings were very diff erent back in those days and it was generally “Well, fi rst of all, I am not going to retire, I am too young for that,” accepted that under the circumstances where two serving members of she said smiling. “I am going to throw myself back into my artwork the Forces get together, it would be the woman that leaves and although which I love doing and I will take some time to do all of the other things I was happy in the Forces, I was also happy to leave to be with Fred.” that I have neglected over the years.”  at year, she not only began a marriage that is now approaching But whatever happens, you can be sure that wherever Soona is in four decades long but it also marked the start of the most enjoyable and Cyprus, BFC will not be far from her mind, she has been around the fascinating years of Soona’s life. Forces too long to sever all her ties. CFL

JUNE 2010|CFL|21 CFL INTERVIEW

Sodexo MD: Chris Bray

New head of Sodexo in Cyprus, Chris Bray, speaks to CFL about the challenges facing him over the next year, what improvements the forces community can expect to see and how he plans to avoid the dreaded ‘Cyprus stone’.

You haven’t been on island very long, what are your first Does Sodexo have any other plans to improve its impressions about the task you have ahead of you? supermarkets and other facilities within BFC over the next I have been on the island now for six weeks. My first task has been year? to ensure that my family settles down into a new school and new home It is early days yet but I have been to all sites on the island and have whilst attempting to keep up with the Greek language that they are managed to get a good feel for our facilities. Our contract is now three learning! Cyprus is a unique place with some unique challenges but years in and it seems a good time to re-visit some of the facilities with my impressions are that the business is in really good shape, we have a view to giving them a re-fresh to inspire our customers to visit more developed some excellent relationships and have a good understanding frequently. We recently re-launched the ‘Snug at the Beach’ bar down in of our customers’ needs. Akrotiri and have begun work in the Episkopi Pool resort. We will continue to invest in the facilities and plan to survey our It is a well-known fact that with a change of management, customers soon to make sure that we invest in the areas that they want there sometimes comes a change of direction. Can we improved. Look out for a survey in an outlet near you! expect to see many changes in the way Sodexo is run on You have now been under contract with BFC for three island? years, overall, are you happy with the progress of both My job is to ensure that we don’t stand still and continue to challenge sides and where do you think you could improve? ourselves to improve wherever we can. I have inherited a fantastic team with enormous amounts of energy and enthusiasm and also some great Overall we are very happy with the progress so far. Contracts are ideas on how we can take things forward. We also took two days to always difficult to ‘start up’, particularly in a new country. The key to explore those ideas at a ‘boot camp’ last month. the success to date I believe has been the partnership approach that we have managed to develop with BFC. Things have not always gone I hope that I can personally bring a fresh eyes approach to what we right, but we have worked with BFC to get them where they need to be do, having experienced some of the innovation that our UK business and prevent issues from happening again. We will always be looking to has been developing and also utilising some of the experience that I improve in all aspects of our business but for me the key is to keep the have within the retail business which was my background before I came relationships strong both with BFC and our consumer base to ensure to Sodexo some four years ago that we understand what we are doing well and where we need to focus The price of produce at Ermes stores across BFC has, in our energies to make our service that much better. the past, been regarded by a large percentage of the Sodexo employs an enormous cross-section of people community as being far too expensive. Do you think this in Cyprus, how challenging is that to manage? still applies or are your store prices competitive across We employ over 900 people island-wide and have a very diverse Cyprus? workforce. Trying to balance everyone’s needs can be difficult at times. I have visited all of our Ermes outlets and I believe that our prices are We never approach a problem with a blanket answer, but consider each competitive. We have two key systems in place to ensure that this is the issue as a new one, requiring a different solution. Every employee is case, the Ermes team track prices on a weekly basis and together with an individual who is not only valued but contributes to the success of the BFC MAC team we do an in-depth check of our prices against the our service delivery. We try to communicate this across our workforce competition every quarter. through recognition programs, providing good working conditions and However, I know that we can never take our customer base for being transparent, fair and consistent in our approach. granted and I will be working very closely with the Sodexo and Ermes teams to ensure that we continue to challenge both our pricing and Sodexo appears to give a great deal back to the British promotional strategies to ensure that we continue to deliver good value Forces community here in Cyprus through its financial and, as importantly, good customer service. contributions, can you tell us why you give away so much

22|CFL|JUNE 2010 CFL INTERVIEW

We are highly privileged

“ to work in the Defence Community and would “ like to think of ourselves as part of that community.

money and what is it spent on? We are highly privileged to work in the Defence Community and would like to think of ourselves as part of that community. As such we have objectives that go well beyond commercial goals. We provide a guaranteed gainshare every year that is raised from profi ts within the retail and leisure business.  is amounts to over €170,000 every year and this is managed by J1 Welfare which distributes funds to various community projects as requested by the Commanding Offi cers of each station/garrison. In fact, we don’t just give money back, our staff regularly give up time, eff ort and support wherever possible – a good example of this would be the Simply Cyprus Cookbook that we supported and sold in conjunction with SSAFA and the support of the recent Open Arms Big Breakfast Challenge.

What appealed to you about working within the BFC community? I see this as being the biggest challenge of my life! I have worked within the armed Our contract is now three years in and it forces now for four years and even though I seems a good time to re-visit some of the have gained a good understanding of life on “

UK Stations and Garrisons, I still have lots facilities with a view to giving them a re- to learn.  erefore, a posting such as Cyprus fresh to inspire our customers to visit more is a fantastic opportunity for me to develop my knowledge base and to bring my own frequently. We recently re-launched the ‘Snug “ experience to help improve the service that we provide to the BFC community. at the Beach’ bar down in Akrotiri and have begun work in the Episkopi Pool resort. What are you most looking forward to doing during your time here in Cyprus? Teaching my three children to swim and keeping active with them to avoid putting on the dreaded ‘Cyprus stone’! CFL

JUNE 2010|CFL|23