Speaker Topics

Date	Speaker	Topic
January	Neil McAlpine	Victim Support Charity
February	Phillip Holt	Mind Matters
March	Susannah Horwood	Fircroft
April	Ivan Gould	Bucks B.S.
May [Ladies Lunch]	John Field	Magician
June	Judge William Thomas	Justice
July	Alan Oakley	Surrey Wildlife
August	Filip Slipacek	Financial Adviser
September	vacancy
October	Helen Marriot	RNIB
November	Douglas Reynolds
December	vacancy	Christmas Ladies Lunch

Notes on the Lunch meeting at Glenmore House on Wednesday 20^th January 2010

After the Loyal Toast the Chairman introduced Neil McAlpine, our Speaker. He rose to thank Surbiton Probus Club for the invitation to speak and explain that, having spent thirty years in the Metropolitan Police, his retirement luckily coincided with a Witness Service decision to create the post of Victim Support Co-ordinator, to which he was then appointed and for which he works part-time.

Victim Support was started in Bristol in 1974 and became involved with 30 different charities before becoming itself registered as a charity in 1979. It became present in practically all magistrates and crown courts in England and Wales in the 1980s and began to receive funding from the Home Office in 1987. It relies on financial help from other sources as well, notably such large organisations as Vodafone. In 2008 it evolved into a charity incorporating as many as 400 smaller charities, with the Princess Royal as its President.

There are approximately 6,500 active supporters of the charity, all trained volunteers. They are under the direction of paid staff and our Speaker is the professional staff representative as Witness Service Co-ordinator at Kingston Crown Court.

The principal object of Victim Support is to provide emotional support to witnesses and all victims of crime. It has three main aims governing its work in every magistrates and crown court in England and Wales: empathy, respect and genuineness, designed to help in as practical a way as possible to alleviate stress, combat trauma and deal with post-sentence problems. Such daily anxieties for a prospective witness as Where do I go? Will I be safe? etc. form part of the work of Victim Support volunteers. The object is to make things easier for a witness so as to ensure that the best evidence is given. There is no special agenda governing its activity, as would be the case in, say, police protection. The charity liaises with other agencies to provide on-going support.

In answer to questions, the Speaker emphasised that it is not customary for Victim Support to give financial aid to victims, but such support, if needed, is usually available from voluntary sources. There were no specific qualifications for volunteers, but the age limits were from 18 to 85, so the Speaker naturally hoped he might find members of Surbiton Probus Club keen to offer themselves as volunteers.

The Chairman thanked the Speaker for his interesting and informative talk. It was acknowledged with grateful applause. After the Probus Toast, the meeting closed at approximately 2.45 p.m.

After the Loyal Toast the Chairman introduced the Speaker, asking him first to say a few words about himself. Phillip spent the early part of his career in the IT industry first dealing with equipment sales and then advising clients on corporate strategies. He is married to a Malaysian, Mee Len and they have a home near Penang as well as a flat in Norbiton. Phillip divides his time between the two but also travels extensively to fulfil many speaking commitments around the world.

Phillip now describes himself as an International Trainer and practitioner in Neuro Linguistics. An aspect of his work is hypnotism. This he uses primarily for treating nervous/psychological illness, particularly phobias – but he can also teach people to stage hypnotism shows.

He is interested in many aspects of the operation of the brain. Another speciality is photo/speed reading. He believes that a high proportion of books bought are only partially read, or not at all. He described a demonstration he once gave involving a book very recently published and a talk he was giving to 2,000 people. The book was written by an Italian and then translated and published in Turkish. He publicly flipped through the entire contents forwards and backwards in minutes, and then again with the book upside down, after which he was apparently able to answer questions on the contents, although he claimed no knowledge of Turkish.

An example of dealing with phobias arose when on holiday in Malaysia. An Indian lady had a horror of spiders and baulked at a planned expedition into the jungle. After a very short session with Phillip she willingly joined him in an impromptu spider hunt in the hotel garden before coolly embarking on the expedition.

Phillip then carried out a brief practical experiment with a few Club members. He spoke the words “the cat sat on the mat” and then interrogated each of the volunteers to establish what they envisaged when the words were spoken, Each described the cat and the mat in terms of appearance, especially colour; Phillip himself thought about Cat Stephens, the singer .The point was to illustrate an assertion by an American, George Miller, that the brain is only capable of absorbing seven pieces of information at one time. The principle can be extended to a range of other sensory stimuli such as skin sensations and so on.

Although Phillip’s practice is based on brain processes he is interested in other aspects of health. A recent concern, relating to his own health, is the action of statins. In particular he has become interested in Crestor (rosuvastatin) which he believes has the capacity for rejuvenating the heart in preference to the insertion of another stent which his doctor has proposed in his case.

After his intriguing talk Phillip invited questions. One member was interested in world memory champions and wondered whether success in this field is due mostly to inherited ability or whether training really can make a difference. Phillip opted for nurture rather than nature. Another confessed to a weakness in maths at school; and wondered this might have been as a result of having the subject “beaten into him” at prep school. Nature? Nurture? Nourishment?

Finally Phillip mentioned that his grandfather Jack Holt wrote the tune for the WW1 song “It’s a long way to Tipperary”

The Chairman thanked Phillip warmly for his fascinating and thought provoking talk and concluded the session just after 3.00 p.m. with the Probus Toast.

After Grace the Chairman Maurice Lifford then welcomed our Speaker Susannah Horwood. After the Loyal Toast the Chairman introduced the Speaker, to address the subject of the Fircroft Trust.

Fircroft is an organisation which has been providing support for people with mental health problems and learning difficulties since it was founded by Mary Kahan in 1967. As a breezy opening to her lively talk Susannah presented us with a selection of photographs of very well known people who have achieved conspicuous success in life despite mental handicaps. In most cases we were able to identify the celebrities and Susannah matched each with their problem: thus- Marilyn Monroe, depression; David Beckham obsessive compulsive disorder, Buzz Aldrin bipolar disorder (manic depression), Johnny Depp severe anxiety, John Lennon anorexia, Elton John bulimia, Audrey Hepburn depression, Rosemary Cluny bipolar, John Nash schizophrenia, Stephen Fry bipolar, PJ.Van Doren bipolar, Gwyneth Paltrow post natal depression, Charles Dickens o.c.d and so on. At present they have some 90 clients, 23 of whom are residents with various degrees of dependency. The Trust employs 50 staff and there are more than this number of volunteers.

The Trust is of course heavily dependant on donations but there is also an ongoing venture, the garden project, which is both money making and provides occupational therapy, and two charity shops. A major expense is of course the premises which at present consist of Fircroft itself – originally a larger private house with an extensive garden, presented in 1979 by RBK for use as a day centre – and a collection of smaller houses for residential purposes.

The latter, Maple Lodge, Holly House, Oak House and Cherry House have been modified to deal with special needs but there are inevitably deficiencies. What is needed is a purpose built facility on one site. Happily this is now definitely in prospect. The Trust has acquired a major site on the Hook Road, the Former White Hart pub which stands on ½ acre. An architect was appointed and plans were drawn up, a public consultation was held last March and planning permission has been forthcoming. Susannah said that their new neighbours were gratifyingly supportive at the hearing – but had to reflect that this was before ground was broken. If all goes well the new building will open at around Easter 2011 see below.

There was much interest in Susannah’s presentation which was well illustrated with pictures taken in and around Fircroft.

The Chairman thanked the Speaker and concluded proceedings at 3.10 with the Probus Toast.

Laurie then welcomed our Speaker Ivan Gould who was appointed Chief Executive of the Buckinghamshire Building Society last year after many years of experience in the banking, building society and property areas. Expanding on the Chairman’s personal introduction Ivan reflected that it had taken him nearly eight years to qualify as a Banker – and even then he was quick. How does this compare with say, Accountants, Solicitors Electricians Plumbers? His talk started with some reflections on the present economic climate - the so called credit crunch.

Has the present crisis been actually caused by sub prime mortgages? Surely the basics have not altered. There is always a spectrum of credit risks which are taken into account in loan transactions by higher and lower interest rates. So what is new? Moneylenders have been applying this principle since the dawn of time.

The disturbance has been caused, of course, by financial chicanery. There has doubtless been poor selling but there has also been securitisation, chopping up and selling on. Then of course there has been the Icelandic dilemma – bad practice compounded by negligent reaction. Then there have been the zombie banks LBG and RBS.

What part has the Financial Services Authority played in all this? It certainly did not get everything right but then neither did anyone else. Its role should be to foster good relationships, talk don’t hide and promote best practice. Perhaps we are soon to have a Conservative Government. The Tories are making great play of disbanding the FSA. But it seems that all that will be done is to transfer FSA staff to a separate body involving perhaps twelve months of disturbance and involving a team with a track record which is hardly impeccable – take Barings and BCCI for example.

Ivan then moved on to the Building Society sector which he characterised as “likeable, solid, trustworthy” although perhaps nowadays less attractive to the younger generation and, say, computer experts. In 1910 there were 1,723 Societies: today only 53 and the process of consolidation continues. But who knows the small ones- such, for example, as the Buckinghamshire Building Society? It is small, so how does it survive? Is it on price? No. Currently straightforward two year bonds and two year fixed mortgages at 1.99%. The answer has to be service with a smile and adaptability. But there is guerrilla warfare out there. Retail funds are increasingly required and new liquidity measures are painful and costly to say the least.

A key issue for us is: do we stay local or go national? Move into ATMs and internet banking? No: the BBS strategy is to develop our boutique skills, have cost effective retail outlets and – as with any successful business – have the right people in the right jobs and products that people want. For example the Big Bucks Bond has been incredibly successful.

The result: prudent, profitable growth for the benefit of our Members. The year 2009 was very tough – a poor first half but a very good second, with profits almost doubled, reduced cost ratios and a 35% increase in Member numbers.

Will the rest of 2010 be easy?: No, but do-able. People are still getting married, buying homes and having kids, trading up (and down) and needing a safe home for their savings.

Ivan’s talk was very well received. He is a vigorous speaker and successfully overcame the limitations of the Tudor Rooms. There was a lively question section afterwards in which trenchant views were aired – not primarily about the BBS but certainly involving complaints about concerning hedge funds, derivatives and like iniquities.

Laurie then thanked the Speaker and concluded proceedings at 3.15 with the Probus Toast.

John has been performing magic for over 40 years and during that time has honed his skills to the highest level. He was elevated to the exclusive degree of Associate Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star in 2005, in recognition of his performing skills. Approximately 350 magicians hold this degree worldwide. The Magic Circle is THE most prestigious club for Magicians in the world. Basic membership is hard to come by but elevation to a higher degree is by invitation only after a performance to the highest standard.

More importantly, John understands the needs of business. Admitted as a Solicitor in 1976, he has advised and assisted businesses with a wide variety of legal issues and Court cases over 30 years. As senior partner, then managing partner and latterly Chief Executive Officer of a substantial law firm, he has run his own business and associated with senior directors and managers. He knows and understands the needs of modern business and has tailored his performances to ensure that maximum entertainment is provided at all times.

John has played an active role in service organisations for over 28 years, including Round Table where he was Chairman and Rotary International. He has also been a regular broadcaster on BBC Southern Counties Radio where, as well as reviewing Sunday magazines, he has performed magic on air! He has raised thousands of pounds for charities with his after dinner talk on the History of Magic.

In the absence of both the Chairman and deputy Chairman, former Chairman Laurie Chandler presided at the Lunch. Laurie then welcomed our Speaker Judge William Thomas whose distinguished legal career reached its peak during the fifteen years he served at Kingston Crown.

After the Loyal Toast the acting Chairman asked our Speaker to proceed with his talk.

Perhaps unfairly we gave William no specific brief but as a result he chose to reflect on the place of the Law, and particularly the Criminal Law, in our society which proved highly interesting. The primary duty of a government is, of course, the defence of its citizens against outsiders – hence the need for skilled ambassadors and effective armed forces. Then there are basic services such as education. But very high on the list is a code of conduct. People are at risk not only from outsiders but from each other. The Criminal Law does the primary job of protecting us.

Law is, of course, of great antiquity and William reflected on the Ten Commandments. The first four assert the basics and primacy of the faith

and the fifth: “Honour thy father and thy mother….” is perhaps more respected in Islam than Christianity. But thereafter there is a series of edicts about behaviour: exhortations not to kill, commit adultery, steal, lie and covet, which are concerned with safety and the protection of life and property. Pre-literate societies doubtless had comparable regulations.

Criminal Law is to protect people from other people and mostly in this country it does. Justice cannot be left to the victim: there must be public accountability whether the victim cares about it or not. The Speaker then proceeded to examine the corpus of Criminal Law by category. First was “Necessary and Effective”. These are designed to protect persons from murder, assault, rape, theft, danger e.g. dangerous driving, occupational hazards etc. The police are obliged to enforce such laws by prosecution even though the victim(s) may wish to condone or forgive. Most, if not all, countries have similar laws.

Secondly there is law necessary according to conventional morality. This has reflected and doubtless will continue to reflect shifts in public opinion. Abortion is a case in point and was the subject of various enactments in the last century. It is still controversial and differs from country to country. The same applies to such issues as the age of consent, euthanasia, prostitution and homosexuality.

A third category, unfortunately large, is laws that are ineffective or arguably unnecessary. Suicide, for instance was a criminal offence until the Suicide Act of 1961. Ironically there is no restriction on voluntary risk-taking. There is an enormous anomaly in the status of the manufacture, sale and distribution of alcoholic drinks and tobacco compared with the very strict regulation of other substances which are arguably no more dangerous. The illegal status of dangerous drugs has given rise to much crime: for instance the process by which addiction combined with cost and supply difficulties can lead to the evolution of an addict into an illegal trader and to the prevalence of criminal protection gangs in producer countries.

There are also laws which achieve politically desirable ends, such as the relief of poverty, but do so by imposing costs on individuals for the benefit of other individuals where the State itself should be acting directly. Examples include the Rent Acts (protected tenancies), the costs of employing pregnant women and modern laws inhibiting employers such as mischievous unfair dismissal cases. It is also the case that notorious crime such as that committed by Dr Shipman and Ian Huntley can lead to disproportionately severe legislation. Shipman was clearly mad and Huntley would have committed his abominable crimes having easily acquired a string of CRB clearances.

In further remarks Judge Thomas went on to review the Human Rights Act now signed into English Law, the Terrorism Acts (quoting Benjamin Franklin “he who puts security before liberty deserves neither”) and much else. There were questions and discussions to follow.

The Acting Chairman then thanked the Speaker and concluded proceedings at 3.15 with the Probus Toast.

Send mail to the webmaster with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2006 The Probus Club of Surbiton (UK) Last modified: 29-Jul-2010

Send mail to the webmaster with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 The Probus Club of Surbiton (UK)
Last modified: 29-Jul-2010