FORMER Glory Mill employees are planning to join a protest march at the Houses of Parliament on Sunday to highlight the growing pensions crisis.

Glory Mill Pension Disaster Action Team members are calling on others concerned about the value of their pensions to join the march on June 8 outside the Houses of Parliament, organised by ASW Sheerness Pensions Group.

Team member Trevor Mitchell, founder of the pension fund pressure group, said: "We're going to support the march. I hope it makes the Government aware of how big the problem is. It's not good news."

The move follows an emergency meeting held by the action team last month when they heard that one past employee received his pension valuation and found that it dropped from £23,000 to £18,000. Other past employees are expecting their valuations soon.

Trevor Mitchell, founder of the pension fund pressure group, said: "He (the employee) was absolutely stunned and not very happy about it. I'm 65 next month and I still don't know what pension I will be getting after 30 years of work."

Mr Mitchell was made redundant in 1994 and has since found another job.

Last October he organised a protest outside the former Glory Mill, which was bought by German owner Felix Schoeller in 1995 and announced a phased closure of the Wooburn Green factory in April 1999. The pension scheme currently has 394 members of which 306 are deferred members.

Chris Martin, managing director of Independent Trustee Services which is acting on behalf of the pensioners, said the company had held a number of sessions in January to update scheme members. He said: "We are in constant touch with the liquidator for Felix Schoeller Imaging Ltd and are continuing to explore whether we can recover additional funds for the pension scheme."

To take part the march contact Trevor Mitchell on 01628 487945