March 1999 Volume 80 Number 3 "serving the protectors"
Retired Police
By Shirley Dawn Phillips, Secretary

First Meeting

Retired Police Officers’ Association president, Les Morris, welcomed 65 members to the first meeting for 1999 in Fenwick Hall on February 4.

Apologies included:

• Don and Mignone O’Doherty.
• Hilda Kellett.
• Claire Rudd.
• Hazel Millowick.
• Jim and Ruth Sykes.

President Morris reminded members of upcoming functions in March, April and July. He suggested they check the Police Journal for dates of the annual picnic and annual dinner. He also advised members that the RPOA’s women’s auxiliary would pay for a bus to take them from the Police Club to the picnic with picks on the way. Widows and other members with transport problems can use this facility by supplying their names to Nan Morris, Joy Teague or me. Nan and Joy run prizes at each meeting; and it’s money from donations at meetings which will pay for the bus.

Those celebrating birthdays at meetings are recognized in song, so let Nan Morris know your birth date the next time you attend a meeting.

Guest Speakers

Ray Dowd of SAPOL’s welfare section spoke of the work performed by his branch and explained the difficulties experienced by retired and serving police officers due either to work or private pressures. Most police officers during their service contributed to the Police Dependants Fund and, upon their deaths, their partners quickly received assistance from that fund. There had been instances of partners dying first without sufficient provisions for funeral costs, which placed families under financial strain.

Welfare Officer

Tom Zacher reported that there had been no member deaths. He advised, however, of those consigned to the sicklist.

Next Meeting

The next RPOA meeting will be in Fenwick Hall on 4 March. The guest speaker will be retired police officer, Greg O’Neill.

Sympathy

The RPOA extends its deepest sympathy to Police Association president, Peter Alexander, on the death of his mother.