OBITUARY ~~ Dennis Halliwell~~ Dear All, It is with deep regret to inform you of the death of former Sub Officer Dennis Halliwell who passed away prior to Christmas aged 65. Dennis spent alot of his career in Fire safety and carried on after retirement in the Service stores. His family have requested a private funeral which is why I have delayed sending this information until after Christmas. Regards Mark

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Is your driving licence, EHIC or ESTA out of date?

Urgent! 1.7m licences and 8m EHICs invalid. Check NOW! This is a crucial reminder for holidaymakers and drivers (here or when overseas) to check your documents now. LINK

Is your driving licence valid? 1.7 million have expired licences. Photocard driving licences started in 1998, the photo needs renewing every 10 years. Those driving on expired cards risk a £1,000 fine, the update costs £20.
Check the 4b date (see LINK) for expiry.

Driving outside the EU? An additional International Driving Permit (IDP) is required or recommended in 140 countries. Drive without one and you risk trouble (eg €350 fine in Croatia) or a car hire refusal. It costs as little as £5.50.

Are you covered for medical problems abroad? Over 8m EHIC cards expiring - check ASAP. The free European Health Insurance Card gives free or discounted treatment in state-run hospitals in the EU. Everyone going to Europe should holster one. Crucially, they only last 5 years, and over 8m cards expire in 2011 alone, so if you're going abroad, check.

If you need to renew, ensure you do it safely (there are many spam sites) via the free EHIC guide.

Ensure you've travel insurance (from £17/year). The EHIC isn't a substitute for travel insurance, as it doesn't include cancellation, delay, repatriation, baggage loss, theft or treatment in private hospitals. A basic year's cover (oft worth it for 2+ trips) starts at £17 for Europe* for one, rising to £42 worldwide family cover.

Ensure you're not sent home on arrival Is your passport still valid? Check when it expires and put a note in your diary. You don't need to wait until the old one expires to renew, you can carry over up to 9 months. Early renewals cheaper at £77.50; one-day service is £129.50, see Directgov.

Going to the USA? Ensure you've an ESTA. While UK citizens holidaying in the US usually don't need a visa, sadly, you must now pay 14 dollars to fill in an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA). Part of the fee goes to promote its travel industry (US visitors here aren't charged!). If you've done one in the last two years it should still be valid (even if it was free then). If not, beware spam sites that charge more - see the ESTA applications guide for help. New Guide: Is your driving licence valid?

source : Moneysavingexpert.com