Bromsgrove & Redditch NHS Retirement Fellowship

We are an independent organisation. We left the national NHS Retirement Fellowship organisation in May 2017, because it was felt to be no longer cost-effective for our members. We are self-funding and regularly provide monetary donations to local charities, and local branches of national charities. Additionally, we have on-going collections of items required for the Basement Project in Bromsgrove to support young people in social and financial need.

Meetings are held fortnightly, throughout the year, on Wednesdays mornings in Catshill Methodist Church, Golden Cross Lane, Bromsgrove, but are not faith-related. The meetings are from 9.45 am to 11.45 am; the doors open at 9.30 am for setting-up purposes. On most occasions there is an invited speaker and a range of topics is covered, from legal aspects of care to saving hedgehogs, and anything in between. Four meetings per year are designated Members' Days; one of these is used for a Macmillan coffee morning and display of crafts and hobbies undertaken by members. The other three such meetings are used for members to present topics of interest to them, digital presentations of holiday photographs and quizzes.

The beginning of each meeting is for socialisation with refreshments, buying raffle tickets, perusing the sales tables and signing up for any organised outings or social events. At 10.20 am there is a brief business meeting, mainly for the giving and receiving of information and drawing of the raffle, just prior to the introduction of the speaker(s) at 10.45 am. At 11.45 am the meeting ends and clearing up takes place. An AGM occurs in May and on that occasion only, the business starts at 10 am, followed by a speaker or activity.

In addition to regular meetings, there are 1-day coach outings; theatre trips; a 5-day holiday twice per year in Spring and Autumn; an evening social event in Spring; an afternoon tea in Autumn and a Christmas Lunch. We have a number of avid knitters who make items for charities and we have a 'Learn to Crochet' group that is doing well.

People who have worked in the NHS or social care at any time in their working lives are eligible  to join and may do so with a partner or companion who is not ex-NHS. Current membership is £15, due in March of each year; there is no fee for routine meetings. This fee is reviewed at the AGM for the following year.  People wishing to join may visit up to 3 meetings for a fee of £2 each visit. If at any time a member wishes to bring a visitor because of the topic, the same fee applies.