Royal Mail scam warning for customers

ROYAL MAIL scams have targeted many unsuspecting victims in recent months.

How to spot a fake email or text.

It stated: “Check at the top. Fraudsters often use subjects or greetings that are impersonal and general, like ‘Attention Royal Mail Customer’. They may use a forged email address in the ‘from’ field like ‘delivery@royalmail.com’.

“They may even use the Royal Mail logo. None of this guarantees the email has come from us.”

There are two new scams doing the rounds whereby people receive an email or text saying

1)    they need to pay their delivery fee of £2.99 and asks people to click on the link

2)    their parcel was not delivered and directs the customer to a link asking them to fill out an information form.

Both scams look very realistic but please remember the following advice:

1.    Royal Mail will never send an email asking for credit card numbers or other personal or confidential information.

2.    Royal Mail will never ask customers to enter information on a page that isn’t part of the Royal Mail website.

3.    Royal Mail will never include attachments unless the email was solicited by customer e.g. customer has contacted Royal Mail with an enquiry or has signed up for updates from Royal Mail.

4.    Royal Mail have also stressed that they do not receive a person’s email address as part of any home shopping experience.

If you are unsure check out the below link to the Royal Mail’s website. You can also call Caring Together if needed and we can look at it together. Keep safe
 

Shared Moments: ‘PEGGY’S PROGRAMMES – REVUES’ part 2 written by Maureen Kershaw

Dear all,

It was obvious from Peggy’s programme collection how much she loved the Musicals and those performances must have been wonderful to watch. The first one dates back to 1934 with ‘Mr Whittington’ at the London Hippodrome. In the title role was Jack Buchanan who also staged the entire production which had a cast of 66 on stage! His leading lady was Elsie Randolph and Fred Emney no doubt gave one of his excellent character performances. From the programme photos, one can only imagine the glamour and sophistication reaching out to the audience. I don’t recognise any of the musical numbers – by name – but will certainly be looking them up via Google and YouTube. To watch the Show from the Royal Box would have cost £6.6.4d with the cheapest seat at 2/6d. Full page adverts for Rolls Royce, Bentley and Daimler cars, are next to restaurants with late night dancing, expensive Furriers and the jewels of Cartier.

‘The Blackbirds of 1934’ presented at the Coliseum was described as ‘the fastest and most modern Revue ever presented in London’ and featured the Blackbird Beauty Chorus & Choir, the World’s greatest female tap dancer and Peg Leg Bates!

Another Revue, this time at the Palladium in 1936 was ‘O-Kay For Sound’ starring Flanagan & Allen, Naughton & Gold, and Nervo & Knox. Another huge cast by today’s standards and from the souvenir brochure I lost count at 53! Sixteen of the 24 Sherman Fisher’s Palladium Girls lined up in their immaculate costumes and white tap shoes, tied with large bows. A note on the front page caught my eye: ‘This Theatre is scientifically cooled by the ‘Ozonair’ system of ventilation, as well as by the sliding roof’’ Today’s programmes do not have such interesting notes!

The following year the Palladium hosted ‘London Rhapsody’ described as a Symphony of a great City, basically a Revue of London but from the scenes and musical numbers, it must have been a joy to watch. The brochure shows Scene 6, Lyric Theatre 1899 listing its own costume and decor credits for “Tell Me Pretty Maiden”. This song I do recall, having heard many times over the years by members of the Players Theatre in “The Good Old Days” at our beautiful City Varieties. How I would love to have seen Harry Dennis’s Dancing Dudes, I can only imagine how slick their routines were. A brochure page advertises ‘French Fern’ by Morny, alongside of which is a note “The London Palladium is perfumed each performance with this delightful perfume – reminiscent of the moors in Autumn” Certainly a change from Jeyes fluid! The cover of the brochure is taken from a painting by Dame Laura Knight and shows an elegant lady attired in evening dress watching the action onstage from the Royal Box. A truly delightful picture.

I could continue but space will not allow – for now……..

Wonderful Maureen, thank you so much once again, until next time….

Poetry Corner: ‘The Peace of Wild Things’ by Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

sourced: scottishpoetrylibrary org uk

‘Monday Mind Workout’ – answers for Monday 15th March 2021 from Lesley Pearson – part 2

Yesterday’s Monday Mind Workout was the names given to collections of certain animals, such as a group of puppies is called a litter.
1. LEOPARDS                            answer LEAP
2. SKUNKS                                answer: STENCH
3. SHEEP                                   answer: FLOCK
4. TOADS                                  answer: KNOT
5. TURKEYS                              answer: RAFTER
6. WHALES                                answer:  POD
7. TURTLES                               answer: BALE
8. SQUIRRELS                           answer: DRAY
9. KANGAROOS                         answer: MOB
10. JELLYFISH                            answer: SMACK
11. FROGS                                  answer: ARMY
12. HIPPOPOTAMI                      answer: BLOAT
13. RABBITS                               answer: HERD
14. OTTERS                                answer: FAMILY
15. GORILLAS                             answer: BAND

‘Monday Mind Workout’ – Monday 15th March 2021 from Lesley Pearson – part 2

COLLECTIONS OF THINGS

LOTS OF ANIMALS HAVE A STRANGE NAME FOR THEIR COLLECTIONS

MOST OF US KNOW A GROUP OF PUPPIES IS CALLED A LITTER

HOW ABOUT THESE?

1.     LEOPARDS

clue: jump

2.     SKUNKS

clue: what a smell

3.     SHEEP

clue: we all do this at times

4.     TOADS

clue: we can get them in out stomach

5.     TURKEYS

clue: you can be this if on rapids

6.     WHALES

clue: two peas in a….

7.     TURTLES

clue: straw is make into these by farmers

8.     SQUIRRELS

clue: a truck without sides

9.     KANGAROOS

clue: a large disorderly crowd

10. JELLYFISH

clue: a sharp blow

11. FROGS

clue: Navy or ?

12. HIPPOPOTAMI

clue: swollen

13. RABBITS

clue: a large group of animals

14. OTTERS

clue: keep it in the….

15. GORILLAS

clue: elastic……

Shared Moments: The allotment

The spring clean has begun and a new socially distant helps joined Ben on the allotment, he asks if you can guess who it is? If anyone else would like to come along then please do get in touch and we will let you know when it is safe to do so. The allotment is on Woodhouse Moor.

 

 

Anyone for Bingo again? It is back on Wednesday 17th March 2021 @3pm

Dear all,

Anyone up for a spot of bingo? Good company and a chance to win some amazing prizes (well amazing to us). It will be online via zoom.

Next one is on Wednesday 17th March 2021 at 3pm

Call Lisa 07436 530073 or email me: lisa@caringtogether.org.uk, if you wish to join in by 1pm Tuesday 16th March and I will then deliver your bingo cards to you Wednesday morning. I will send an invite for online bingo thereafter on Wednesday the 17th March’21.

All the best and look forward to hearing back from you.

Shared Moments: ‘PEGGY’S PROGRAMMES’ written by Maureen Kershaw

Dear all,

One of our lovely members of Caring Together kindly gave me a collection of London theatre programmes, previously and proudly owned by a relative. The folder given to me, labelled simply ‘Peggy’s Programmes’ – is a joy! What I have never been able to understand is why so many theatrical and event programmes do not state the year? Thank goodness for the internet! The earliest one is from 1933 and is ‘Ten Minute Alibi’ which  opened at the Phoenix Theatre, London and although the names of its Cast are unknown to myself, the programme is a delight with its advertisements alone. Gorringes of Buckingham Palace Road have a full page showing two sketches of their latest inexpensive afternoon frocks. Such elegance at 5 guineas for velvet or the cheaper one in a plain artificial silk, by the name of ‘Cheddar’. I can only think the name refers to the place rather than the cheese. The programme features several adverts for cruises, from afternoon sailings along the Thames to the Royal Docks, or Ocean-going Liners promising elegant living, “faultless cuisine and the intelligent co-operation of expert staff”. One advert urges readers to “visit Denmark for a better holiday”, via the Harwich to Esbjerg route. The same route I sailed on a round-trip with DFDS – at a cost considerably higher in 1982 than the 10 days offered for nine pounds and ten shillings in 1931!

The next programme is for ‘Viceroy Sarah’. It’s leading actress was Irene Vanbrugh and again the name doesn’t ring any bells but the Play, also ran at the Phoenix from 1935. The list of credits alone  conjures up elegance and style. Miss Baxter’s clothes by Fortnum & Mason; Stockings by Kayser-Bondor. Gorringes gave sketches of two wool Swagger Coats, one by the name of ‘Rusthall’  which I could happily wear myself now, especially at their price of 69/6d.! Page after page displayed adverts for chocolates, cigarettes and every possible drink of the day. Marshall & Snelgrove of Oxford Street stated their January Sale to be “now proceeding in all departments”. I like that! It does sound far more genteel than “Sale Now On” as in today’s retail world.

A 1937 programme of ‘George and Margaret’ at Wyndhams Theatre lists a Cast of eight, the role of The New Maid – and the only name known to me – being played by Irene Handl. Standing outside the Queen’s Hotel in the 1960s awaiting some pop idols of the day, the actress exited the front doors carrying her tiny dog in her arms. We all received an unexpected addition to our autograph books that day. Another London production was advertised in this programme, that of ‘Mourning Becomes Electra’ at the New Theatre. The Morning Post reported it being a “theatrical event of the first magnitude – for four hours and a half it held its audience spellbound” If I had been present, I would have been asleep!

‘Arsenic And Old Lace’ at the Strand Theatre in 1945 offered a simple 3-fold programme with a footnote apology, “Owing to the paper restrictions order, we are compelled to suspend our usual magazine features”.    Inside, reads “In the interests of Public Health this Theatre is disinfected throughout with Jeyes fluid.” Loving that smell, I wouldn’t have objected to that!. The most interesting read from the leaflet stated, “You will be notified from the stage if an air raid warning has been sounded during the performance. If you wish to leave for home or an official Air Raid Shelter, you are at liberty to do so. All we ask is that – if you feel you must go – you will depart quietly and without excitement”.

Amongst the theatre programmes were a few souvenir programmes from London events, one in particular catching my eye. It was Trooping The Colour held in June 1949, giving details of the Royal Procession headed by H.M. The King followed by Princess Elizabeth. I am honoured to have this in my possession.

Next time: Programmes from the early Musicals!

Poetry Corner: ‘Kid Stuff’ by Brian Bendall

Many, many years ago
When I was just a kid,
And I had just began to grow,
There’s stuff I had and did.

I’m thinking back on all those things
That life saw fit to give me.
If I can’t remember everything,
I hope you will forgive me.

Chocolate candy cigarettes
And big bubble gum cigars.
Mini Bricks and Red Ball Jets,
Hopscotch and Dinky cars.

Mercurochrome and iodine;
Band-aids in a can.
Your watch required a daily wind,
And Etch-A-Sketch was grand.

In school, the teacher had to see
Just what you had to do.
You held one finger up for pee;
You held up two for poo!

Marbles, Slinkys, Lincoln Logs,
Ker Plunk and Pick Up Sticks,
With Yo-yos, you could “walk the dog,”
And ice cream came in bricks.

Arrows all had suction cups
And guns had rolls of caps.
Paddle Balls and Tonka Trucks
Big red lips were wax,

Measles, mumps, and chicken pox
Always seemed to flare.
They opened up Pandora’s Box
And caught us unaware!

With medicine and care from mom,
Our time in bed was cut!
But I can’t remember anyone
Allergic to a nut!

Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys
And also Brothers Grimm.
But Mark Twain was my pride and joy!
I never could resist him!

Hide and seek and tag were there.
New energy we found!
No more teacher scorns to bear
When summer came around.

PF Flyer running shoes,
Steel roller skates had keys.
There were phone booths we could use
If there’s emergencies.

Rolling down a grassy hill
In parks was a delight.
Nicky Nine Doors was a thrill,
But only played at night!

We rode our bikes with playing cards
Flapping on our spokes.
We played in all our friends’ backyards
And told our “Knock Knock” jokes.

Climbing fences, climbing trees
Were common things to do.
Getting bruised or skinning knees?
That was nothing new!

Two wheel scooters, kiddy cars,
We had Soap Box Rallies.
Baseball teams and monkey bars
And close by bowling alleys.

In winter, there were snowball fights
And snow forts for protection.
And when a bitter wind would bite,
Few kids raised objection!

Speeding down a snowy slope
On sleds and blown up tires.
“Is it too steep?” We all said, “Nope!”
We wanted to go higher!

In our teens were Levi jeans,
Duck and pony tails.
Sock hops were a common scene
Where dancing would prevail.

Bobby socks and poodle skirts
And continental slacks.
White buck shoes and fancy shirts,
Guitars and wailing sax!

Computers? What on Earth were they?!
Well, they would show up later.
And none I knew could dare display
Cell phones or calculators!

Many things I’ve mentioned here
Are still with us today.
But lots of kids, it does appear,
Ignore this great buffet!

What happened to the world I knew?
Have kids today stopped growing?
If time machines were really true,
I know where I’d be going!

Source: www familyfriendpoems com

Monday Mind Work answers for Monday 8th March 2021 celebrating International Women’s Day

Monday Mind Work’ answers from yesterday’s workout themed in celebration of International Women’s Day

1.Which suffragette stepped in front of King George V’s horse Anmer at the Epsom Derby on 4 June 1913 and suffered fatal injuries?

a) Emily Davison

2.1975: Junko Tabei, first woman to achieve?
b) Climb Mount Everest

3. Marie Curie discovery of two elements, can you name both?

a) Polonium and radium

4. 1955, Rosa Parks (‘The First Lady of Civil Rights’) became famous for refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger in which American city?

b) Montgomery, Alabama

5. Margaret Susan Ryder was born in Leeds in 1924 and opened the Sue Ryder Foundation in what year?
b) 1953

6. Which actress became the first to win a Best Actress Academy Award for a non-English language performance with her 1961 role in Two Women?

b) Sophia Loren

7. Who said: ‘I married beneath me. All women do.’?
a) Lady Nancy Astor

8. Who is generally regarded as the richest self-made woman in America?

b) Oprah Winfrey

9. Can you name the first Woman Yorkshire MP in 1945, was it?

a) Alice Bacon

10 Nicola Adams was the first woman to win an Olympic gold at London 2012 for what?

b) boxing