How the Ascension Scanner appeal: got its What do you name - remember Back page of life on the island? - Page 6 March 2010 Number 2 A rough guider’s take on early flight Page 3 With highlights from Ariel Nigel’s last stand over that Good Friday... Centre pages News The honorary islander Life for former BBC press officer Chris Bates (left) took an unexpected turn after he retired. He went to work for the Royal Norwegian Embassy in London, where he discovered that there are strong ties between Norway and the island of Tristan da Cunha. As a result he became friends with islanders and, ultimately, an unpaid representative of the government of Tristan. Such representatives are vital for a community for whom travel to other parts of the world can take months. Thus, after similar conferences on Reunion Island and in the Cayman Islands, he found himself on neighbouring Ascension Island to discuss the threat facing the Tristan Albatross and other species. ‘So I've had to learn rapidly about the issues with the help of organisations such as the RSPB, the Joint Nature Conservation Council and other bodies, and the conservation departments on Ascension, St. Helena, Falklands, South Georgia, Gibraltar, Turks and Caicos etc’ Chris, pictured with Ascension Heritage Society volunteer Roy Haley, adds: ‘My old Stanley Gibbons stamp catalogues come in PROSPERO very handy!’ March 2010 • See 1966 and all that – centre pages Prospero is provided free to Alert over errors in retired BBC employees. It can also be sent to spouses or dependants who want to keep pensioner tax codes in touch with the BBC. It Pensioners have been warned to look out for includes news about former mistakes in the millions of tax code notices being sent to them by HM Revenue & Review of working age limit colleagues, pension issues, Customs (HMRC). People should be allowed to work beyond the age of 65 and with more flexible and developments at the The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group hours, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has said. The commission wants (LITRG) says at least seven different errors ministers to scrap the retirement age, saying it is out of date and discriminates BBC. Prospero includes have already come to light with pensioners’ against people who want to carry on working. new coding notices. The commission's deputy chairman Lady Prosser said it made good business classified advertisements. To As a result, HMRC is advising people who sense in a recession to recruit and retain older talent. advertise in Prospero or the think they may be affected to check with The government has promised a review of the law. their tax office if a code seems to be wrong, BBC Staff magazine, Ariel, or ring 0845 3000 627, so it can be correct - codes are right,’ said an HMRC spokesman. claimants of incapacity benefit, and the ed before April 6. According to the LITRG, among the mis - newer employment and support allowance, see page 11. The codes determine how much of a pen - takes that are affecting some pensioners' tax have been added to codes issued for sources sioner’s income is taxed each year. codes are: of income which have now stopped The mistakes could lead, at worst, to peo - • coding notices for pensioners who still • the blind person’s allowance has been Subscription information for ple paying £108 extra tax per month, while have some employment, or income from omitted. some may not pay enough tax. non-state pensions, may not have included People who rely exclusively on the state Ariel is on page 12 HMRC has already explained that mistakes their state pension – which could lead to a pension for their income are in the self- are emerging because a new computer sys - big underpayment of tax. assessment system and are not sent coding tem, introduced last year, is bringing people’s • the married couple’s allowance, where notices at all, so they are not affected. tax and national insurance records together one pensioner is aged 76 or over, has not The Revenue has already advised people to for the first time. been included check with their tax office to let them know In the process it is trying to reconcile dif - • personal allowances have been incorrect if a code seems to be wrong, or ring 0845 ferent sets of data about past and present or left out altogether 3000 627, so it can be corrected before 6 employment, which may not match each • the figure on the notice for ‘other income’ April 2010. other. has been incorrect • Pensioners worried about their tax can ‘We accept and very much regret that • An ‘0T’ code has been given incorrectly, consult the LITRG via their website errors have occurred in some of the notices indicating no allowance should be given (http://www.litrg.org.uk/) or call 0845 601 that have been issued but the majority of • codes issued for the first time to 3321. Editorial contributions CROSPERO 146 1 Devised and compiled by Jim Palm • 2 3 Write to Robin Reynolds Complete the square using the clues; these apply only to words The Editor, Prospero running across. Then take these words in numerical order and • • 4 BBC Pension & Benefits Centre extract the letters indicated by a dot. If your answers are correct, 5 these letters will spell out the name of a BBC programme of • • Broadcasting House yesteryear. 6 7 Cardiff, CF5 2YQ Please send your answers in an envelope marked Crospero to The • • Tel: 020 7765 1414 Editor, Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting [email protected] House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ by March 19. 8 9 Clues: 1. Act of conveying away (9); 2. Song of triumph (5); 3. • Please make sure that any digital Actress Oberon (5); 4. Skidded (4); 5. Blindfold (4); 6. Shouts (5); 7. • pictures you send are scanned Unhearing (4); 8. Nose-related (5); 9. Love of fine arts (5); 10. Hacks at 250 dpi (4); 11. Fidelity (5); 12. Journey (4); 13. Northern river (4); 14. Headpiece (5); 15. Words man (5); 16. Star-shaped (9); Note: You 10 11 Design & production editor: Ann Ramsbottom may also care to fill in the two incomplete down words; the first is a • 1983 Barbara Streisand film, and the second a Gounod opera. • Solution to Crospero No. 145 : ham; donated; low; pal; root; 12 13 beds; meter; asset; air; minim; onion; pun; crawl; eager; alee; twal; • • Mixed Sources far; lob; streets; led. Product group from well-managed 14 15 forests, controlled sources and The actor was Howard Marion Crawford recycled wood or fiber • • WWW.fsc.org Cert no. SA-COC-1468 c 1996 Forest Stewardship Council The winner of Crospero 145 is Miss K D Tugwell of Southsea. 16 • 2 • • March • 2010 News Presenter sues over ageism Miriam O’Reilly, the former Countryfile definition exposes every imperfection, and the oldest women still on screen at the BBC. presenter pursuing compensation over that was how my ageing female face would It was said in a way that implied I should alleged age and sex discrimination, says she be perceived by the BBC – as imperfect, not feel grateful that I was still allowed to be a was told: ‘You’ll have to be careful about young, glossy and flawless.’ presenter... those wrinkles when high definition comes She added: ‘Remarks like this were made ‘And yet, how very different it is for men. in.’ to women of my age all the time, and I Male presenters are never questioned... they On another occasion a cameraman believe they tell you everything you need to are seen as having dignity and gravitas.’ produced a can of black dye to spray her know about the culture at the BBC, where The BBC said it would be ‘vigorously hair. ageism and sexism are endemic.’ defending’ the case. A spokeswoman said: Miriam, aged 52, was one of four women She cited the experience of a fellow ‘Any suggestion that the presenters of in their 40s and 50s told in 2008 that they presenter, also in her 50s, told to have a Countryfile were replaced on the grounds of were being dropped from the rural affairs makeover and lose weight, and remarks age is absolute nonsense. programme. Former Watchdog host Julia made about her own hair. ‘Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury were Bradbury, 36, and Matt Baker, 32, were ‘The way my hair falls means that when chosen based on their proven successful among the new presenters on the revamped the wind blows it looks as if I have white track record as presenters and their extensive programme. roots, as my scalp shows through.’ rural knowledge and keen interest in In an interview in the Daily Mail , Miriam When the cameraman offered her the hair countryside issues.’ acknowledges that the comment about high dye she was ‘mortified’. She added: ‘Kirsty Wark, Maxine definition was ‘a light remark’. ‘Another time, a director laughingly said I Mawhinney and Martha Kearney regularly ‘But we both knew what he meant. High was a rare breed and that I must be one of feature on BBC television.’ Don takes RELCs meet off on a Sir Michael Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC Trust, will be taking part in a recorded inter - new view and discussion on all topics of the BBC as seen through the eyes and ears of the RELC’s vice president Paul Gouldstone at adventure the next ‘lunch’ on Wednesday April 21 at the seaside Miramar Hotel in Bournemouth. Retired cameraman Don Groom It starts at midday. is back in the groove after being The last lunch date, in January, was post - invited to document an poned because of the travelling conditions ambitious aviation project in on icy roads.