News from the secretary
18 months! – Where did that go?
It doesn’t seem that long since I retired. The death of my father in October and getting Mum through it took up the rest of the year. 2009 was mainly spent tidying up her home so she could sell up and move onto Canvey, near us. Pretty brave for someone of 89! We did, however, find the time for a few visits to our caravan. We find Norfolk so relaxing, just a few days leaves us feeling quite refreshed. Here’s hoping 2010 will let me slow down (some hope!).
The Photo CDs were a phenomenal success, selling nearly 200 – about double my expectations – your response made all the work Eric and I did, sorting out the photos and designing the insert/label, well worthwhile. And an important word of thanks to Margaret (Eric’s wife) and Chris (my wife) for their invaluable help. Also thanks to Mike Plant, Mel McGann and Eldred Owen for allowing us to include their photographs.
I have just updated my PC and, hopefully, it will make things easier dealing with reunion ticket applications and keeping the membership records up to date. Again, thanks to my wife for her patience with me as, every time I use my computer, she loses half the workspace in our kitchen. If you know of an ex-Marconi employee who does not receive the newsletter please urge them to contact me as soon as possible. It may be that they have moved or not replied to a confirmation request of a few years ago. Or that they left with 21 to 24 years service and have now become Veterans by virtue of the recent reductions in service requirement The Friends of The Marconi Veterans’ Association has been set up to cater for anyone who does not qualify as a Veteran but wishes to be kept informed of things Marconi. It has been well received with around 15 members so far.
The three registers (the Main register, In Memoriam and Friends) are now published on the website so please have a look if you can and let me know of any errors. Please note that I am now retired from SELEX Communications and can be contacted at the address below.
Finally, I would like to wish you all a very prosperous 2010 and hope to see as many of you as possible at the reunion.
Barry Powell, Secretary, Marconi Veterans’ Association, 22 Juliers Close, Canvey Island, Essex, SS8 7EP
01268 696342; secretary@marconi-veterans.org