PW_4_2018

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Nottinghamshire UK Branch 60th Anniversary Celebration 7-11 June 2018 Gurmit Kaur Nottinghamshire Branch It was five years ago when I had the honour of attending our 55th IPA anniversary event and it gives me great pleasure to fulfil this obligation again. Nottinghamshire IPA branch had an overwhelming success of celebrating their 60th anniversary in June 2018 with guests from the USA (California), Slovakia, Ukraine, Germany, France and national guests from Ireland, Middlesex, West Mercia, Derby, Leicester and West Midlands. T hey started with the meet and greet event at the IPA head office, West Bridgford and for the early arrivals, they had the opportunity to have a tour around the Nottingham Forest Football Club. The evening concluded in the city centre restaurant, which catered for all tastes from traditional English to Indian, Chinese cuisine… yummy yummy! family and friends at the Masonic Hall in the city centre, where we all got onto the dance floor to finish the night. We raised £162 through our raffle and £155 for selling challenge coins for the Roll of Honour Trust charity.

The following morning guests had choices of either a day to do shopping or a tour of the Council House on the Old Market Square, visit to the oldest pub in Nottingham - The Olde Trip to Jerusalem , or visit the Major Oak famous for its historic association with Robin Hood.

The evening concluded with further drinks back at the hotel and a timely display of fireworks from the National Water Sport Centre.

The following morning, Chief Constable Craig Guildford officially opened the IPA festivities at Nottinghamshire Police headquarters, which included a tour of headquarters visiting the control room, dog section and armed response officers.

In the evening, our guests had a chance to relax over a pub meal and a beer or two. Sharing stories of our previous IPA trips and experience continued back at the hotel, where our Ukrainian guests provided us with a gift of Ukraine Vodka. Sunday morning, with some with sore heads who were able to sleep off their hangover on the mini bus, the guests had the opportunity to experience the historic city of Newark, where they were able to watch a traditional Morris dance, followed by visiting the medieval Minster church in Southwell.

The afternoon was spent visiting a country restaurant where our guests and members experienced a traditional afternoon tea…I had to remind them to use their pinky finger when they drank their tea. Whilst in the area, the guests had an organised tour of Newstead Abbey and its beautiful 300 acres of gardens. This is the ancestral home of Lord Byron.

The success of the event could not have happened without the support of the festive committee members. A massive thank you goes to Geoff & Trish Tootell, Jim & Val Quinn, Henryk & Chris Kowalczuk and Andre Bak.

On the final evening Chief Constable Craig Guildford and Notts IPA Chair Tony Berrington closed the event with an exchange of gifts to our guests. We were joined by many more local members,

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POLICE WORLD Vol 63 No. 4, 2018