The May Pensioners’ Association committee meeting welcomes Gill Morrell as a new member, bringing the total to eight. The constitution allows for nine members, and a pensions visitor has been nominated for the vacancy.

Following the 2016 election/re-election members of the Pensioners’ Association committee now are (Northern, Southern or Eastern region representation indicated by bracketed initial): Brian Bradley(E), Allan Chandler(S), Trevor Clark(N), Secretary, Kevin O’Berg(N), Gill Morrell(N), David Saltmarsh(S), Chairman, Alistair Stewart(E), Tony Swell(S).

RBPA COMMITTEE

No.68, April 2017

THE CARINGCULTURE

IN THIS ISSUEsee

p 4&5

The article we persuaded company archivist Gordon Stephenson to write to mark his retirement in our last issue made special mention of the company’s contribution to Hull’s culture which, like this picture of him with the Heritage Centre’s bust of Sir James Reckitt, proved very timely for the international impact made by the start of City of Culture 2017.

The bust of Sir James was first displayed at the opening of Garden Village, above, in 1908 – one of the many Reckitt building projects making up the cultural heritage.

Ships glided across the white facade of the Ferens Art Gallery and a giant wind turbine blade made a surprise overnight appearance as a display in front of the building for the spectacular opening of Hull’s City of Culture 2017. The high impact events attracted world-wide coverage, especially on social media and

TV. Keep up to date onhttp//:www.hull2017.co.uk

Also via Contact’s on-line issue athttp//:www.icontactnewsletter.co.uk

Alan Oliver

£88M PENSION FUND TOP UP AGREED

The Summary Funding Statement posted to RBPA members last month explains the process and “agreed assumptions” leading to the £88m “top up” of the Company Pension Fund and the first payment of £18.75m for April-December 2016 has been made.

With pension funds being very much in the news for lack of funding it is encouraging to see that rb has the financial strength, growth and “caring culture” to sustain its fund.

Employee and pensioner representation is via three of the seven trustees being MNTs (Member Nominated) – Chris Ward and Shaun Ash being active employees paying into the fund and Martin Keeley our RBPA pensioner member.

Neale Harrison, who produces Contact’s CSE updates (see P3) is a company nominated trustee.

The constituenciesMartin Keeley told Contact: “This

top-up is a good outcome for all members. Essentially it underpins members future pension payments.”

The rb sites are regarded as “constituencies” represented by the Pension Council which meets several times a year to discuss pension issues and provide a forum for employees to make representations to the Trustees.

The Trustees also meet regularly, not only to assess the member feedback but, most importantly, to assess with the Fund’s financial advisers the Fund’s financial state, i.e.the funding level.

This is where the “agreed assumptions” (most of us would probably call it a calculated risk)

come in on issues such as future inflation, investment conditions and life expectancy in setting a funding target.

The last actuarial valuation on April 5, 2016 showed assets of £1,083m were sufficient to meet 92% of the benefits earned by members, but liabilities to pay benefits were £1,171m. The deficit was therefore £88.6 million.

Centennial anniversariesTo make good the shortfall the first

payment of £18.75m will be followed by £25m a year in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and £6.25m in 2020.

On the historical/cultural note the forthcoming yearly payments will all mark centennial anniversaries - 1918 when Hull employees voted for a direct contributions pension scheme; 1919 when the Reckitt’s Pension Fund was set up; and 1920 when the first employee contributions were made.

The Reckitt & Colman Pension Fund started in 1961.

We have had such a flood of stories and pictures for this issue that much has overflowed into our Digital

Supplement.If you are not on-line please get

family or friends to link you to

http//:www.icontactnewsletter.co.uk

i for pensioners of the Reckitt Benckiser (formerly Reckitt & Colman) Pension Fund

Page 2 iCONTACT April 2017

Forthcoming get-togethers:

CHISWICK/LONDON (W)Thursday, October 12, 2017

12 noon at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Virginia Water

Contact Peter MooresTel: 01276 34778

petermoores@ntlworld.com

HIGH WYCOMBEWednesday, April 26, 2017

12pm, Brewers Fayre, Loudwater, High Wycombe

Contact Paul GilliamTel: 01494 562843

DERBYTuesdays, April 25 andSeptember 12, 2017

10.30am at the Potting Shed Cafe, Markeaton Garden Centre,

Markeaton Lane, DerbyContact Lorraine Mugleston

0115 9733753

LEICESTER Tuesday, May 9, 2017

11.30am at The Oadby Owl, Glen Road, Oadby, Leics

NOTTINGHAM Tuesday, May 23, 2017

12 noon at The Shepherds, Stragglethorpe

Radcliffe-on-Trent , Notts Contact Brian Bradley

01526 321575 for Leicester and Nottingham

NORWICHTuesdays, April 11, July 11,

October 10, 201710.30am at the White Horse,

TrowseContact Alistair Stewart

01553 631973

HULLWednesdays, April 26, June 21,

201711am at Cheval Cafe, Willerby

Contact Phil ShearsmithTel: 07858 137178

alloa@alloa.karoo.co.uk

DIARY DATES 2017 GET-TOGETHERS SHEPHERDS IN THE BOOTS BRIGADE

The first Nottingham group meeting happily coincides with Contact’s power

brand history on P14 (digital).

Our Northern Region members favour the group photograph and this shot at the popular extra pre-Christmas gathering at Cheval would normally be cropped to get rid of that cluttered table in front. We have left it in because that old photograph album in the centre illustrates what get-togethers are all about. On this occasion there was also an old company ‘phone directory - so there were plenty of names and faces to bring back memories. If you haven’t yet been to a get-together, use the diary on the left as a guide to what will always be a

warm and friendly re-union.

Only two get-togethers, Norwich and Hull, in the first quarter of this year (although Hull squeezed in its extra Christmas one as we went to press with our December issue) so we delayed press day to report on Chiswick’s April meeting, and thus cover all three regions.

New RBPA committee member Gill Morrell and Tony Lane, below

Ron Watson, far left and Mike Heywood, above

The 27 expected at Virginia Water’s Wheatsheaf Hotel rose to 32 on the day - but the photographers seemed to be on holiday so Northern Region captures (clutters?) the visual honours.

Nottingham hopefully makes its debut next month. Last minute cancellations seem to be a speciality of the East Midlands and Brian Bradley had to call us and contact his members to change from the Seven Mile Inn as we went to press.

Thankfully Crown Carveries had another pub not far away the Boots

Good turnout - but no photographers!

Brigade could switch to.

Whilst noting the liking for convivial groups behind the cluttered table (bottom picture) we have selected the shots below to show there are quieter moments too.

Organiser Phil Shoesmith’s observation: “The venue continues to prove very popular. The attractions being good company, excellent coffee and delicious cakes and scones.”

Phil adds: ”We continue to attract new attendees who are made to feel welcome and encouraged to spread to word.”

on in the region. It’s great to see that many other companies and education establishments are also undertaking major projects in our region eg University of Hull, Siemens and the University Technical College being built in Hull. It’s great to be part of this.

We also opened our doors to our local MP Karl Turner, members of the Hull City Council, University of Hull, Chamber of Commerce and Lord Haskins form the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership in February where we talked to them about our vision for health R&D in Hull and showed them progress on the building site.

Their message to us ‘great job but keep spreading the word about what’s happening on the Hull RB site’ as RB continues to be a great success story after well over 100 years in Hull.

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 3

Reckitt Benckiser Hull sites’ annual reunion dinner was held this year at the Village Hotel and, apart from a “same faces” search of the get-together group on P2, readers might also wonder what impact an old photo album like that shown in the Cheval photograph would have on this larger group – bearing in mind this was the 114th reunion (or thereabouts).

Organiser Brian Huggett reports those attending were: Bob Allison, Karen Bateman, Paul Beaumont, Joyce Barwick, Sue Blay, Alan Brooke, Dave Copeman, Alan Clarke, Phil Caygill, Tony Dale, Andrew Forster, Roy Farnhill, Brian Huggett, Mark Hulme, Alan Hitchcock, John Howden, Trevor Hill, Ken Houghton, Rae Hampton, Bill Hornby, Ken

Johnson, Ian Joliffe, John Laydon, Tony Martin, Gill Morrell, Brian Mclean, Hazel Mee, Ian Mackechnie, Gary Mowforth, David Nellist, Geoff Nicholson, Sid Newman, Tony Pawson, Lilian Pooley, Ian Pooley, Pat Quarterman, Ted Parker, Malcolm Ruddiforth, Steve Rial, Michael Spence, Pauline Settle, Joy Sutton, Adrian Robinson, Carl Tyson, Gordon Stephenson, Barbara Worrell.

Guest speaker was Mrs Pat Quarterman who chose to entertain her former colleagues by talking about working life after Reckitt Benckiser. She is now in the NHS! Laughs(and groans) not recorded. Anyone interested in joining the reunions can contact brihuggett@aol.com

The relatively mild Winter months have allowed great progress on the the new laboratory building. Two cranes and more than 100 building contractors, together with many hundreds of tonnes of steel reinforced concrete, have created the main superstructure for the building.

Neale Harrison, RB Pension Fund Trustee and CSE Project Manager, reports

The ceilings on the top floor are in place so the main work is now about the installation of all the services into the building, followed by the internal room structures in the Summer.

The roof provides an excellent view of East Hull as can be seen from the photograph. Community

business and political leaders are regular visitors to the site and marvel at the size and speed of the project.

A consortium of local business leaders went to a special event at the House of Commons where the Humber region MP’s showcased all the great investment projects going

A group with a 117–year–old record

CSE’s NEW VIEW FROM THE TOP

The screen shot, above, is from Neale’s introduction to the video at

http://www.market inghumber.com/region click on image ‘Live life to the full’.

More CSE pictures on P16.

When Hull was chosen to be City of Culture in 2014 our April issue of that year took the dictionary definition of Culture as an understanding of the customs and civilisation of a particular time or people as well as the arts and intellectual development to suggest a

Reckitt’s role.

Going back 100 years the principle of co-operative effort in harmony with democratic ideals – the establishment of a Works Council – provided a means whereby the workers were to have part and voice in the social effort of the future, and a means of self-expression.

...continued from Contact No.59

SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL STAFFS 1924 - predecessors of Personnel and Human resources departments.Front row: Dr. A.R.Lambie (Dentist), N.Dunn (Welfare Superintendent, Canister Works), J.N.Kaye (Doctor), E.K.Kerr (Head Welfare Superintendent, Kingston Works), P.Leech (Education Officer), M.Richardson (Welfare Assistant, Kingston Works) J.H.Noble (Editor, Works Magazine, Secretary, Works Council).2nd row: A.Midgley (Nurse, Canister Works), J.Creighton (Schoolmaster), B.Linney (Secretary, Social Committee), F.R.Harrison (Men & Boys’ Welfare Supervisor), G.Anderson (Assistant, Social Dept., Canister Works), K.Du Pre (Domestic Science), A.F.Maude (Gymnastics, Boys), M.Robinson (Nurse, Kingston Works).3rd row: L.Walton (Dressmaking), E.Goll (Health Visitor), D.Akester (Assistant, Social Dept.), E.M.Corin (Girl Guide Captain), E.Nicholson (Assistant, Education Dept.), E.M Ward (Gymnastics, Girls), V.Hart (Jnr Assistant, Education Dept).

The friendly feeling developed between employer and employed and the Reckitt family’s obvious concern for the welfare of the workers in the late 19th century, created an atmosphere and corporate sense of goodwill. The Works Council’s role was to merge whatever quality of benevolence and paternalism attached to the welfare work into the fuller ideal of co-operation beween employer and employed.

In the early 1870s the Rt. Hon.T.R.Ferens started a night school for girls wanting instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic. Singing, dressmaking and sewing classes

followed. The first lady Welfare Worker, Martha Jones was appointed in 1906 and the Social Secretary for men in 1907 as the Works Council was formed.

The objectives set for the Works

Council were firstly to produce matured proposals for improvement of employee surroundings and conditions associated with their daily work (not terms of labour); and secondly to establish a Recreation Fund to assist any schemes devised to employ the leisure activities of the employees in any wholesome pursuit, pastime or work for the good of the community.

This latter aim would also produce a building heritage which has headlined the start of the City of Culture 2017 but the underlying humanistic philosophy and philanthopy was expressed in this letter from James Reckitt to his Board in February 1907:

“Whilst I and my family are living in beautiful houses, surrounded by lovely gardens and fine scenery, the workpeople we employ are, many of them, living in squalor, and all of them without gardens, in narrow streets and alleys.

Time for a Garden Village“It seems to me the time has come,

either alone or in conjunction with some members of the Board, to establish a Garden Village within a reasonable distance of our Works so that those who are wishful might have the opportunity of living in a better house, with a garden, at the same rent they now pay for a house in Hull – with the advantages of fresher air and such clubs and outdoor amusements as are usually found in rural surroundings.”

Sir James set up the private company Garden Village (Hull) Ltd to buy the Holderness House Estate with its farmland stretching from the main Holderness Road towards Dansom Lane.

About 100 houses had been built when the Village was formally opened in July 1908 and by 1917 (...cont on P5)

Page 4 iCONTACT April 2017

THE MAGNUSDAILE CULTURE

The Ferens ablaze - emotive projection of the Hull Blitz captured by pensioner Alan Oliver.

Mill

s of culture

Octovision Media

(…cont from P4) this had grown to 600 – but although Sir James had personally subscribed (£150,000 – worth more than £3m today) it was an independent company.

The family later gave other buildings (Village Hall, Club House, Village Havens) and, as the 2017 focus on the Ferens Art Gallery and University indicates, bequeathed Hull a building heritage.

Holderness House, on whose farmland the Garden Village was built, is close to the James Reckitt library (featured in several previous issues of Contact) – one of the country’s first public libaries, built for the community in1889 and given to the City in 1893.

Holderness House was sold by Mrs Emily Jalland who lived in it until her death in 1909 at the age of 90 when it was bought by Mr & Mrs T.R.Ferens who bequeathed it as a charity-run rest home for ladies (Contact No.55, December 2012).

Other institutions to benefit from the Reckitt philanthropy include The Newland Orphan Homes, The Young People’s Institute, and The Hull Institute for the Blind.

Building a cultural heritage of social responsibility

The Spar, being swung in front of the Ferens Art Gallery, left, symbolises Reckitt’s wind power origins. Magnusdaile (“the great share” or allotment), as the stretch of pasturleand on the east bank of the River Hull was known as early as 1212, had a cattle trail which ran right through the middle and became known as Dansom Lane.

Farmer’s sons Thomas and Isaac Reckitt had built the Maud Foster mill in Boston, Lincs in 1819 but Isaac opted out of the partnership when bad harvests failed to produce enough income for both of them. He eventually moved to Hull where he rented a starch mill in Dansom Lane until he had enough money to buy it.

A number of mills had been built along the lane, including the Subscription Mill (above) on the site of what was to become the Brasso factory, which had five sails like the Maud Foster Mill and was reputed to be one of the largest in England.

The caring culture which evolved in Reckitts in the second half of the 19th century saw the setting up of the first company Pension Fund (Men) in 1890. It was non-contributory and granted employees a pension equal to half their wages when they reached the age of 60. In 1910, as the number of employees increased, the age was raised to 65, except for men who had been in service prior to 1898. Employment continued to grow, so in 1918 a contributory scheme was put to the vote with well over the required majority of 75% of the male workforce approving.

The 1920s photograph, above, shows a group of Reckitt pensioners collectively boasting around 700 years’ service. They are all male because the welfare ethos of the time was primarily aimed at the girl employees (Girls’ Club, Classes, Girl Guides, Summer Camps etc.) whose workplace experience was seen as a prelude to marriage and motherhood and family life. Pensions for women came later.

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 5

…then, of course, there’s the role of your predecessors

The Mead Johnson bid tended to overshadow the 2016 year end results due at the same time (profits up from £2.1bn to £2.4bn) but for our readers the good news was that there was growth to fund pensions (see P1 story).

Commenting on the results, Rakesh Kapoor said: “2016 was a good year in which we achieved broad-based growth and excellent margin expansion, despite challenging markets and an unusual number of issues.

“We have remained focused on our Powermarkets, Powerbrands and virtuous earnings model. We continue to apply our culture of consumer centric innovation to address unmet consumer needs.

Innovations“We brought some successful

innovations to market, including Veet Sensitive Trimmer, and Wave toilet block, launched under Harpic, Cillit Bang and Lysol.

“We also had poor in-market results from the new Wet & Dry, rechargeable pedi product, launched under the Scholl/Amopé franchise. We are never happy when an innovation misses the mark, and we are proud of a culture that allows people to push ideas they passionately believe in. As such we have to also accept that with a multitude of successes comes the occasional failure.

“I am confident we have an exciting innovation pipeline for 2017.”

Biggest ever at $16bn - but fits that caring tradition

The frame, right, from the on-line infographic (now one of the key methods of communicating

Reckitt’s $16bn bid to take over the US-listed baby food maker Mead Johnson took the industry and financial world by surprise but, having read the previous two pages of this issue, our readers will agree it fits our century old better society principles.

corporate news) sums up the past and present philosophy. You can see the infographic and an interview with rb’s chief executive officer Rakesh Kapoor on the www.rb.com website.

Mead Johnson Nutrition, the world’s second biggest manufacturer of baby formula, was founded by

A major step forward in consumer health

Keeping the consumer at the heart of

everything we do

Operational agility, swift decision making and commitment to driving performance

Expertise in scaling global brands

E-commerce expertise and potential new markets

Global supply structure and distribution to drive economies of scale

1 by the end of the 3rd full yearNo statement in the above is intended to be a profit forecast.

Deep understanding of new mums

Strong R&D heritage and science backed innovation

Respected relationships amongst healthcare professionals

Scale and infrastructure across China and South East Asia

Together we bring the best of both companies

Giving people innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes

A strong strategic fit

Health relief

Health wellness

Hygiene home

Health nutrition

Hygiene health

Home

Expected category growth

Mead Johnson’s global #1 Enfa family of brands

In annual cost savings

Earnings accretive by year three

Proportion of total Net Revenue from DvM

Proportion of total Net Revenue from health and hygiene brands

3–5% £200m1

Double digit

39%

80%

Edward Mead Johson Sr more than 100 years ago after he had left Johnson & Johnson. Its products include Enfamil infant formula and the Sustagen milk supplement.

Analysts noted the bid fits rb’s growing Far East business, whereas

Mead Johnson’s Chinese business has been slowing.

“The acquisition of Mead Johnson is a significant step forward in Reckitt Benckiser’s journey as a leader in consumer health.” said Rakesh Kapoor.

Growth was good for pensioners

Page 6 iCONTACT April 2017

The R&D history is continued on-line onpages 9 and 10

Pensions Department hull.pensions@rb.comTel: 01482 582987

LETTERSBy post: Contact, c/o Pensions Department

Reckitt Benckiser plcDansom Lane, HULL HU8 7DS

This issue’s main story of the latest cash injection leads us to repeat our regular message about the benefts of being a member of the Reckitt Benckiser Pension Fund and the help available from the Pensions Department.

Always happy to help with any RB pension-related query are:• Chris Little, Global Benefits Manager; Debra Wardill, Pensions Team Manager; Teresa West, Senior Pensions Administrator; and Michelle Smith, Pensions Administrator.

Ed’s note – the two numbers at the top give ready access to the staff able to deal with the majority of pensioner enquiries, although it must be emphasised all the team are always ready and able to help.

Reporting a pensioner’s death is often difficult for the caller but it is best done as soon as possible and the feedback we get is that the team provides the comfort and patient guidance needed at such times.

01482 58298701482 582883

…plus your RBPA teamThere are close links between the Pensions Department and the Reckitt Benckiser Pensioners’ Association Committee, notably with the department notfying the Association of key events such as centenaries and, of course, pensioner deaths.

This allows the exercise of traditional pension visitor activities like birthday presentations and funeral attendances but privacy legislation and changes in society have limited these. On the other hand our letters this month show how how our members are establishing their own social networking.

As requested by our members the IContact website is a noticeboard rather than a chat room but contact your vistor co-ordinator if you are looking for more personal links with former colleagues. Phil Shearsmith (Tel: 07858 137178, alloa@alloa.karoo.co.uk) visitor co-ordinator for Northern Region already operates a carefully monitored e-mailing list, Alistair Stewart (Tel: 01553 631973), aalstewart66cactus@gmail.com) is co-ordinator for Eastern Region and Tony Swell (Tel: 01189 691390, patsy-tonyswell@tesco.net) for Southern Region.

There are vacancies for Visitors, who often become members of the committee but appropriate company experience can also make a valuable contribution to the RBPA.

The list of committee members following the last election is on P1 and at least one current visitor will be attending the May meeting as a potential member .

I was employed at Reckitts & Colman Overseas Limited in the Overseas Research Department, for a number of years before leaving in 1966. I remember Disprin and then Codis being developed.

The article on page 4 of Contact issue no.67 describes the “golden years” of the development of pharmaceuticals.

Although it goes back to the launch of Gaviscon a year before the formation of the Pharmaceutical Division (I suppose it was just a pharmaceutical department before 1971), no mention is made of the earlier products. Surely in

My father, who is a pensioner, has asked me for on line information of a colleague’s obituary – Alan Crawshaw Brown.

Would it be possible to forward the information extra to the newletter my father already has please?

Thank you on behalf of Mr A. G. Sayers – his daughter Lorraine Goff.

Sent from my iPhone.

Ed’s note: An encouraging example of the way members read both printed and on-line versions and communicate with each other accordingly. We sent Lorraine the website link and where the report was in the Digital Supplement and had two replies: “Thank you very much I will have a

Nothing in our actual letterbox for this issue, everything came by e-mail as is increasingly the case. But no need for our readers to be left behind by this digital world, our presses continue to roll and, as indicated in the column on the right, the RBPA can always help.

The “gold” before Gaviscon glitteredfrom: Kate Brooks, katebrooks836@ipad.com

their time they were just as “golden”?

I know I have been a great advocate for Codis and am sorry to find that it is now either going off the market, or being side-lined. Only one of six pharmacies within easy reach of my home still stock it!

Kate (probably Kathleen on your Pensioners list) Brooks

Alan Crawshaw Brownfrom: Lorraine Goff, lorraine837@hotmail.com

look” followed by “Thank you - have passed on 2 my dad - he was very happy with the information - very good of you.

Touching digital spacefrom: Margaret P. Brown, Skipton, North Yorkshire

Thank you so much. I joined the rest of the family in Sussex for the Christmas period and we were all very touched by the amount of space you gave to Alan.

Several Winsor and Newton retirees have contacted me having seen the magazine - even they hadn’t realised what a lot he had been up to in his retirement years.

Ed’s note: We welcomed Margaret’s letter in our last edition as an example of the sort of contact we need to overcome legal restrictions or lack of archival information. The printing of the funeral eulogy read by daughter Jocelyne demonstrated the cost-effective extra coverage the Digital Supplement affords us. This photograph of Margaret and Alan from the Order of Service is the RBPA’s “thank you.”

A letter to one of a select few

see story on P8

Culture features strongly in this issue and the 1935 internal letter, left, from the company secretary to the Colman’s mustard mill manager shows a special literary culture was shared by Norwich employees.

The “small volume” mentioned was a book of 28 poems entitled “Carrow Carols” and while we have had sight of it, it would be interesting to know if any more copies still exist.We have used our extra digital space to print two of the poems and our readers may have memories of that culture.

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 7

Page 8 iCONTACT March 2017

OBITUARIES Carrow’s carolling culture

The Carrow shopfloor may, according to the letter on P8, have been occasionally frivolous but internal communication at managerial level was more formal in the 1930s as Mustard Mill manager Mr Dix’s response to company secretary Mr Winter indicates:

Invoke the name of Mr. Dix

If Mustard you would rightly mix,

For ever since the Works began

A Dix has been the Mustard Man.

A Charles or William there has been

For ever in the Carrow scene,

And, now a hundred years are done,

We’ve got the two rolled into one.

(A pun my pen with virtue shirks¬

C. W. is Carrow Works!)

Mustard

Ambulance RoomThe Ambulance looks like a hearse, But very pleasant is the Nurse. People welcome Bruise or Blister, As excuse to visit Sister.All day long she may be seen With Lysol and with Iodine,With Lint and Lotion, Plaster, Pill, Attending to the Hurt and Ill.And when her labours she can stay She takes her lady dog to play.

Sample poems herewith:

NORTHERN REGION(Hull, unless otherwise stated)

Barbara Fores, aged 80, 16 years’ service; Muriel Horner (87), 16; Anne Nelson (87), 42; Alan Bruce (93), 30; Cecil Fiddy (93), 28; Norman Rush (96), 46; John Waltham (91), 16; Bryan Bird (90), 33; Dennis Morfitt 84), 11; Kenneth Cummings (84), 14; William Vicker (81), 30; Stuart Fairclough (62), 11; David Newstone (71), 11; Peter Ring (82), 26; Alan Burns (63), 36; David Wilson (68), 13; Roger Cobbett (73), 21; Trevor Frankish (81), 21; Ronald Pocock (87), 28.Derby – James Gardner (71), 31. Newbury Depot – Michael Hams (81), 4.

EASTERN REGION(Norwich, unless otherwise stated)Glenda Chapman 77), 15; Patricia Morgan (85), 43; James Boddington (90), 2; Bryan

Freddie George (below) worked in accounts at Norwich and was one of the early members of the RB Pensioners Committee after being elected by Norwich pensioners in

1996. He was on the committee for several years, serving as treasurer for a time, and fequently attended the Norwich get-togethers.

Frank Harper (below left), who worked in the Crops Department at Norwich, whose death is recorded below, was dedicated to helping

Smith (79), 12; Allan Pratt (97), 24; Betty Tinker (82), 17; Violet Wicks (95), 8; Ronald Rushmer (84), 28; Edward Sampson (91), 32; Frank Harper (80), 30; Bernard Bayes (77), 23: Stanley Haistead (95), 23; Doris Marshall (99), 11; Frederick George (82), 18; Roy Garrard (70), 22. Colours, Bletchley – Bryan Savory (69), 6.

SOUTHERN REGION(Chiswick, unless otherwise stated)Doris Westlake (101), 14; Henry Crow (94), 28.FAG, Wealdstone – Margaret Reed (84), 18; Joyce Savory (87), 13; George Forrest (87), 4; Richard Conway (95), 46; Michael Coney (71), 7; Geoffrey Lammiman (102), 16.FAG, Leicester – Kathleen Swaney (96), 44. pm uk – Dee Forrest (79), 4; Frances Gibb (83), 9.FAG, Tottenham – Erdogan Ahmet (78), 10.

Two centenarian pensioners, a former Reckitt Benckiser Pensioners’ Association Committee member and former Household Division and Colman’s men dedicated to helping others are among the deaths we record this month.

Southern Region loses two centenarians

those less fortunate. For more than 20 years Frank was a volunteer hospital driver, taking people to and from hospital.

Roger Corbett, above right, first showed his community spirit when he wrote to us (Contact No.27, September 2003) to introduce his fellow Reckitt Benckiser pensioners to Age Concern’s Healthy Living Centre in Hull. Wheelchair-bound Roger later made a map of Beverley showing all the premises offering disabled access and support. See more on P20.

We regret to record the deaths of the following Reckitt Benckiser pensioners:

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 9

iCONTACT DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT

< that’s true say RBPA members

snapping up our cultural heritage

Making the Ferens Art Gallery a focal point in Hull’s City of Culture launch activity has highlighted the Reckitt contribution to the city and given our pensioners the opportunity to show their pride in their heritage through a spectacular response to Contact’s invitation to provide photographs.

Our request, via the e-mailing network set up by Northern Region’s Phil Shearsmith, had a surprisingly large and heartwarming response, giving us more than 80 photographs (and a video) to chose from.

The extra space provided by our on-line edition gives us the opportunity to display more of their efforts in addition to those in the posted (printed) edition.

In the “technology” context the dramatic overnight positioning of The Blade in front of the gallery coincidentally linked (see P5) to the wind-powered energy source of the first Reckitt company.

A more unexpected link emerged through the acclaimed lighting and video displays on the building.

The original bright startThe “bright start” headline, on the

first of our R&D history stories (Issue No 62, April 2015, right) unknowingly anticipated it.

That recorded the first technical advance at Dansom Lane 175 years ago when an initiative by Frederic Reckitt, the company’s first chemist, saw the 25 candles allocated to starch packing girls when working after dark replaced by two candles with reflectors to light the whole room.

Our pensioner “paparazzi” found the extensive refurbishment of

In this issue

The enlightened startof our R&D heritage

Public

Reckitt Benckiser in Hull

Steve West & Rosina Baxter RB Heritage October 2016 Email: heritage@rb.com

the Ferens equally stunning.

There is tribute to Thomas Robinson Ferens himself as “The Hull Philanthropist” with a full account of his generosity and displays of the works he helped acquire.

The displays include the portrait of Thomas Ferens, left, which has been reproduced several times in our Reckitt house journals but invariably in black and white – so this will be first opportunity for many of our readers to see it full size and full colour. The caption heading recalls the local saying of the 1870s noting his business success as “Reckitts Blue made Ferens gold.”

Professor Glenn Burgess, Acting Vice-Chancellor and the University od Hull’s City of Culture lead, said: “The University is proud to be both a Principal Partner and exclusive academic research partner in Hull 2017 UK City of Culture. Our contribution to the 2017 programme helps share Hull’s compelling story and showcase its rich cultural heritage.

“Our academics’ and student expertise helped create the stunning Made in Hull installations which spectacularly opened 2017 with light, sound and images telling the story of Hull projected onto iconic

buildings around the city.”

A slide presentation, left, created by Steve West and Rosina Baxter of the Dansom Lane Heritage Centre is providing a useful source of information through Heritage Learning, the independent self-funding organisation bringing learning to life through diverse art and heritage collections at Hull Museums and Ferens Art Gallery.

The script of the slide programme is reproduced on P14. It is a handy guide to the Reckitt philanthropy and the benefits it brought to Hull.

Page 10 iCONTACT March 2017

Our heritage man’sfarewell

WE ARE HULL SNAPPERSThe pictures on this and the following page were taken by the following RBPA pensioners whose initials appear on them: Peter Bacon, Andrew Hersom, Hazel Mee, Andrew Oliver, Andy Lynn,

Tim Pickles, Kathy West.

The informal “pop in” which marked Gordon Stephenson’s retirement as manager of the Dansom Lane Heritage Centre not only had the family atmosphere typical of such Reckitt gatherings but a family presence too.

As pictured, far right, Gordon’s wife Mary joined in to help hand out the farewell cake and these pictures for the family album were taken by their son, David. The main picture shows Gordon receiving a farewell card from site facilities manager Tony Earl.

Fellow pensioner Malcolm Ruddiforth took that P1 shot of Gordon with the bust of Sir James Reckitt which has provided

us with a fitting introduction to our City of Culture coverage. The bust is in the present Heritage Centre but will have a place of honour in the new buildings.

AO

TP

HM

KW

PB

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 11

For visitors as well as the locals the films of the Hull

Blitz were the most emotive

KW

AL

AL

AH

PB

AO

AL

Page 12 iCONTACT March 2017

Weeping Window

TPAH

2008

As the iconic blade (P5) was moved from the front of Hull’s Ferens Art Gallery the “Weeping Window” poppy display which took over on the Maritime Museum on the other side of Victoria Square provided more memorable links with the Reckitt heritage.

Fine weather gave our RBPA photographers a chance to capture the flowing red cascade, above, and Contact’s archives, right and below, recalled other key occasions.

Last voices of a Generation was the title given y the BBC to its 2008 Remembrance Day progamme marking the 90th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice which ended WWI.

Garden Village on TVIn addition to the live programme

switching between Hull and Whitehall there was a seven minute live and recorded insert by reporter Jon Snow in which he toured Garden Village relating homes in Laburnum Avenue to former occupants killed in the Great War.

Fred Dent (then 89) from Garden Village whose father worked at Dan-som Lane and died in WWI, laid his own cross.

Jack Davis, then R&C’s oldest pensioner at 108, was pictured with Prince Charles ar Kew Gardens in April 2003.

Jack of High Wycombe, who worked at Meltonian Wren as a store-keeper and had served in France with

2003the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, was attending a final re-union of WW1 veterans. He died in July 2003 just a few days before he was due to meet the Queen.

In Contact No.60 (August 2014) we reported on Known to the Night, the book on Reckitt’s factory and the Great War and reproduced the special Remembrance Issue of Ours.

1985

This 1985 Reckitt News photo showed the last four members of the Dansom Lane branch of the British Legion (Clarrie and Tom Glenton, George Stockdale and Albert Tripp), now a special City of Culture event will include Reckitt people’s role in the Great War (see P19)

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 13

A bird’s eye view of CSE progress

It is, in fact, a drone’s lens view above as that’s the way builders and surveyors keep an eye on progress these days – better than climbing up to the jib or swinging from the bucket of one of those yellow cranes!

This is looking towards Dansom Lane with the temporary portakabin offices on the other side of the lane, centre top in front of the KWE plant. That’s Chapman Sreet running diagonally across top left.

Progress shots like this are a key element of the growth story the city and region, as well as the company, is constantly asked to portray.

Commons visitOn page three Neale Harrison

reports on the visit to the House of Commons by the Humber Local Enterprise Parnership for a special reception sponsored by Martin Vickers, the Cleethorpes and Immingham MP, centre of the picture on the right. Neale is on the MP’s right, immediately behind him.

At this stage the drone pictures and others on the next page provide a gimpse of the structure which will not be seen again as the finishing trades take over.

The hundreds of tons of steel and concrete Neale records as now in place not only define the superstructure but, with the provision being made for pipes and cables, indicate the complexity of services required.

Site facilities manager Tony Earl works closely with Neale Harrison in keeping an eye on CSE progress – it will, after all, be adding considerably

to his responsbilities.

They include showing VIP vistors around the site and he is shown, right, with Lord Haskins and the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership in front of the contractors’ portakabin offices (shown on the left of the drone picture above) for a site tour and briefing on the company’s vision for health R&D in Hull.

This drone picture, left, is shot further to the east and shows the rear of the retained KWS buildings facing on to Dansom Lane with, in the foreground, rebuilding under way on KWN sites.

The other shots on this page are largely self-explanatory and show a mix of CSE construction and the reburbishment and reconstrction of KWN areas

…and on the other side

Page 14 iCONTACT March 2017

In the 1950s the research teams at both companies were looking for painkillers with more acceptable side effects than those then on the market.

Aspirin as used in Disprin had been successfully used for treating inflammation, and associated pain and fever. Steroids followed for treating inflammation.

Both compounds were limited by side effects especially for long term use and the treatment of the symptoms and disease of complaints such as arthritis was problematic.

Phenylbutazone was available from about 1950 but this was also limited by its side effects.

Beeston basedThe Boots company research

team based in Beeston, Nottingham researched into compounds that could fill that gap.

The research team was led by Stewart Adams working closely with John Nicholson (medicinal chemist). Their story is told in more detail overleaf.

They started work in the early 1950s first by modifying the aspirin molecule and eventually found that a group called “propionics” showed promise.

Screening and evaluating potential candidates eventually led to the choice of ibuprofen as the lead compound. It was established that it had a low level of side effects and entered the prescription market in the group of compounds known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).

This was a highly competitive area as the individual products in the group exhibited different degrees of effectiveness and side effect profiles and severity. Indeed, Reckitt and Colman developed and marketed

their own new NSAID compound Fenclofenac sold under the name Flenac.

Some of these brands had quite a short life as clinical experience identified those with the best safety and efficacy profiles.

Flenac was one of the casualties, but ibuprofen had one of the best side effect profiles and became well established and prescribed.

The Boots o r g a n i s a t i o n was huge and ranged from New Chemical Entity (new drugs) discovery to the Boots the Chemist pharmacy based retal chain taking in extraction of insulin from porcine/bovine pancreases and picture frame manufacture.

With the cost of prescribing medicines increasing the Government set up a scheme to “switch” prescription medicines to pharmacy sale once their safety profile was established and its clinical use was appropriate to pharmacy sale.

Nurofen marketedIbuprofen had established its good

standard of safety and efficacy and was switched to pharmacy sale as Nurofen in 1983.

Boots invested a huge amount into supporting the marketing of Nurofen – it needed it to establish a new brand, communicating the benefits in the lively and highly competitive analgesic market.

Following the announcement of the CSE project in 2014, Contact published the first details of the new buildings in December of that year (Issue No 61) and launched a review of Reckitt’s 175-year R&D history in Issue No.62 (April 2016). Last April (Issue No.65) we told the complex Temgesic (buprenorphine) story and continue now with the Nurofen (ibuprofen) history:

One good takeover leads to another

The £16bn takeover of Mead Johnson, reported on P6, not only echoes rb’s unexpected acquisition of Boots Healthcare International in 2006 but dramatically underlines the “power brands” strategy. Nurofen, acquired in the Boots takeover, has grown to a world leading £150m a year brand.

It has been said that it took five years to start making money [that was the anecdote at the time – not substantiated].

It was a significant challenge however the Boots organisation had a big advantage in the form of the huge Boots the Chemist pharmacy to promote the product (independent pharmacies were not so keen for obvious reasons!).

In 2006 RB acquired Boots Healthcare International giving it many new products which included the Nurofen brand. The brand

m a n a g e m e n t , R&D, Medical and Regulatory were i n c o r p o r a t e d in to the RB sites however p r o d u c t i o n of Nurofen remained at its birth place in Nottingham at the Beeston site where the factory

is one of RB’s major healthcare manufacturing sites.

Nurofen remains a huge brand for RB generating over £500m annual sales. In the UK further deregulation has meant that many pharmacy sale brands are now in our local supermarket.

The number formats continue to expand, so melt on the tongue tablets; granules that disperse in water; suspensions for babies; gels for topical application to avoid having to swallow tablets and heat patches have joined the list.

Nurofen has certainly qualified as a power brand. Contact and its readers will be interested to see which of Mead Johnson’s brands powers to the top. Culturally, Enfamil sounds right.

Today’sjobseekers searrch on-lineso this, and the photograph below, is what greets visitors to rb.com‘s employment pages.

by Ian Jolliffe RBPA, with Bob AlisonThanks to Andrew Hersom and Bill Rushworth

for their helpful input.

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 15

They came up with Ibuprofen, a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which was successfully launched as a treatment for arthritis but, having also discovered its analgesic properties went on to become one of the world’s best selling anti-inflammatory painkillers.

Like the Reckitt’s team there was an early focus on aspirin. In 1953, said Stewart, there were only two drugs on the market that had an effect on the pain of inflammation — a corticosteroid drug and aspirin in high doses.”

“I felt that the steroid was not suitable for long-term use and [taking] high doses of aspirin — 12, 15, 18 tablets a day — was always going to be unacceptable to many patients.”

Little about aspirinAt the time there was little

literature about aspirin, a discovery which came as a huge surprise to Adams. “Aspirin was actually introduced into clinical medicine as an antipyretic, round about 1900,” he observed. “Between then and the late 1950s nobody had looked at aspirin analogues for their anti-inflammatory activity.”

The pair started looking for the activity of aspirin analogues and John made a few but never found anything that was better than aspirin.

“We did a bit more thinking, John produced a few more different compounds and we finished up with a group of compounds called the propionics,” said Stewart, “which are now well known in the anti-rheumatic area. But we had the advantage of the first one, which was ibuprofen,”

“It wasn’t the most active of the compounds that we found but, on the basis of the work that we’d done, we thought it was likely to be the best

tolerated and that was one of the important points we were looking for. It went to clinical trial. It was active and well tolerated and went on to a lot more trials. Then, in 1969, it was approved by the health authorities in the UK as a drug for the treatment of the rheumatic diseases.”

Like John Lewis at Dansom Lane Stewart often tested compounds on himself. He was the first to take the single dose of ibuprofen – which caused a slight burning in the back of the throat so the tablets were sugar coated.

Ibuprofen was a “slow starter” but, as doctors started to use higher doses and saw positive results, sales took off and it became one of the best-selling anti-rheumatics in the UK.

Knowing that ibuprofen was an analgesic and also an antipyretic a whole range of painful conditions was investigated throughout the 1970s — such as headache, toothache, and dysmenorrhea.

In 1983, Ibuprofen was approved as an over-the-counter (OTC) product — one of the first in the UK to move over from being a prescription product to an OTC, non-prescription and, at that stage, pharmacy-only product.

Stewart joined Boots in 1939 on a three-year apprenticeship in March, Cambridgeshire. He had completd

54 years” service when he retired in 1993. even working Sundays during university in the Boots day and night shop.

In 1942 he went on to do a bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) degree at University College, Nottingham in the hope it would open up more possibilities – which it did, and he was awarded his degree in 1945.

Funded half by a Pharmaceutical Society research scholarship and the rest by Boots, he went on to complete a PhD in pharmacology at Leeds University.

On completion of his PhD, Stewart returned to Boots in 1952 and worked in the penicillin department before moving to the research department where he began his quest for a drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Hit by the BlitzLike Hull, Boots was hit by the Blitz

and was forced to move its research facilities out of central Nottingham as the research department had been partially destroyed by bomb attacks.

In the first six years of the Ibruprofen project were in the front room of a Victorian house, which gave the team the opportunity and freedom to take his work in the direction they wanted.

Stewart Adams was given an honorary doctorate of science from the University of Nottingham, and two blue plaques from the Royal Society of Chemistry.

In 1987, Adams was appointed OBE for his work in developing ibuprofen. In 2013, he was made an Honorary Freeman of Nottingham, the highest honour a council can bestow.

Company founder Jesse Boot received the same honour in 1920.

Battling with the inactive and the unacceptable

The same old story with compound research:

Last year Stewart Adams (above), then 92, the inventor of Ibuprofen was interviewed by Julia Roberts for the Pharmaceutical Journal. Bearing in mind the incomprehension suffered by your editor when we did the Buprenorphine story last April we’ve played down the technical details in favour of the human efforts of our new RBPA members now

joining the get-togethers club (see P2).

It took 16 years of tireless research before Stewart Adams and John Nicholson finally made a breakthrough discovery in their search for a new drug for rheumatoid arthritis. They tested the potency of hundreds of other compounds, with some going to clinical trial and one even making it to market but, again and again, they came up against inactive compounds or unacceptable side effects.

It took 16 years of tireless research before Adams finally made his breakthrough discovery. But it began not with a quest to find a general painkiller, but to produce a new drug for rheumatoid arthritis.

Page 16 iCONTACT March 2017

Hull and its Reckitt Benckiser-derived benefits• The Garden Village, comprising 600+ houses,

rest homes, Club House and Village Hall (the latter destroyed in WW2). All provided by members of the Reckitt family. James Reckitt personally gave £100,000.

• Public Libraries (The James Reckitt Library, Holderness Road, being the first free public library in Hull). James Reckitt gave the buildings and books and £6,300-worth of Reckitt shares to provide for the upkeep.

• University of Hull – 1928 (foundation and original endowment by Thomas Ferens). Thomas Ferens bought the land and donated £250,000 towards the buildings.

• Newland Orphan Homes, Cottingham Road. (James Reckitt House, Francis Reckitt House, Swimming Baths, and Holiday Home at Hornsea).

• Ferens Art Gallery (provided by Thomas Ferens). Discussions started in 1917. Ferens bought the site and initially provided £35,000, then regular annual sums, then a further £10,000 lump sum for ongoing works.

• East Park and its Boating Lake – Reckitt Directors bought and gifted the land in 1887.

• Ferens Haven of Rest, Holderness Road.• Juliet Reckitt Homes (on The Hull Garden

Village).• Children’s Playground, Dansom Lane provided by

Thomas Ferens in 1896.• Charities founded by Sir James Reckitt, including

the following, which are still ongoing and active:o The James Reckitt Library Trust. The

trust has recently provided £363,000 for a music library within the Central Library; £413,000 towards the Western Library refurbishment; £85,000 towards a “shelf life” project between the Library and the Hull Freedom Festival; £10,000

per annum towards under 5s literary projects in the City of Hull.

o The Sir James Reckitt Charity. Established with £66,666-worth of Reckitt shares in 1921. By 1999 the overall capital (market value) of the Trust was nearly £15 million. It has supported many local initiatives over the years.

• Other charities founded and supported by Sir Philip Reckitt, Albert Reckitt and Thomas Ferens.

• Hull Royal Infirmary (including a complete New Wing added to the then Prospect Street site and the Sir James Reckitt Ward).

• The Sutton Annexe to HRI (site and contribution to the building fund). In 1926 the land and house for the Sutton Annexe was donated free of charge and a £10,000 contribution was made to the building fund.

• YPI (Young Peoples Institute, the Recreation Ground). Ferens donated the land in 1906.

• Hull Institute for the Blind (The Philip Reckitt Hall).

• Dove House Hospice (built upon land donated by the Company).

• Hull and East Riding Convalescent Home (at Withernsea) donated in 1894.

• Holderness House Trust, Holderness Road. (bequeathed by ThomasFerens).

• Other current benefits, include:o Payments to company pensioners of

approximately £7 million per annum.o Ongoing salaries paid to RB employees

in Hull.o The company is committed to a future in

the city with investment in a new Centre of Scientific Excellence to be opened in 2018 on its Dansom Lane site.

The Hull History Centre, left, is playing a key role in the City of Culture and holds archives on the Reckitt Benckiser heritage portrayed in the slide programme which was created in 2015 and

updated in February 2017.The Centre was the scene of the biggest-ever RBPA get-together in Hull for the launch of The Blue Makers, the story of Reckitt Colours (iContact No 56, April

2015).

We can make but passing mentionhere *

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 17

Page 18 CONTACT March 2017

A WEEPING WINDOW IN DERBY IS NEXT

AL

Andy Lynn’s close-up of Hull’s Weeping Window is for our Derby members to study in readiness for their own photo efforts when the display moves on to The Silk Mill there (June 9 - July 23) on its nationwide tour.

In Hull attention will switch to a unique Poppy for Oppy community event on May 6 and 7, outlined in the poster above right. The Carnegie Heritage Centre, also known as the West Park Museum, has long held a variety of historic Reckitt information and artefacts and “Reckitt girls” are among its volunteers.

Of particular interest to our readers will be what will be added to the Great War story we published in Contact

No.60 (August 2014). The digital supplement to that issue reproduced the Remembrance issue of Ours with a listing of all the employees who lost their lives.

Reckitt volunteers were among the first members of Hull Pals and were among the casualties at the Battle for Oppy Wood so the memorial page for each hull Pal will be of special interest.

With its senior citizen readership Contact regularly dives into the archives with good reason. Now, with plunging sales and fewer editorial staff, newspapers are calling up the work of earlier generations - this one, right, originated from a 1981 Reckitt News. But was it, as seems, a smart marketing idea? A couple of issues earlier there was a story about a new accident-based safety film!

iCONTACT April 2017 Page 19

It’s happening after we have gone to press but Hull pensioner (and photographer, see P10) Alan Oliver is doing the Swimathon on the April 9 and seeking fellow pensioners’ inspiration by contributing to a good cause, namely Marie Curie.

This charity provides care and support for people living with any terminal illness, and Alan says: “I must be mad, since the Swimathon involves swimming 5k, or 200 lengths of a 25 metre pool!”

If you would like to contribute to this good cause, then you can use the link below. If you gift aid the government contribute as well!

http://www.justgiving.com/Alan-Oliver12

Alan adds: “Any amount would be appreciated and it will help make a difference to people in a situation we never hope to find ourselves in.”

We regularly featured Golden Weddings but rarely Diamonds until this picture of Hull’s Ted and Shirley Atkinson in the Hull Daily Mail reminded us they are becoming more frequent. It is still a notable landmark and Ted’s former colleagues at Reckitts, where he worked for 30 years, will be happy for him and Shirley. Contact is now looking for diamonds. Send us your anniversary details and pictures. It is not the sort of information in company reecords (which Freedom of Information legisation would prevent us from using in any event).

ç çSplash out for Alan

The news that rb has started a strategic review of its food business, which includes French’s mustard, as it funds its $16.6 billion takeover of Mead Johnson Nutrition (P6) surprised the City but not many in the company where the HEALTH HYGIENE HOME strategy is sharply focussed.

The story broke in The Sunday Times just before we went to press but the company responded quickly with a statement saying French’s Foods “is a truly fantastc business with great brands, people and a history of outperformance … it is nevertheless non-core to rb .”

The interest now, especially for our Norwch readers, is who the mustard is passed to.

PASS THE MUSTARD

The Resident Agent is

commanded by Her Majesty to invite

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Harper

to a Diamond Jubilee Garden Party

at Sandringham

E RII

BY ROYAL COMMAND

An unforgettable day with Royalty for Frank Harper and his wife. Over the past ten years Frank has taken an estimated 12,000 people, including Colman pensioners, to hospital appointments, day care clinics, doctor’s appointments, wellbeing shopping and children into care (Contact No.52, September 2011)-.

Lots of people do not seek to be a centre of attention but there has always been a warm sense of community in our workplaces and people would rarely feel excluded. We are living longer but reaching 100

…our Norwich readers will be intested to learn that Hemel Hempstead-based soft drinks giant Britvic is set to buy Brazilian juice and concentrates business Bela Ischia Alimentos for £54.5m. It hopes the purchase will expand the company’s presence in Brazil as the world’s largest concentrates market. As usual, Robinsons is listed as a leading Britvic brand, with Tango, J2O and Fruit Shoot also noted, together with the fact it produces Pepsi and 7UP in the UK and Ireland under an agreement with Pepsi.

…and on the subject of brand power

Our letters page (P7) provides an encouraging response to our regular request for families and friends to tell us about employees where freedom of information legislation restricts what can be obtained from company records.

We don’t want centenarians to go unnoticed

is still a great achievement so we are sorry not to have been able to find out a little about the two centenarians recorded in this issue’s obituaries.

If you knew Doris Westlake or Geoffrey Lammimam please send a memory.

Memories we have received are Frank Harper who, in addition to providing hospital transport, also worked for Norwich City football club, helping less able to their seats.

His comunity work earned Royal approval with the invitation, left, to the Diamond Jubilee Garden Party

Roger Corbett was pictured, below left, on his electric scooter in Tesco’s Beverley store with his disabled access map after it had been approved by local businesses and the county council.

Publicly recording their approval are (l to r) Ben Gardiner, Beverley Chamber of Commerce, Linda Margison from Tesco and Councillor Ros Jump.

Page 20 iCONTACT March 2017

CONTACT April 2017 Page 21Produced for the Reckitt Benckiser Pensioners’ Association by John M. Davis, Beverley.Tel: 01482 888367 e-mail: contact@nilspin.com