POLICE_WORLD_01_2016

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Friends Reunited October sunshine versus UK fog and rain was the dilemma. T he sunshine readily won and so off Sara and I went to the World Congress held in Limassol, Cyprus, swiftly followed by the travel widely, but it did strike me how many members’ trips we are unaware of at HQ. I would love to capture and promote this IPA benefit more to other members and potential members.

friendship week. We had never ventured to Cyprus on our travels but I had over the years met a number of Cypriot colleagues at various events and in particular Gimborn. They all told me that I was missing out ‘big style’ on some guaranteed sunshine and the warmest of welcomes. Back in 2013 whilst chairing a seminar on Missing People at Gimborn I met Dinos Petrou together with his wife and sister who similarly encouraged me to visit the island. Dinos works as a police officer on the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) of Cyprus and a friendship was quickly formed.

Maybe the Cypriot strap line of you can ski and swim in the same day could catch on. However I am not sure could happen in the UK without the sea temperatures rising a fair few degrees! The last day quickly came with the gala dinner to look forward to, but beforehand we managed to meet up with Dinos and his family who had kindly invited Sara and I to his house for lunch in lieu of the events that had occurred on the previous Wednesday. The wine flowed and the servings of food helped to stem off the need for an afternoon sleep.

Conversations were had around the IPA, families, work and life as we know it. The work issues are very similar no matter where you police but through talking with others and utilising the IPA family network ideas can be shared and working practices refined and experiences learned from. That is what Gimborn offers in abundance. Before returning to the hotel we had a quick personal tour of Ayia Naper to see the beautiful beaches now surrounded by hotels and summer residents from the UK. The gala dinner passed with some splendid local entertainment and to the dance floor Sara and I were summoned – the Tango is not our forte but I think we got away with it and did the UK proud (ish). To finish, I just want to say on behalf of Sara and I a big thank you to the Cypriot Section for their hospitality and friendliness, and a huge thank you to everyone we met and for your company throughout. We truly enjoyed ourselves and we hope to see you again somewhere soon. Mick Luke, Nottinghamshire Branch

At the opening ceremony of the World Congress we had the chance to meet and greet each other with a plan to go to the Sovereign Base Area on the Wednesday of the friendship week. But unbeknown to us our plans would be scuppered by the landing of a 100 plus immigrants on the RAF base within the SBA. With the business of World Congress completed on the first Friday it was time to catch some sun and relax prior to embarking on the various tours that were on offer as part of the friendship week. Trips to Troodos Mountains, Nicosia and Paphos followed with plenty of opportunity to sample the local cuisine including a couple of confectionary stops at local sweet shops as well as visiting an array of historical sites. It was pleasure to meet and mix with a variety of IPA members from other Sections but fantastic to see a number of members from the UK, not forgetting Harry and Jean Hobbs who now live in Cyprus and were a great source of information about local history. It should not have surprised me, as we see plenty of evidence in Police World, that our members

POLICE WORLD Vol 61 No. 1, 2016

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