Bromsgrove & Redditch NHS Retirement Fellowship
A Social Club for Retired NHS Employees
Enjoy retirement together
About Us
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, for 2022/23 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.
Programme of Topics
2023
2024 3-Jan Members' Day / quiz 17-Jan B'ham Botannical Gardens, history and virtual tour - Philip Aubury 31-Jan Market towns, their history, function & importance - Richard Churchley 14-Feb History of Dudley Castle - MaxKeen 28-Feb Cramer Cat Sanctuary - Jessica Fletcher 13-Mar My Career as a Midwife- Prof Shirley Jones 27-Mar Kathmandu to Everest - Ray Sturdy 10-Apr Worcester Porcelain - Colin Millett 24-Apr The Weatheroak Murderer - Andy Bishop 8-May My Career as a Dental Nurse - Irene Rhead 22-May AGM (10am start) and The Cake Lady - Kath Ryan 5-June Off the beaten track - John Butterworth 19-June My Career - Robert Trigger 3- uly TBA 17-July West Midlands Folksongs - Richard Churchley 31-July TBA 14-Aug TBA 18-Aug Forgotten Women of the Industrial Revolution 11-Sep TBA 25-Sep Members' Day - Macmillan Coffee Morning 9-Oct Lifeboats - John Pittwood 23-Oct Flower Power - Rosemary Winnall 6-Nov Music Through the Ages - Danielle Saxon-Reeves 20-Nov Christmas Through the Ages - Richard Churchley 4 Dec Christmas Lunch 11-Dec Members' Day - Christmas Quizzes 18-Dec Christmas nibbles and Grand Raffle 2025 programme starts on 8th January
Contact
- Catshill Methodist Church, Golden Cross Lane, Bromsgrove, B61 0LG
