Shout! Magazine Winter 2021

The Winter 2021 issue of the Shout! Magazine is out now and available to read online and in the new app, MyFFC – along with new, exclusive videos.

This issue introduces the new wellbeing, fundraising and social media portal for the fire services community – giving readers a step-by-step guide on how to get started, while highlighting what they can expect to find once registered. It also covers all the latest news, shares more powerful stories from beneficiaries, introduces the new Covid Recovery Programme and shares expert advice on looking after joints and musculoskeletal health.

Read Shout! Magazine Winter 2021

Money raised from clothes recycling

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service has supported The Fire Fighters Charity by collecting over 469 tonnes of clothing for re-sell, re-use or recycling since 2010, generating an amazing contribution of £93,183 for the Charity.

Table 1 in the Clothes Recycling Performance Report (see link below), highlights the total income generated and total weight collected, since the clothing bank was first placed at the fire station.

View HIWFRS Clothes Recycling Performance Report 2010 to 2021.

‘The Book I Hope You Never Have To Read…’ has been written by Chris Pearson, the son-in-law of Philip Griffiths, our Association’s former Treasurer.

Chris (and Phil) hope that this book might bring support and guidance to any of our members, their families and friends finding themselves in a similar situation. 

Phil gives some background to the book:

“Two years ago, two months before Christmas 2019, my then 3 year old granddaughter was diagnosed with leukaemia. This necessitated a long stay in Southampton General with her father continuously with her. Her father took the brunt of staying with her as my daughter was looking after an 8 month old sibling and keeping their business going.

My granddaughter is making progress but there is still a long way to go. Her father decided to write a book with the aim of getting some information, thoughts and guidance into the hands of people to hopefully help them through similar traumatic events by sharing some of his personal experiences and challenges.”

The book is only available to buy online through Amazon (£3.99 paperback version) or via the Amazon Kindle (£2.99). 

Seventy pence from every purchase will go to either of the charities ‘Cure Leukaemia’ or ‘Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group’. No monies are taken or received by anyone other than Amazon and the charities.

To purchase from Amazon

Click the link to purchase or find out more about ‘The Book I Hope You Never Have To Read’ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Hope-Never-Have-Read/dp/B099TH7654/ref=kwrp_li_std_nodl

To purchase via Amazon Kindle

From your Kindle, go into ‘search’ and enter the title: ‘The Book I Hope You Never Have To Read’. This will bring the book up and if you wish to purchase click on ‘buy’.  

The Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust have launched their new website. Chair of the Trust, Alan House, said that that although there is still work to be done on the site, the decision was made to launch it as a source to provide heritage information related to the Fire and Rescue Service and to the Constabulary. It is hoped that this can be a useful portal for anyone doing research or who are just curious about the proud histories of both public services and how they have served the communities in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight over many decades. The Trust has strong ties with the PMA, with a number of its members involved on the weekly work days, building the exhibits and renovating the many artefacts in the collection.

There have been many changes and additions in the Trusts home at the Solent Sky museum as a whole over the past 6 months. The Fire and Police team are busy creating their third display room and they have been instrumental in the creation of a brand new World War 2 ‘Home Front’ experience area. Work on this is ongoing and it will be open to the public later this year – Covid restrictions permitting.

Being an independent museum, the restrictions over the past months have had a significant financial impact and as these restrictions lift, everyone looks forward to welcoming new and returning visitors.

Visit The Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust website.

Hampshire Pension Services (HPS) are changing the way that they contact you, in order to lower the environmental impact of their business and to reduce costs.

Future payslips, P60s and newsletters from Hampshire Pension Services

You will receive your April and May 2021 payslips by post as usual. You will also receive a P60 by post if you paid any tax during the tax year 2020/21. However, HPS will not post you a payslip when there is a change to the amount that they pay during the year.

In future, HPS will not automatically send you paper copies of payslips, newsletters, or P60s by post. Your payslips and P60 will be available online. You will be able to view these through the Hampshire Pensions Member Portal and you will be able to print a copy from the Member Portal at any time if needed. The next annual newsletter will continue to be available on their website.

Opting out of online communications

You will need to write to HPS if you wish to opt out of online communications and instead receive paper copies as HPS cannot accept requests to opt out of online communications by telephone.

To register or sign in to the Hampshire Pensions Member Portal

To register or sign in to the Hampshire Pensions Member Portal, visit: https://upmliveportal.hants.gov.uk

If you have any issues registering or signing into the Member Portal, please contact Hampshire Pension Services by phone on 01962 845588 or by email to pensions@hants.gov.uk

Future changes in the Scheme Regulations

In addition, HPS will no longer send you written advice of future changes in the scheme regulations that may affect you. This information will be publicised via:

• The Member Portal
• Hampshire Pension Services website

If you have provided HPS with an email address, they will send you an email to advise that a change in regulations has been made and that details can be viewed through the Member Portal or on their website.

It’s that time of year when the NHS makes available the flu vaccination for the at risk groups across the nation. With Coronavirus still lurking in the background it’s perhaps more important this year than any other for us ‘Baby Boomers’ and the retired youngsters from ‘Generation X’ to join the queue for the flu jab to protect each of us from this debilitating illness.

Clearly everyone has their own choice to make and it’s only right that, whether you do or do not wish to have the jab, you at least give it some clear thought right now.

The government wants to increase the number of people receiving the flu vaccination this year amid fears coronavirus cases could coincide with cold and flu season. In July, plans were announced to double the amount of people who receive the flu jab, from 15 million to 30 million.

Flu can be unpleasant, but if you’re otherwise healthy, it’ll usually clear up on its own in about a week. But flu can be more severe in certain people, such as:

• anyone aged 65 and over
• pregnant women
• children and adults with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease)
• children and adults with weakened immune systems

Anyone in these risk groups is more likely to develop potentially serious complications of flu, such as pneumonia (a lung infection), so it’s recommended that they have a flu vaccine every year to help protect them.

Whatever choice you make please stay safe and we look forward to times when communicating with each other includes actually being together again.

More information on the flu vaccine can be found on the NHS website.

A committee member spotted this in yesterday’s Daily Echo, read the full article on the Daily Echo website.

Photo copyright Daily Echo

The Fire Fighters Charity has launched its strategic plan 2017-2020 outlining that over the next three years it will focus its work across four key areas:  .

• Increased mental health support
• Increased access to advice, information and support
• Strong, healthy and connected communities: built through combining the strengths of online interactions and face to face contact
• Enhanced physical activity and rehabilitation programmes.

Retired Hampshire firefighter Arthur Stubbington and his wife Susan accessed the Charity’s services through their community-based Advice, Information and Support Service. Listen to Arthur and Susan’s story.

Read The Fire Fighters Charity Strategic Plan 2017-2020, or find out more about the services offered by the Fire Fighters Charity.

Hampshire Police invites all serving and retired HFRS golfers to join any of their group membership schemes which offer great value, 7 day access to some of Hampshire’s best courses for a fraction of the normal cost. You can also join up with a spouse, relative or friend playing partner.

A new scheme at Alresford Golf Club is being proposed, which adds to established schemes at East Horton (Fair Oak), Hamptworth (New Forest), Tylney Park (Hook), Waterlooville and Petersfield. For more information visit the Hampshire Police Leisure and Sport (Golf Schemes) website.