SPRING 2017 | Issue 18
WHY I LOVE
VOLUNTEERING
Pg 5
LIFEBOAT APPEAL
Pg 6
WIN BIG WITH
THE LOTTERY
Pg 9
CLEAN SWEEP
AT SQUASH
Pg 10
Win an
Amazon Echo
in the big
HASSRA prize
giveaway
Pg 2
TOP DOG
Pg 11
Have you registered with
the HASSRA Online Shop?
HASSRA is giving those
members who are registered
on the HASSRA Online Shop
the chance to win an
Amazon Echo.
We have ten of these fantastic,
state of the art devices to give
away at random. You must have
successfully registered with
the HASSRA Online Shop
by Wednesday 31st May 2017
to qualify for the draw.
No more questions. No more
answers. No more hassle.
All you need to do is sign up to
the HASSRA Online Shop
at www.hassrashop.org.uk.
2
The Amazon Echo is an
amazing piece of technology.
Alexa, the voice behind the
Echo, can be your virtual PA.
With outstanding voicerecognition capability,
Alexa will order you a takeaway,
book a taxi, tell you the weather
forecast, arrange your diary,
play your favourite tunes, read
the kids a bedtime story or
even tell you a joke!
In addition, by linking to your
‘smart’ devices or switches
around the home, Alexa can
turn off your TV or lights, adjust
the air-conditioning and even
pop the kettle on for a cuppa.
Alexa is always getting smarter she updates through the cloud
automatically and is continually
learning, adding new features
and skills.
You can also get smarter and
join the HASSRA Online Shop.
It’s the only way to be in with a
chance of winning one of these
awesome appliances, as well as
future Livelife prizes.
It is also the ONLY way to order
tickets for the cinema, theme
parks and zoos, as well as
HASSRA’s exclusive discount
codes and prices, not forgetting
your vouchers for our wonderful
new membership benefit Historic Royal Palaces.
This competition is not sponsored by Amazon
Welcome to the Spring
edition of Livelife.
This issue is filled with some great
stories. On page 4 , Joanne from
Fylde tells us about taking part in
the HASSRA Festivals and how she
won the music competition in 2016.
It’s not too late to take part in this
year’s Festivals on 8 July and 9
September at Warwick University.
Check out the HASSRA website to
see what’s on and how to take part
at these events.
On page 5 you can find out about
volunteering with HASSRA and read
why our volunteers love volunteering
and what they get out of it. If you are
interested in becoming a HASSRA
volunteer, you can find out more on
our web pages and on our volunteer
app which is coming soon.
Have you ever wondered what you
would do if you won the HASSRA
Lottery? Read our lottery winners’
stories which show no matter how
much you win, it can always make a
difference.
But remember, you have to be
in it to win it so make sure you
look at page 9 to see how you
can join.
You could also win an Amazon
Echo. We have ten to give away.
All you need to do is register on
the HASSRA online shop. Once
registered you will be automatically
be entered into the prize draw.
You will also be able to access
many of our fantastic membership
benefits, such Historic Royal Palaces,
Eurocamp, Hotpoint Privilege
Purchase Club and Loch Tay Highland
Lodges. You can also make great
savings on your cinema and theme
park tickets and receive regular
newsletters about our fantastic
offers. So don’t miss out, see page 2
and find out how to register now.
Keep checking the website and
our Facebook and Twitter
pages for more fun and free
competitions throughout
the year.
Sarah Oxley
Editor
We would love to hear your views
about the magazine.
Send your comments and
suggestions to HASSRA.
[email protected].
Suggestions received by 31st
May 2017 will give you a chance
of winning one of five pairs of
cinema tickets of your choice.
HASSRA regional contacts:
East of England
[email protected]
East Midlands
[email protected]
Fylde
[email protected]
London
[email protected]
Supported by:
North East
[email protected]
North West
[email protected]
Scotland
[email protected]
South East
[email protected]
South West
[email protected]
Wales
[email protected]
West Midlands
[email protected]
Yorkshire and The Humber
[email protected]
In partnership with:
Editorial
Design by: MM Design Ltd. Telephone: 0114 250 9001. Website: www.mmdesign.co.uk
Editorial office: HASSRA Corporate Services, Level 5, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA.
Telephone: 0207 829 3358 or Fax: 0207 449 7995. Email: [email protected]
3
The World, Accordion to Joanne!
Joanne Graham from Fylde
tells us about her experience
of HASSRA Festivals
where she won the Music
competition in 2016.
“I starting having music lessons at 11
years old, going on to graded exams and
then competing in regional and national
competitions. Having Scottish and Irish
parents, the accordion was an obvious
instrument for them to talk me into. I
don’t get the opportunity to play as much
as I used to, what with work and family
commitments. However, the HASSRA
Festival gave me the perfect excuse to get
back into it. I enjoy playing a wide variety of
music including Classical and French, as
well as the obligatory Celtic tunes.
I also play the piano and spotting a Steinway
at Warwick University was a bit like Christmas
for me and I couldn’t resist the chance
to tinkle the ivories. I had thought about
performing on the piano in the competition
but as soon as our Team Captain heard
about the accordion he was very keen on
that idea.
2016 was the first year I had attended
the HASSRA Festivals. I love sport and
being active, and took part in the Mixed
Rounders at the July Festival. It was also
my first time competing in the Music event
in September. My overall experience, whilst
nervous and a bit tense at times, was
great. The acoustics were very different
and something I had to get used to very
quickly! The adjudicators were very positive
in their comments, giving good feedback
and advice. The public appraisal was a new
one for me though, I must admit!
I was absolutely thrilled to win against
some very talented vocalists and I felt a
huge sense of pride to win for my region,
especially as it was my first time.
I met some very friendly people at the
HASSRA Festivals and I hope to get the
opportunity to defend my title in 2017!”
“I love sport and being
active, and took part
in the Mixed Rounders
at the July Festival. It
was also my first time
competing in the
Music event
in September.”
Final Call for Festivals
HASSRA Festivals 2017 will once again take place at Warwick
University, where a number of sensational activities are staged
bringing together members from all over the country.
Along with some of the traditional
sports historically associated with
HASSRA, the Festivals provide an
opportunity for members to experience
something new like Gaming, Craft
Workshop or Give us a Clue.
After an action packed Saturday,
there’s a Presentation Dinner in
the evening which gives everyone a
chance to dress up and celebrate their
successes, or commiserate with one
another!
4
Single en-suite accommodation is
provided along with all meals from
dinner on Friday to breakfast on
Sunday. Transport is also provided.
The line-up for this year’s events:
Fri 7th to Sun 9th July 2017
Archery, Badminton, Coarse Angling,
Drama, Five a Side (Men’s), Flat Green
Bowls, Fly Fishing, Give us a Clue,
Craft Workshop, Mixed Rounders,
10K Race, Pop Quiz, and Tennis.
Fri 8th to Sun 10th
September 2017
Art, Chess, Crown Green Bowls,
Darts, Gaming, General Knowledge
Quiz, Golf, Mixed Touch Rugby,
Music, Netball, Photography, Pool,
Table Tennis and Ten Pin Bowling.
To get involved or to find out more
about the Regional Qualifying events,
contact your Regional Business
Partner (details on page 3).
Why I love volunteering
for HASSRA!
Jo Jones became a HASSRA member when she joined DWP in 2009.
Soon after this she joined her local club committee when a vacancy arose.
Jo told us… ’I attended my first regional
qualifier in that same year and was
picked for the Rounders team. It meant
I got to attend my first National
HASSRA event, travelling to Bristol
as part of the West Midlands
team. We stayed in a lovely hotel
with accommodation and meals
provided by HASSRA. I was in great
company and I was immediately
hooked! Being a qualified Rounders
coach and umpire, I also took on the role
of Regional Rounders organiser in 2016.
I’ve held various roles on the local club
committee including Vice-Secretary, Secretary, Vice-Chair
and Chair. My forte is organising fun, new and exciting events
for members - adding eleven new events to the calendar
during the year I was Chair!
I left DWP last year but remained a HASSRA member through
the National Associate Membership Scheme. Having already
applied to join the West Midlands Board of Management, I
subsequently became the Chair of the Events Committee.
I absolutely love my role and get a real buzz from positive
feedback on events I’ve organised.
The Festivals at Warwick University are the highlight of my
calendar and I always make sure I take part in the qualifying
events to try and earn my place on the Regional Team. Meeting
new people is fantastic, making lifelong memories and forging
friendships along the way.
I get a great sense of satisfaction from what I do as a volunteer,
especially when I see new faces at annual events. It means that
word is getting around about how great it is to be a part of HASSRA!'
Jo Jones
What do I get out of Volunteering?
Firstly, I like the idea of making the workplace a better place
to be. With all the pressures of the work environment, it’s nice
to offer colleagues a way of letting off steam or participating in an event
with family, colleagues and friends. A simple “thanks, that was great”
from colleagues lets me know they think the same too
Secondly, it’s really helped me develop my planning and organisational
skills. Putting on an event for members takes a fair bit of courage and a
lot of dedication to detail. I still have that “nervous edge” when planning
an event, but I know that’s needed to focus my attention!
Adrian Salt (South West Volunteer of the Year)
I am an organising enthusiast and love arranging things
for everyone else to enjoy.
My husband says I am not happy unless I am bustling
around organising someone or something!
I am thrilled when other people get excited about our great
offers and benefits.
Di Grossey (South West Regional Vice-Chair)
It gives me a lot of satisfaction to see people enjoying
an activity or event that I have organise. Afterwards,
the many expressions of thanks make me feel it was
worthwhile and encourages me to organise further
events/activities.
It’s also nice to see people take part in an activity or event that they
wouldn’t have otherwise tried.
I encourage people to have a healthy work/life balance and the Wellbeing
initiatives and events we help to provide within HASSRA go a long way to
achieving this.
Stephen Cawse (South West)
HASSRA Volunteer Roles
Are you interested in becoming a HASSRA
volunteer? Here is a selection of the
different roles available:
Local Club Official – In addition to the roles
of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, each club
committee needs lay members who help
organise local events and activities.
Regional Committee Member – Each
HASSRA region receives funding to arrange a
programme of events, activities and benefits
for their members. The committee are
responsible for the decision making process
and facilitating the delivery of its programme.
Regional Event Organiser – A region’s
programme of events covers an array of
activities. Event organisers are required
to book venues, facilities, advertise and
encourage participation.
Regional Webmaster – The HASSRA website
is a key method of communication with each
region having responsibility for updating
its own content. Appropriate training and
support is available.
If any of these volunteer roles interest you
please contact your Regional Business Partner
for further information.
COMING SOON!
Our new Volunteer App
for you to download to
your smartphone or tablet.
This App will be a modern, mobile-friendly
method of communication to keep our
volunteers updated “on
the go”. It will include
guidance on everything
you need to know about
organising a HASSRA
event, running a HASSRA
club, best practice,
Health and Safety, etc.
5
Lifeboat
appeal
The Lifeboat Fund was formed in 1866 when a
group of civil servants raised money from their
colleagues to buy the first lifeboat. Since then
it’s been one of only two official DWP charities.
The lifeboat they bought, “Civil Service”, was
the first of 52 lifeboats purchased by The
Lifeboat Fund in the past 150 years. Those
lifeboats have saved more than 4,700 lives.
The Lifeboat Fund continues to support the
RNLI in saving lives at sea, providing funds for
new lifeboats and refitting the existing fleet.
None of the money raised is used for wages.
The Lifeboat Fund is currently running its
150th Anniversary Appeal. This appeal seeks to
fundraise £1.1m towards the cost of a Shannon
Class Lifeboat for Wells next the Sea in Norfolk.
The big news is that HM Treasury
have agreed to match any money
raised for the Lifeboat Fund in
2017 so for every £1 you raise the
Lifeboat Fund will get £2.
If you want to get involved, there are lots of
fundraising ideas on the DWP Intranet or you
may have some ideas of your own. RNLI stations
around the country try to support fundraising
campaigns whenever possible. Click the
following link to find your nearest RNLI station.
DWP want to publicise the fundraising efforts
of HASSRA clubs on their Homepage, so
remember to tell us how you raised money
for the Lifeboat Fund and send us some photos
to DWP HASSRA Livelife.
DWP members can find more information,
including how to donate, on the DWP Intranet.
Good Luck with your fundraising efforts
Lose yourself in
the Crown Jewels
The treasures that
united the kingdom
ree entry for you n up to three ue t t
the o er of on on n five other p l ce
Print your voucher from the HASSRA Online Shop
Royal Collection Trust © 2017, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
HRPCROWN_HASSRA 110x189.indd 1
6
10/03/17 11:08
It’s not
what you know...
In May 2016 Steph Miller, HASSRA
South East, was lucky enough to
attend the HASSRA National AGM
and Awards at Warwick University.
She tells us, I went as an observer
on behalf of the South East Board
of which I am a member. At dinner,
we were sat with colleagues from
the South East region but I did not
recognise the person next to me.
I thought it polite to introduce myself.
The gentleman in question told me
that he worked at Caxton House
and we chatted for a while. He was
particularly interested in my outreach
work at Hastings Jobcentre.
Before the evening ended, I invited him
to see first-hand what my role entailed
and how joint working was progressing.
I was really pleased to receive an email
confirming that he was looking forward
to the visit. It was only then I had his full
name and realised it was none other
than Jeremy Moore, DWP Director
General for Strategy and Policy.
Jeremy came to Hastings Jobcentre in
August, and spent the whole day jobshadowing me. He accompanied me
to an outreach event at a GP's surgery
and also to a secure mental-health
unit. We both thoroughly enjoyed our
day, especially as it had evolved from a
casual chat at a HASSRA function.
Jeremy (pictured right)
said of the visit:
“I had a fascinating day and was hugely
impressed by everything I saw. Steph
and her colleagues have created
strong links with partners which I am
convinced are what is needed to help
some of our hardest to help customers
get back on their feet and into a job. ”
Breathe in
Choose your Bank
Holiday weekend
break from just
£299*
that fresh air
Pick from 36 of our
coastal locations
As part of Exclusive member
benefits, HASSRA members can
save up to an additional 10%
on Haven’s best prices.†
So there it is, get yourself involved
in the HASSRA wider picture, go to
Conference and you never know who
you might be sat next to at dinner!
per family
Early summer
midweek breaks
from just
£169**
We’re open 7 days a week, 9am - 9pm
www.haven.com/emb_hassra
0333 202 5247 Quote EMB_HASSRA
Terms and conditions: *Choose your Bank Holiday weekend break from just £299 per family is based on selected grades on 28 April or
26 May (Fri-Mon) at selected parks.**Early summer midweek breaks from £169 is based on selected four night breaks in June (Mon-Fri) at
selected parks. †Exclusive member benefits extra discounts are additional savings on top of Haven’s best prices which you can combine with
our general offers and will be added on after all other discounts have been taken into account. Save an additional 5% applies to school holidays
and Bank Holidays. Save an additional 10% applies to all other dates. These additional savings apply to all dates, all grades of accommodation and
touring and camping. Offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, third party discount, group bookings or voucher and must be booked
direct with Haven. To get these offers visit www.haven.com/emb_hassra or call our contact centre on 0333 202 5247 and quote EMB_HASSRA.
Offers apply to new bookings only for arrival dates in 2017, and are subject to the full booking terms and conditions as stated in the current Haven
brochure. Facilities and activities will vary by park and date, and some are ‘paid for’ activities. You won’t get these if you book via a travel agent, one of
our holiday parks, or affiliates. Offers are subject to availability and may be amended or withdrawn at any time without notice. For all terms and conditions,
including call charges, please visit www.haven.com/terms Haven Holidays is a trading name of Bourne Leisure Limited, registered in England and Wales,
HAV4557_9444
no 04011660. Registered office 1 Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL.
HAV4557_9444 EMB [110x189mm] Hassara half page magazine advert.indd 1
20/03/2017 15:39
7
CSIS Offers
10% OFF
TRAVEL INSURANCE
to HASSRA Members
& their Partners
CLICK HERE
to buy online now
Annual Multi-Trip and Single Trip
UK, European and Worldwide
Medical conditions covered on a
“Fit to Travel” basis for Europe
For further details and other offers visit
www.csis.co.uk/hassra
or call: 01622 766 960
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Travel insurance is underwritten by
ETI-International Travel Protection and administered by BRS Risk Management.
8
Civil Service
Insurance Society
- Established in 1890 -
WIN BIG
with the HASSRA Lottery!
With a total of
£55,000 in cash
prizes every month,
the HASSRA Lottery
could change your life.
65 fantastic prizes every month;
including a top prize of £12,500,
4 prizes of £2,500, 15 prizes of
£1,000, 25 prizes of £500 and 20
prizes of £250, giving you plenty
of chances to win each month.
You can opt for up to a maximum
of 20 numbers @ £1.00 each
per month. Payment for lottery
shares is made directly from pay or
pension or by annual payments
£250
Winner
Brenda
hits the
Jackpot
Brenda Tegid, Operations
Manager at DWP Bangor
Service Centre won £12,500
on the HASSRA Lottery in
March 2016.
She gave some money to each of her
three children, bought her husband
some new golf equipment and
splashed out around the house with
a new cooker and replacement patio
doors. She also bought
herself a new car.
This still left enough
"I do still have
to make the most
my four HASSRA
of the casinos
Lottery shares per
on a Las Vegas
month though and
holiday which
I recommend that
was already
everyone takes
part – who knows
booked prior to
what’s around
the jackpot win.
the corner?"
in advance for members who
cannot pay by deductions from
their pay or pension. Once you join
there’s nothing more to do because
we’ll automatically enter your
numbers every month. We’ll even
let you know when you win.
Read on to see how winning
the top prize in the HASSRA
Lottery made a real difference
to some of our lucky winners:
Brenda said: "A few people at Bangor
Service Centre had already won the
HASSRA Lottery jackpot over the
years. I'd been paying into it for a
decade - but had never won a penny.
My win was so timely. The patio doors
looked terrible and my old car leaked
so much it was more like a swimming
pool at times!
When I got the call from HASSRA,
I immediately said that I could buy
myself a new cooker - but the lady
who phoned said I could now afford
the whole kitchen!
Unfortunately, my lucky streak didn’t
continue in Vegas but the experience
was fantastic.
I do still have my four HASSRA Lottery
shares per month though and I
recommend that everyone takes part who knows what’s around the corner?"
Of course,
it’s not just
the jackpot
winners who
benefit from the
HASSRA Lottery.
“All in all, a
Beverley Irwin
good start
from Fylde tells
to 2017,
us her story:
so thank you
I was intrigued to
HASSRA!“
receive an email from
HASSRA asking me to
call them. Of course, I rang
straight away and was delighted to
hear that I was a Lottery winner. I had
won £250 and immediately shared
my good news with colleagues who
congratulated me. This also started
an interesting discussion about past
winners’ stories and renewed hope
of a possible future win for them!
The win gave me the opportunity
to treat my partner to a designer
coat and a lovely lunch out for his
birthday. All in all, a good start to
2017, so thank you HASSRA!
9
Clean sweep for the
HASSRA
The CSSC 2017 Squash Team
Championships took place in February
at The Park Squash Club, Nottingham.
Having been crowned Champions in
2015, HASSRA took along two strong
teams to try and repeat that success.
The ‘A’ Team of Marc Thomas, Keeley
Grindle, Jackie Codman, Chris Beldron
and Adam Ward won every match 5-0
and were subsequently crowned 2017
Champions – a fantastic achievement and
well deserved.
The ‘B’ Team of Phil Reasbeck, Kevin
Mulligan, Sian Hughes, Nigel Williams
and Ruth Sleigh gave the squad their
second piece of silverware by winning
NATIONAL
SQUASH TEAM
the Plate Final (Ruth missed out on her
photo opportunity due to dashing off
after her final match to play hockey!)
Both teams had their share of nail-biting
moments with some sterling individual
performances, most notably Keeley
Grindle’s hard-fought 3-2 victory over
the current CSSC Singles Champion
who has managed to hold her at bay on
three previous occasions.
Well done to everyone involved.
If you want to know more about squash
opportunities within HASSRA contact
either your Regional Business Partner
or the HASSRA Squash National Team
manager, Siân Hughes.
Working well together
DWP’s Health and Wellbeing team is
delighted to announce a competition
which will award one lucky team the
fabulous prize of a FitBit Charge 2, to be
enjoyed as a local health and wellbeing
resource. Since the successful launch
of DWP’s innovative ‘Working Well
Together’ programme in November
2016, local health and wellbeing
advocates have been busy promoting
activities and engaging colleagues with
Working Well Together, helping ensure
that DWP is a healthy, happy, safe place
to work. Thousands of colleagues have
signed up to our new and improved
Wellbeing Zone, making use of the
great resources there, including:
•
•
•
personal health and wellbeing
assessment tools
exercise videos
wellbeing information and toolkits
To be in with a chance of winning a FitBit for use
in your local office, please answer the following
questions on the Health and Wellbeing survey
by midnight on 28 April 2017*:
10
1. How many health and wellbeing toolkits
are found on the Wellbeing Zone?
2. Name two services that the Charity
for Civil Servants, For You By You,
provides for free.
3. What is the Freephone telephone
number of DWP’s current Employee
Assistance provider?
The following websites may help you:
DWP Wellbeing Zone (use code DWP1 to
register if you have not visited before)
For You By You (Charity for Civil Servants)
DWP Employee Assistance programme
*You must include your name, your DWP email
address and contact telephone number. It will
not be possible to count your entry without
this information. All qualifying entries will
be entered into a draw, with the prize being
awarded to the first correct answer drawn at
random by DWP’s Health and Wellbeing Team.
The winner will be announced on the Health
and Wellbeing Home Page (visit DWP Intranet
A-Z/Wellbeing) shortly after the closing date.
Last year’s Health and Wellbeing competition
winner, Carrie Sykes of Devon, Cornwall &
Somerset Jobcentre Network, tells us:
"We launched our ‘FitBit for loan’ campaign in
January 2017, to coincide with our New Year
New You Campaign, and asked colleagues
to send a nomination to use the FitBit for a 4
week period. So far 4 members of staff have
benefited and we are booked up until July. We
asked loanees to write a short blog detailing
the benefits and lifestyle changes they
experienced. So far we have seen that all of
those using the FitBit were more likely to take
breaks away from their desk, and most took
more exercise to contribute to the 10k steps
each day. Some said they had drunk more
water and even lost weight
by using the food diary
option."
TOP DOG
Tracy puts her expertise on show
Tracey Leese is not only an active
member of the HASSRA Wrexham
‘Live Well, Work Well’ committee,
Nor is she just a fantastic fundraiser
for the recent ‘Go Red for Wales’ day
on March 1st, raising nearly £1400.
Tracey has also had a keen interest in
canines, specifically Tibetan Terriers,
for the best part of 40 years.
She was recently bestowed with one
of the highest honours in the dog
world by being asked to judge her
beloved breed at Crufts 2017.
Tracey used her expertise to choose
between a total of 207 Tibetan
Terriers. The Best of Breed went to
an International Champion that had
travelled from Germany.
There were dogs exhibited from
all over the world, as well as the
British dogs.
Tracey told us:
“My parents purchased our first
Tibetan Terrier in the late 1970’s
which is when the showing and
judging bug began. I had my first
Tibetan Terrier judging appointment
in 1984 and from this experience I
progressed to being a championship
show judge. I had the privilege of
winning Best of Breed at Crufts
in 2002 with Toplease Talk of the
Town, a bitch owned by my parents.
Being able to select the best Tibetan
Terrier at Crufts is the pinnacle of my
judging career and an honour - a day I
will never forget.”
I had my first
“Tibetan
Terrier
judging appointment
in 1984 and from
this experience I
progressed to being
a championship
show judge ”
Credit Unions – what do you think?
“The DWP payroll savings scheme with credit unions allows DWP employees a convenient and
easy way to save, and because the payment is deducted before the money goes into your bank
account you don’t feel the impact but get the benefits of saving. The participating credit unions
also offer a range of loans, tailored to suit you which can also be paid back through payroll.
“The DWP payroll savings scheme with
credit unions allows DWP employees a
convenient and easy way to save, and
because the payment is deducted before
the money goes into your bank account you
don’t feel the impact but get the benefits of
saving. The participating credit unions also
offer a range of loans, tailored to suit you
which can also be paid back through payroll.
Over 3,000 DWP colleagues have joined
– one of them, a HASSRA member, has
shared their experience:
I had heard of the credit unions a while
ago but could never afford to save! After
recently being promoted, I was awaiting
confirmation of my start date. The wait was
longer than anticipated so I took out a small
payday loan. The end of the month arrived
and I had to pay it back – with interest.
Still no confirmation of my start date. In
desperation, I took out another payday loan.
This cycle went on for a couple of months.
I noticed a message on my payslip about
credit unions associated with DWP. One
Friday night I decided to ‘google’ DWP credit
unions – I was directed to the Commsave
website. After carefully reading all the
information, I opted to start saving £20 per
month with them. The following Monday
I received confirmation that my account
had been set up and I was eligible to apply
for a new member loan – I thought I had no
chance of getting one but applied anyway!
By Tuesday lunch time I had received the
loan payment allowing me to settle all of
my outstanding debts at a much more
desirable rate. I cannot recommend this
service highly enough – totally stress-free,
speedy service!”
JL West Midlands
Once again, the credit unions are offering
you the chance to win one of 3 great prizes
1st prize - £250 Amazon Voucher
2ndprize - £150 Amazon Voucher
3rd prize - £100 Amazon Voucher
Simply complete our short Credit Union
survey before midnight on 31st May 2017.
We will select three lucky winners at random
from the entries.
Full details of the credit unions along
with Frequently Asked Questions
and how to join can be found on the
DWP Intranet.
11
HASSRA
Winter Games
The inaugural HASSRA Winter Games took place on Saturday 11th February
between HASSRA Fylde and their neighbours, HASSRA North West. Simon
Jowitt (Fylde) and Rachel Bond (North West) came up with the idea, to give
members an event to focus on and get involved in during the quieter months
of the year.
Around 60 members took part in activities
including Dodgeball, Mixed 5-a-side Football,
Basketball Shootout, Charades, Movie Quiz,
Giant Jenga, OXO Relay, Obstacle Race &
Tug-of-War.
With a great mix of traditional sports, team
relay races and fun games, memories of school
sports days weren’t far away. The tension in
Giant Jenga will live long in the memory of all of
those that witnessed it.
Although it was a day of friendly rivalry, neither
team took any prisoners when it came to
Dodgeball!
12
The day was a huge success and both regions
want to pass on a huge thank you to all of the
HASSRA members who took part, the amazing
volunteers and those members who came to
cheer everyone on and, as always, new HASSRA
friends were made.
However, there had to be a winner… and HASSRA
Fylde emerged triumphant with an overall score
of 65-40. North West have already thrown down
the gauntlet for the return match next year!