Albox Branch Albox

The Royal British Legion caring and campaigning for the serving and ex-service community

Branch Monthly Newsletter March, 2013 Page 1 Chairman`s March Letter Forthcoming Monthly Meeting events 21st March Well, what a busy month this has been. I 11.00 a.m. have been on a 2 day course to Alicante Social Bowling Agenda along with Marianne Pearce, our Welfare at Amigos Bowling Chairperson, to learn how to resolve Centre . This Exhortation complaints locally and save The Legion is in conjunction with money in preventing the requirement for Branch The 1. Chairman’s next meeting starts at Welcome them to be sent to London unnecessarily. st 12.30 on 21 March. Dave Wells, our Assistant Treasurer, also 2. Speaker - Chelsie attended a 2 day Treasurers’ course in Roberts from Monthly Quiz –April’s Avalon Europe Alicante. I have also been on a 1 day quiz will be on Monday st on funeral Branch Management Workshop in Mojacar 1 April at Bar LePanto, planning. with 3 other members of the committee. As Albox starting at 8.15 well as the undoubted benefits to our p.m. Break Branch from these courses I have managed Next Monthly 3. Social Update to complete some really important Meeting – Thursday Bob Cowan networking with our neighbouring Branches 18th April at 11.00 a.m. of Zurgena and Mojacar and can now say 4. Quiz results at La Parrilla. we are considerably closer to our goal of John Evans TRBL bookstall working more closely together in the near 5. Raffle Bob future. I am hopeful that the chairman of Don´t forget to visit our Cowan Zurgena, Ken Davis, will be able to attend very popular bookstall out meeting on the 21st March and I offer 6. Euro Lottery where you can the Branch’s welcome in anticipation. I am purchase a book for 7. Close meeting now trying to find some time to attend a only 50c. For a limited monthly meeting at both Zurgena and time only, get a free

Mojacar as soon as possible. bookmarker when you I am also pleased to say that our Baza purchase a book. representative, Lin Oldham, has been busy You can become a amongst other things arranging coffee Your help in clearing up member of this mornings for the Baza members to ensure the restaurant after the friendly and social that that sub-Branch stays alive and will be meeting is greatly Branch at any of the in a position in the future to restart as their appreciated. If anyone meetings or contact can turn up at 9.30 prior own Branch. I shall also be endeavouring to our Membership to the meeting to help pop over to one of the coffee mornings to Secretary Sandra setup that will also be meet the members and update them on Tucker on appreciated. We are what we are doing here in Albox now and in particularly in need of the future. men to help cart the Next month will be a formal meeting and I books up & down stairs stucker99@hotmail. will present to the members the 1 year plan co.uk via the lift with our as adopted by the committee for your trolleys. As part of our Further details on our `deal` with the hotel approvals (once they’ve seen it!) so don’t web site;- management we miss it. Kindest regards, Peter www.britishlegion.org promise to leave it as Colin the Card is now offering 50 per cent reductions on we found it. BFPO postage for Legion Members using his services. .uk/branches/albox Please note this concession is only related to BFPO postal services. www.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/albox March 2013 Page 2

Member Profile; Judith Tope – Press, My daughter and her young man moved to public relations & recruitment New Zealand in October 2011 and my son already lived in Victoria BC, Canada, at that officer time. There being nothing to keep us in the I was born, about 2 months before the UK, Rob’s sent us packing quite happily. National Health Service started, in Norwich Unfortunately, in July 2012 Rob was diagnosed th which is why I still support the Canaries. In with cancer and died 3 days before his 70 1966 I went to Hull University and studied birthday in December 2012. He is now ruling Applied Mathematics. The degree the roost in Cemetery. Ten days after achieved in 1969, the next problem he died I became a grandmother for the first, became choosing a career. I went into and probably only, time. I have a Kiwi computing because I never wanted to grandson. Would I move back to the UK? follow in my mother’s footsteps as a Never! I think my children are plotting that I teacher! I married in July 1969, my end my days in New Zealand but they can think husband was a civil engineer. again. The weather is too much like the UK. In 1971 I found myself in Belfast, due to his Anyway, all my efforts to learn Spanish would work. After my son was born in 1972 I be wasted! decided that mainland UK was safer and Easter Bonnet dinner & Dance moved back to leafy Surrey. My daughter th was born in 1973. I had various Saturday 30 March at La Parrilla Hotel & programming jobs between 1979 and 1984 Restaurant, Albox starting 7.00 p.m. (food but suffered abject boredom in each. In served at 7.30) 1984 I moved the children and myself to Selection of 3 courses meal and some drinks Salford. I became the manager of a YTS in included. Dance the night away to Brendan Burnley. I lasted a year and became a O’Dee. further education computing lecturer in Cost €20 members €22 non-members . Salford. In 1989 I gained an MSc in Prizes for the best men & women Computing. I lasted 15 years at the FE college, during this time I also took on two bonnets! part time education roles. One was as an Tickets available at meetings or from Bob associate lecturer with the Open University Cowan on [email protected] tel. and the other was in Quality Assurance 608049490 with Edexcel. Even, in retirement here in , I still have these two part time jobs as they allow working until you reach 70! My work with the OU led to a change of job in 2000 and I became a lecturer in IT at university level. I ended my career as Head of Department of business, Information Systems and Logistics at the Branch Media Centre University of Bolton. I took early retirement in 2008. My Conservative colleagues in Peter Phillips, Chairman Salford decided I was fair game to stand Royal British Legion Albox Branch, for election in the local elections in 2008. Can Connect Box 132, Surprisingly I was elected. I worked on Avenida de América 14, various committees but the most fun was 04800 Albox, Almeria, Spain. the planning committee. In the same year I tried internet dating, having had 30 years of Tel: 693 483 392 strange men in and out of my life, and met Email: [email protected] and fell in love (even we pensioners can do Welfare Support: 676 45 17 80 it) with Rob. We started plotting our retirement to Spain, we ‘emigrated’ in Branch secretary [email protected] September 2011 and have made so many wonderful friends. www.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/albox

www.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/albox March 2013 Page 3

Albox Branch Quiz Nights Did you know that our Branch of The Royal British Legion holds a regular monthly quiz evening at the Bar La Panto in Albox. This is situated next to Rizos Fruit and Veg shop. The quiz takes place on the first Monday of each month and starts at 20:15. The cost is €2 per player. Half of the proceeds go to the Poppy Appeal, and the remainder is shared between first, second, and often third prizes. There is also a wooden spoon prize! The ¨normal¨ team size is four players, but teams can be larger or smaller and a points adjustment is made. There is a different quiz master each month, so there is plenty of variety. This is a fun evening, so if you are interested in quizzes, and want to come along and meet other people at this social event why not put the dates in your diary. You do not have to be Legion members to attend. Even if you cannot make up a team, you will be most welcome to come along and team up with other quizzers. Further information can be obtained from Chris Pearce on 630 56 26 18

ON BEHALF OF THE ALBOX TRAVEL CLUB 4 DAY TRIP TO RONDA 3rd June to 6th June 2013 Price to include 4 star hotel B&B, 1 free spa circuit, lunch 1 day and a Guide for all excursions. Day 1- Tour of Ronda. Day 2 - Marbella, Puerto Banus and after lunch Algeciras for a spectacular train ride through some of Spain’s most beautiful scenery back to the hotel. Day 3 - La Sierra de Grazalema, El Bosque after lunch into Ronda. Day 4 - Pizarra to Spain’s 2nd largest citric farm with full description and paella lunch and wine included. €50 deposit and balance in April.

Travellers are responsible for their own travel insurance. Bookings: Tickets available at Albox RBL meetings or Contact Ann Wells on 950 432 426. Email: [email protected] €270 and €280 for Non Legion Members Single supplement €81 All proceeds to The Royal British Legion