Eat To Lose Weight Session 4 Sacred Heart Wellness Series Beth McKinney, MSEd, RD, CHES.
Heart eat - holyascension.org.uk
Transcript of Heart eat - holyascension.org.uk
Heart eat
Holy Ascension Church and Community Magazine September 2018
Fairground Fun at July’s Messy Church
August saw the sixth Chester Pride
event in our city. Around 13,000
people attended during the day to
celebrate diversity in the area.
There was something for everyone;
from tiny tots, to teens, to the
older generations. It was a truly
multicultural, fun, community
event full of hope, joy and love.
This month our community comes
together for its second fun day at
Upton Pavilion where once again
there will be something on offer
for all the family.
100 years ago, between 26th
September and 11th November the
It was the last major battle of The
Great War and the American
Expeditionary Force’s largest and
bloodiest operation of the war.
Two decades later on the 30th
September, Chamberlain arrived
back in England after signing the
Munich Agreement declaring there
would be 'peace in our time.'
Let us hope that our community
events continue to foster peace,
goodwill, tolerance, and love that
is so badly needed in our country
and our world today.
WW1 Meuse-Argonne Offensive
took place in France.
Welcome to Heartbeat …
at…
The Church’s logo was designed for the 160th anniversary of the Church in 2014. It illustrates the church’s commitment to be at the heart of the whole community of Upton by Chester. The name for the magazine, Heartbeat, reflects that commitment.
Editorial Team Sharon Forsdyke - Editor Margaret Adams Colin Attwood Sue Burgess Dave O’Brien
Copy for the magazine is always welcome. Contributions for the October issue should be received by 12 September via the Parish Office or email [email protected] The magazine can also be viewed online at www.holyascension.org.uk/HeartBeat Or if you prefer we can email you a copy each month – just let us know at the above email address.
Did you ever get flashed by a speed
camera?
There you are driving at the legal
limit for mile after mile (as you do)
and you just put your foot down a
little and flash – gotcha!!!!
It’s no good saying "Well I stuck to
the speed limit for miles and miles.
It was just that little bit of road I
broke the law." What went before
or after doesn’t matter – that
snapshot has you speeding.
Now they’ve refined this torture
and they have new cameras that
actually estimate your average
speed. Mile after mile at sticking to
the speed limit and then your
concentration wanders and you go
over the limit, and then spend the
next few miles driving slower,
hoping you can average it out.
Life is pretty average. It tends to
meander along, but like the speed
camera there are those times
when the unexpected happens and
trouble comes out of the blue.
It may be in relationships, or work,
or money, and of course when we
have health problems or a
bereavement. How suddenly
everything becomes focused on
that problem or worry.
What’s going along quite smoothly
suddenly takes a turn for the worst
and life can seem somehow
random and unfair. It’s in those
times some people might look for
help from God or at least try to
make a deal with Him.
‘Oh God, just get me out of this
mess and I’ll be good. I’ll go to
church every week.’ I can
understand this. It’s something I’ve
done myself in the past.
But as we come to know more
about God we recognise that He is
not in the business of making those
kinds of deals.
The Bible tells us that God has
indeed revealed himself through
the person of Jesus Christ, his Son
and through Jesus, has promised to
be with us whatever our situation.
Things might take us by surprise,
like the flash of a speed
camera, but nothing takes God by
surprise.
Letter from Paul
God is not the last chance saloon
or the last resort when all else has
failed.
The Bible shows us God in action
throughout history in the lives of
countless men and women, being
with his people regardless of their
situation.
God is love and it is that love in
action, which speaks to us in every
generation.
Through Jesus, God has drawn all
things together. Our understanding
of the world is seen through the
life of Christ and his teaching. But
beyond that, it is his death and
resurrection that are vital to our
understanding of this God whose
power of love is greater than any
other power.
Always we are pointed to the
cross, the crossroads of history
where God’s nature and his will for
his creation are made clear.
In our times of trouble, God, our
Heavenly Father is with us without
having to make deals. Through
those times God will lead us,
because beyond the cross lies
resurrection, new and eternal life.
There is nothing so bad that God
can’t bring good out of it, however
impossible that may sometimes
seem.
Those ‘speed camera moments’ -
the chances and changes of life -
may sometimes leave us hurting,
baffled, bewildered, sometimes
doubting and perhaps frightened,
but God goes with us. Paul
Churches Together In Upton
Songs of Praise
at
Holy Ascension Church
on
Sunday 30th September
at
4.30pm
Come along and sing your
favourite hymns.
Join us for
refreshments afterwards
----------------- Churches Together in Upton
AGM at 7.00pm on
Wednesday 12th September at Upton URC
Everyone is Welcome
Picnic in the Countess of Chester Country Park
Woodcarver Paul Edwards and his memorial bench for the Poppy Trail in Upton
Sue Loughran dressed as sphagnum moss, demonstrates levels of moss
Apologies from the Editor
The article about the Upton Community Choir 5th Birthday which
featured in July/August Heartbeat was written by Clare Newbould.
I apologise for this omission. Sharon Forsdyke
Upton by Chester Horticultural Society Summer Show
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Ring Paul 07470 421026 for a quote.
* UPVC Windows * Conservatories Maintenance * Landscaping * Fencing
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Contact – Mike Curtis
Tel: 01244 313152 Mob: 07960 009628 36 Appleton Road, Upton-by-Chester, CH2 1JJ
To advertise in this magazine please email us at [email protected]
Monday 17th September sees the
start of our A.C.F. 2018/2019
programme.
We meet on the third Monday of
the month at 7.30 pm in Upton
Community Hall and we start our
meeting with a prayer and some
notices. We usually have a talk on
a wide range of topics followed by
a cup of tea and a biscuit and end
the evening with a short epilogue.
We have in the past had an annual
subscription for members and a
small charge for visitors. This year
we are changing our funding by
charging a flat rate of £2 per
person per meeting with no charge
for the tea and biscuits.
We open our programme with a
talk - ‘Chester Zoo: A Voice for
Change’ given by Julie Platt or
Catherine Barton from the zoo.
They are going to talk about the
future plans of the zoo and the
projects that they support in
Mauritius, Mexico and many parts
of Africa.
We follow on with:
October 15th ‘Tomorrow’s Women
Wirral’ A talk by Maureen
Thompson
November 19th ‘From Armistice to
Remembrance: Marking the End of
the Great War 1918-1920’
A talk by Prof. Graeme White.
We continue as Holy Ascension
Church Fellowship Group as the
Diocesan A.C.F. ceased at the end
of last year but the five aims
Fellowship, Worship, Service, Study
and Giving will continue to be the
aims of our group.
We look forward to seeing old
friends and new friends at our
meetings where you are assured of
a warm welcome.
If you require a lift please ring me
on 01244 381404 and I shall try to
arrange a lift for you.
Margaret Brizell
Association of Church Fellowship – A.C.F.
HANDYMAN & BUILDING MAINTENANCE
General property repairs & Handyman service
Gutter cleaning, fencing, painting, plumbing, electrical
& much more - just ask
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Call Tony on (Home) 01244 316932
or mobile 07973 359267
IAN LOWNDES LTD Painter and Decorator
Interior and exterior Time-served
Free estimates
25 Maple Crescent, Hawarden, Flintshire, CH5 3NJ Tel: 01244 536573 Mobile: 07721 672390
Sparkle with Words
Capturing your memories in verse For more information contact
Sharon Forsdyke on [email protected]
07745059856
THE HOME SELECTION SERVICE
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Old carpets uplifted and furniture moved
Daytime, Evening & Weekend Appointments
Call Dan Evans for a FREE Estimate
Tel: 01244 408966 Mobile: 07743 545732
www.homestyle-carpets.co.uk
September Crossword
Thank you to Graham Barley for creating this cryptic crossword for us.
Answers next month.
ACROSS
1. Fly high – it sounds painful! (4)
3. Old king’s rule for salad item (8)
8. Craving a bite out of hamburger (4)
9. Shortness of supply leaves mark on
big town (8
11. Get the go-ahead at junction (5,5)
14. Turn of phrase for Everest climber (6)
15. Q8 is said to reveal oil-rich Arab kingdom (6)
17. All cry ‘geek’, clumsy 50s film star (5,5)
20. Board game played in breezy surroundings? (8)
21. Composed opus as an entrée (4)
22. Len trips over sliver of wood (8)
23. Additional note on street – whispered to attract attention (4)
DOWN
1. Slow-moving – like garden pest? (8)
2. An elegy’s rewritten on this island (8)
4. Plant kept in porch ideally (6)
5. Ground-breaking event? (10)
6. Ex-PM loses head in animal’s den (4)
7. Methods used in Manchester’s prison – not unusual (4)
10. Doddery grandpa and son produce plant (8)
12. Retrievers seen in court at Wimbledon (4,4)
13. Refuses to budge as putty’s setting (5,3)
16. Chesty problem for the reaper (6)
18. Does translation of poetry (4)
19. American’s autumn trip (4)
Answers to July Crossword
ACROSS: 1. Debt 3. Abnormal 9. Meerkat 10. Cello 11. Limit 12. Enrich 14. Songs Of Praise 17. Deacon 19. Mural 22. Ruler 23. Earnest 24. Disguise 25. Used DOWN: 1. Demolish 2. Bream 4. Butterfingers 5. Occur 6. Malachi 7. Loot 8 Skates 13. Deflated 15. Needles 16. Remark 18. Corfu 20. Reels 21. Prod
Hello,
Welcome to September. Can you
believe it, summer has come and
gone? The 15th August is a special
day in the O’Brien household. It’s a
day we celebrate the life of Libby
O’Brien, who died nine years ago
with bone cancer aged two years,
eight months and eight days.
Her mum Pip and I (her granddad)
decided to do something special on
that day. We went on Europe’s
Longest Zip Wire, at Zip World in
North Wales, and with all the
family looking on, we remembered
her.
The day started with me at Holy
Ascension celebrating Wednesday
Communion. As it happened I was
speaking about family and how we
are adopted into God’s family
because of Jesus Christ.
I was then rushed away by my
other grandchildren to Zip World
where we booked in and waited
for our time slot. Once called, we
changed into red overalls and
harness equipment.
We were then weighed and given a
safety talk about all that would
happen to us. I can tell you I was
frightened and excited at the same
time. We didn't know that we
would do two trips on the zip wire
- a smaller one at 45 m.p.h. and a
lot longer one at 115 m.p.h.
The whole experience was
exhilarating. Pip and I were both
excited that we had done it. My
family had also taken some video
of us coming down on the wire so
that we could look back on the
experience. We all then went to
Rhos-on-sea for fish and chips, in
the café on the front, and ice
cream. As all eight of us were
tucking in, I said to the Lord in my
heart:
Thank you Lord for Family Life.
Thank you Lord for Libby’s life.
And thank you Lord for being in
your Family too.
May you know you are always
welcome into the Lord’s family.
Come and see us sometime. You
will be made very welcome.
Every Blessing,
Dave O’Brien (Curate)
Out and About…
We thank the Blakemore Foundation and Spar, Long Lane for their continued support for Messy Church and in the distribution of this magazine.
Thank you to Bache Post Office, The Russian Pancake House, St John’s Café and Oasis of Miracles in helping to distribute Heartbeat.
Here's what we are looking for...
TOYS: Include items that children will immediately embrace such as dolls or stuffed toys (with CE label), toy trucks, harmonica, yo-yo, skipping rope, ball, small puzzles etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES: Pens, pencils & sharpeners, crayons or felt pens, stamps & ink pad sets, writing pads or notebooks & paper, solar calculators, colouring books etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS: Toothbrush and toothpaste, bars of wrapped soap, comb or hairbrush, flannel.
OTHER ITEMS: Hat, cap, gloves or scarf, sunglasses, hair accessories, jewellery set, wind up torch, wrapped sweets (best-before-date must be at least March 2019).
DO NOT INCLUDE: used or damaged items, war related items such as toy guns, play soldiers or knives; chocolate or other food items; liquids or lotions of any type including bubbles; medicines; hand-made or knitted stuffed toys; anything of a political, racial or religious nature; playing cards (of the 4-suit variety); sharp objects; glass or fragile items; clothing other than as listed
On Sunday 14th October we will be assembling Shoe Boxes for Operation Christmas Child.
Boxes are at the back of church for donations.
The next Messy church will be on
Sunday 9th September at 4.30pm
in Holy Ascension Church
The theme will be A Picnic – Jesus feeds the 5,000
.
Kid’s eat
Sunday 16th 23rd and 30th September
Bible themed crafts and activities for children aged 3+
during 10.45am Service in the Kempe Room.
Children having fun, learning about God, Jesus and the bible.
Fairground Fun at July’s Messy Church
Baptisms 5th August Thomas Vernon 12th August Sophia & Benjamin Harra 19th August Emilia Pesnot
Weddings 7th July Sarah Burgess & Tom Millington
14th July Hannah White & Martin Turner
28th July Jessica Blundell & Jamie Littler
10th August Lucy Edwards & Richard Towers Funerals 3rd July John Fowler 6th July Iain Gorrell 17th August Ann Bell 23rd August Allan Smith
EVERYONE WELCOME
Tea/ Coffee and Cakes Raffle
Friday 21st September
10.00 to 11.30am
Kempe Room
Holy Ascension Church
Hearing is not believing
A wise schoolteacher sent this
note to all parents on the first
day of school:
‘If you promise not to believe
everything your child says
happens at school, I’ll promise
not to believe everything he or
she says happens at home.’
Save the Date
Churches Together Quiz
Friday 12th October
St Columba’s Church Hall
At 7.30pm
Details in next month’s
Heartbeat
The Parish
Registers
Adult Board Games Come along and play board games in an informal
sociable setting Everyone welcome, suitable for all abilities
Games provided but you are also welcome to bring your own
Fortnightly Mondays 10am - 12 noon
3rd September 2018 17th September 2018
1st October 2018
cwaclibrary
cwaclibraries
My first meeting with John was in
1961 when, as a newly appointed
Lecturer at Chester College, I was
allocated to him as Teaching
Practice student.
As I was training to teach
secondary pupils it came as a
surprise to both of us when I was
given a Primary School in Ellesmere
Port.
John was extremely tolerant of the
situation, but didn't seem
particularly impressed by my
lesson about Edward Lear's ‘Dong
with the Luminous Nose.’
John came to Chester from Hulme
Grammar School and had been
appointed as an English Lecturer
with responsibility for running the
Library. At that time there were
only 16 staff.
When he left Chester College of
Higher Education he became a
General School Advisor responsible
for English with Liverpool City
Council. He was also responsible
for the Collegiate School where I
then taught (and Paul was a pupil).
After his retirement from
Liverpool City Council, John was
appointed to represent the
Liverpool Diocese on the governing
bodies of its Church Schools.
John was a tolerant, sincere and
dedicated Tutor, Advisor and
Governor who had a very wry
sense of humour.
Alongside his ‘Day Job’ in Liverpool
he was a Lay Reader at Holy
Ascension and, together with his
colleague Jim Wheldon, they made
the interregnum between Rev.
Fred Lapham and Rev. Glyn
Conway run smoothly, aided
perhaps by Jim's home-brew on a
Friday evening. The congregation
were well served by the Lay
Readers' sermons and those of the
visiting preachers.
John was also a walker and
arranged a number of New Year
walks for Holy Ascension. I
remember the Panoramic Walk to
World's End in the aftermath of a
storm; and also from Trevor to
Chirk through six foot snowdrifts,
as well as some on good weather
days.
John Fowler
During the latter days of John's life,
whilst he had difficulty in
remembering recent events, he
was very clear in his memories of
Chester College, and especially
Liverpool City Council. He loved to
talk and reminisce over events and
personalities of those times, even,
up to quite recently, meeting ex-
colleagues who came by train to
take him to lunch at The Bache.
John will be remembered with
affection and respect.
John Butler
Hospice of the Good Shepherd Upton Support Group
COFFEE & DESSERT
AFTERNOON
with entertainment from
SING ME MERSEYSIDE CHOIR
Thursday 27th September
3.00 - 5.00pm
Upton URC Hall
Heath Road, Upton
Tickets £7 Available from
01244 383 703 / 01244 370 310
Some of you will remember Doris
Owens who used to attend Holy
Ascension with her late husband
John who was a Dunkirk evacuee.
Doris celebrated her 100th
birthday on Tuesday 6th August.
NIGEL FAHY Mobile: 07958 369337
PLUMBING, HEATING & TILING
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Telephone: 01244 380804
email: [email protected]
Estate Agents. Valuers. Letting Agents
15 LOWER BRIDGE STREET, CHESTER, CH1 1RS TEL: 01244 346226 FAX: 01244 314412
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MARK REDPATH
JOINERY TIME-SERVED CARPENTER/JOINER
All aspects of joinery work inc:- Internal/External doors
Kitchens
Stairs – Spindles, Handrails
All supplied and fitted or fitting only
General house repairs
Free estimates
Tel: 0151 356 1406 Mobile: 07703 230241
REGISTERED
PLUMBER
With Chester Mystery Plays 2018
now firmly a part of Chester’s
history, the cast and crew have
been left with a very special
inheritance – a series of powerful
testimonies bearing witness to the
power of community theatre.
Long after the staging and lighting
at the Cathedral was taken down
and the costumes stored away,
some of those involved in the Plays
have shared their stories of the
positive impact that being involved
in this epic production has had on
them. New friendships have been
forged and the experience has also
had a positive impact on mental
and even physical health.
The Plays, adapted by playwright
and actor Deborah McAndrew and
directed by Peter Leslie Wild, were
staged at Chester Cathedral in June
and July and prior to this there
were months of rehearsals.
This all led up to a production
which garnered four and five star
reviews, including a four star
review from influential theatrical
publication The Stage.
As the Plays came together under
the watchful eye of a talented
production team, so too did a like-
minded and supportive new
community in Chester.
The cast and crew have even set
up groups on Facebook and
WhatsApp to facilitate regular
meet ups and potential future
collaborations – all evidencing the
power of community theatre.
More testimonies will be shared on
wearechester.co.uk. For now, here
is one powerful testament as to
the impact of this production.
Cast member Evelyn Bates said: “I
can honestly say that, as I have
been going through a very difficult
time in my life, being part of the
Chester Mystery Plays this year has
been my saving grace. And it has
completely changed my life and my
wellbeing and opened up the
world to me again. The community
spirit of everyone was an absolute
delight. We all became a huge
wonderful family of lovely people.”
Angela Ferguson (We are Chester)
The Chester Mystery Plays
Chester Small Business Award Winners Free Advice on Funeral Planning
Telephone: 01244 319595 70 Green Lane, Vicars Cross Chester CH3 5LB www.gmgooldfunerals.co.uk
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Community
Hall
The hall is available to hire for children’s parties, public and private
meetings, workshops etc.
There is availability for regular activities
to take place.
For more information and to make a booking
please contact the Parish Office
Tel 01244 383518
Email : [email protected]
Are you an owner of a Children’s
Society Box?
September is the month here at
Holy Ascension to have our
Children’s society boxes opened.
Please will you bring your box to
Church and leave it with myself or
the Warden on duty. You will find
the emptied boxes on the book
shelves at the back of Church.
If you prefer you may bring your
box to 20 Demage Lane but please
ring first on Tel. 381404 or I could
collect your box.
Do please consider having a
Children’s Society box if you don’t
already have one. The society
works with the most vulnerable
children and young people in our
society today and need all the help
that we can give.
Margaret Brizell
Upton-by-Chester is twinned with
Arradon in Brittany, France. Upton
Community Links is the group
which arranges visits between
Upton and Arradon.
The Annual General Meeting of
Upton Community Links will be
held at 12 noon on Sunday 2nd
September at Upton Community
Hall, Demage Lane, Upton,
Chester, CH2 1EL.
If you are interested in joining us
on our visit next year to Arradon or
would like to find out more about
the group then please come along
to the meeting or contact the
secretary Terry Wellerman on
01244 311874 or email
Pauline Moulton
Upton Community Links
Upton Community Hall
Monday 17th September 7.30pm
“Chester Zoo: A Voice for Change” A talk by Julie Platt or Catherine Barton
Everybody is invited to join us for the first meeting of our 2018/2019
programme
£2.00 including Tea & Biscuits
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Women’s Section, Heath Road
Tuesday 18th September
8.00pm
AGM & Harvest Supper
Visitors Welcome
£1.50 including Tea/Coffee and Biscuits
BACKFORD, MOLLINGTON &
DISTRICT
LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY.
7.30pm
Wednesday 5th September
Talk by Kevin Cootes
“Poulton Research Project”
. Wednesday 3rd October
Talk by Gavin Hunter
“Wind and Water” the history of Windmills and Watermills in
Wirral
Backford & Mollington Village Hall
All are welcome to attend,
non-members £3.00.
Upton-by-Chester Flower Club Upton Village Hall
Wednesday 26th September
7.30pm
Arthur McDonald (Area)
‘Throw Nowt Out’
Visitors Welcome - £5
Sunday Lunch Club
Sunday 23rd September
Upton Community Hall
Please contact
Sheila Taylor 01244 383481
to reserve your place
HOLY ASCENSION CHURCH FELLOWSHIP
GROUP
Upton Community Choir
Wednesday evenings 7.15-9.15pm
£3.50 per session
Upton High School St James Ave, Upton CH2 1NN For more details and to confirm
attendance please contact Clare Newbould on 07896 614397
or Email [email protected]
New members always welcome
Millennium Greenway Friends Next task day
Saturday 22nd September
See website for details
www.millenniumgreenwayfriends.org.uk
COFFEE AND
CHAT!
Every Monday 10.00am – Noon
The Pavilion
Wealstone Lane
An open invitation is
extended to all.
Churches Together in Upton
Wednesday
12th After service Caring & Sharing Lunch 26th 3.00pm Wednesday Singers
Thursday 10.00am –Noon Sewing Group
Saturday 9.30am Parish Prayers
Monday Holy Ascension Musical Tots
10.15-10.45am Gentle Music for Babies
11.15-11.45am Toddlers Music Time
Restarts Monday 10th September
Tuesday 9.15- 11.00am Holy Ascension Sunshine Tots Term Time (Upton Community Hall) Restarts Tuesday 11tt September
Upton Community Hall,
Demage Lane, Upton, CH2 1EL
Opening hours The parish office will be open Monday to Friday 9.30 – 11.30am
Parish Administrator Karen Evans 383518
Email [email protected]
Parish Safeguarding Coordinator
Please contact the coordinator via the parish
office or email:
The food bank
provides 3 days of emergency food
for local people in crisis.
There is a box in church for non-perishable food
donations. Urgently needed
items:
UHT Fruit juice
Biscuits
Tinned Fish
Toiletries
Sunday 2nd
8.00am
9.00am
10.45am
Holy Communion
Choral Eucharist
All Age Worship
Wednesday 5th 10.15am Holy Communion
Sunday 9th
10.45am
4.30pm
Holy Communion
& Confirmation
Service
Messy Church
Wednesday 12th 10.15am Holy Communion
Sunday 16th
8.00am
9.00am
10.45am
Holy Communion
Choral Eucharist
Morning Praise
Wednesday 19th 10.15am Holy Communion
Sunday 23rd 8.00am
9.00am
10.45am
Holy Communion
Choral Eucharist
Morning Praise
Wednesday 26th 10.15am Holy Communion
Sunday 30th
8.00am
9.00am
10.45am
4.30pm
Holy Communion
Choral Eucharist
Morning Praise
CTU Service-
Songs of Praise at
Holy Ascension
Views expressed in this magazine are not
necessarily those of the Editorial Team, the
Clergy, the Parochial Church Council, or of any
authoritative body of the Church of England.
Vicar Paul Newman 743325 [email protected]
Curate Dave O’Brien 375782
Church Wardens Mike Curtis 313152 Colin Foden 381094 [email protected]
Reader Emeritus Barbara Capstick 380299
PCC Secretary/ Churches Together in Upton Margaret Whaley [email protected]
PCC Treasurer Sue Burgess 380340 [email protected]
Electoral Roll Secretary Mark Burgess 380340
Family Worker/Sunshine Tots Margaret Adams 07707 030020 [email protected]
Guides District Commissioner Gill Goynes 310000
Church Fellowship Leaders Barbara Capstick 380299 Margaret Brizell 381404
Director of The Samara Trust Graeme White 312758
Will they abolish the state pension? Given the many recent changes to the state pension, with ages already now equalised for men and women to age 65 and increasing further to 67 being phased in over the next 10 years it is no surprise that clients keep asking us if the Government will abolish it? “We do doubt it” is our answer, after all given the “grey vote” is strong in the UK (meaning the mature amongst us tend to use their right to vote more than any other section of society), making it political suicide that any Government will try to abolish it. Instead, we can look forward to it being constantly tinkered with and probably its value being eroded over many years.
What’s the problem? I paid my national insurance I hear you say. Correct, but it is effectively run as a current account rather than a wealth fund meaning current NI contributions largely go towards paying out the current pensioner’s benefits. Your NI has already been spent to pay your Mum and Dad’s pensions! Bear in mind, when you get to 65 you are national insurance exempt and no longer even pay it! Another advantage to go with your bus pass!
Here’s a basic explanation. At the moment, there are 1,000 workers for every 310 pensioners, however the ratio is expected to be 360 pensioners by 2036. Therefore, if the state pension remained the same forever, each worker will have to pay more and whichever way it is cut, national insurance (or taxes) will have to go up! So, what can be done?
Abolition? Research shows that the majority of pensioners rely on the state pension for between 50 and 78% of their total income. Given the political nature – suicide by a Government is not likely!
Pay later? Reducing benefits will never be popular but with the recent rises of women to 65, and all pensioners to 67 by 2028 (and probably 68 in 2040’s) you can be certain there will be more tinkering.
Pay out less? One third of all developed countries have reduced their equivalent state pensions in recent years. However, as it is not means tested everyone is able to claim it based on their National Insurance record – could the answer be to means test it? Again - not very popular as most people believe they are “entitled” to what they have already “paid for”.
Whilst I wouldn’t rule anything out…Messing about with the inflationary links is my bet (certainly in the short term) removing the “triple lock” is likely. Therefore, if the Government can erode the real value of the pension over an extended period of time – say 10 or 15 years then maybe people won’t be so upset about it!
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