Police World Edition 2 2015

Article

Veritable Friendships Devon branch organised another great friendship weekend over Valentine’s Day. IPA members travelled from all over the country to join one hundred others in Woolacombe. Graham Bulford sheds light on this annual event. T hese friendship weekends have been going for the best part of 15 years and make up the highlight of the IPA year for Devon branch. The atmosphere is always relaxed,

Above and below: Dining at the Royal

on the Friday evening where one of our branch members achieved the highest score of 36 out of the 50 thought provoking questions. During the day time, members visited local walking and driving areas and some of us even experienced the famous and fabulous Devon cream teas!” Alex Thomson from Northamptonshire branch added, “It is always good to meet colleagues from many other branches. We are all looking forward to next year!” Guests always say thank you for organising the weekend but in reality very little is organised. It is a meeting of friends and everyone leaves with a smile on their face. If you have never tried an IPA friendship weekend just try it, you will want to come back. Graham , W Devon branch

The weekend’s programme is totally flexible - everyone is free to do their own thing but we all return without fail to an excellent and very sociable evening meal together followed by entertainment in the lounge bar. Some members opted for retail therapy in Barnstaple, some the Atlantic village outlet centre. Some ventured further afield to visit National Trust properties such as Watersmeet near Lynmouth, Arlington Court, Knightshayes or Castle Drogo on Dartmoor. It was also the perfect time of year to see Snowdrop Valley on Exmoor or perhaps visit friends in the area. A total of £234 was raised in a draw for Devon branch, £50 for the Air Ambulance and £54 from naming the Teddy for the Children’s Hospice South West. Thanks to all our guests.

friendly and full of fun, venues have included such places as Eastbourne, Bournemouth, Torquay and Newquay as well as the old faithful Royal Hotel at Woolacombe. Woolacombe had just been voted the best beach in the UK and the 13th best in the world so timing was perfect for our visit. The walks around Morthoe and Baggy Point offer glorious seascapes and you can walk the old railway line to Ilfracombe - where in Victorian times, 26 trains a day strained to carry 10,000 passengers to this seaside town. Now of course the landscape is dominated by the Damien Hirst statue Verity - an artwork that certainly generates debate.

The event was open to all IPA members - fourteen Thames Valley branch members and some from Northamptonshire branch accepted the invitation. Mike Vince, Thames Valley branch, said, “Great accommodation and excellent food, live evening entertainment and rekindling of friendships

made the whole weekend a success. Event organiser, Graham Bulford, held a quiz

A Minor Diversion The wail of the fire alarm brought conversation to a close in the corner pub at

Croyde, a stone’s throw from the beach in North Devon. At first we thought it was a test but it went on… and on! “It’s a fault” , said the landlord but the dreadful noise could not be stopped and soon the fire and rescue service arrived. At this point the eyes of our ladies lit up. “Wow! I want to be carried out!” someone cried. Bang! One of the firemen cracked his head on the low beams as he hastily entered. All the tests were done and the men were happy that normality returned - which could not be said for the wives.

John Bull, 7 Region Chair, and other members study a whale bone washed up in 1915

Verity, by Damien Hirst, now dominates the Ifracombe landscape

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POLICE WORLD Vol 60 No. 2, 2015 POLICE WORLD Vol 60 No. 2, 015