The newspaper for BBC pensioners – with highlights from Ariel online A virtual tour of W1 BBC volunteer visitors enjoy their introduction to New Broadcasting House – page 3 October 2012 • Issue 7 bbC reviews 50th anniversary Caroline access to Wales Today thomson leaves buildings Page 6 Page 9 Page 12 NEWS • MEMoriES • ClaSSifiEdS • Your lEttErS • obituariES • CroSPEro 02 viSitiNg SChEME BBC Volunteer Visiting Scheme Conference 2012 This year’s Volunteer Visiting Scheme conference took place at the University of Leicester Conference Centre in September. “A wrist fracture is now considered an important signal that there may be bone fragility.” ‘Ten years ago,’ said David, ‘we had Jim tried to track down one of the original £0.9 billion in fixed-interest bonds and characters, ‘Phil Archer’ (played by Norman virtually nothing in index-linked. That change Painting for many years). has come about because of the Scheme’s need for more protection against inflation.’ One fried egg or two? The Scheme has £1.1 billion invested in Eventually, Norman got in touch with property, and it directly owns 76 properties him, and Jim was able to record an hour- in the UK. It also invests £1.5 billion in long interview in which he answered ‘alternative investments’, which includes the question: Why was Grace killed off? making loans to companies who have (Apparently Phil had been the one who was his year’s programme of speakers His story highlights the fact that osteoporosis found it hard to borrow from banks in the due to be killed off, and it wasn’t until the had much of interest to the BBC’s is not just something that happens to ‘little current climate. last minute that the cast was told that Grace volunteer visitors, who came away old ladies’. Among the over-50s, one in five The final presentation of the day was by a would in fact be the first major character to well informed about a variety of men and one in two women will get so- new BBC visitor, Jim Latham, who urged the die in the series.) Tsubjects, including hearing loss, osteoporosis called ‘fragility’ fractures. audience to help record the history of the Norman, who was in poor health, died and State benefits. Jean Nunn, an ex-BBC visitor who now BBC by collecting (with the permission of shortly after the interview, and so Jim was There were also a number of presentations works with the Osteoporosis Society, went their ‘visitees’) the memories of the people never able to find out more about those very about the BBC, covering the pension scheme on to give a summary of the risk factors and who worked there. early days of The Archers. and its investments; the West One project in management of osteoporosis. Jim described how an interest in local He urged the visitors to get involved in London to redevelop Broadcasting House One of her key messages to the delegates history had made him appreciate the role the BBCPA’s Memory Bank project, in which (see article on page 3); and a project run by was this: if you or someone you know played by ordinary people in important all BBC staff will be able to record their the BBC Pensioners’ Association to capture fractures their wrist, don’t just go to the events. He became interested in the history memories in an orderly fashion using a web- the history of the Corporation. fracture clinic and leave it at that. It’s of The Archers, the longest-running radio based ‘wikipedia-style’ software programme. important to get referred for a bone density soap of all time, and wanted to know more The conference was closed by the Acting Hard of hearing scan, as a wrist fracture is now considered about the origins of the series (essentially Head of Pensions, James Hacker, who thanked Action on Hearing Loss is the new name an important signal that there may be a propaganda broadcast after World War all the visitors for the important service they for the Royal National Institute for the Deaf. bone fragility. Two to encourage better farming practices). provided to the BBC’s pensioners. Speaker Gemma Twitchen, an audiologist working for the charity, explained what Day Two causes hearing loss and what treatments The second day of the conference took are available to people who may find their a more introspective look, with the hearing is not as sharp as it once was! An presentations focusing on the BBC. important message that delegates took away David Wall, Head of Finance for BBC with them was that the NHS hearing services Pensions, talked about the Scheme’s are excellent, and people should go via the investments and how those have changed NHS first. Only then, if they find the service in the last 10 years. lacking, should they go for the option of ‘At March 2012, we had about 44% of our private hearing tests. assets – £4.1 billion – invested in equities. The second session started with a moving ‘We hold big positions in internet and personal story by Bob Rees, an ambassador mobile phone companies – Vodafone, Baidu for the Osteoporosis Society (www.nos.org. and Amazon being in the top 10 largest uk). Bob is not your typical osteoporosis holdings – and it’s interesting to think that sufferer. Ten years ago, at the age of 42, those markets didn’t exist 20 years ago.’ he suffered a severe spinal fracture for no The BBC Pension Scheme is invested in apparent reason, while on holiday abroad over 370 companies across 30 countries, with his young family. After almost eight with its emphasis on reducing risk by Information online months of misdiagnosis, he was finally told diversifying its investments across markets, Test your hearing online: www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk that he had osteoporosis. managers and geographical regions. Find out your risk of getting osteoporosis: www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/ (also available as an iPhone app) Now, 10 years later (and several inches At March 2012, the Scheme had State Pension Age: www.direct.gov.uk shorter – although still a tall man), he works £0.9 billion invested in fixed-interest bonds BBCPA memory bank project: www.bbcpa.org.uk as an ambassador for the charity. and £1.5 billion in index-linked bonds. Prospero is provided free of charge to retired BBC Editorial contributions: Write to: Prospero, employees, or to their spouses and dependants. BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting House, Prospero provides a source of news on former Cardiff CF5 2YQ. Email: [email protected] colleagues, developments at the BBC and pension Please make sure that any digital pictures you send are issues, plus classified adverts. scanned at 300 dpi. To advertise in Prospero, please see page 12. To view Ariel online, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/ariel. The next issue of Prospero will appear in December 2012. PROSPERO OCTOBER 2012 viSitiNg SChEME 03 W1 – new opportunities CONTACTS Andy Griffee’s presentation on the West One 80 years later, when they discovered that rust where members of the public can enjoy a visiting Scheme (W1) project – the BBC’s largest ever capital was damaging the Portland stone (so-called coffee while watching live television and radio If you would like a visit or information on project – drew gasps of admiration from the ‘Regent Street Disease’, where water gets news being made. how to become a volunteer visitor, please visitors, as they watched a short video which between the steel framework and the stone of ‘Audiences won’t have to stand in the rain, ring 0845 712 5529. You will be charged at showed the ultra-modern interior of the new, the building). queuing in Portland Place. They can come the local rate. purpose-built multimedia centre Andy showed some photos of the 1930s into the building and enjoy a drink in the warm, at Broadcasting House. building, including the Art Deco radio theatre before the show starts,’ said Andy who also Queries For benefit and pension payroll queries, call (where staff sheltered during the Blitz), and said that tour guides would begin taking pre- the Service Line on 029 2032 2811. the canteen – ‘where 10 chefs served booked visitors around BH from next March. 30,000 cream teas a year’. A new energy Prospero The W1 project has involved two The new building is specially designed as the To add or delete a name from the distribution list, ring the Service Line on 029 2032 2811. main phases: home of a great deal of live programming, Prospero is provided free of charge to retired • the restoration and modernisation of ‘so the majority of people in it are frontline BBC employees. On request, we will also old Broadcasting House and the programme makers’. Everyone sits in open construction of a new eastern wing send it to spouses or dependants who want plan floorplates (including the new director to keep in touch with the BBC. Prospero is (now known as the John Peel Wing) general, George Entwistle and other senior also available on audio disc for those with on the site of the old Egton House managers), although they have glass meeting sight impairment. To register, please ring • the construction of the seven-storey rooms conveniently located nearby to retreat the Service Line. New Broadcasting House, as an to for more confidential business. extension to ‘old’ Broadcasting House. Nearly all UK-wide and International news bbC Club The BBC Club in London has a Once Phase One was completed, they dug programmes will be made at Broadcasting retired category membership costing one of the largest holes in West London House, including the World Service – who behind Broadcasting House – three basement £30 a year or £39 a year for family have been able to take advantage of the new membership.