Editor : Jim Fieldsend
8 Croft Close, Wickhambrook
Tel : 01440 820108
Published by the Wickhambrook MSC Supporters Association |
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| Issue No. 219 - November - December
2005 |
Previous front cover of
The Scene
Photo by Ron Weir |
Having just arrived back from a late holiday it doesn't seem possible
that Christmas is only eight weeks away but it is so I will have to
get my skates on.
Arrive back from holiday at this time of year and you will find the
hayfield that you laughingly call a lawn knee deep in windfall apples,
at least I did. As for the fruit still on the tree we have no chance
of catching up with all that hangs there. We did however manage to
pick just about all the Bramley cooking apples before we set off for
two weeks of sun and foreign culture and were amazed to find one of
the apples weighed in at 1lb 6oz now don't ask me what that is in
new money kids because I haven't got the faintest idea. Anyway what
it amounts to is that when the Dr asks if we are getting our five
portions of fruit per day we can tell him that you are eating more
than that an hour.
Since moving to Wickhambrook just over eighteen years ago Christmas
has become an increasingly hectic time for me. First there is the
pantomime (Oh no there isn't!
Oh yes there... Oh never mind). At the same time I am trying to get
out the January edition of the Scene while having to cope with the
fact that printers close for a week or more over the Christmas/New
Year period. Then I have the pleasure of playing Santa Claus for a
number of Schools and playgroups in the area, worth it just to see
the joy and puzzlement on the faces of the two year olds and the quick
wittedness involved in trying to outguess the seven year olds. As
a break this year I am standing back a little from the pantomime and
just designing and building the scenery for the production. To be
involved as much as I was last year was quite tiring and having written
it, directed it, acted in it, and designed and built the scenery for
it Er-Indoors hardly ever saw me for two months. (And when I did see
him all he did was moan, but what's new about that. Er-Indoors). I
bet you're thinking that I will be idling my time away, well you're
wrong, Panto 2007 is being written even as you read this. As mentioned
earlier the printers close over the Christmas period so if you have
anything you wish to be included in the next issue please let me
have it by Thursday 8th December so that we can get it to them as
soon as possible. Ta! Ever so much.
And with that all that is left for me to do is wish you on behalf
of myself, Er-Indoors and all concerned in the publication of the
Scene a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Jim Fieldsend |
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As newer issues of
The Scene are published, some articles that are regular features
in The Scene will be updated and so will not have a link back to
this page |
Thank you!
I would like to thank all those kind people who took time to fill
in my questionnaires.
Jonathan Horne Bury Road, Wickhambrook
|
Wickhambrook
What's On
Maria Sumner has taken over the editing of the What's On from John
Bean. Please send information on forthcoming meetings, events etc
(keep it brief) to Maria e-mail: mds@mdsign.co.uk,
tel: 01440 820222. Maria is also the producer of the Wickhambrook
website.
|
Two new books from
local author Paul H Last
Oh Ditty
80 Poems & Rhymes
for all the family
ISBN 1-84375-185-4 |
|
Ho, Ho - Oh!
10 Humorous Short Stories
for adults
ISBN 1-84375-185-2 |
Available from Bookshops amazon.com
or www.upso.co.uk/paullast
|
Finance matters
Pension Changes
Pension rules will be changing on April 5th 2006 (A-Day). They are
the biggest for over 30 years and include:
* A single set of simplified rules
* Pension funds will have a lifetime limit above which tax penalties
will apply
* Maximum contribution in any year will be 100% of earnings or the
annual allowance (£215,000 for 2006/07)
* The range of investments allowed inside a pension will be limited
to 50% of the fund value after A-Day
* Tax-free cash available at retirement will be 25%
So what?
The state pension will be less (in real terms) in future due to the
increasing proportion of retired people and increasing life expectancy.
The new rules are intended to encourage the disillusioned and the
apathetic, as well as those who are already saving, to invest more
in their retirement provision.
Pensions are a very tax efficient way of saving for retirement but
they can be inflexible. The new rules will make them more flexible
and appealing, by allowing a greater range of investments.
Houses and Fine Wines!
From A-Day, residential property will be permitted in a pension scheme;
currently only commercial property (offices, shops etc.) is allowed.
Existing property owners will be able to sell their rental properties
or holiday homes to their pension schemes. This will free up cash
from their schemes and also protect future growth in the value of
the property from Capital Gains Tax.
However, the risks involved in having only a single property in a
pension are substantial and costs can be quite high.
A less risky approach would be to use collective funds of residential
properties, and to diversify by adding a mix of funds from other asset
classes, such as equities, gilts, corporate bonds and commercial property.
Ideally these should not be strongly dependent on each other.
Other assets of note, that are not permitted in pension schemes at
present but will be after A-Day, include such collectables as fine
wines and stamps.
However, all pension assets will incur rent or tax charges if you
enjoy the benefit of them, eg. if you stay in your holiday property
or if you drink your wine!
Review Your Pension Now!
Some existing schemes have benefits that are greater now than those
the new rules will allow, eg. tax-free cash in excess of 25%. the
benefits of existing schemes can be protected, if required, but this
should be done well before A-Day (pension providers are already predicting
3 month delays in some areas).
Future Articles
If you would like information on the topic covered, please contact
me (details as per BV Services advertisement). Please note this article
contains general information only and should not be viewed as specific
advice.
John Bramwell BV Services is authorised and regulated by the Financial
Services Authority
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