Founded 1980
Chair:        
Secretary: 
Treasurer: 

Graham Smith
Jan Thompson
Graham Mumby-Croft


 Issue No. 79 Autumn 2018
Well another summer gone and hasn’t it been a good one for us retirees to enjoy? I hope you are all well and enjoyed some sun. I have seen a lot of cricket at Yorkshire [not a good sea son for us] and had a tiw trips around the country. Notice I don’t use the “holiday” word, as I don’t think as a retirred person you can technically be on holiday one big holiday hey?

Welcome to this edition of the Newsletter which is put together with care by our Editor Paul Laxton, along with contributions from the Committee and members. I ask again for any contributions from members on what retirement is about for you to share with our members, i.e. holidays [sorry trips], hobbies, and reminiscences are always welcome and inform us all.

Our 2018 AGM was at The Stratford Hotel, Stratford–on–Avon on 6th June and was the Committee’s latest attempt to encourage more members to attend the AGM/reunion, meet ex-colleagues and maybe use the event as a chance to see Stratford.

Most of the AGM organisation was carried out by Jenny Adams Young and we had a fine sunny day with some of us staying over the night before. We had 2 presentations, one from Gareth Sands, Operational Governing Governor of HMP Hewell Grange, and one from Don Makepeace of the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance [CSPA] with whom the RPGA now have an ongoing working relationship. I know some of you are not interested in what is occurring in the Prison Service today and are glad to be out of it, but some of us are and it is fascinating to listen to someone like Gareth who is very much on the front line today as we were years ago. His management approach is underpinned by a strong focus on leadership and communication with staff and inmates alike and, having worked in both the public and private sectors, is able to apply learning from both. Don on the other hand was able to bring us up to date with current issues affecting pensioners of today and things which affect us all in our retirement. We very much value the link we now have with the CSPA and feel we have a voice via a major pensioner focused alliance of many thousands. Our RPGA committee link with the CSPA is via Paul Laxton and Harry Brett who are both also active within the CSPA and are able to feed back to our Committee and keep us up to date.

I would like to report back that our latest attempt to increase attendance at the AGM/reunion at Stratford was successful but alas it was not to be, so next year, and being conscious of cost, we are moving the AGM to a date in February, probably at an establishment and really moving away from the Reunion concept of the AGM which continues not to attract the numbers we would like: indeed, we have now re moved social events from the AGM agenda. The minutes of the AGM are available on our website which is now being managed by our new Committee member Roger Outram who will oversee all IT issues for the Association as well as some of the excellent work Bob Duncan has delivered on members’ letters. Roger replaces Allan Hall who leaves the committee following a valued contribution to our work over a number of years.

The headlines from the AGM are a surplus of funds for the first time for 3 years and a current balance at the bank of £5578.36p. Graham Mumby-Croft, our Treasurer, was unable to attend the AGM in person. We hope to see him back soon but he was his usual efficient self, sending written copies of the accounts. Membership is currently 416 which is a loss of 10 over the year, mainly through members’ deaths. Recruitment needs to be our priority from now on if we are to survive. Information on next year’s AGM will be circulated soon.

The latest news I read on prison issues relates to HMP Birmingham under “Urgent measures”, and as an SO there in 1976-1982 [is it really that long ago?] I remember it being a tough prison to work in but we always tilt in control and no, it wasn’t perfect, but when staff begin to feel unsafe the problems just com pound and make things worse. The problems these days with drones keep being reported, but I have to reflect on when I was at Stafford as a POUT in 1969 prisoners used to make catapults out of elastic bands and cotton, fire them across the outer wall from their cell and haul some snout in that way. Not much different apart from the technology? My ears pricked up listening to radio 4 recently with a story about alleged corruption in Ugandan jails and remand prisoners being employed to work for Prison Officials on farms’ crops and building houses which the official then rents out why didn’t we think of that?

I wish to make a note of thanks to your Committee who give their time freely to keep the RPGA on track and relevant to our members’ needs in today’s world. I ask again for your contributions to the Newsletter or maybe come to the next AGM too: it would be good to see you.

Graham Smith RPGA Chairman.



Graham Smith JP