SIR: The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship is, as its name implies, an organisation created to extend the hand of fellowship to retired civil servants.

Over recent years, many civil servants have taken early retirement, which has meant that they have not been included in the lists provided to the Fellowship of pensionable people who can be approached by local Branches. In addition, there have been sweeping changes and extensive privatisation throughout the Service and many civil servants have moved on to other jobs.

Faced with these developments, the Fellowship has decided to amend its rules. Those who have left the Civil Service, for whatever reason, can nevertheless now become subscribing members of the Fellowship and, irrespective of whether they become members, automatically enjoy beneficiary status on retirement. Prominent among these will be women who left the Service on marriage.

These former civil servants are, as far as the Fellowship is concerned, "missing", and we want very much to encourage them to make contact, especially those who have left the ranks during the last half-dozen or so years. While working, they would have enjoyed a special camaraderie which they may now miss. The Fellowship can replace some of that camaraderie but, because names and addresses are often unknown, the first contact needs to be established by the potential member.

Inquiries should be addressed to: Mr W Lawrence, Secretary, CSRF - Bolton Group 1, 3 King Street, Bromley Cross, Bolton BL7 9HY; or to Mrs Jean Cooper, The Civil Service Retirement Fellowship, 1b Deal's Gateway, Blackheath Road, London SE10 8BW, Tel: 0181 691 7411. Fax 0181 469 0079.

Further details may be freely obtained from either.

Mrs N Hudson

Chairman Bolton Group

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.