Many countries are now making the elimination of elder abuse a priority.  The UK Government has a website, which encourages all to Recognise and report elder abuse.  Elder Abuse comes in many forms that may cause harm to older people. It includes intending to harm, harming without intent and the neglect that leads to harm.  The website notes that elder abuse includes actions relating to financial or material matters, including theft from the abused person, fraud, or coercion regarding wills and any financial transactions.  Another website has been set up to promote ‘Action on Elder Abuse’.

One would hope that all this is not just to encourage citizens to take action but would also set the standard for how government policies should apply to elders.  This is blatantly not the case for the Frozen Pensions Policy that is applied to some expat pensioners, if they are resident in the Commonwealth rather than in other foreign coutries. 

The UK Government  Frozen Pensions Policy

If you decide to move to Australia, Canada, South Africa or one of 170 other countries, your basic UK state pension won’t increase annually, as happens if you are resident in the UK. It will be permanently frozen at the date you retire or when you arrived in that country, and it will never increase, no matter how rich or poor you are, or how much you’ve paid in National Insurance contributions.   

However, if you move to an EU country, the US, or one of a seemingly random list of other countries including Israel and the Philippines, your state pension will increase in line with inflation exactly as if you had stayed in the UK.

The International Consortium of British Pensioners has been working for many years to persuade the UK government to remove this unfair inequity, which affects over 550, 000 pensioners. Their new website, pensionjustice.org, describes the unfairness of the present policy and the severe hardships it creates for some who have been heroes in defending the values for which the UK stands.

How The UK Government  Frozen Pensions Policy Hits One Centenarian

When you look at some of the people affected by this unfair policy, your heart bleeds.  An extreme case of this ‘abuse’ was documented in Australia where a 100-year-old woman has a UK state pension frozen at just £6 a week.

Is there an expat pensioner who is getting a worse deal than 100-year-old Annie Carr? Mrs Carr, who was born in Sunderland and emigrated to Australia in 1970 to join her only daughter, receives a UK basic state pension that is frozen at just £6.12 a week. Yet if she had stayed in the UK, or emigrated to a country such as Spain or the US, she would be getting up to £107.45 a week. Instead, she is out of pocket by more than £5,000 a year.

That treatment is clearly abusive.  The UK Government may insist that it is merely applying the legal arrangements that have been set in place.  However that is hardly an acceptable excuse for such treatment.  There are undoubtedly many other cases that are similar to that of Mrs. Carr.

UK Expat Centenarians At Least Deserve The Royal Treatment

After exhausting the legal process, the International Consortium of British Pensioners has now decided to appeal directly to the Queen in her diamond jubilee year.  Mrs. Carr may well have received a telegram from the Queen on attaining her 100th birthday.  How much more appropriate it would have been to right the wrong that has been perpetrated on her and on so many others for so many years.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Does The UK Government Give A 100-year-old Expat Pensioner Elder Abuse

Technorati Tags: elder abuse, expat, Frozen Pension, pensioner

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Here is a short video that sets out the facts of the present situation:

The core issue is almost unbelievable:

If you decide to move to Australia, Canada, South Africa or one of 170 other countries, your basic state pension won’t increase annually, as happens in the UK. It will be permanently frozen at the date you retire or when you arrived in that country, and it will never increase, no matter how rich or poor you are, or how much you’ve paid in national insurance contributions.

However, if you move to an EU country, the US, or one of a seemingly random list of other countries including Israel and the Philippines, your state pension will increase in line with inflation.

Pension Justice or Pension Fairness and Morality

In some ways choosing PensionJustice.org as the website domain is unfortunate.  The Guardian article clearly sets out the situation as viewed currently from a strictly legal point of view by Her Majesty’s government.  That might be interpreted as justice but it is far from fair.  The effect on some of Britain’s finest could even be seen as immoral.

British pensioners who live in any of the 30 countries that make up the European Economic Area – or Switzerland – get annual increases to their basic state pension.

These so-called "upratings" are also paid to pensioners living in 16 countries or territories with which the UK has a reciprocal social security agreement requiring increases to be paid: Barbados, Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey, Mauritius, Montenegro, the Philippines, Serbia, Turkey, the US and Macedonia. No other countries get the increases.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office says: "Our position on this issue has been endorsed by the European court of human rights. We do not apply living increases to the pensions of those living in [countries such as] Australia. Our policy in this area has remained the same since 1955, and we believe it is the fairest system possible for those who live and pay tax in the UK."

In 1955 UK state pensions became payable worldwide. But the agreements signed with countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand during the 1950s didn’t include upratings.

Note that this official position states that their policy is fair for those who live and pay tax in the UK.  By direct implication, they are confirming that they know that this is not fair for many expats who have chosen to live in the wrong country.

Getting That UK Sense of Fair Play Involved

The legal profession is notorious for sticking to the niceties and so perhaps it’s time to go to a higher authority to get fair play on frozen pensions:

After exhausting the legal process, the International Consortium of British Pensioners has decided to appeal directly to the Queen in her diamond jubilee year. In a letter sent to her last month, 73-year-old Jim Tilley, who moved to Australia in 1971 and is honorary chairman of the British Pensions in Australia group, said: "We pray that … you will see reason to request your government to be less intransigent about this issue."

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Pension Justice For UK Expats

Technorati Tags: equity, expat, fairness, justice, morality, Pension, UK

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• April 12, 2010 -- Frozen Pensioners Fight On For British Fair Play (0)
• October 4, 2009 -- UK State Pension Values Confirm The Frozen Inequity (2)

Branding is a very precise process and is a very important aspect of marketing.  It is also very difficult to perfect. Your company or product’s brand is critical to success. It is with this image and concept that your customers will recognize your product or service and judge whether it is right for them or not.

Internet marketing creates an even greater need and opportunity for brand cohesion for a company and brand identification among consumers. However, there are times that marketers have to bite the bullet and realize that a brand isn’t working as it should, however well known it may be.

Making the choice to alter or scrap a brand is difficult, particularly if it has been around for some years. Much of successful branding relies on consistency and persistence. However, if a brand really isn’t working and needs a change, there will be warning signs. Look for these three signs that your brand might need a makeover.

The Brand Does not Reflect New Products or Services

The point of a company is to grow and expand. There are numerous instances where a company starts in one direction and then grows and evolves over time. When this happens brands can encounter some problems. If your brand no longer reflects your products or services wholly it may be a good time to reconsider your branding campaign. You want to allow your brand to grow and evolve as your company, products, and services do. Yes, consistency is important. But you will be doing no one any good by keeping an old brand attached to a new company offering. Evaluate how appropriate your brand is for what your company offers. Does it communicate the entire picture? Is it too narrow now? These are the things you need to look into.

You Have a New Target Audience

Your brand is directed towards a particular target audience. You want to communicate what your company is and what you offer in a way that specifically speaks to your desired customer base. However, just as your products can outgrow your brand, so also your target audience can evolve.

Sometimes when a company starts out, we aim too narrow with our targeted audience. A brand can become too narrow for the audience that we are hoping to reach once your company’s market begins to grow and expand. One of the worst things you could do with your branding is exclude certain people and groups from your marketing campaign. Evaluate your brand to make sure that it includes everyone you wish to reach. If you find that your brand is too narrow or you are not actually reaching your target audience, you should definitely consider making some adjustments.

Customers See Your Brand Differently Than Intended

Another issue that can easily occur with branding is that it is not perceived the way you intended it. This can be one of the more difficult things to deal with and recognize. You put a huge amount of effort into creating a brand that you think communicates exactly what you want about your company only to find that your audience sees it completely differently.

One way to find out if your brand is having this issue is by very simply asking your audience. Survey your target audience about your brand. Find out how they really see you and what your brand says to them. See what they call your brand. Do they have a different or shorter name for your brand? What do they identify with most about your company? These are important questions that your audience can answer so that you can create a stronger more accurate brand. If you find that your target audience has a different perception of your brand, you should consider altering things.

Author Bio:This is a guest post by Eliza Morgan who is a full time blogger. She specializes in writing about business credit cards. You can reach her at: elizamorgan856 at gmail dot com.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

3 Signs it is Time to Change Your Brand

Technorati Tags: brand, niche, offering, target

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For Gordon Ramsay, his legal action states that:

Negative and critical public comments regarding the plaintiff could have the effect of decreasing the commercial value of his name and any commercial ventures associated with it.

For those of us who are less famous, the impact of negative comments may be less significant but they can potentially have a more significant effect on our future well-being.  Conversely it is important that you establish an online presence that will help you in your business and community activities.

If you need help in doing this, you will find reputation.com, the online reputation management company can help.  As they say:

We establish a distinct online presence and help you monitor your improvement — you can track articles, stories or other mentions of you, your most visited pages, how many people are searching for you and the location of those people, the top results for your name and your overall popularity ranking over time.

In some ways, building your personal brand is the easy part.  You then must monitor what is happening in cyber-space to ensure that no one is trying to undermine your brand by giving critical and damaging assessments of you.  That monitoring process requires an ongoing effort that is much more than just Googling your name from time to time.

Social media such as Facebook and Twitter can help information to go viral and explode across the Internet.  If you know about anything that could undermine your personal brand, then it is better to know about this as early as possible.  You may then need to take counter-offensives to nullify the adverse comments.  Here again reputation.com can work with you on this.

You will have some presence on the Internet whether you like it or not.  It may be one that is very supportive to your other endeavours or it may be weak or even negative. Rather than ignoring this new reality, it is much better to evaluate how you rate on the Internet and take actions, however minimal they may be, to neutralize any damaging information.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Protect Your Personal Brand

Technorati Tags: defamation, Gordon Ramsay, reputation

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Traditionally internet marketers use the power of key words in articles, titles, and metadata descriptions in order to get high search engine rankings. But there is now a fresher, more attractive and most importantly not as “obvious” SEO technique that is making its way in cyberspace—infographics. Just like the name sounds, infographics are illustrations (graphics) that artistically display a set of data or statistics (info). Because they’re fun and manage to showcase what some may consider a “boring” set of stats in a new light, they often go viral.

For example, the popular American technology news website Mashable regularly generates infographics which just so happen to find themselves on popular social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest — since people share infographics to friends and repost , SEO is completed with minimal effort. Of course, your infographic has to be good before it makes its rounds in cyberspace. To learn how to make one, continue reading below.

Artistic Presentation

What makes consumers interested in an infographic in the first place are the images and vibrancy of the illustrations. Typically infographics are drawn in a cartoon, caricature-style (or just something that is readily exaggerated). Other times infographics are made of drawn out maps or even just beautifully drawn words. Internet marketers typically hire graphic designers for the job, but there are a few sites that can help you create a similar effect for free, such as Tweet Sheet, StatSilk and Wordle that are designed to help artistically-challenged people.

Set of Stats/Data

Of course, no matter how good your illustrations are it would mean nothing if they weren’t used to accompany a set of stats. Think of a concept that would have stats readily available, like what’s the iPhone really costing you? The true price of an emergency room visit. Blenders throughout the ages. Or whatever other out -of-the-box topic that relates to the website you’re originally linking back to, which leads us to our final tip.

Link Back

Lastly and by far most importantly, you need to have a link back to the original site you’re trying to promote—otherwise, the infographic can be shared a thousand times and it wouldn’t increase your search engine rankings in the very least. So add the link back at the bottom of the infographic as well as in the metadata description. Also allow the infographic to be able to be shared directly on social media sites with one click of a button to encourage more reposts.

Author Bio:  This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online courses.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7@gmail.com.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Can Infographics Boost SEO Efforts?

Technorati Tags: art, data, infographic, stats

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Order of the funeral service

• Music:  HMS Pinafore, Overture, Gilbert and Sullivan
• Welcome and introduction:  by Alex MacLeod
• A Tribute To Edna Welford
• Condolences and tributes from family and friends:  read by Iain Cram, grandson-in-law
• Pause for Reflection
• Music: Für Elise, Ludwig van Beethoven
• The Committal
• Closing thoughts and thanks
• Music: “I could have danced all night” from My Fair Lady, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe

Edna’s Celebration Of Life

Music: “HMS Pinafore, Overture”, Gilbert and Sullivan

Welcome and introduction: by Alex MacLeod

Good morning and welcome.

We are here to remember and to celebrate the life of Edna Elizabeth Welford who  died on the 21st of December 2011. You have come to say your farewells together  and to share these quiet moments in tribute to her. She was unique and so is her  ceremony. With reminiscences from her family we will share some of the defining  moments in her life and some of the happy memories you have of her.

My name is Alex MacLeod and I am honoured to have been asked to conduct this  ceremony. I am from the Humanist Society of Scotland and this will be a Humanist  ceremony. Humanism has ancient roots and is not concerned with religion; it is a  philosophy which focuses on making sense of the world using reason, experience,  compassion and shared human values. Consequently there will be no religious  content in this ceremony but there will be a Pause For Reflection, a quiet interval  when you may wish to say your own farewells privately according to your own  convictions.

There may those among you for whom religious faith is a central part of  life and who are familiar with a different form of ceremony. However I hope that we  can agree that there is a common human bond that unites us in support for each  other at times of difficulty, and in sympathy and compassion at times of grief. I hope  that when we leave at the end of this ceremony you will be glad that you have taken  the opportunity to say your farewells together to someone who in the course of her  life has touched all your lives in one way or another.

A Tribute To Edna Welford

Death is the inevitable consequence of being born and living, every living thing has a  beginning and an end. We all know this, but even with this clear and certain  knowledge the death of a loved one is still the most distressing and stressful of all  experiences. Grief is the price we pay for loving and caring. This is a time of grief; it  is a time to mourn. However by expressing and sharing grief and sorrow and in  comforting and supporting each other you may eventually come to accept what has  happened and come to treasure the true riches of a full life well lived.

In doing this  there is no greater honour that we can pay to those whose lives are over, no greater demonstration of our love for them, than to turn back to life and to live it to the full.  This does not imply lack of respect or forgetfulness. It simply means that we have  learned, through living with them, that life is for the living. The best way to face the  reality of death is to turn back to life and to embrace it with all our power. This is  especially true when thinking of Edna, one of her defining characteristics was that  she was “full of life”.

This sense of acknowledging loss while recognising life goes on is expressed in a  piece based on the writings of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh.

We should not speak of our love in the past tense. Love is a thing that does not fade  in a faithful heart and our love for someone does not die with them. This being true  our lives must be a continuation of theirs, with all its significance. We must reflect on  all that was beauty and nobility in that person and make sure that those around us  and our surroundings do not lose anything through their death so that the seed that  has fallen onto the earth may give a hundred fold harvest in the hearts and lives of  others.

Living together on this planet we are all members of a global human community and  through this we are all concerned, directly or indirectly, with the life and death of any  human individual. In the course of our lives we may fill many different roles within  this great community. Thus Edna was variously, amongst other things, daughter,  sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother; schoolgirl, shop-keeper  and, especially, friend. It is through this community that there is continuity in spite of  death, continuity in the form of our lineage and our heritage.

Our lineage is those to  whom we are related, our family. Our heritage is the various ways in which the lives  of others both within and beyond our family have been shaped, to a greater or lesser  extent, by our attitudes and actions. Thus each of you holds a part of Edna’s heritage  in the various ways in which your lives have been affected by knowing her and in the  memories that you have of her. With this each of you remains close to her.

You are here today as members of the community shared with Edna. By your  presence here each of you is paying a great and most eloquent tribute to her, to the  woman and her life, and the esteem and affection you had for her. Now, together, we  will remember Edna, the story of her life and her great joy in being alive.

Edna Was Born In Hartlepool

Edna had a long and colourful life. She had mostly a good and enjoyable time but  certainly also faced significant challenges. She was born on the 27th November 1913  to Samuel and Mary-Ann Payne living in Old Hartlepool on Teesside. Edna was the  youngest of their four children, following her sister Emily, the eldest, and brothers  Edward and Howard. Edna was 13 years younger than Emily and was essentially  brought up by her as their mother appears to have been a chronic hypochondriac for  much of her life and was content to leave the management of the household to her  daughters.

The eve of the first world war was certainly not the most auspicious of  times to have been born and this was certainly brought home to the inhabitants of  Hartlepool when on the 16th of December 1914 it was the first place on the mainland  of Great Britain to be attacked by German forces. Three fully armed battle cruisers  sailed into the bay and bombarded the harbour and the town killing 86 and injuring  424 of the townspeople.

Fortunately Edna’s family were not directly affected by this  episode and in general it appears that she had a happy childhood, she enjoyed a  great deal of freedom and recalled playing on the beach. She was lively and high  spirited, her family were not poverty stricken and she was well cared for. Although  the evidence of her later life is that she was clearly highly intelligent and bright  enough to have taken her education much further she was not selected for grammar  school, something which seemed to have haunted her for the rest of her life.

Edna’s life changed dramatically when she was 14. Her sister Emily married so Edna  had to leave school to keep house for her long suffering father and her two brothers  as well as her difficult and demanding mother who was clearly not going to do this.  Edna obviously felt this was highly unfair and it soured their relationship until her  mother died in 1956.

Edna Married Tom Welford

Edna met Tom Welford at a mutual friend’s 21st birthday party. They were  immediately attracted to each other and were married in 1936, setting up home in  West Hartlepool. At first Tom was a traveller for a confectionary firm, taking and  delivering orders to shops in the area. However Tom developed Type 1 diabetes at a  time when controlling the condition using insulin was only just becoming possible  and the management of the treatment was not well understood even by members of  the medical profession. Tom was the first patient in the area to receive insulin and his  doctor seemed to be prepared to proceed on a “suck it and see” basis. Edna was not satisfied with this and found a library book that gave her more structured  information about the condition.  So she became in effect an unpaid nurse,  keeping an ever watchful eye on Tom’s diet, his sugar level and demeanour.

With his diabetes, Tom was unable to continue his job as a traveller and so in the late  1930s he and Edna set up a corner and grocery shop at 92 Welldeck Road in West Hartlepool. At first they  lived in the fairly cramped accommodation behind and above the shop. They worked  hard and made a great success of the shop which became a focal point in the local  community. The shop had one of the few phones in the area which brought people  into the shop regularly to use it.

Edna and Tom Raise A Family

Edna and Tom’s children were born when the family was living at the shop, Barry in  1937, John in 1940 and Sue in 1944. Edna was a loving and caring mother, she was  proud of her children’s achievements and was pleased as they set up their own  families.

In due course Edna was delighted with the arrival of her grandchildren. And  she was later thrilled when Katie, Kim and Phil were followed by her great-grandchildren Aidan, Sam, Beatrix and Holly. She took a great and close interest in  all their lives and enjoyed their company. She certainly liked a good joke and a good  laugh so she enjoyed the occasion when her two young grandchildren visiting from  Canada discovered that her name was Edna. Their only previous knowledge of this  name was through the cartoon character the mean minded “Evil Edna” and so there  was a lot of good natured fun over that discovery.

It is a tribute to Edna’s skill as a mother that in spite of working almost all hours in  the shop and with little money to spare her children recall very happy childhoods and  all three made it to Grammar School. Edna was a good cook and an excellent baker.  Her scones were legendary and people very much looked forward to spending the  morning at the Welford’s. There was a very strong community spirit in the area  around the shop and Edna and Tom were very much part of it. The adults had  fortnightly whist drives followed by dancing to gramophone records. There was a trip  for the children every year and at the end of the war there was a huge street party.

Edna encouraged her children to get involved in social activities, in the Scouts, the  Guides and the church choir. Barry and John went with the choir to sing at the  Festival of Britain on the Southbank in London in 1951. Edna was rather more laid back in her approach to running the shop than Tom was. Edna would grant herself  extended lines of credit when using items from the shop for the family. Tom was  much more rigorous about managing the shop, which was only closed on  Wednesday afternoons and Sundays, and he would even spend the Wednesday  afternoons doing the books. When Sue and Paul got married they had to have their  wedding on a Wednesday afternoon – early closing day.

Edna On The Go

Edna was a health adviser’s nightmare. Apparently she went to see the doctor during  her 40s and was advised to diet and lose weight. She never returned and continued  to enjoy her fatty food with a high salt content, her cigarettes and her regular glass of  sherry. With this she was physically robust and as we know lived to be 98.

In the late 1960s Edna and Tom sold the shop and Tom took a less strenuous job in  the Civil Service. It was typical of Edna that in her 40s in the 1950s she had learned  to drive and they bought a small car. This gave Edna a real sense of achievement,  she loved driving and was a good, confident and spirited driver. Freed from the  restriction of running the shop she was able to drive Tom on holidays to Scotland  which she came to love. She said she loved the Scottish people and scenery and  that she wished she had been born in Scotland.

Edna loved music of all kinds, including popular classical music, especially Gilbert  and Sullivan and in her later years she welcomed the annual trip to the King’s  Theatre in Edinburgh to see the latest G&S amateur production. She also enjoyed  joining in any sing-song, for example when going on bus and car trips. One story  goes that the young daughter of friends of the family, Marion, preferred to travel with  Edna and Tom, rather than her own parents, “because the singing was better”.

Tom died in 1983, and then in 1992 Edna moved to Scotland to be closer to her  children and their families. At first she lived in sheltered housing but as her health  deteriorated she moved into the Thornlea Nursing Home in Loanhead where she  lived for the last six and a half years of her life.

Condolences and tributes from family and friends:  read by Iain Cram, grandson-in-law

Edna’s grandson-in-law Iain Cram will share a few  extracts from some of the many tributes and condolence messages received from the many people who knew her.

From her son Barry Welford in British Columbia, Canada

To her family, she was a shining example of how to enjoy life and we all learned from  her. It seemed as though she would live for ever and she almost did. Now we only  have great memories of all the good times together. We’ll miss you terribly, Mum,  but I’m sure you’ll be looking out for us as you did throughout your life.

From her nephew John Witty in Darlington

I liked her very much. She was always so kind to me: I particularly liked her happy  disposition and sense of humour. I have very happy memories of staying with her in  Welldeck Road.

From her niece Liz Roberts in London

So sorry to hear the sad news about Auntie Edna. She was a great lady and my  favourite auntie. She taught me all her bad habits, and her memory will live with me  for ever.

From a friend of the family Bill Orley in Teesside

Edna Welford was a common-sense, intelligent woman who was helpful and friendly.  She was very level-headed and had a great sense of humour -as well as baking  wonderful chocolate cakes! She will be greatly missed.

From another friend of the family Marion Agar in Hartlepool

She sends her condolences and recollections of Edna’s singing, especially in the car  on her holidays to Scotland.

And finally from granddaughter Kim Welford in Newfoundland, Canada.

I am grateful to have known my Gran, despite the distance that separated us.  There were fewer memories as a consequence but all so very dear.  It was a privilege to spend time with her.  Her wit, her good cheer, her social butterfly ways.  I only hope that I have inherited some of these traits to go along with our physical  likeness.

Marrying a Scot was the best thing I ever did; for among other things,  it allowed for more frequent visits with her over the last few years, and  it allowed for my son to meet his Great-Gran.  My only regrets are that she did not meet her Canadian great granddaughter and  that she never got her centenary letter from the Queen.  Trifles really when compared with the happiness that she spread  and the loving life that she led.  Rest in peace, dear Gran, with your fondest memories restored.  We will treasure your memory always.

Much love from those of us floating around on a rock in the North Atlantic,

Kim, Colin, Sam and Beatrix

Pause for Reflection

We have been remembering the character and life of Edna, a woman who loved her  family dearly and unconditionally. In spite of the many challenges in her life she  remained a remarkably cheerful and positive person. She was definitely a “glass  half-full” person although when it came to her sherry a full glass would undoubtedly  have been more welcome.

We will now take a short Pause for Reflection when you may choose to say your  own, private, farewells to Edna.

Music: “Für Elise”, Beethoven.

The Committal

With love and affection we have been remembering the life of Edna. We have  already committed her safely and warmly to our hearts. Now it is time, in quietness of  spirit to let her go. We move towards committal when her body will be taken from our  presence.

Every living thing has a beginning and an end.  For each of us there is a time to be born and a time to die.  And so death has come to Edna  Now as we bid her farewell,  we commit her character and personality to our memories  and her love and friendship to our hearts.  Finally we commit her body to its natural end,  To rejoin the great cycle of nature.

Closing thoughts and thanks

Edna’s family would like to thank all of you, family and friends, for your comfort and  support at this difficult and distressing time and for coming today which is greatly  appreciated. They would also like to thank the staff of the Thornlea Nursing Home  whose care and attention to Edna made her final years as pleasant and comfortable  as they could be. You are invited to join the family in the Toby Carvery, directly  opposite the entrance to this site, after this ceremony to continue your celebration of  Edna’s life. As you leave at the end of this ceremony in a few minutes there will be a  collection in aid of Alzheimer Scotland.

Music

The music we have heard today has been chosen by the family to reflect something  of Edna’s tastes and life. As we entered this chapel we heard the Overture to Gilbert  and Sullivan’s “HMS Pinafore”. During the Pause for Reflection we heard  Beethoven’s “Für Elise”. Tom was a pretty competent pianist and if the family were  going out once he was ready he would pop into the front room and start playing  while the rest of the family got themselves ready. This piece was one of his  favourites. When we leave we will hear “I could have danced all night” from the  musical “My Fair Lady”. Edna loved romantic musicals and also loved to go dancing.  This piece, with its sheer exuberance, mirrors Edna’s life-long joie-de-vivre and her  unquenchable enthusiasm for life and for living.

Conclusion

Family and friends, the comfort of having Edna as a close, caring and loving  companion and friend may indeed be lost, but the consolation of having known that  love will never be lost; the consolation of having known her, of having shared in her  life and of having shared yours with her. A consolation of which you become  especially aware at this moment as you fix her living image in your minds and recall  the personal qualities that made her unique, that made you love her.

Continue to  remember her and to talk about her, recall her in anecdotes with a laugh, she would  have liked that. You know her better than I do and I have no doubt that you can tell  the stories better relaxed together in your own homes. Hold on to the things about  her that made you love her and you will find that she will never be far from your side.

With these thoughts of Edna in mind I would like to bring this ceremony to a close  with some lines by Anne Brontë.

Farewell to Thee! But not farewell
To all my fondest thoughts of Thee;
Within my heart they still shall dwell
And they shall cheer and comfort me.

Life seems more sweet that Thou did’st live
And women, more true that thou wert one;
Nothing is lost that Thou did’st give,
Nothing destroyed that Thou hast done.

Music: “I could have danced all night” from My Fair Lady, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe

Footnote: This video version features the voice of Audrey Hepburn. In the film version, this song was sung by Marni Nixon, which was the version played at the ceremony but cannot be embedded here.  You can watch the Marni Nixon version on Youtube.

Author Notes: The content above was written by Alex J MacLeod, who was the Registered Celebrant and who is a member of the Humanist Society of Scotland , which is a Registered Charity (SC 026570). You can contact him via e-mail at alex.macleod@humanism-scotland.org.uk  Click here for a printed version of this celebration of life.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Celebration Of Life – Edna Welford

Technorati Tags: celebration, edna welford, humanist, life, remembrance

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When you’re starting an online business, you probably have no shortage of ideas, motivation, and grand plans for the future of your enterprise. But there is one notable area where you likely have a short supply: finances. Unless you have personal reserves or an already-set collection of investors, there’s a good chance that your ideas will have to initially be implemented with a tight budget in mind.

This budget extends to your marketing efforts. While it is important to advertise your business and work to gain exposure, it is impossible to take out large ad campaigns or to simply throw money at the situation. Instead, you need to find approaches that maximize the benefits while minimizing, as much as possible, the costs you need to occur for them to be realized.

Along those lines, here are a few tips for marketing your startup, working to gain some initial exposure, and for accomplishing this without paying a dime:

Use Social Media

This goes without saying, but social media can be an incredibly powerful tool for boosting your exposure without incurring any costs. To this end, create a Facebook page for your business and open a Twitter account. Post status updates and Facebook and try to accumulate “Likes” from among your colleagues, family members, and friends. Doing so will insure that a larger number of people see your business on their News Feeds.

Study The Competition

Even if you aren’t in a niche industry, your business likely has a specific focus that is closely matched by only a few internet competitors. Study these competitors to get an idea of how they market themselves –especially, how they market themselves for free. Do they post articles on forums or other sites? How do they utilize social media? Does it appear as though they have mailing lists and newsletters?

Communicate

A successful marketing campaign cannot simply be done behind a façade of internet anonymity. Instead, it is important to talk to people in the industry, whether on the phone, at conventions, or through email. Ask them advice but also ask them to spread the world. You may even get some helpful tips in the process.

Go Offline

While limitless, the internet still has its limits when it comes to marketing. This is especially true for a small startup that is looking to gain traction and exposure. If you operate in a niche industry or have a determinable customer base, you may have more success looking to reach this demographic offline in the early going. Does your target consumer group interact offline? Is there a place they go (ie a given retailer) or a way they communicate? If so, you may want to make yourself a part of that community.

These are just a few tips for increasing your exposure during the early days of a startup, when visibility is low and money is tight. The options available in this situation may not be as appealing as those you could find on a larger budget, but when done correctly they can return dividends nonetheless.

Author Bio: Sam Peters is a blogger who frequently writes for entrepreneurial and tech blogs covering topics from online marketing to the newest gadget and mobile web news.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

Free Marketing Tips For Internet Startups

Technorati Tags: budget, low cost, start-up

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There is nothing quite like celebrating New Year’s Eve in Scotland. Whether you are in a local pub, on the streets of Edinburgh or enjoying a party with friends and family Scotland seems to be in its element at Hogmanay.

Hogmanay in Edinburgh

Scotland’s flagship Hogmanay event is in Edinburgh. With leading music events and DJs this is an all ticket affair. The concert is part of the larger street party in Princes Street. You can still have a great time in Edinburgh without buying a ticket – there are lots of great pubs in Edinburgh and many will be having parties to bring in the New Year. Alternatively there will be a torchlight procession from Parliament Square to Calton Hill with a fireworks display.

There are many other events at the theatres and concert venues that make Edinburgh such a great city for a party. The Usher Hall has the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra – have you ever heard; Auld Lang Syne played by a fiddle orchestra? The Queenshall will do things in a traditional Scottish way with a Ceilidh hosted by the band Heeliegoleerie and with a piper to bring in the New Year.

Hogmanay in Perthshire

If all this sounds a little too much perhaps a more peaceful time in Perthshire might be the way to bring in 2012.  Auchterarder might be a good place to stay. There is a good assortment of pubs in town to choose from and there is a great array of shops. What better way to clear your head on New Year’s day than to stroll along the Oak Walk from the town?

Should you still feel you want a big party you can bring in the New Year at Perth race course. This offers a mixture of the traditional Ceilidh and disco at the racecourse just to the north of Perth.

Hogmanay in Pitlochry

Pitlochry is one of the Scottish towns that goes a bit crazy for New Year. They close their main street and have a proper party. The pubs and hotels of this beautiful Scottish Highland town make a special effort to welcome the guests.

There is something to do for Hogmanay wherever you stay in Scotland and you will find the Scots have the best parties you could wish for on New Year’s Eve.  Why not plan on spending this Hogmanay in Scotland.

Author Bio: Abhishek Bhan is a writer for Mackay’s Agency which has a range of self catering Scottish cottages to choose from in several of the places mentioned in the article.

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Hogmanay, New Year’s Eve Scottish Style

Technorati Tags: ceilidh, edinburgh, hogmanay, New Year, scotland

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Some Key Dates

Mum was born on November 27, 1913 in Hartlepool as Edna Elizabeth Payne. Given family circumstances, she had to leave school at 14 to look after her father, mother and two elder brothers.  In 1936, she married Thomas Midgely Welford and they had three children, Barry 1937, John (Tony) in 1940 and Susan in 1944.

In the late 1930s, she and Tom set up a corner grocery shop at 92 Welldeck Road in West Hartlepool, with somewhat cramped living accommodation behind and above the shop.  Eventually they moved to 31 Welldeck Road where Mum lived for much of her life.  Tom was a Type 1 diabetic (requiring daily insulin injections) at a time when diabetes was not fully understood, and so Edna often had to function as an unpaid nurse, keeping an ever watchful eye on Tom’s diet and his sugar level and demeanor.  He died in 1983 at the age of 69.

Nine years later Edna moved up to Scotland to be nearer to her children – John in Edinburgh and Sue in Penicuik.  From 1992 to 2005 she lived in Castle Rock sheltered housing in the village of Roslin.  When she could no longer look after herself she moved into the Thornlea Nursing Home in nearby Loanhead.  She settled in very well, and receiving excellent care from the staff was able to spend her final six and a half years there before dying peacefully on December 21, 2011.

Edna had a great many friends and was a delight to be with.  She had many talents, not least her great cooking.  There were many favourites, but I really enjoyed the super-fruit-filled cherry cakes she used to send me at university.  However if I had to pick three qualities I would name the three which follow.

Her Positive Attitude and Humour

This would probably be what most people who knew Edna would put at the top of their list.  She had a hard life and her mother, who was ‘not a well woman’, was a real burden.  Helping to run the shop during the War years while raising three kids was very challenging but nothing phased her.

She was a very social person and loved music of all kinds throughout her life.

Her Kindness

Another strong characteristic was her kindness and readiness to help those in need.  For a time she took in her aged and ailing Uncle Tom who was no longer able to care for himself.

She and Tom raised some great kids

The emphasis here is on the raising and not on the great kids.  Or as my brother, John, said, present company excepted.  They both went out of their way to encourage us to get out and get involved and so we did in singing in choirs, scouting and a number of other activities.  We all had a great upbringing and will be forever grateful.

Here she is in 2009 with my brother John and some of her grand-children (Kim and Katie) and great-grand-children (Sam and Aidan).

Celebration of her life

Although Edna has by now outlived most of her close friends, there will be a Celebration of her Life on Wednesday 4 January 2012 at 12.30pm in the Pentland Chapel at the Mortonhall Crematorium, Howdenhall Rd, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH16 6TX.  The celebrant, Alex Macleod, is a member of the Humanist Society Scotland.  He has now provided a full account of the Celebration of her life.

Those attending are invited to meet for coffee from 11.30 am onwards in the Toby Carvery in Howdenhall Road directly opposite the entrance to the Mortonhall Crematorium.

Donations and Comments

A collection at the Celebration will be taken for Alzheimer’s Scotland.  No flowers by request, but please send donations in lieu to Alzheimer’s Scotland.

If you have fond memories of Edna, it would be great if you wish to add them as comments here and share them with her other friends.

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Edna Elizabeth Welford 1913 – 2011

Technorati Tags: celebration, life, mum

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There has been growing support for the unfreezing of these pensions in Parliament. An early day motion (EDM) calling on the government to end the freezing of state pensions for expats, sponsored by Work and Pensions Committee chair Dame Anne Begg, has attracted 101 MPs’ signatures.  This  affects around 500,000 pensioners.

Now a working group which includes Treasury officials and members of the International Consortium of British Pensioners (ICBP) will investigate the issue.

Post from: The Other Blokes Blog

UK Frozen Pensions Working Group Set Up

Technorati Tags: frozen pensions, government, pensions, UK

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