PW_4_2023

Article

IPA Linked Branches Chris Duncombe , VP Professional

Another Busy Weekend of IPA Activity in London Jack Keeler MBE , Kent Branch Chair Thanks to Alex Williams, the London Reception Officer, several IPA members visited the Royal Hospital Chelsea in July. This is home to the Chelsea Pensioners. These iconic buildings have been the home to retired army veterans since 1692. Some parts were destroyed by bombing during WWII, but

Here is a new way for you to get the most out of your IPA membership and stay in touch with others around you. Many members live in a different area than their Branch covers, or have several branches within a short distance. S taying in touch with everyone can be difficult , and it’s something that we have been working behind the scenes to improve. We’ve piloted the concept and are now rolling it out across the UK. This is purely opt-in, and will enable other branches to e-mail you about activities, events and other information that they think you may find useful. You will still remain a full member of your current Branch and Region. How does this work?

Let me give you an example, based on where I live. I am a member of BTP Branch (9 Region). I live in the London South Branch (11 Region) area, with Surrey Branch (11 Region) about a 5-minute drive away, plus I work within a London North (9 Region) branch area. I’m sure there are many others in the same situation. I could opt-in to have “linked branches” of London South, Surrey and London North, enabling them to send me e-mails about events and other things within those areas that I may not otherwise receive. Everyone gets to stay in touch, and experience more about what is going on locally. You can choose as many branches as you want, or none at all, it’s entirely your choice. What do you need to do? 1 Visit the IPA website www.ipa-uk.org/Regions-and-Branches to learn about the Regions/Branches in your area. 2 E-mail IPAUKLinkedBranches@outlook.com with your member number and what branch(es) you would like to be linked to. 3 We update your member profile accordingly, and once we are set up, you will start to receive relevant e-mails. 4 If you want to stop receiving e-mails from other branches? Just get in touch and we can remove that link for you. A Swiss Visitor to London Sascha Rudolf , Section Switzerland My partner and I were in London during August 2023, for a city break. It wasn’t the first time either of us had been to London, but the city impressed us once again with its diversity. they were quickly restored to their former glory. O ur tour guide for the visit was Chelsea Pensioner Bert Weastell, who told the story of the Hospital, which was commissioned by Kings Charles II, and built under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren, who lived on site during its construction. As you would expect from an establishment steeped in military tradition, every part of the hospital is kept in pristine condition. It was an absolute privilege to be able to visit and speak with Bert and some of his colleagues. On Sunday 30th July 2023, International friendship day, we were led off the Beaten Track, by Tom Brazil, a fellow IPA member and registered London guide. Tom took us on a walk around Surrey Quays, in South East London. Tom gave an insight into the history of this dockside area, and the challenges faced by workers in their search to gain employment as Dockers or Stevedores. Since those times in the 50s and early 60s, things are somewhat different and the quayside has changed beyond recognition. Where there were once warehouses, there are now dwellings, and the main basin is now used for recreational water activity.

T hrough the IPA, we were able to gather many new, exciting and interesting impressions . We were allowed to visit the police station in Hammersmith with Andy Wienand, IPA member and policeman in London. He guided us through the station and showed us the different departments. We were also able to have conversations with other police officers, which was very interesting. With Alex Williams, who is IPA London Reception Officer, and also a police officer, we were able to visit the stables of the equestrian squad in West Hampstead. As my partner and I are very fond of horses, this was a very nice visit. At the end of our trip, we visited the Tower of London with Andy, to watch the Ceremony of the Keys. This was a highlight and a very nice ending, as we would never have seen this without the IPA. We ended our last evening in the cosy atmosphere of the Yeoman Warders Club with a good beer. My partner and I would like to thank the IPA Section UK, especially Alex & Andy, very much for the organisation and efforts to show us London from this beautiful side. Thank you again for a lovely stay.

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POLICE WORLD Vol 68 No.4, 2023