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Inside:
Business Diageo set to buy Bushmills p3
Retirement My love affair with Africa p11
Sleep Beat the bedtime blues p14
Dram
Diageo Retirement Association Magazine
Issue 20,summer 2005
Last orders at
Park Royal
2 Editorial
Confirmation of
our commitment
In the spring edition of Dram I mentioned that
focus groups would be held later in the year.Each
of your chairmen was invited to attend one of the
four groups held in June.What a turn out we had
and, of course,some refreshing and clear
feedback on their issues.
I was delighted to be able to confirm the
ongoing commitment by Diageo to the DRA.This
comes, in the main, in the form of the financial
allocation to each committee.Whilst this is not as
much as your chairmen would wish, we aim to
stretch this as far as we can while prices go up
much quicker than the income does.I know your
committees manage these monies with
continuing stealth and expertise in order to meet
the needs of members.This is a challenge that
faces each one of us whether working within the
business or the DRA.
Your representatives, as ever, were frank and
honest in educating and increasing our
understanding on the issues facing each area.It is
remarkable to reflect on the diversity of
connections you as members hold within the
varied parts of the business past and present.
As you will see within this issue, there is an
article explaining a change to your Christmas
gift.You will be aware that Diageo is the global
premium drinks company – having divested its
interest in ‘food’following the sale of Pillsbury
and Burger King.To align with Diageo’s strategy,
this means this year your Christmas gift will
consist of a drinks pack only.This, I know, may be
a disappointment to some of you, but I am sure
you will appreciate the reasoning.
You will also notice some changes to the
content of this edition of Dram. This comes from
the feedback we received at the focus groups
who helped us to understand more of what you
may find helpful.We are still reflecting on their
feedback and if you feel you would like to
contribute to this review please drop me a line – I
am conscious this is your magazine and I want it
to reflect your needs.
Jenni Cubitt, national co-ordinator
Inside
Editor
Charles Ellis: 020 7282 8103
Citigate Publishing
26 Finsbury Square
London EC2A 1SH
E-mail: [email protected]
The closing date for articles for the
next Dram is 31 October 2005.
Features
Contacting the Pensions
Department
Please contact Gwen Foster on
0131 519 2182 for:
• any pension payment enquiries
• notification of bereavement of
members
• bank and building society
account changes – which must be
made in writing to Gwen (this is for
security purposes).
Last orders – what next for
Park Royal 5
My love affair with Africa –a
pensioner “adopts”two children
in the Cameroons 11
The big sleep – how to get a
good night’s “kip”14
Please contact Rachel Wood on
0131 519 2075 for
• address changes
• retirement association enquiries.
Our address for correspondence
Pensions Department
Diageo plc
Edinburgh Park
5 Lochside Way
Edinburgh EH12 9DT
Our e-mail address
[email protected]
For tax enquiries
Telephone 0845 070 3703 or write
to HM Inspector of Taxes, Centre 1,
East Kilbride, Glasgow G79 1AA.
You should quote your National
Insurance number.
Regulars
Latest company news 3-4
Celebrations 6
Money matters 12-13
Competition and letters 15
Brand update 16
Faces and places
Reports of branch outings 8-9
Memory Lane – A trip back to
yesteryear 7
People news
Ray bowls ’em over 10
Tribute to Frank Hurst 10
News
3
Diageo signs agreement with
Pernod to buy Bushmills
Diageo has entered into an agreement
with Pernod to purchase Bushmills, the
world’s second largest Irish whiskey
brand, for approximately £200 million.
The acquisition of Bushmills represents
an important opportunity for Diageo
as Irish whiskey is a category in which,
currently, Diageo does not participate.
In addition Pernod has granted
Diageo an exclusive no cost option to
purchase Allied Domecq’s Montana
wine business (with the exception of
the Corbans, Stoneleigh and Church
Road wine brands). Diageo will
exercise the option subject to
determining that the acquisition of
Montana can achieve appropriate
growth and returns for shareholders.
Both acquisitions are subject to
regulatory clearance.
Commenting on the news, group
Since 2000
Diageo has
built a focused
premium
drinks
company
which is now
a world leader.
chief executive Paul Walsh said:“Since
2000 Diageo has built a focused
premium drinks company which is
now a world leader. The business has
grown organically and through
targeted acquisitions. The acquisition
of Bushmills and the option to buy
Montana continues that strategy.
“The acquisition of Bushmills is a
particularly pleasing opportunity. This
is one of the industry’s oldest Irish
whiskey brands and gives Diageo, for
the first time, an important presence
in this growing category. Also,
Montana is one of the leading New
Zealand wine brands and the number
one New Zealand export brand. The
option gives us the opportunity to
establish whether it could deliver the
same top line success we have seen
from our existing wine business.”
F05 trading statement
issued to Stock Exchange
On 7 July 2005, Diageo released
guidance on our F05 performance to
the London Stock Exchange, ahead
of our F05 preliminary earnings
announcement on 1 September
2005. Here are some key points from
the trading update, and an outline of
the challenges and opportunities we
face as we enter F06.
For F05 we have flagged that our
second half volume performance is
broadly in line with that of the first
half. Tougher trading in Europe, a
slow down in RTD (Ready to Drink) in
the US and investment in our global
restructuring initiatives mean that
the full year net sales growth is not
expected to reflect the same level of
mix improvement as in the first half.
However, organic operating profit
growth for the year ended 30 June
2005 is expected to be in line with
the guidance of 6% given at the time
of the interim results in February.
Our focus on
achieving cost
efficiencies
will not only
improve our
operating
margin but
will make our
business able
to respond
faster to
changing
environments.
In the year just closed we have
strengthened our business in a
number of ways:
● in North America we are now regularly seeing the benefits of our
distributor realignment programme
beginning to emerge in terms of
share gains
● in Europe we anticipated the
current trading climate and have
reorganised our business there to
better face these challenges and
create a platform from which we can
deliver operating profit growth
● in International we continue to
invest behind our brands to drive
strong topline growth.Growth has
been led for this region by the
strength of our business in Latin
America and strong volume growth
in the developing Brazil,Russia,India
and China (BRIC) markets,partly
offset by difficult trading conditions
during the year in Nigeria and Korea
● during the year we’ve also
enhanced our brand positions
with targeted acquisitions,
completing the acquisition of Ursus
vodka and the Chalone Wine Group,
as well as reaching agreement on
the potential acquisitions of
Bushmills Irish whiskey and
Montana wines.
Looking forward to F06, our
organic growth in volume is likely
to be similar to that achieved in the
year just ended, while a renewed
focus on achieving price increases
together with the financial benefits
of our global restructuring
programme must deliver continued
improvement in operating margin.
Going forward our focus on
achieving cost efficiencies will not
only improve our operating margin
but will make our business able to
respond faster to changing
environments.
4 News
An update
onthis year’s
Christmas
gift…
Eligible Diageo pensioners living in the
UK will continue to receive a gift from
the company this Christmas. The gift will
reflect its status as the world's leading
premium drinks business.
This year,the drinks pack will contain a
bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label,a
bottle of Baileys Irish Cream and a bottle
of wine.It will also include a diary.
Jenni Cubitt,national co-ordinator for
the Diageo Retirement Association,said:
“I hope everyone will be encouraged,as I
am,that Diageo continues to support its
pensioners in this way.The gift is
Diageo’s way of thanking retired
members of staff,along with their
spouse and dependants,for many years’
loyal service.
“As everyone is aware,Diageo has
The gift is
Diageo’s way
of thanking
retired
members of
staff,along
with their
spouse and
dependants,
for many years’
loyal service.
evolved into the world's leading
premium drinks business,no longer
having any food products or interests.
The company has a collection of
fantastic brands,many of them global
leaders,and would like to share some of
those brands with pensioners and
encourage them to continue to be
ambassadors for them.
“Consequently,this year we will be
sending a drinks pack to all eligible
pensioners in the UK.Knowing that
Diageo no longer has any food interests,
I hope that pensioners will appreciate
the reasoning behind the decision.”
Jenni added that she wished to thank
all those people who had written to the
pensions team over the years for the
gifts they had received.
“Unfortunately,we do not have the
opportunity to respond to all these
notes,letters and cards.Nevertheless,we
appreciate the messages contained
therein,and I can assure everyone that
the pensions team has passed on these
sentiments.”
Diageo launches global consumer
information policy across 180 markets
As part of its commitment to
leadership in responsible drinking,
Diageo has announced plans to
provide consumers with nutrition
information and a responsible drinking
reminder across its range of Diageoowned spirits, wines and beers.
The purpose of the global
consumer information policy, which
will be rolled out across 180 markets is
to help consumers make informed
choices about what and how they
drink and will include responsible
drinking reminders and facts on
We want our
consumers to
continue to
enjoy the
quality of our
brands as part
of a balanced
and healthy
lifestyle.
nutrition, allergens and alcohol
content /serve size.
During the course of the roll-out,
over a five-year period, around 10,000
packaging variations worldwide will
be changed and all new product
launches, packaging renovations and
promotional packaging changes will
now also include the consumer
information.
Commenting, Rob Malcolm,
president, marketing, sales and
innovation, Diageo, said: “The
consumer is at the heart of everything
that we do.We want our consumers to
continue to enjoy the quality of our
brands as part of a balanced and
healthy lifestyle. Our consumer
information policy is another
voluntary step for Diageo and is also
part of our wider commitment to
responsible drinking.We recognise
the importance of enabling them to
make informed choices about what
they drink.”
Guinness
Last orders at Park Royal
Facts and
figures
Above: One of the old brewery buildings at Park Royal.Below:The brewery in the 1930s
The summer marks the end of an era
with the closure of the famous
Guinness brewery at Park Royal,
bringing to a close 69 years’production
on the west London site.
However,its legacy will live on, with
its contribution to the history of British
brewing not forgotten thanks to a
continued and important Diageo
presence in Park Royal.
Park Royal was the first Guinness
brewery to be built outside Ireland,
opening in 1936.The decision to shut
the brewery was taken last year
following a full-scale review by Diageo
of its GB and Ireland brewing business.
The review demonstrated that there
was overcapacity within Diageo’s
brewing network, and that the best
option for the future would be to
consolidate production for the GB
market at St James’s Gate brewery in
Dublin.
St James’s Gate produces the
equivalent of eight million kegs of
Guinness every year for distribution to
markets across the globe, including
Europe and the US.Additional
investment in technology at St James’s
Gate has enabled it to absorb the four
million kegs a year that were produced
at Park Royal.
Sadly, the Park Royal closure has
meant the loss of 90 jobs.However, by
mid-July this year, most employees at
the plant had finalised their plans for
the next stage in their career.
Throughout the preparation for the
closure, a very uncertain time,
employees remained committed and
determined to maintain the
tremendous reputation for quality and
service performance that the brewery
has always been famous for.
So what next for Park Royal?
Although beer production has now
l St James’s
Gate was
acquired by
Arthur Guinness
in December
1759 on a 9,000
year lease.The
original brewery
occupied just
four acres –
today’s modern
brewery
occupies 60
acres
l St James’s Gate
is also the
headquarters of
Diageo Ireland,
with around
1,200 people on
site, including
demand, supply
and global
functions
l Guinness is
brewed in
50 countries
worldwide and
sold in more
than 150. It
continues to
grow globally –
10 million
glasses are
drunk every day
around the
world.
ceased, Diageo will continue to retain a
very strong presence at Park Royal.
Nearly three years ago it opened 7HQ,
a £45 million office development next
to the brewery, which now houses
more than 1,000 people in the sales
and marketing headquarters for
Diageo UK and in other company
businesses, including Diageo Global
Supply and Diageo Africa.
The building forms the first phase of
a £350 million scheme for 1.2 million
square feet of new offices, a hotel, a
new Central Line tube station, a new
housing development and a new
access road from the A40,planning
permission for which was granted in
1999.
The new road opened in 2002.At the
same time 900 trees and 30,000 shrubs
were planted and a central lake
complex, complete with weirs and
waterfalls,was created on part of the
former sports field.
The property recession of 2001 has
so far curtailed further development
but as the local property market
recovers, Diageo expects renewed
interest in the site.Future plans will
involve the demolition of the original
brewhouse, fermenting house, vat
house and raw materials store.
In the meantime, construction of the
housing element is under way, as is a
doctor’s surgery, community facility,
and childcare centre on the northern
end of the site where the Guinness
clubhouse and squash courts are.
l Pensioners are reminded that the
Brewery Brand shop has moved to
the 7HQ building. It operates
Monday to Friday from 10.30am to
5.30pm, except on Wednesday when
it is open from 1pm to 5.30pm.
5
6 Celebrations
Winsdale
Celebrations
Claxton
Acraman
Silver
Charles and Molly Slingo
Shippam, 26 July 2005
Ruby
Bill and Mary Brazier
WMTB, 26 June 2005
Kenny and Hilda Winsdale are the toast
of Norwich branch after celebrating
their 70th wedding anniversary.Branch
secretary Janet Chapple said: “This is a
marvellous achievement and all
members wished them the very best.”
After a family celebration, the couple
went for a break at Great Yarmouth.
Kenny worked for Watney Mann.
Leslie and Joan
Claxton pushed
the boat out
when they
celebrated their
golden wedding
anniversary with a
highly enjoyable
Robertson
lunch with friends
and relatives.
Leslie joined
W&A Gilbey in
Camden Town in
1952 and,
following various
takeovers and
mergers, retired as
fleet engineer of
Congratulations to Ian and Evelyn
IDV at Harlow in
Robertson who have celebrated their
1989.He and Joan
golden wedding anniversary.
send warm
Ian joined Drybrough & Co on
greetings to “all
leaving school and retired from the
company as chief cashier after 44 years. those who still
He is now treasurer of Edinburgh DRA. remember us”.
Smith
Brown
Robert and Betty Acraman are looking
forward to celebrating their golden
wedding anniversary on 24 September.
Betty was a management accountant
at Guinness Park Royal, leaving in 1983.
Jakes
Sapphire
Dusty and Betty Miller
Shippam, 7 September 2005
Roy and Ann Crook
Shippam, 24 September 2005
Ken and Jill Pulley
Shippam, 1 October 2005
Golden
Les and Dorothy Jakes were able to look
back on 60 years’of happy marriage
when they celebrated their diamond
wedding anniversary with a family
party.
Les joined the maintenance
engineering department at Express
Dairies at Cricklewood after war
service.He went on to become
engineering manager, serving 37 years,
during which time he travelled
extensively in the UK and abroad.After
he retired in 1985, he chaired
Cricklewood DRA.
Burrell
Mr and Mrs J McMahon
Samuel Webster, 24 December 2004
Ken and Helen Clough
Mecca Bookmakers, 5 March 2005
Norman and Sheila Gadd
Gilbey Vintners, 12 March 2005
Vic and Jean Derham
Express Dairies,12 May 2005
Douglas and Marion Blake
Watney Mann, 11 June 2005
Syd and Doreen Rance
Express Dairies, 18 June 2005
Percy and Betty Hutchins
Shippam, 16 July 2005
William and Win Parrott
Wilsons Brewery, 20 August 2005
Claude and Ethel Harrison
Peter Dominic, 27 August 2005
Len and Audrey Roberts
Express Creameries, 1 October 2005
Emerald
A holiday in Portugal, followed by a
family party, was the way George and
Lily Smith celebrated their golden
wedding anniversary.
George started work for Watney
Combe & Reid at Mortlake Brewery in
1951 and spent all his working life
there – except for National Service –
first as a cellar inspector and then area
manager.He is now a member of
Mortlake DRA.
The couple have one daughter,
Renate, two sons,Terry and Barry, who
worked for Watney’s transport
department, seven grandchildren and
one great-grandchild.
Sixty years and
still going strong –
that’s Andrew and
Nina Burrell who
have celebrated
their diamond
A couple who met in the services during wedding.
He joined
the Second World War have celebrated
Drybrough & Co
their diamond wedding.Ken and Joan
in 1970 as master
Brown marked the occasion with a
family party at the home of one of their of works and
retired in 1986.
sons in Gosforth.
The couple,who
Ken,a former whisky representative
have a grown-up
with DAL,met Joan in Cape Town in
1943 when he was in the Special Branch family and
grandchildren,live
of the RAF police and she was a signals
in Melrose.
operator with the South African ATS.
Ken and Daphne Griggs
United Glass, 30 September 2005
Diamond
Mr and Mrs R Oxley
Watney Mann, 29 September 2005
David and Hilda Lynn
EFG,3 October 2005
Memory lane
Full steam ahead at Wilsons
Staff from Wilsons Brewery, Manchester, certainly got into
the spirit of things to celebrate the relaunch of the company
in 1984, which coincided with the 150th anniversary of its
original founding.
Brian Lemmy, who sent in this photo, said:“The Flying
Scotsman was hired to take a large party of managers,
tenants and free trade customers to Chester, where a great
meal was laid on and lots of beer, wines and spirits
consumed.We are dressed up in clothes of periods gone by
and had a wonderful time.If anyone got off the train sober
when we returned to Manchester I would be very
surprised.”
Brian is pictured second right front row, with his wife,
Wynn, behind him.With one or two exceptions, he can
remember the names of those present.They include John
Butterworth, Mr and Mrs Peter Hovington, John Longdon,
Dorothy Walker,Mr and Mrs Mike Power and Eric Walker.
Rolling out the barrel
How many readers remember “rolling
out the barrel?”It was an event
organised in London by Watneys,and
among those who took part was
Arthur Downes,who worked for the
company (Mann Crossman & Paulin
and Watney Mann) from 1934 until his
death in 1983.
The picture was provided by his
widow, Emily, who remembers that
among those who attended the event
was British shot putt champion Geoff
Capes, who later won the title of
Britain’s strongest man.
Arthur started as a van boy, then
drove cars before moving on to HGVs,
and he was awarded a pewter mug,
medal and certificate for 30 years’
accident free driving.He was also a
keen member of the Watney Mann
cricket team.
Happy days at Guinness
Stumped by cricketing puzzle
Here’s another mystery photo from the Dram archives to get
readers scratching their heads.Clues are thin on the ground
but it is believed to be of the Mann Crossman & Paulin
cricket team, probably taken in the early 1950s in the east
London area.The only thing known for certain is that the
man seated on the far left is Tom Miller.To anyone who can
solve the puzzle, contact the editor (see page 2 for details).
In the pink of health
These members of the Dewar’s first aid
team were ready for anything when
they travelled from Scotland to London
in 1966 to take part in the finals of a
national competition to test their skills.
A very creditable performance was
not quite good enough to win, but
cause for great satisfaction.While in
the capital, the team was treated to
entertainment and sightseeing
aplenty and, according to Ron
MacDonald, of Perth and Dundee DRA,
who supplied this photo,“the whole
experience was quite thrilling”.
The fleet’s in at Daniells
This picture is bound to bring back
happy memories for former Guinness
workers at Park Royal.Taken at a
Christmas dinner, it was sent in by
Dianna Gorringe, whose late husband,
Peter,is pictured third right in the
second row.
“I know it was taken in the 1950s but
don’t know the date,”she said.“It
should certainly bring a smile back to
those people who were there.Some of
the expressions of ‘happiness’make me
laugh, particularly the man sitting to
Peter’s left.”
Our thanks go to Ken Steward, former
fleet manager of Truman,Hanbury and
Buxton, for this rare picture of the
Daniell and Sons fleet, which he
discovered while going through his
collection.
Daniell’s was a brewing company,
which was based in Colchester and
West Bergholt and dated back to the
1830s.It was acquired by Truman’s in
1958.Said Ken:“The drivers of these
vehicles are now pensioners and enjoy
the activities of the local DRA at
Colchester.”
7
8 Faces and places
Perth and Dundee
Southend
Memories of past times flooded back for members of the Southend branch of
A good turn-out of pensioners and guests travelled to
the London North East section as they enjoyed a superb lunch at Renouf’s
Newtonmore, where they enjoyed a unique water show
restaurant, Rochford. Committee member Rita Langler said:“It was a great
called Waltzing Waters. This was followed by high tea at a
opportunity for everyone to catch up with old friends.”
nearby hotel and, finally, a trip home through the
wonderful Highlands countryside.
East Midlands
The outing was followed by a trip to St Andrews, where
the party was able to see preparations for this year’s Open
golf tournament. The day finished with a journey via the
scenic east coast to Kirkcaldy, where another delicious high
tea was the order of the day.
The golf section’s outing to Dunning golf course was a
huge success, despite the usual hard luck stories of missed
putts and bad bounces, while the branch’s bowlers have
been acquitting themselves well in a series of competitions
on the Perth greens.
Ayrshire and Dumfries
A fascinating tour of Boughton House, near Kettering, was the treat in store for
members of East Midlands DRA when they set out on their latest outing. They
are pictured here taking a short break at Rutland Water on the way to the
house, which is the home of the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensbury. The
branch also enjoyed a visit to Doddington Hall.
Arun
Ayrshire and Dumfries branch’s spring bowling
competition, held at Portland Bowling Club, Kilmarnock,
was a great success, enhanced by splendid weather.
Pictured (left to right) are the winners: Hilda Mair, Grace
McCulloch and Hugh Blair.
Branch members have also enjoyed outings to the Three
Lochs, Balloch and Helensburgh when again they were
blessed with perfect weather.
Arun branch began this year’s social programme with a trip to Royal Tunbridge
Wells. Members are pictured at Heaven Farm, where they stopped for afternoon
tea and saw its collection of old farm implements and animals.
The trip was the last one as chairman for John Leisham, who is standing
down after six years for health reasons. Secretary Alan Pringle said:“He has
done an excellent job and will be much missed by his committee.”
Shorts
Northwich
Exeter
Yee ha! Exeter members took to the dance floor in spirited fashion when singer Roger Colomé
began to perform a series of Country and Western classics at a recent social gathering. Eighty people
attended the event, which included a buffet lunch and popular tunes played a well-known organist.
Branch secretary Sylvia Hancox said:“It was really lovely to see so many people up and dancing,
and there was quite a demand for Roger’s tapes and CDs at the end of the day.”
Fife
Fife members
have enjoyed two
superb excursions
in recent months.
The first was a
trip through
beautiful scenery
to Newtonmore,
where they were
entertained by
the Waltzing
Waters, an indoor
fountain display,
which is set to
music, and this
was followed by a
fine high tea at
the Sportsman
Hotel next door.
The second was
the annual train
trip, which took
them to
Manchester. Once
there, the ladies
made the most of
the shopping
facilities, while
several of the
men visited
Manchester
United’s ground
at Old Trafford.
East Devon
Variety is certainly the spice of
life for Northwich members. The
branch stages two to three
events every month, ranging
from quizzes to crown green
bowls, and from theatre trips to
river cruises, not to mention
lunches and dinners.
Days out this year have been to
such far away places as Bakewell,
Llandudno and Skipton. Still to
come are trips to Llangollen and
Ludlow, while a theatre outing to
see Miss Saigon is also eagerly
awaited. Particularly popular
events are monthly walks around
Cheshire beauty spots, which
usually finish in a local hostelry
for a pub lunch and good
“natter”.
Val McCoy, branch secretary,
said:“Our committee is heavily
committed to ensuring our
members enjoy themselves. Since
our inauguration we have been
on 27 holidays, including three to
Spain and one to Germany, and
for next year we have booked
holidays to Exmouth,
Scarborough and Ireland, which
are already heavily subscribed.”
North/South Yorkshire
North/South Yorkshire members
hit the heights in more ways than
one on a visit to the South Coast
when they visited Beachy Head.
Chairman Eamonn McFadden
said:“It was a superb trip.”
Yorkshire
A wonderful day in Dartmouth awaited 89 members and guests as they set off
by coach from Axminster and Honiton. At Paignton they boarded the steam
railway to Kingswear, where they crossed the Dart to Dartmouth by the
pedestrian ferry.
After a pleasant three hours exploring the town it was then up the valley to
Totnes to pick up their coaches, which were awaiting to take them to the Swan’s
Nest, near Exminister, where they enjoyed an excellent carvery before returning
home.
● Are you good with figures? A search is under way for a new branch
treasurer to replace Brenda Selway who has stepped down after 12 years’
excellent service. Branch secretary June Balkwill said:“Brenda has done a
tremendous job and we all wish her well.” Any volunteers should contact
June on 01404 44634. The branch also needs a Link representative.
Yorkshire branch members spent
a very enjoyable day at West End
Golf Club which included an
excellent lunch, and this was
followed by a visit to Sandal
Farm. Both events were well
attended. The branch is now
planning a summer outing for
late August.
9
10 Diageo grant
Applying for a
Diageo grant
couldn’t be
easier.
Pensioners
involved in a
charity can claim
a £100 grant for
the cause –
every year –
from the Diageo
Foundation. All
you need to do
is complete the
slip below to
receive a grant
application
form.
Cut along dotted line
Please send me a grant
application form
Name:
Address:
Postcode:
If you would also like to receive our
Corporate Citizenship Report,
please tick the box
Please send this form to: Lynne Smethurst,
Diageo Foundation, 8 Henrietta Place,
London W1G 0NB
People news
Walking on the
wild side
Well done Frank
East Anglia branch members paid a
warm tribute to Frank Hurst when he
stood down as Norfolk area
representative after 15 years’sterling
service.Frank is pictured after
receiving a gift from chairman Brian
Godwin on behalf of the committee.
Jacky Pratt could not resist buying a
bottle of whisky called John Warder
while on holiday in Egypt because of
the label’s close resemblance to
Johnnie Walker.
“To say it was not as good as Johnnie
Walker is putting it mildly,”said the ex
Dufftown Distilleries employee.“Do
you think I should have known better?
What made it even funnier was that the
75cl size label was on a quart bottle, a
normal bottle and a litre bottle.”
Ray bowls ’em over
It must be something in the beer, for
Watney Mann pensioner Ray Clarke is
still playing a mean game of bowls at
the age of 90.
Ray joined Norwich Brewery Club
50 years ago when he worked for
Morgan’s Brewery, and in recognition
of his achievement he was recently
made the first honorary life president
of the club.
He is pictured receiving his
certificate from club chairman
Norman Green (left) and club
secretary Maurice Fish, who are also
Watney Mann pensioners and, like Ray,
belong to Norwich DRA.
Said Ray:“I love the game. Not only
has it kept me on my feet but I really
enjoy the companionship and I have
come across some great characters
over the years when I’ve been playing
league matches.”
Caution:not the real thing
Truman’s
memories wanted
Did you work at Truman’s Brewery
in London’s Brick Lane? If so, author
Rachel Lichtenstein would love to
hear from you. She is writing a book
about the area and the story of the
brewery will form a major chapter.
“I am very keen to track down any
former employees who would be
willing to speak to me about their
time there and share with me some
of their experiences,” she said.“I am
sure there are some fascinating
stories to be told about the
brewery, which was once the largest
employer in the area.”
Anyone willing to help should
contact Rachel on 01702 479844 or
by e-mail at
[email protected]
Retirement
My love affair with Africa
Life has taken an amazing turn for former payroll manager Hilary McCluskey since she retired
At the age of 70, Hilary McCluskey has
become a mother again – after being
“adopted” by two young men in the
Cameroons.
She befriended Jean-Pierre, 19, and
Eric, 24, while working at a remote
mission deep in the rural heart of the
former French colony, and despite
now being back home in Etchingham,
East Sussex, she keeps in regular
contact with her “children”.
Since taking early retirement as
group payroll manager for Express
Foods Group at Ruislip, Hilary has
been on four 10-week visits to the
Cameroons during the past seven
years and she is now eagerly planning
to return there for four months in
January 2006.
“It is an absolutely amazing country
and I have been so lucky to have been
given these opportunities to live
among these wonderfully loving
people and to have made so many
friends, who keep in touch with me by
post,” she said.
“While working with Express I never
imagined that my life would take such
an amazing and fulfilling turn. There is
something much more interesting
than payroll systems and I thank God
for showing it to me.”
Hilary’s love affair with the
Cameroons and its people came
about through her close links with the
Sisters of Charity, a religious order with
whom she lived during the week for
the 11 years while she worked at
Express. As a result of these
connections she was invited in 1998
to visit the sisters’ mission at
Ngaoundal in the centre of the
country.
Getting there is an achievement in
itself, for it involves a flight via Zurich
to the capital Yaoundé, and then
taking an overnight sleeper.“The
journey lasts between 12 to 16 hours
but has been known to take two
days,” she explained.“I share my
sleeper with three women and usually
many children. The standards are not
European and a visit to the loo is
New life:Hilary
McCluskey adores the
people of the
Cameroons
Different world:
Hilary with one of
her “sons”
made only in dire necessity!
“The mission station consists of a
brick-built bungalow, with another
small house and a chapel, and in the
grounds is a large clinic and school,
while the local church and priest’s
house is close by. The sisters’ main
work is running the clinic and a school
for housewifery skills for young girls
and women.
“Our day begins at 5.30am with
prayers and this is followed by
breakfast at 7am and then everyone
goes off to their various tasks. I see to
the washing-up and during the
morning I either help around the
house or visit the clinic to count
tablets or cut up bandages.
“I take a welcome siesta after lunch
and am then visited by my young
friends who come after school to learn
some English. We have prayers again
at 6pm, supper at 7pm, catch up on
the world’s news on TV and are ready
for bed at 9pm. Every day it is daylight
at 6am and dark at 6pm.”
During her last visit, Hilary made an
overland trip to visit two sisters in
Tchad, travelling over “endless” dirt
roads, where the only other forms of
transport were ox carts and bicycles.
“What lovely people they were, so
friendly and happy, but so poor and
without any worldly goods as we
know them. They have no running
water, electricity and communications.
“How different it is to life in Britain,
with our free schools, NHS, social
services, dentists and refuse collectors,
but I can’t wait to return.”
11
12 Money matters
by Angela
Maxwell
One-off £200 payment
to ease council tax misery
Chancellor Gordon Brown announced special measures
in the Budget to help pensioners meet their bills
Here are some of the main points
from the Budget statement which
came into effect from 6 April 2005
unless otherwise stated:
● The 10 per cent rate of tax is due on
the first £2,090 of taxable income,
followed by 22 per cent on the next
£30,310 and 40 per cent on taxable
income over £32,400.
● The levels of tax-free personal
allowances for the 2005/06 tax year
are £4,895 for those under 65, £7,090
for those 65-74 and £7,220 for those
who are 75 and over.
● The married couples’allowance
(MCA) has risen to £5,905 for those
under 75 and born before 6 April
1935.For those 75 and over, the MCA
is £5,975.
● The income limit above which agerelated allowances will start to be
reduced has been increased to
£19,500.Every £2 of income above
this will reduce the extra age
allowance by £1 until it reaches the
standard personal allowance level.
● The extra tax allowance for blind
people is to £1,610.
● The nil-rate band for Inheritance Tax
is to £275,000.
● The Capital Gains Tax annual
exemption is £8,500 per person.
Anyone whose pension or earnings
do not use up the whole of their 10
per cent tax band (being the first
£2,090 of taxable income), will be
able to claim back the difference of
10 per cent on bank or building
society interest where tax is still
automatically deducted at 20 per
cent.Telephone the Inland Revenue
helpline on 0845 307 5555 for details.
Extra £200 to help with
council tax bill
For this year only, households where
at least one person is aged 65 on or
before 25 September 2005, will
receive an extra payment of £200 to
help with increased council tax
demands.If the household is in
receipt of the guaranteed part of the
Pension Credit, the £200 will not be
paid but instead a special “living
expenses”payment of £50 per person
will be made where someone in the
household is 70 or more on or before
25 September 2005.This will
apparently be subject to a maximum
of £100 per household.The Pensions
Service has still not received full
instructions on these payments so I
will be giving more details in the next
edition of Dram.
Incapacity Benefit and the
State Second Pension (S2P)
The income
limit above
which
age-related
allowances
will start to
be reduced
has been
increased to
£19,500.
Since April 2002,if you have been
entitled to long term Incapacity
Benefit,you may be able to build up
entitlement to an additional State
Pension through the earnings-related
State Second Pension (S2P) scheme.
S2P will treat you as if you had
earnings at the low earnings threshold
for benefit qualification (currently £79
per week) for each complete tax year
that you were entitled to Incapacity
Benefit.What is more,people with
annual qualifying earnings of at least
£4,108 (£79 x 52) but less than £11,600
(2004/05 level) will be credited into
S2P as though they have earnings of
£11,600.The rate at which your extra
pension builds up will be twice as
great as the old state earnings-related
scheme.However,if on Incapacity
Benefit,you must also satisfy what is
called the “labour market attachment
test”. This stipulates that when you
reach state pension age,10 per cent of
your working life since 1978 must
qualify for basic State Pension using
the class 1 national insurance
contributions you have paid as an
employee.As you can see this is a
tricky subject but entitlement will be
automatically calculated
Staywarm
This is a special energy purchasing
scheme operated by Powergen which
only applies to houses where
someone aged 60 or over lives.
Electricity and gas are supplied at one
fixed price all year round regardless of
how much is used.The cost of
Staywarm is based on the number of
bedrooms in the house and the
number of people who live there.
You can ring Powergen Staywarm on
0800 169 4694 for a quote.
Consumer Credit Act
If you pay for something worth more
than £100 and less than £30,000
using your credit card, the card
company must pay your money back
if the retailer goes bust and can’t
supply the goods.Even if you pay only
the deposit on your credit card and
the balance by cash, the card
company is still liable for the whole
amount.You must provide proof of
purchase and proof that you paid by
card citing section 75 of the
Consumer Credit Act 1974.The same
rules apply if the goods or services are
sub-standard and the supplier won’t
correct the problem.A High Court
judge has ruled that section 75 of the
13
Care and Repair
If you are a home owner (or rent
your home but are obliged to pay
for repairs) and you need advice
and information about repairs or
adaptations, a local Care and
Repair or Staying Put agency may
be able
to help.
These services can give advice
and assistance about finding the
money to pay for work, finding a
reliable builder and supervising
the building work or give other
practical help which may enable
you to live independently in your
own home for longer. Some also
run odd job or handyperson
services.
To find out if there is a Care and
Repair or Staying Put agency in
your area, you can contact
Foundations on 01457 891909.
If there is no such service in your
area, sometimes a local Age
Concern may be able to help with
odd jobs.
The local council grants
department may also give some
advice and information about
money to pay for repairs or hold a
list of reputable builders.
Consumer Credit Act will no longer
apply to anything bought outside the
UK but some card companies may still
pay up.
TV licence increase
The cost of a colour TV licence
increased to £126.50 from 1 April and
for black and white to £42.TV licences
are free to viewers from the month
during which they reach 75.However,
you still need to register.You can get
more information from TV Licensing
on 0870 576 3763.
Prescription charge increase
Prescription charges rose to £6.50 per
item from 1 April.The cost of a four
month pre-payment certificate is
£33.90 and for an annual certificate it
is £93.20.Remember that prescription
charges are free to men and women
aged 60 or over.
State
benefits
increase
State benefits increased during the week commencing 11 April 2005.
I have listed below some of the main changes:
● Basic Retirement Pension
£82.05 per week
● Dependent spouse
£49.15 per week
● Job Seeker’s Allowance, (age 25 and over)
£56.20 per week
● Incapacity Benefit, (long term rate)
£76.45 per week
● Dependent spouse
£45.70 per week
● Attendance Allowance (higher rate)
£60.60 per week
● Attendance Allowance (lower rate)
£40.55 per week
● Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee (single)
£109.45 per week
● Pension Credit standard minimum guarantee (couple)
£167.05 per week
Details of these and other benefit increases can be obtained from your local
Benefits office.People who receive their Retirement Pension or Bereavement
Benefit directly to their bank or building society account, or by payable order,
should receive a letter every year confirming the level of these increases.
14 Health
The big sleep
Here are some tips to help ensure you can enjoy a good nights “kip”
“Enjoy the honey heavy dew of
slumber”, wrote Shakespeare in Julius
Caesar.But for many people the quest
for a good night's sleep can become
increasingly difficult as they get older.
Typical complaints range from getting
off to sleep in the first place to waking
up in the middle of the night and then
not being able to get back to sleep.
What lies behind these
problems?
There can be many reasons, but first
and foremost it should be
remembered that as we age we sleep
less deeply and need less sleep.
Teenagers often need 10 hours a
night, but by the time we reach our 60s
this comes down to seven hours, or
sometimes less, for the average person.
Margaret Thatcher is said to have
needed only four hours when she was
Prime Minister.
There are also different types of
sleep, which are broadly divided into
what is called REM (rapid eye
movement) – lighter sleep which is
when most dreaming takes place – and
non-REM, when our sleep is deeper.
A typical young adult will spend
nearly 30 per cent of the night in deep
sleep, but for a 70-year-old,deep sleep
takes up less than 10 per cent.
Therefore, older people report waking
up more times throughout the night.
As we get older, the need to go to the
lavatory occurs more.It's estimated
that about 60 per cent of women and
about 70 per cent of men over 65 get
out of bed at least once a night to go to
the toilet, which can make it difficult to
get back to sleep.
So how can I sleep better?
Here are the top tips from the NHS:
● Food and drink.Anything which
contains caffeine taken near bedtime
will reduce the quality of sleep.
Examples include coffee,tea, hot
chocolate and cola, so avoid these
things within four hours of going to
bed
● Cigarettes. Smoking last thing at
night can keep you awake as nicotine is
If you can,
gradually
increase your
daytime
activity and
exercise,but
don’t exercise
too near to
bedtime.
a stimulant.If you do smoke, have your
last cigarette at least four hours before
bedtime
● Alcohol.Although alcohol often
makes people sleepy, it affects the
quality of sleep, so again the advice is
to avoid large amounts before going to
bed if you are having sleep problems
● Consistency.Try to get a consistent
timetable so that your body knows
where it is.Going to bed and getting
up at roughly the same time is much
better during insomnia than trying to
catch up on lost sleep or going to bed
or napping at odd times during the day
● Pre-sleep.Try to use the hour before
going to bed to unwind and prepare
for sleep and – this may sound obvious
– do not go to bed until you feel sleepy
● Exercise.If you can, gradually
increase your daytime activity and
exercise, but don't exercise too near to
bedtime.
If you do find yourself tossing and
turning, it's better to get up, wander
around, read and have a small warm
drink, such as Ovaltine or Horlicks.
Sleeping tablets should be a last resort.
If you do use them, they should be the
lowest dose that works and not taken
more than two or three times a week.
Dr Ted Lankester, who specialises in
health matters for the elderly, says
that above all people should not
worry if they can’t get off to sleep.
“It's a nuisance and you may feel
more grumpy than usual the next
day, but fortunately most of us can
cope with the odd bad night or even
a run of nights without it doing us
too much harm.”
Suggested further
reading
How to cope with sleep problems
Available from
Mind Publications,
15-19 Broadway
London E15 4BQ
Tel: 020 8221 9666
E-mail: [email protected]
Letters
Can you help?
Many of you will be aware that Diageo
pensioners can claim a £100 grant for
their chosen charity each year from the
Diageo Foundation.For those of you who
don't normally take advantage of this
very generous offer,I would appeal to
you to help Proventus.
This is a charity set up to advance the
study of and assist in relieving people
suffering from auto-immune,
inflammatory and neurological diseases
and disorders, such as multiple sclerosis.
My wife is one of 85,000 people in the
UK affected by multiple sclerosis.In July
2004 she was fortunate to be invited to
become an informed consent patient for
a new treatment known as Aimspro.She
has made good progress and although it
is not a cure,we now feel fairly optimistic
about the future.This treatment is not yet
available on NHS prescription.However,
those patients who feel privileged to have
been given new hope are endeavouring
to ensure that it is available to all those in
need,and consequently they have set up
Proventus.
I would appeal to you to help the
charity achieve its goals by making a
grant application (see page 10) and
making the grant payable to Proventus,
UK charity 1108986,PO Box 80, Ashford,
Kent,TN23 9AT.
Gordon Ellis
Ex-United Distillers engineering
department, Glasgow
Sincere thanks
Could I through the pages of Dram thank
the Diageo Foundation for two £100
donations, in 1999 and 2005, to the
Somerset Legion House in Weston super
Mare?
The house was set up at the end of the
Second World War as a place for
ex-servicemen and women to convalesce
after any illness or operation.It is still
going strong today and survives entirely
on donations, bequests and help from
the Royal British Legion.It's open to
anyone who served in the forces – all
they have to do is go to their local Royal
British Legion club, which will make the
travel arrangements on their behalf.
There are qualified nurses on hand to
help those who need it and, what's more,
the food is good.
EJ Fowkes
Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Wordfit
15
Wordfit competition
1
The following
words can
be fitted into
the grid above.
One word has
already been
inserted to give
you a start.
2
7
11
13
14
R E L I C
16
17
20
21
22
By popular request we have brought back
the wordfit puzzle,so here's your chance
to win yourself a £50 shopping voucher.
The first two correct entries to be drawn
after the closing date of Monday 31
October 2005 will be the winners.
Please send your entry to Wordfit
Competition, Dram, Citigate Publishing,
26 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1SH.
Congratulations go to the winners of
the cryptic competition crossword in
the last issue of Dram.They are Bill
Oswald, of Edinburgh, who worked for
DCL, and Louise Rees, of Belfast, who
worked for Russells.
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Company worked for:
Here are the solutions to issue 19’s crossword:
Across: 6 Manager;7 Chill;9 See;10 Mortal foe;12 Letter-boxes;15 Speak freely;
17 Road-sense;19 Bid;21 Stand;22 Tumbler.Down: 1 Wager;2 Bat;3 Nero;
4 Shallowly;5 Allowed;8 Starve;11 Demanding;13 Toffee;14 Sprouts;16 Siren;
18 Snug;20 Ebb.
4 letters
DEFT
ENVY
INCA
NAVY
NEWS
NORM
PURR
UNDO
5 letters
BELLE
BRIEF
CRANE
ERROR
MERGE
NURSE
OTHER
RELIC
ROOST
SALVO
6 letters
INSIST
MOORED
RARITY
SURETY
9 letters
DETRIMENT
FEROCIOUS
OVERBOARD
OVERGROWN
POLYGONAL
STATUTORY
UNDERLINE
UNDERMINE
16 Brand Update
Johnnie Walker celebrates a very special
anniversary in 2005
Doubles all
round
Left:a bottle of 1805.
Below:the special
edition Blue Label
Johnnie Walker has celebrated the
200th anniversary of the birth of its
founder John Walker with the creation of two ultra exclusive variants of
the world’s favourite whisky.
The first is 200 bottles of a special
edition blend, known as 1805 and
created by the Johnnie Walker
Master Blender, Jim Beveridge.The
second is a specially created cask
strength edition of its flagship
blend, Blue Label.
The 1805 has been made with the
best whiskies, which have been
predominately selected from
distilleries that no longer exist. All
are more than 30 years old, some as
old as 70 years.
Each bottle has been numbered
and dated and, due to the quality
and the extraordinary limited
number of bottles available, experts
estimate the value of the whisky
alone to be well over £10,000.
However, none will be available for
retail sale. In recognition of John
Walker’s entrepreneurial success,
the bottles are being presented to
200 individuals deemed to have
made the most significant
contribution to modern life.
The special edition Blue Label,
which comes in a special decanter
and a limited edition book
describing the origins of Blue Label,
has been made available to the
general public.Two hundred bottles
are being released for sale in 20
countries – a total of 4,000 bottles –
in leading outlets such as Harrods.
Who was
John
Walker?
A farmer’s son,
John Walker
began distilling
whisky at his
small grocery
business in
Kilmarnock,
determined to
create a blend
that “cannot be
beat”.Its fame
quickly spread
throughout the
west of Scotland,
and on his death
in 1857 the
business was
taken over by his
son,Alexander,
who began
exporting the
whisky
throughout the
British Empire.
Today,Johnnie
Walker is the
world’s number
one Scotch
whisky,with
more than 120
million bottles
sold every year in
more than 200
countries.
Swinging times
Johnnie Walker continues to build
the brand through sponsorship of
some of the world’s most popular
sporting events.
This spring it sponsored, for the 14th
year in succession, the Johnnie Walker
Classic, Asia-Pacific’s best-known and
most prestigious gold tournament,
which this year was held at Pine Valley
Gold Resort and Country Club, Beijing.
Before the tournament, some of the
leading contenders, including Colin
Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia, took
time off to visit the Great Wall of China
and put in a little extra practice.
Since its launch, the competition
has been won by some of the world’s
top golfers, including Tiger Woods,
Ernie Els and Nick Faldo, and this year
it was won by young Australian Adam
Scott, who triumphed over second
placed South Africa’s Retief Goosen by
three strokes. In 2006 the tournament
moves to Perth, Western Australia.
And in August this year Johnnie
Walker became the new sponsor of
the popular Diageo Championship at
Gleneagles, Scotland. Ben Anderson,
global brand director for Johnnie
Walker, said:“The rebranding of the
championship is a logical and exciting
next step for the Johnnie Walker
brand. We are excited about the
potential to build strong bonds with
the game of golf in our spiritual home,
Scotland.”
Meanwhile, the Johnnie Walker
marketing team is investing
£15 million in Formula 1 motor racing
this year, through its sponsorship of
Team McLaren Mercedes. The famous
Striding Man logo together with the
Johnnie Walker wording appears on
the air take of the cars as well as on
the overalls of drivers Kimi Raikkonen
and Juan Pablo Montoya and the
team’s race suits.
Golfers visit the Great Wall of China