On Wednesday, member Margaret gave a talk about 'My Working Life'. An audience of about 36 members were held enthralled for more than an hour, as Margaret told stories about her 33 years as a civil servant, under nine different Governments. She worked from leaving school at 16 in the Labour Exchange, starting as a clerical officer, and becoming a box clerk and a pay clerk, before transferring to the Women's Exchange, and then becoming a disabled assistance officer in contact with Remploy factories, etc. Then a change to the Professional and Executive Employee Office. Margaret became the first female supervisor ever. By the "60s she was in staff training, and in the early '70s Job Centre manager about the time when computers were being introduced! The Govt. Labour Market set up the Merseyside Temps, and then a Nurses Bank for their jobs. Margaret mentioned many well-known people who were connected by some reason to her work, such as Anne Widdecombe, Tony Blair, etc. By 1991, Margaret was an area manager, and then a district manager and involved with New Deal projects and even went to Downing Street. David Blunkett came to her retirement party. Margaret says you should always follow your dreams, compliment people on a job well done, that managing people was a privilege not a chore, and retirement is fabulous! The meeting at 2 pm on September 24 will be a surprise - either a speaker or a quiz!