NGSU Rapport 74 - Winter 2012

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The Nationwide Group Staff Union magazine Winter 2012 – Issue 74

WORKWELL TOOLKIT FOR WELLBEING

Fraudsquad STAY SAFE AT WORK

Swimming withsharks WITH TRAVEL EXPERT ROGER

Hearmyvoice HOW YOUR UNION CONSULTS

Britishbakeoff HELP THE HOMELESS

MOVETO MOTIVATE FROM REDUNDANCY TO LIFE COACH

INTEREST: EXCHANGE: NEWS P2/3 VIEWS P8/9

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74 DEC 12

CONTENTS 4/5LIFE COACHING 6/7HEALTH 8/9EXCHANGE 10/11UPDATE: PAY REVIEW 12/13CONSULTATION PROCESS 14/15UPDATE 16FRAUD 17TRAVEL CLUB

WELCOME Over the past 12 months we have supported many members impacted by change – from simple restructuring of teams to the complete closure of the Insurance Claims team in Northampton.

There has also been a programme of branch closures across the network in Nationwide and Regional Brands.

Steve Barnes, President

As a Union we support members through a change programme, helping them assess the available options during the consultation process and ensuring that the correct severance terms are applied where change results in redundancy. The reaction of employees to redundancy can be varied. Some are devastated by the news and the immediate impact on them and their family but others can see it as an opportunity to take a new direction in life and fulfil other ambitions.

Paul Strong was made redundant from General Insurance in 2010 and went on to train as a life coach and set up his own consultancy business. He tells us about the challenges he’s faced and also shares tips about how to assess your own life goals – see his circle of life page 5 before making your New Year resolutions.

One of my roles as NGSU President is to oversee the work of Union Representatives who play an important role in helping us keep up-to-date with issues across the business and to understand how members are feeling.

This is vital and helps present an informed view when we are in negotiations with Nationwide. We interact with the business in a variety for forums and you can find out more about the consultation process on pages 12 & 13.

If booking your annual holiday is on your New Year to-do list I’d recommend you give our Travel Club a call – it really could help you stretch your holiday budget a bit further. The club is run for us by Benchmark Travel which was set up some years ago by Roger Benn – see our interview with him on page 17.

This year we launched the David Hopkins Awards, inviting members to apply for grants of up to £500 towards personal development in community work. The first awards have now been made and we have more about this on page 18.

Best wishes for Christmas and New Year from all at NGSU.

Count on your Union NGSU will back employees’ costs at Employment Tribunals following the introduction of new charges.

The Union has announced that it will continue to support members at tribunal as a benefit of union membership (subject to our normal case assessment process). And charges can run into hundreds of pounds.

The Government has opted for a two stage structure requiring claimants to pay a fee when issuing proceedings and another if the case goes to a hearing. The amounts involved will depend on the nature of the claim and could range from £160 to £1,200.

The importance of being able to take a case to tribunal was highlighted recently in a case pursued by NGSU on behalf of an employee. In making his decision Judge M J Downs commented: “The claimant had the benefit of extremely effective representation in the internal hearings held by the Building Society. She was very well served by her union.”

GET BAKING TO HELP CHILDREN THIS CHRISTMAS In Britain over 75,000 children will wake up on Christmas morning without a place to call home.

Some will be living in temporary accommodation, others staying in bed and breakfasts or hostels. They’ll all be facing massive disruption to their lives, education and wellbeing. Now you can help housing charity Shelter to help those youngsters in a variety of ways to suit you. ● For instance you can put the kettle on, put your joggers on or tell your colleagues in a different department to ‘bring it on’ – to raise money at work. ● One suggestion is to put those departmental rivalries to rest with Shelter’s great quiz night package, Let’s Get Quizzical?

Details available at http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_involved/ events_and_challenges/lets_get_quizzical ● If you’d like to share a muffin with colleagues to raise funds why not join Shelter’s Cake Time at http://england.shelter.org.uk/ get_involved/events_and_challenges/cake_time, where you’ll find all you need including delicious cake recipes from celebrities to bake and sell at work. ● Or you could put a team together to train for a marathon.

Details at http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_involved/running For more information about fundraising at work, contact Shelter’s supporter information team on 0300 330 1234, or email corporate@shelter.org.uk

18CHARITY 19COFFEE BREAK

NGSU has hit out at Government plans to allow businesses to remove employment rights in exchange for tax free shares.

In his Tory conference speech chancellor George Osborne unveiled a £100m scheme to allow shares worth £2,000 to £50,000 to be exempt from tax if employees give up certain work rights, such as the right to claim unfair dismissal.

He said the measure was aimed at the tens of thousands of small and medium-sized firms.

The chancellor’s plan would allow businesses hiring staff to insist they forfeit employment rights. Existing employees would have the right to refuse. Employees would give up their rights under UK law on unfair dismissal, redundancy and the right to request flexible working and time off for training.

In addition women would have to give twice as much notice of the date when they want to return from maternity leave – from the current eight weeks to 16.

While Nationwide is not affected as it is a mutual company, Tim Rose, Assistant General Secretary (Services) said: “It’s hard to see any sense in these proposals. I can’t see many people finding a mutual benefit in such an arrangement. Employers who want motivated and productive workers just need to treat them fairly – they’ll reap the benefit from increased loyalty, discretionary effort and as company advocates – it’s pretty simple really.”

FRANCES TAKES THE HELM

The new TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady Frances O’Grady will be the first woman to hold the office in its 144 year history when she takes over at the end of 2012.

Addressing the TUC Congress in September she joked: “Well Brothers. You’ve been thinking about this for 144 years. Now ... I don’t want to rush you but ... are you really sure?” And, she went on: “Sisters, will you join me in giving notice to anyone who still thinks that women are the weaker sex?”

Frances said the TUC is the voice of millions of working people, men and women, black and white, migrant worker or British-born, including many who are not yet members.

“Millions of ordinary families who are under unprecedented pressure but who want hope for the future.” She pledged to ensure that the organisation’s voice is heard day in day out.

“There are many ways to tackle the obscenity of inequality. But there is none more effective than strong trade unions.Our values represent everything that is best in our society. Decency. Democracy. Fairness. These are my values - our values, trade union values.

Together we can win, we will build for a future that works.”

Commute time up for women The amount of time spent commuting to and from work has fallen over the last six years for men but has increased for women, according to a TUC analysis of official figures.

The report was published to mark Commute Smart week in November, organised by Work Wise UK (www.workwiseuk.org).

It reveals that the average UK employee who commutes now spends 52.8 minutes per day travelling to and from work, which amounts to 4 hours and 24 minutes per week for a full-time worker or more than five weeks per year for an employee who works 44 weeks per year.

The analysis of figures from the Labour Force Survey, which compares pre-recession commute times (2006) with the most recent available figures (2012), shows that while average commute times have edged down by 0.4 minutes per day, the trends vary considerably by gender and region.

Men tend to spend longer than women travelling to work and back, but their average travel to work times has fallen by 0.2 minutes a day to 58 minutes. The average commute time

for female employees has increased by 0.6 minutes to 47.4 minutes.

Commute times vary considerably across the UK. Londoners have the longest average commute at 75 minutes, while workers in Wales have the shortest average commute at 41.4 minutes.

Commute times for female workers have increased most sharply in Scotland and London. Female workers in the capital have longer commutes than men working anywhere other than London.

The TUC believes that the recent rise in part-time work, particularly amongst men, also helps to explain why commute times have fallen for men but increased for women.

SARAH TURTON

SHARES FOR RIGHTS PLAN SLAMMED

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74 DEC 12 LIFE COACHING

Paul’s move to

motivate When Paul Strong was made redundant from Nationwide he saw it as a ‘kick up the backside’ to change his life.

“March 30 2010 is a date forever etched in my memory because as I see it that was the date that Nationwide gave me the opportunity to make my own dream a reality,” says Paul.

Paul admits that’s not how everyone feels when they are told they are being made redundant but that’s exactly how he felt.

Paul had a successful career with Nationwide spanning 17 years from 1993 to 2010. He held various positions, including Team Leader (Lending Control), Project Manager (Business Improvement) and Business Development Manager (General Insurance) before he was made redundant.

“For some time I’d toyed with the idea of training as a life coach. However, it was much easier to keep working within my ‘safe’ job, as a Business Development Manager in General Insurance, than it was to take the scary step into self-employment.

“When that “safe’ job was taken away it gave me the much-needed kick up the backside to do something about being a life coach.”

After leaving Nationwide Paul completed a Diploma in Life Coaching and last year launched his own company, Be Strong Life Coaching, providing coaching services to the people of the East Midlands for personal fulfilment and business goals.

Paul Strong

“It was really difficult in the early days as life coaching in the UK is still in its infancy and the benefits of employing a life coach are not as widely acknowledged as they are in places such as the USA or Australia,” he says. “This meant that I had to do lots of networking and marketing as well as diversifying the services I was offering.

“Since then, like any business, I’ve had my ups and downs but when you see someone take control of their life and turn their dream into their reality it’s a great reward to know that you had just a little bit to do with that.

“We hold ourselves back from achieving our true desires and ambitions because we tell ourselves we can’t do it.”

WHAT IS LIFE COACHING? PAUL EXPLAINS ... ● A life coach asks you the questions that no one else will. ● A life coach doesn’t have all the answers. Their skill is in knowing the right questions to ask that will unlock the answers in others. ● Coaching is not about telling people the answers, it’s about helping them to find the answers within themselves. A good life coach does this by using their questioning skills to help someone get to the root of the issue then helps them to build an action plan to gain the results that they want.

PAUL’S CIRCLE OF LIFE To do it you will need a piece of paper, a pencil and an open mind.

Draw a circle and divide into 8 sections and write one of the following headings into each section. ● Career ● Money ● Health ● Family & friends ● Partner ● Personal growth ● Fun & recreation ● Physical environment

MONEY

CAREER

FUN & RECREATION

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

PERSONAL GROWTH

PARTNER

HEALTH

FAMILY & FRIENDS

Each one of these sections represents an aspect of your life.

Think about each section individually and give it a rating between 1–10 (10 being perfect, 1 being the worse it could possibly be).

In rating in each section you may want to consider the answers to the following questions.

Paul suggests people ask themselves whether they have ever not done something because they told themselves: ● I can’t do it ● I wouldn’t be any good at it ● It’s not for people like me ● You have to be a certain kind of person to be good at that.

“If you haven’t tried something how can you know that you can’t do it or that you wouldn’t be any good at it? The truth is you don’t and the real reason you don’t do something is because you don’t have faith in yourself. Just imagine what enjoyment or success you may have missed out on because you didn’t believe in you?”

Adds Paul: “When I meet a client for the first time they will often tell me they need my help because their life is ‘rubbish’. The reality is that no one’s whole life is rubbish it’s just that a part of their life is not going the way they would like it to and it is affecting the other parts of their life. The first thing to do is discover what that part is as that is the root of the issue.”

For further information you can email Paul Strong: paul@bestrong-lifecoaching.com www.bestrong-lifecoaching.com

Career: Are you doing the job you would really like to be doing? Is your career moving in the direction you want it to and at the right pace?

Money: Do you have enough money to maintain the lifestyle you would like? Do you gain enough enjoyment from the disposable income that you have?

Health: Do you do enough to keep fit and live a healthy lifestyle?

Do you worry about your health but do nothing about it i.e. diet, cut down on drink, see a doctor?

Family & friends: Are you getting what you want from your relationships with friends and family? Do you spend enough of your time with your extended family & friends? Do you have friends who add little value to your life and take much more than they give?

Partner: Is your relationship with your spouse/significant other where you would want it to be? Do you know what your spouse/significant other expects from their relationship with you?

Do you know what you expect from your relationship with them?

Personal growth: Do you wish you had more time to spend reading and learning? Do you think that you sacrifice your personal growth for other people?

Fun and recreation: Do you wish you had more time for leisure?

Do you spend your leisure time with the right people? Do you use enough of your leisure time doing things for you?

Physical environment: Is your living environment as you would want it to be? If you have plans to make changes to your living environment are you happy with the pace at which they are going?

Once you have scored each section honestly identify those you consider to have a low score and decide which of these need the most urgent action.

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74 DEC 12 HEALTH

Health and well-being at work Whether it’s help giving up smoking, advice on drinking, avoiding too much stress at work or healthy eating there’s a new TUC toolkit which can help your reps help you.

The Health, Work and Well-being Toolkit aims to provide reps with all they need to devise strategies and initiatives to identify and overcome ill health issues at work.

As well as outlining the business case for wellbeing the toolkit explains how reps can carry out a health needs assessment.

This includes setting up strategies around sickness absence, alcohol and drugs, healthy eating, mental health and stress, physical activity, smoking and tobacco-related ill health, health inequalities as well as how to evaluate health and well-being activities.

The toolkit includes case studies of successful work by reps who, for instance, have helped introduce a care plan in direct response to feedback from staff at South Tyneside Homes.

Their work considered four key areas: ● physical well-being ● sickness absence analysis ● positive/emotional well-being ● lifestyle behaviours.

FOCUS ON

Health, work and well-being toolkit

THE HEALTH, WORK AND WELL-BEING TOOLKIT IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD AT: WWW.UNIONLEARN.ORG.UK/ PUBLICATIONS/HEALTH-WORKAND-WELL-BEING-TOOLKIT

Health and safety At Nationwide most employees work in a low risk environment and that can mean that awareness of health and safety issues sometimes get lost as other work matters take priority. However, Health and Safety is important and NGSU was pleased that Nationwide made October the focus for raising awareness about everyone’s responsibilities for making the workplace a safe environment.

Everyone was required to complete a Health and Safety Personal Responsibility Statement but the union also urged members to devote time to participate in the other planned activities and read the news articles published throughout the month, including guidance on preventing slips, trips and falls, which remain the biggest cause of accidents at Nationwide; security measures and incident reporting, and on coping with stress and tackling its causes.

“We all seem to be under increasing pressure to work harder and longer�

This resulted in staff receiving a mini health MOT along with the introduction of exercise schemes, weight management programmes, self-care programmes, smoking cessation support and guided health walks.

The mini health MOTs, health and well-being campaigns and the health care plan all contributed to a dramatic drop in sickness levels, resulting in cost savings of over ÂŁ266,000 to be reinvested in the company to further improve services.

NGSU negotiates with Nationwide on issues of health and wellbeing through its formal Health and Safety Committee with meetings firstly focussing on local incidents – accident reports and a review of health and safety measures such as the number of employees ringing the Society’s external careline about work related stress. The second half of meetings is devoted to strategic issues such as changes in health and safety law and how this impacts on Nationwide’s policies.

Tim Rose (Assistant General Secretary – Services) and NGSU President Steve Barnes attend on behalf of the Union along with health and safety Reps, who can give first-hand accounts of issues impacting on branches and admin centres.

Said Tim: “We all seem to be under increasing pressure to work harder and longer to meet deadlines and targets and it’s easy to forget or ignore the impact this can have on our health and well-being. The toolkit is a great reminder of the importance of keeping healthy at work and provides a clear and concise summary of the key facts about a range of health issues, prompts to consider how these impact on the workplace and some really useful links to other resources that can provide more information and help and support. The toolkit has been written to support union representatives in promoting well-being in the workplace but it’s a great resource and useful reference document for all members.�

TIME TO CHANGE

‘TIME TO CHANGE’ CAMPAIGN

We may be in the 21st century but there is still a stigma attached to having a mental illness. Until this stigma has been removed and the myths about mental illness are busted, people like me will continue to hide behind a smile.� Those are the words of a woman who has posted her story on a new website Time to Change, devoted to campaigning for an end to mental health discrimination.

And good mental health isn’t just good for individuals. Mental ill-health, such as depression and anxiety, costs British businesses over £1,000 per employee every year or almost £30 billion across the UK economy. This is mostly in lost production through staff being off work or underperforming at work. The wider economic costs of mental illness in England have been estimated at £105.2 billion each year. This includes direct costs of services, lost productivity at work and reduced quality of life. Right now, one worker in six has a mental health problem – almost 5 million of Britain’s 29 million workers.

Now the campaign Time to Change has set about tackling those figures and its website has already recruited thousands, including a large number of big businesses, adding their pledges to support change.

You can join in by making a pledge to talk about mental health or by trying some of these other ways to support the campaign and challenge mental health discrimination: 1 Spread the word online or in your local community. You can also become a Time to Change Champion, one of the many people who have lived experience of mental health problems (including carers), who campaign to end mental health discrimination in their communities and raise awareness by speaking out about their experiences.

2 Attend or run events and projects.

3 Bring Time to Change to your workplace.

Encourage your colleagues and the company to sign up to the Time to Change campaign.

Visit the website for lots of free materials and resources to help you spread the word. www.time-to-change.org.uk/home

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74 DEC 12

Exchange@Rapport magazine, Middleton Farmhouse, 37 Main Road, Middleton Cheney, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX17 2QT

rmhouse Fa on et dl id M m fro w vie e Th og Tim’s Bl position for these employees was not adversely impacted – in fact the operational framework in which they could be asked to work has improved.

Tim Poil, General Secretary

Changes to branch working arrangements announced in October have caused concerns and anxiety with some members who may see the overtime payments they have relied on as part of their income over many years reduced. This has prompted some to ask why the Union didn’t consult directly with members or hold a ballot to canvas views before reaching an agreement with Nationwide.

To answer the question directly – we simply didn’t believe that a ballot of the membership would be helpful in achieving a successful outcome to the negotiations. The changes have directly affected members in the branch network who are employed on the 9to5 contract but they now represent the minority of the total branch workforce. The majority are employed on the 8to8 contract and the actual contractual

Because of the different impacts, we felt is was unlikely that we could achieve a clear mandate from a ballot and that this would be unhelpful in the negotiation process – without convincing support from the membership our position would have been weakened.

Some who have criticised our position have pointed to other Unions, particularly those in the public sector, who are involved in high profile campaigns to prevent changes to their members’ working conditions.

It is true that these unions are more publicly vocal about the way their members are affected by change but the environment we operate in is very different and, ultimately, all disputes are eventually resolved through negotiation.

By seeking a negotiated The situation also poses the settlement we believe we have question about who exactly we secured a number of safeguards should ballot and what action for branch employees, we would seek. It is reasonable addressed some unfairness to assume that those directly and inconsistencies within the impacted would not support the Network and, crucially, built into changes but if we were unable to the agreement is a commitment persuade Nationwide to drop its from the Divisional Directors proposals – what action would to intervene where we highlight we then take? Some members problems. We believe this have called for a ballot to take commitment is an effective form industrial action. A resolution of of empowerment for the this significance would impact membership enabling us to on all NGSU members and we challenge any deviation from would therefore have been the agreement which may be required to ballot the whole imposed by local managers. membership. With many members in the admin centres We hope those members who feel working on 8to8 terms and for we’ve not acted in the way they some in telephone channels, a wish will ultimately understand requirement to work their hours why we acted as we did and that between 6am and 10pm – we did this was the responsible approach not believe that support would and in the best long-term exist for industrial action. interests for everyone.

BENEFITS

DISCOUNT CINEMA TICKETS Join the 100’s of members who’ve joined our fantastic discounted cinema vouchers scheme. By registering on our scheme you can buy up to 5 pairs of discounted cinema vouchers every month for use at most of the major cinema chains in the UK; Cineworld; Odeon; Showcase; Empire; Apollo and independent cinemas. You’ll also get the chance to enter some great competitions.

The actual saving depends on the Cinema group; the location of the cinema and the time and day you chose to see the film but on average, you’ll save between 20%–30% on a pair of adult tickets but you can save between 50%–60% at some cinemas.

You must buy the vouchers online from the dedicated NGSU discount scheme and vouchers are sent to you by first class post. If you buy Cineworld vouchers you can choose to have a promotional code sent to you by text or email and then you can book your tickets direct online. Vouchers are available for adult and child tickets and for 2D and 3D films. The vouchers are valid for a minimum of six months so they make great gifts too!

It’s FREE to register and there’s no obligation to buy tickets. The scheme lasts for 12 months so the sooner you register the more you’ll be able to save.

To join visit the Services and Benefits section on our website. www.ngsu.org.uk ONLINE FORUM

UNION CHAT Join the growing number of NGSU members who are registered on our online Forum. You can join anonymously and take part in discussions about workplace issues; the work of the Union; or simply chat about the latest football fixtures.

You can be an active user or simply read other posts - either way it’s a great way to keep in touch with issues impacting on NGSU members and to read responses from the Union to questions posed by members. It’s easy to register – just follow the links from the home page of the website (www.ngsu.org.uk).

What is your name?

Mehdi Najafi What is your job title?

Mortgage Consultant, Yate Branch What is your NGSU role?

I am the National Equality Officer which is a position on the National Executive Committee and I’m also a District Rep in South Wales and Avon. As National Equality Officer I attend the Nationwide’s Diversity and Inclusion Group (DIG) on behalf of the Union.

What is the most common issue (raised by union members)?

The biggest issue at the moment continues to be overtime and implementation of the new working arrangements.

What websites do you use?

Facebook and Twitter What do you like about Union work?

It makes me feel like I am making a difference to people’s lives and trying to get better work and pay conditions.

How do you relax?

Jogging and weight lifting.

BENEFITS

LAST SECOND TICKETS Last Second Tickets works directly with promoters and venues to secure amazing discounts and prizes, for high profile live music & entertainment events and leisure experiences. We have 1000’s of offers every year, including ‘buy one get one free’ and discounted tickets for many of the nation’s most high profile events, gigs, festivals, clubs, theatre, comedy, cinema, sports, days out and family attractions.

The number and type of offers available will change frequently, so be sure to keep checking.

For more information and to book visit www.lastsecondtickets.com/ngsu

We welcome views from our readers on any subject, so if you have something to say, write to us at the address above marking your envelope ‘Letters’.

Mehdi Najafi

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74 DEC 12

n a l p y a p s ’ NGSU Tim Poil, General Secretary, says NGSU has two main aims in the coming pay talks.

The Union wants to achieve the following two aims during talks about pay strategy in time for the July 2013 pay review:

● There is no mechanism for moving employees from their starting salary with the organisation to the market rate for their role. This means that the Society is effectively underpaying these employees and this has implications for retaining high calibre staff. This is one of the reasons identified as contributing to the high ‘rookie’ turnover (staff with less than one year’s service) of

Addressing these issues is important in our review of pay strategy but we also want the review to consider a wider range of topics: ● One of Nationwide’s current Reward Principles is that reward should be given for performance and contribution.

This means that more pay is given as a variable bonus, linked to performance, rather than in fixed basic salary. The Union isn’t convinced that the mix between fixed and variable pay is right – in some parts of the organisation we think too much pay is now at ‘risk’ and more should be invested in basic pay.

● Another key question is whether the current approach of placing all job roles into a relatively small number of pay ranges works or is it necessary to bring a greater degree of sophistication to pay design to attract and retain people with the skills the business needs? ● The business has raised the prospect of managers having a more direct say in the distribution of pay to their teams.

This is something the Union is extremely wary about based on our concerns regarding the distribution of performance review ratings.

Customer Representatives (CRs) in the branch network and the Society has been left with little option but to increase the starting pay for CRs (and apply an uplift to some existing CRs) outside of the normal review period.

● At the other end of the pay range, longer serving employees have been excluded from participation in the pay review because of the contraction in the pay band over recent years. This trend was reversed in 2012, with the maximum ranges being extended to 115% of the market anchor. But NGSU believes that a further review of pay scales is needed.

ALLOWANCES There are two types of allowances for employees: those that reimburse expenditure incurred on business such as mileage or meals and those that are more related to job role and work done eg shift allowances, on-call payments and location allowances.

Allowances are reviewed annually, a relatively straight-forward exercise for some. For example, is the evening meal allowance sufficient to meet the cost of a meal in the locations where employees are most likely to be required to stay overnight? Others, such as location allowances, are harder to determine and tend to be reviewed against benchmark data from competitors. Some allowances, such as mileage rates and homeworkers allowances, are linked directly to Inland Revenue allowable rates.

NGSU believes most allowances are achieving their purpose but there is a need for a robust process to determine when increases should be applied.

PAY REVIEW SALES BONUS SCHEMES

MINDING THE GAP Equal Pay audits set out to discover if there is an equal pay gap and NGSU actively encourages Nationwide to carry out regular audits. The results of the latest audit are due in a couple of months.

Nationwide, like most organisations in the FS sector, has a sizeable equal pay gap. This reflects the distribution of women in the job levels across the Society – there are more women in the lower paid roles in Level One and less in the higher paid Senior Executive roles.

However, where pay differences exist between employees of differing genders or ethnicities within job levels, they can be explained by performance and experience/time in role. There is also a gap in the allocation of some benefits (such as cars and healthcare) again reflecting the fact that there are more males in the upper half of the organisation.

The results of the audit reinforce Union concerns about the distribution of performance ratings, which determine pay awards, across the organisation. Employees in job family level one are less likely to be rated as Exceeded or Exceptional than employees in other job levels. The same trend also seems to exist for part time employees (both male and female) and minority groups in both job levels one and two.

NGSU will continue to challenge the business about the distribution of ratings as part of the pay review and insists there needs to be a greater awareness of the issue when managers conduct rating calibration.

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NATIONWIDE GROUP STAFF UNION Middleton Farmhouse, 37 Main Road, Middleton Cheney, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX17 2QT

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The future design of salesrelated bonus schemes may depend on the outcome of a consultation exercise being conducted by the Financial Service Authority (FSA).

The consultation follows research that revealed the incentive schemes run by 20 out of 22 financial services firms included features that increased the risk of misselling. Martin Wheatley, FSA managing director said: “It has been too easy, for too long, for those selling or giving advice to be motivated solely by the rewards on offer to them. We have found evidence of poor practice and we are concerned that this reward culture is a significant contributor to misselling.”

The schemes run by Nationwide and one other organisation weren’t considered to include such risks but any new rules issued by the FSA are still likely to have an impact on the Society.

Some organisations have already reacted to the FSA’s findings with Barclays and Lloyds announcing that they will no longer pay commission to staff and future bonuses will depend solely on customer satisfaction ratings.

With consumer organisations, such as Which? welcoming the move it is likely that pressure will grow on other financial service organisations to follow this trend.

12

74 DEC 12 CONSULTATION PROCESS

Chain reaction Reps are your first point of call to ensure your voice is heard in the way your Union makes decisions.

The Union consults and interacts with you, its members, and Nationwide through a range of committees and structures. Following recent changes to branch working arrangements, we believe it is important to clarify how this process takes place.

For members your Reps are a vital link in the chain as the diagram opposite shows. It’s why it is vital you know who your Rep is and why NGSU wants you to step up when a Rep vacancy arises to ensure the smooth running of the consultation process.

REGIONAL COUNCILS The most recent round of Regional Councils met during October and November with the agenda dominated by discussion about the new working arrangements. Issues about inconsistent or inappropriate implementation of the agreement were taken forward for discussion with the Performance Directors (North and South) and representative Area Directors. Other matters discussed included issues relating to RMSI; MSO and Voyager training.

The two Swindon Regional Councils met in late October. Issues raised included concerns about the recent calibration process for interim performance reviews with delegates giving examples of where ‘ratings’ appeared to be imposed by senior management rather than via a two-way discussion between managers and their team members. Concerns were also raised about the use of league tables to highlight performance levels but where performance is being assessed against ‘aspirational’ targets rather than actual targets set in performance agreements. The two Regional Brands Councils,

READY FOR ACTION: REPS AT THE RETAIL NORTH 1 COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN EDINBURGH

Cheshire & Derbyshire and Dunfermline, highlighted ongoing concerns about the future of regional brands. Some concerns were expressed that HR policies weren’t being implemented in accordance with the agreed Nationwide policies which now apply in Regional Brands and that, in particular, there is a lack of understanding about time-off arrangements.

“I’m lucky now to have a really good working relationship with my Area Director so we can fix a lot of gripes before they go too far.”

Sara Seymour (National Regional Officer – Retail South 2)

YOU JOINED – NOW JOIN IN If you’d like to take a more active role in the Union then why not become a Representative?

We still have a number of Rep vacancies, particularly in some of the Retail Areas.

Nationwide recognises the importance of Union Reps and provides paid-time off for them to undertake Union duties and make adjustments to targets for time spent on union activity.

If you’d like more information about becoming a Rep please call Kerry Wagg, Rep Support Officer, on 01295 710767.

NGSU COMMITEES JOINT NGSU/NBS COMMITTEES

THE CONSULTATION PROCESS NGSU MEMBERS

NGSU REPS

REGIONAL COUNCILS

Feed views to Reps or direct to Union Individual Cases Officers or ‘post’ on the NGSU website forum.

Reps are elected for a 2 year term of office. They represent the views of members within a constituency – either a cluster of branches or admin departments.

Reps from a union ‘Area’ meet three times a year to discuss issues in their part of the business.

There are five branch councils; a council for each admin centre; a council for Cheshire & Derbyshire; a council for Dunfermline.

Each Council is represented on the NEC by a National Regional Officer.

NGSU NATIONAL CONFERENCE

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Conference is the policy making body for the Union and is held every two years. Each regional council is entitled to send a delegation – the number of delegates being determined by the number of union members in the area covered by the Council. Members are invited to submit ‘motions’ via their Regional Council for discussion. Any motion which is passed by a 2/3rds majority becomes ‘policy’ and is binding on the Union. The NEC determines what action is needed to fulfil the aims of union policy. The next Conference will be held in October 2013.

The NEC is the governing body for the Union and includes the General Secretary (GS) and President. The GS is elected for five years and all other NEC members for two years.

The NEC oversees the running of the union, for example, approving the budget and agreeing subscription rates. The NEC is responsible for the implementation of union policy decided at National Conference.

The NEC mandates a negotiating team to act on members behalf, for example, to agree the pay review.

NEGOTIATING TEAM The negotiating team is appointed by the NEC and is headed by the General Secretary. The ‘team’ is drawn from NEC members and usually includes one of the two Assistant General Secretaries or other full-time union officials.

EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE

BUSINESS COMMITTEES

The EIC is the formal body governing the relationship between Nationwide and NGSU and is chaired by Tony Prestidge (Executive Director). The EIC approves changes to terms and conditions which become incorporated into individual contracts. This is the forum where Nationwide informs NGSU about business strategy issues which impact on employees.

These are sub-committees of the EIC. NGSU Reps; Senior Managers and HR meet to discuss issues within key parts of the business. There is a local EIC meeting attached to each Branch Regional Council and an overarching Branch Network EIC to discuss national issues. Other committees include: telephone channels; customer operations; finance and risk; group operations; marketing; HR & communications.

The EIC delegates some activity to other committees but ratifies any agreement by a Joint Statement. The EIC meets quarterly.

JOINT NEGOTIATION AND CONSULTATION COMMITTEE The JCNC is the forum that discusses issues directly impacting on employees including HR policies; pay; performance management and disciplinary & grievance procedures. The JCNC usually meets monthly and publishes a brief summary of items discussed on the intranet and NGSU website.

HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE

ORGANISATION CHANGE COMMITTEE

The H&S Committee comprises of two parts – one to consider H&S incidents and one to consider H&S policy and strategy. The committee meets quarterly.

The OCC is the formal body at which Nationwide consults with NGSU about changes that may result in redundancies. Nationwide has to enter into collective consultation where more than 10 employees are affected or where it is proposed that a single business unit will close e.g. a branch. The OCC meets as required.

14

74 DEC 12

Update@Rapport magazine, Middleton Farmhouse, 37 Main Road, Middleton Cheney, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX17 2QT

CONTACT US NGSU Middleton Farmhouse 37 Main Road Middleton Cheney Banbury Oxon 0X17 2QT Phone: 01295 710767 Fax: 01295 712580 email: ngsu@ngsu.org.uk Web: www.ngsu.org.uk PRESIDENT Steve Barnes GENERAL SECRETARY Tim Poil ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY (MEMBERS) Marian Dean ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY (SERVICES) Tim Rose INDIVIDUAL CASES OFFICERS Angela Needham (Northampton) Carol Hunter (North) Karin McKenzie (NH) Diana Allen (South & BAC) Ray Ponsford (Central/London) Derek Richards (NH) Jo Thomson (Central) REGIONAL BRANDS OFFICER Karen Hughes REP SUPPORT OFFICER Kerry Wagg ADMINISTRATION MANAGER Juliet Harris BENEFIT SCHEMES RJW Legal Helpline: 0800 9169063 Personal Injury: 0800 9169064 NGSU Travel Club: 0800 9531 263 IFS Life Insurance Helpline: 01453 755195

POLICY WATCH WINTER WEATHER Winter is upon us and with it the possibility of disruption to travel.

Check Nationwide’s policy in the Travel Disruption section of the Time Off For Other Reasons Policy in the HR Policy Point.

Nationwide expects employees to make every reasonable effort to attend work during poor weather but not to the extent that personal safety is put at risk.

If you are not able to get into work you will still be paid provided you have made an effort or if conditions are too unsafe. If you can’t get into work you should try to contact your manager to discuss your situation.

The policy does not specify what the Society considers to be ‘reasonable effort’ but it might include travelling by public transport rather than by car; walking; attending another Nationwide location or agreeing to work from home.

If conditions improve during the day you are expected to attend work. If your manager believes that you could have come to work they might ask you to cover the time-off by taking unpaid leave or making time up.

If you are unable to get into work because schools have closed and you have no other child care arrangements you can take paid time off under the Emergency Time Off For Dependents policy. If you are able to make alternative arrangements during the day then you are expected to return to work.

PROLONGED SICKNESS ABSENCE AND HOLIDAY LEAVE If you are absent from work due to illness and unable to use your holiday entitlement before the end of the calendar year you can either request to substitute sickness leave with holiday entitlement (and so be paid at 100% of your salary) or carry some holiday over into the next calendar year. You should contact your manager and they will arrange with HR how much holiday leave you can take in this way.

THEFT OR DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY AT WORK If your personal belongings are stolen or damaged at work you may be able to claim some money back from Nationwide. Details are contained in the Financial Support and Benefits Policy.

You are expected to take reasonable care of your possessions and use lockable storage if you have been provided with facilities such as a locker.

Items left overnight are not covered.

Claims for under £25 can be paid at the discretion of Branch Managers or Heads of Departments. Claims in excess of £25 will be made against Nationwide’s insurance policy.

Claims can also be made to repair or replace damaged items, provided the damage was caused by Nationwide or a person acting on behalf of Nationwide, and were not a result of your carelessness.

EXTENDED BREAKS Did you know that you can accumulate up to 15 days annual leave over a six year period to enable you to take a longer break? To take advantage of this you must register onto the Extended Holiday Break Scheme by 31 March in the year you want to start accumulating holiday.

Full details of the scheme are in the Holiday Policy.

PRIZE DRAW RESULTS

CONFERENCE JESS HURD/REPORTD IGITAL.CO.UK

TUC CONGRESS

Prize Winners on Wednesday 7 November 2012

NGSU’s delegation to the TUC Congress in Brighton in September included some old and new faces.

Brendan Barber National Executive Committee member Tom Smith attended for the first time along with fellow NEC member Christian Palfrey. The delegation included Tim Poil, General Secretary, who was re-elected to the TUC General Council, and Steve Barnes, President.

“I found the TUC Congress to be a very interesting, enriching experience. It was quite uplifting to spend a couple of days surrounded by people who are all fighting to try and protect people rather than trying to make them worse off,” said Tom. In his keynote speech to Congress, retiring General Secretary Brendan Barber called for Britain to “learn from the Olympics,” saying that the Games showed what Britain could achieve if it did things differently. He noted that as the Olympics had needed investment in new infrastructure so did the rest of Britain and he called for more investment in affordable housing, schools and colleges to help kickstart the economy and develop skills for the future.

Brendan also noted the role trade unions had played in the Olympics, including supporting the bid, helping to ensure the delivery of the Games infrastructure with a good safety record and in promoting union values at the heart of the Games. These included ethical employment standards, which have helped put the London living wage on the agenda.

Congress debated 82 motions, which included calls to resist cuts in public services and a range of equality issues.

Tom added that he went to a number of the conference fringe sessions. “I found the most moving to be the workers looking for support in the light of the decision to close 36 out of 54 Remploy factories, which employ disabled workers, potentially making 1,700 redundant. It will be unlikely that these people can find new employers prepared to give them a chance. The whole experience underlined for me just what a vital role trade unions play.”

EDITORIAL BOARD Steve Barnes, President Kerry Wagg, Rep Officer Tim Rose, Assistant General Secretary

www.ngsu.org.uk

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Astrid Stubbs DESIGN&PRODUCTION www.design-mill.co.uk PRINTED in the UK by Banbury Litho www.banburylitho.co.uk ADVERTISING Tim Rose trose@ngsu.org.uk

Prize Chance Sum

Winner

Branch/Department

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4th 4th

Edward Goode Jacqueline Harris John Casper Nicholas Blunt Johnathan Gibbins Malcolm Gentle

Euphoria Crawley (The Boulevard) Area - Sussex & Surrey Pension Fund Members Wakefield Service Area – North Eng & South Scot

124574 083892 084966 087026 125010 108197

£10,696 £5,000 £2,000 £500 £500 £500

Prize Winners on Wednesday 3 October 2012 Prize Chance Sum

Winner

Branch/Department

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4th 4th

Suman Sharma Carly Box Dru Blake Shankar Bhandari Simon McCrudden Mikeal Ellis

Ruislip Clacton on Sea Transaction Monitoring Finchley Associate Members P&S Systems Support

086928 113905 082298 123528 083461 108197

£10,736 £5,000 £2,000 £500 £500 £500

Prize Winners on Wednesday 5 September 2012 Prize Chance Sum

Winner

Branch/Department

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4th 4th

Louise Duffy Tina Pearce Karen Tuckwell Rakhee Dattani Debra Leigh Anne Dixon

Northampton (Weston Favell) Plymouth Ret IT & Infrastructure High Holborn Sevenoaks Associate Members

109369 083516 110659 111347 107427 076881

£10,764 £5,000 £2,000 £500 £500 £500

Prize Winners on Wednesday 1 August 2012 Prize Chance Sum

Winner

Branch/Department

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4th 4th

Cynthia Hall Paul Richardson Kathryn Parker Alison MacKie Sunita Kumar Charlotte Dryland

Pension Fund Members Newcastle-upon-Tyne Associate Members Eclipse Redditch Collections

104643 101817 078580 105183 097316 119079

£10,658 £5,000 £2,000 £500 £500 £500

Prize Winners on Wednesday 4 July 2012 Prize Chance Sum

Winner

Branch/Department

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4th 4th

Andrew Jones Tom Price Martyn Seaman Gillian Mead Stephen Cox Annette Alliston

Environment Services Complaints (Electra House) Daventry Pension Fund Members IT Governance Wealdstone

101186 120774 078746 085517 095793 104352

£10,631 £5,000 £2,000 £500 £500 £500

Prize Winners on Wednesday 6 June 2012 Prize Chance Sum

Winner

Branch/Department

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 4th 4th

Bryany Madgwick Gareth Morris Steven Wilson Nicholas Hill Richard Shovlar Serena Newman

Chichester Edinburgh Computacenter Pension Fund Members Operations Support MP Team Managers

113926 083992 093281 076086 107553 077943

£10,696 £5,000 £2,000 £500 £500 £500

TO ENTER THE DRAW OR INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING, PLEASE CALL 01295 710767

16

74 DEC 12 FRAUD

‘Branch staff in particular should be aware of the potential risks.’

d a u q s d u a r F Protecting employees against organised gangs set on fraud is an NGSU concern.

NGSU has always supported Nationwide’s approach to fraud prevention and we think it’s important to make union members aware of the issues. Fortunately fraud for Nationwide is rare but NGSU takes the view that if we can prevent one member from getting involved in fraud then it will have been worth while in reminding everyone about the need to stay vigilant.

Industry figures produced by CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, continue to show that employee fraud is an ongoing and present threat to the financial services industry. Nationwide is not immune to this threat and the Society continues to invest in people and systems to detect and prevent fraud and associated losses. The message is simple – if you get involved in fraud you will get caught and you will lose your job.

Being Approached While fraud is rare, organised crime gangs have been known to target employees to gain access to customer information in order to commit fraud and so, branch staff in particular, should be aware of the potential risks.

Account takeovers (ATO) Account takeovers are an industry-wide cause for concern and the Society is always under threat from this type of fraud. ATO fraud happens when a fraudster gathers information about their intended victim and contacts the victim’s bank masquerading as the genuine account holder in order to ‘takeover’ their account.

In order to protect customer’s confidentiality it is of utmost importance that whenever you give out customer information that you verify their identity by following Society procedures.

Examples of cases where it’s believed an approach has been made and resulted in accounts being taken over involved employees within the administration centres. Victims were identified following calls to a contact centre, or as a result of employees accessing customer account details without a business reason for doing so. Customers subsequently experience fraud on their accounts.

If you suspect that an employee fraud has been committed, you can contact the EFI Team on 654334, or by email to EFI Team fax. If you wish to remain anonymous, follow the Whistleblowing Policy to report anything of concern.

HERE ARE SOME CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE TO HELP PROTECT YOURSELF ● Employees can be approached at any time, but especially when arriving or leaving work. Wearing corporate uniform and displaying work ID cards means that you could be readily identified and criminals might approach individuals and offer financial reward for an employee’s assistance. It’s clearly difficult to cover up a uniform but removing obvious ID when not in a branch is a good idea. ● It has been reported that some gangs will target people at pubs and clubs, initially just striking up a friendship, but with the ultimate aim of persuading them to release customer information. If you are approached try not to get engaged in conversation and reject any advances immediately and keep to busy well populated areas or, if you’ve been approached outside an administration centre, go back in and tell security. ● If you are approached tell your manager as soon as possible so they can alert Special Investigations Department (SID). ● Please do not be tempted by financial rewards – these rarely materialise and ‘once involved’ employees can be subjected to threats of violence if they refuse to co-operate.

17

74 DEC 12 TRAVEL CLUB

First class travel Roger Benn has road-tested many holiday experiences, including swimming with sharks. It’s why you can count on his company which runs the NGSU Travel Club.

How did you get involved in Benchmark?

I had a career in West Yorkshire Police and as Chairman of the Police Federation, the union for police officers, was fortunate to be able to organise and escort large numbers of officers and their families to meet their counterparts in countries around the world. This definitely gave me the travel bug and was a fantastic learning experience in how to always get the best out of each destination. After leaving the police I launched Benchmark Travel catering for discerning union members, with whom I still felt an affinity.

We now boast that the extra savings made when booking holidays through the Travel Club amounts to ‘free’ union membership.

Do you always beat other travel agent, tour operator and internet prices?

Always give us a try and we will see what we can do – 99% of the time we can making substantial savings for the member.

Who is Benchmark?

We are a small team based near Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, large enough to cope but small enough to care. We are independent and able to book anything, anywhere and the ABTA & ATOL protection we offer gives peace of mind to the members who use us.

We are adding a wedding, honeymoon and long haul specialist to the team as we are getting more and more requests to sort out everything, from the hen and stag nights, the wedding abroad and, of course, the honeymoon.

TRAVEL HOTLINE

0800 9531 263 Alternatively send in a holiday request form via the website benchmarktravel.co.uk

What are your favourite holiday recommendations?

If going long haul, I always recommend having a break to make the trip even more enjoyable and memorable. Tahiti & the Cook Islands would therefore be a must for me if going back to New Zealand as it’s where I swam with sharks (albeit small ones). For a short-haul destination Croatia & Slovenia.

What’s your worst experience?

I fell ill whilst swimming in the Galapagos and ended up being operated on in Quito, Ecuador, where there were armed guards on the doors to prevent ‘problems’. Certainly proof of needing reputable travel insurance that can get you home without argument!

What’s your top tip for a perfect holiday?

‘If it looks too cheap it is too cheap’. Don’t be fooled by false internet advertising that won’t include baggage, transfers etc and means you get sold something which is no longer the ‘bargain’ it first seemed.

Where can I find out more about Benchmark and its services?

We’re continuing our NGSU Travel Club Roadshows in Northampton, Swindon and Bournemouth throughout next year when we hope members will come along and find out just what we can do to help them with their holiday needs.

18

74 DEC 12 CHARITY

SAM AND ADAM

ALEX AND CHARLOTTE REEVES

Bicycles made for two Alex Reeves explains how he and wife Kate set up the charity Charlotte’s Tandems.

“My elder daughter, Charlotte, now aged 15, has severe learning difficulties and Autism. She is non-verbal and finding things to keep her busy and active is difficult. We have found that cycling on a tandem is perfect. She can wave her hands around and make her loud repetitive noises, as much as she likes, without getting me too annoyed.

We are able to have regular rides as a family and go on longer rides with organised groups, such as the Tandem Club. We also take the tandem on holiday with us and use it to explore new places. She would be unable to ride her own bike, as she has no road sense and doesn’t know how to use the brakes.

Since she loves riding the tandem so much, we decided to get more tandems to lend out.

We started acquiring tandems in 2010, became a charity in April 2011 and then a Registered Charity in 2012. We now own 44 tandems and 9 trailer bikes, which are located all around the UK. We believe that we have the largest fleet of tandems in the UK. Adam, from Cheshire, would not ride his own bike, so his mum, Sam, borrowed a tandem from us. After riding it for a while, he gained enough confidence to ride his own bike.

Sukham, from Daventry, had a stroke when he was 7 and his right side is still very weak and he has

never been able to ride a bike. He and fiancée, Kate, can now go on bikes rides together on the tandem they borrowed from us.

Tandem riding does not work out for all, but with our tandems available to borrow at no charge, it’s worth a try, isn’t it? For many of our borrowers, it is the first time that their family have been able to ride together.

We’ve used the award from the David Hopkins Trust to buy four new tandems and three are already out with borrowers – thank you to everyone concerned for supporting our work in this way.” www.charlottestandems.weebly.com or visit the Charlotte’s Tandems Facebook Group

David Hopkins Trust Individual Awards NGSU also invited members to apply for individual awards from the Fund of up to £500, for their personal development in roles they undertake in their local community. We’re pleased to confirm that the following awards have been made and we will be featuring more about the valuable work these members do in future editions of Rapport. There is still a small amount of funding available. Members should put their request in writing to the General Secretary.

Rita Hickin, Bakewell Branch: Running training events to encourage more adults to volunteer to help with scouting and become adult leaders.

Beverley Cubbon, Payment Processing NH: To fund an Army Cadet instructor and leadership skills course as part of Bev’s work as a youth leader with the Cadets.

Robert Liscombe, Pensioner Member: To support Robert’s voluntary work teaching maths and English in a primary school in Maseru, Lesotho, South Africa, share his experiences with local Welsh schools as part of the Welsh Assembly’s Curriculum for Schools, Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship programme.

Marcus Grose, Bristol Bedminster: Supporting Marcus’ voluntary work running fishing courses for disabled people of all ages.

Daniel Barnes, Swadlincote Branch: Dan is undertaking a climber instructor course to support indoor climbing activity for scouts.

Jane Dixon, Dover: The award will help organise a county running event for over 600 primary school children (from 26 schools) in Kent.

19

74 DEC 12 COFFEE BREAK

PAST AND PRESENTS The past comes back to haunt in these inspiring Christmas presents.

THE CUTTING SEASON ATTICA LOCKE Caren is the manager of Belle Vie, a historic plantation house in Louisiana, where slavery has been replaced by school tours, parties and events. With the discovery of a dead body Caren is drawn into the dead woman’s story and makes shattering discoveries about the future of Belle Vie and the secrets of its past. The Cutting Season brings history face-to-face with modern America where Obama remains president but some things have not changed. Author of Black Water Rising, Locke once again uses a gripping thriller to examine politics, race, the law, family and love.

PEREIRA MAINTAINS ANTONIO TABUCCHI Dr Pereira is widowed, introverted and slightly overweight. As fascism descends upon Portugal, the small time press editor writes safe articles – until he meets a young man with radical ideas. The testimonial of Pereira with its constant refrain ‘Pereira maintains’ reminds us that this is a story about truth, defiance and coercion. Cook yourself an omelette aux fines herbes, settle down and enjoy this short but perfect novel.

GRIMM TALES: FOR YOUNG AND OLD PHILIP PULLMAN Just in time for Christmas comes this book from award-winning author Philip Pullman, who has chosen his 50 favourite stories from the Brothers Grimm, presenting them in his own unique and brilliant voice.

From the quests and romance of classics like Rapunzel, Snow White and Cinderella to lesserknown tales like The Three Snake Leaves, and Godfather Death, Pullman brings the heart of each timeless tale to the fore, adding a fascinating commentary on each story’s background and history.

THE SHADOW GIRLS HENNING MANKELL Tea-Bag, a young African girl, has fled a refugee camp in Spain for the promise of a new life in Sweden. Tania has made a long and dangerous journey to escape the horrors of human trafficking. And Leyla has come with her family from Iran. All face different challenges in their new home. Meanwhile, celebrated poet Jesper Humlin is looking for inspiration and a chance encounter with Tea-Bag leads him into the shadowy world of the immigrant experience in Sweden.

PRIZE WORDSEARCH

WIN CINEMA TICKETS Filmology have donated four vouchers for adult tickets at Cineworld (valid for all 2D films for six months). Two lucky winners will receive two tickets each. Completed entries should be sent to Middleton Cheney by 18 January 2013 with your name and membership number filled in below.

N O X C M T Z Q K T Q P T P D Z R

N M L G W O I T H N O G Q B E B D

I X R U M X Y E A L D C A L G E Y

Y I N H R M G T A F A G E D O N U

A R U M P R I R E H T O Q D O P K

D V B W I V E K L P N E W R R Y J

I T G N I X R T C R H E L F C O K

L W C T P S U A L C A T N A S W F

O H Y R X T H E H O L I D A Y S J

H X E W H I T E C H R I S T M A S

T S A S T H O M E A L O N E G E S

S A R T H U R C H R I S T M A S F

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