THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION ESSEX COUNTY...
Transcript of THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION ESSEX COUNTY...
PAGE 1
COUNTY CHAIRMAN
& VICE-CHAIRMAN
Both the County Chairman (Melvin Swann),and the County Vice-Chairman (RogerBurgess OBE) complete their three yeartenures immediately following the annualMeeting of the County Conference on 16thJanuary 2016. Colonel Roger Burgess OBEhas confirmed his intention to seeknomination for the post of CountyChairman.
The Membership Handbook directs that:“Each branch may, in the year in which itsCounty is due to elect a County Chairman orVice-Chairman, nominate one person who isa current Member or Life Member of abranch within the County for election as aCounty Chairman or Vice-Chairman".
Formal nomination forms will be sent tobranches by 1st July 2015. In the meantimeany Member or Life Member wishing to seeknomination for either of these positionsshould inform their branch secretary so thattheir name may be put before a BranchGeneral Meeting at the appropriate time.
COUNTY WELFARE FUND
GROUP & BRANCH DONATIONS
1 JULY 2014 TO 30 JUNE 2015
HORNCHURCH BRANCH £ 1000CHELMSFORD BRANCH £ 1000SOUTH WOODHAM FERRERS BRANCH £ 360CLACTON ON SEA BRANCH £ 50TAKELEY BRANCH £ 500GREAT DUNMOW BRANCH £ 860WICKFORD BRANCH £ 1500HOCKLEY BRANCH £ 250WEELEY & Lt CLACTON BRANCH £ 50BRENTWOOD BRANCH £ 250ROWHEDGE BRANCH £ 2000DANBURY BRANCH £25000GREAT WALTHAM BRANCH £ 250BRENTWOOD BRANCH £ 50BROOMFIELD BRANCH £ 500GREAT BADDOW BRANCH £ 115WIVENHOE BRANCH £ 3730WICKHAM BISHOPS BRANCH £ 38TAKELEY BRANCH £ 500CLAVERING BRANCH £ 1750KELVEDON BRANCH £ 1200HEDINGHAMS BRANCH £ 1000COLCHESTER BRANCH £ 746DANBURY BRANCH £ 50SOUTH WOODHAM FERRERS BRANCH £ 400UPMINSTER & CRANHAM BRANCH £ 2000DEBDEN BRANCH £ 150
TOTAL RECEIVED FROM BRANCHES THISFINANCIAL YEAR TO DATE:
£45299
TOTAL RECEIVED FROM OTHER SOURCESTHIS FINANCIAL YEAR TO DATE:
£15460
COMBINED TOTAL TO DATE:£60759
‘Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.’(Henry Ford)
COUNTY NOTICES & EVENTS
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGIONESSEX COUNTYNEWSLETTER
BRANCH FUND INITIATIVE 1.9851%
MAY
JUNE
2015
WELFARE EXPENDITURE
£43463
PAGE 2
CEREMONIAL HANDBOOK
2015 EDITION
Following a period of review the Ceremonial WorkingGroup is happy to announce the publication of the newCeremonial Handbook.
This Ceremonial Handbook is intended to provideCounties/Districts, branches and the general public withguidance and policy on all aspects of Legion Ceremonialactivity.
As part of the review, the document has been divided intotwo sections:
Section A provides guidelines on key internalevents such as Standard Bearer competitionsand policies on Legion ceremonial dress.
Section B provides guidelines on the format ofpublic events as well as makingrecommendations for how such events can beorganised. This section will soon be accessibleto the general public through the Legion’swebsite.
The full version of the Ceremonial Handbook is availableto Counties/Districts and branches in the MembershipPolicy Documents Area. Log in details can be providedby your Membership Support Officer.
ESSEX COUNTY OFFICE
THE NEWSLETTERIs edited by the County Treasurer
He may be contacted on any matter concerning the newsletter including suggestions for improvement,layout, or what have you! You may send contributions for inclusion in the newsletter direct to the Email
address shown below. It would be helpful if all contributions are sent using Ariel 9 point [email protected]
BRANCH CHAIRMEN AND
SECRETARIES SEMINARWITHAM BRANCH – 20 JUNE 2015
At the County Board of Management
Meeting held on Tuesday 26 May 2015
it was decided to incorporate the
Group Chairman and Secretaries into
the above seminar.
Would all eligible Branches and
Groups please confirm to the County
MSO their intention to attend, or not,
as soon as possible. Also, for those
attending, please indicate if they are
staying for the Buffet.
It is important that the numbers
attending (or not) are known as soon
as possible in order that
administration procedures can be
finalised – how much buffet to order is
a prime issue!!
COUNTY PRESIDENT
Following the election of our President, Major DSwann TD to the Membership Council, whichcarries the obligation to resign from all CountyOffices, Brigadier Malcolm Ratcliffe DL has beenappointed County President until the nextCounty Conference in 2016
COUNTY TREASURER
The County Treasurer, Bryan Emery MBE is to standdown as County Treasurer on 30 June 2015. The postwill be assumed by the Deputy County Treasurer,Dudley Naslund on 1 July 2015. Contact details are inthe Essex Official Handbook for 2015. Bryan Emerywill continue to edit the County Newsletter and carryout a limited number of Independent Examinations.
PAGE 3
HARWICH
Harwich branch held a wonderful VE Day party and reallygot into the spirit of a ‘Kiss for VE Day’, a national initiativelaunched by the Legion for VE Day celebrations. Everyoneenjoyed the party and got into the swing of things in fancydress. There was plenty of singing to old time favouritesand lots of cakes and tea.
FINCHINGFIELD
The village of Finchingfield led by the Legion branch held aservice at their war memorial. 109 people attended theservice and children from Finchingfield Primary schooljoined the villagers for the service and were encouraged tocelebrate afterwards. There was a lot of vigorous flagwaving… Christopher Green, Finchingfields PAO suppliedthe photo.
VE DAY
HARLOW BRANCHLIGHTING THEIR BEACON
PAGE 4
Held 2 VE Day parties, one for local school children fromGlebe school and Grove Wood School. The children had awonderful time and were entertained by Mr Sausage.
They also held a party for the grown ups and Toaster MasterBrian Stanbridge kept the party to order and everyone had amarvellous time.
Gladys Crudgington and her team did a superb job with thecatering for both parties. Everyone always enjoys the foodthat Gladys prepares ( all Legion members)
People that helped or contributed to the proceedings
Brian Stanbridge, Toast Master. Janet Butler,Glady’s Crudgington,Catering Jeannie Stanbridge, PatTopley, Jeannie Rudd, Mick Rudd, Jackie Sanquin, TerryGray, Glyn Daniels., Jan Daniels, Sue Harris, David Buckle,Ron Mowbray, Michael Stanbridge, Elizabeth Hunt, SteveSherwood. Stephen Cowland (Branch Chairman) All theseeither helped with preparations before, on both or one of thetwo party days.
VE DAY CONTINUED
TOASTMASTER – BRIAN STANBRIDGE
“GROWING UPS”“GROWN UPS”
RAYLEIGH
EPPING BRANCH1940’s VE DAY PARTY
TOLLESBURY BRANCH1940’s EVENING AND FAMILY FUN DAY
PAGE 5
FROM THE BRANCH
CHAIRMAN
DEBDEN BRANCH
The last edition of the Newsletter carried a report onthe belated award of Poppy Appeal Certificates ofAppreciation for three Collectors in the DebdenBranch who had transferred from Thaxted.
The Chairman of Debden Branch, Roger Burgess, wishesto apologise to the PAO Thaxted Branch, Bryan Malyon,for any inference that it was his failure to recognise theefforts of these collectors earlier. Bryan only took over therole of PAO at Thaxted Branch just over 18 months agoand cannot therefore be held responsible for any previousomission in recognising the efforts of these collectors.
Signed: Roger Burgess
MAYOR OF CHELMSFORD
CHARITY PRESENTATION TO
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
The presentation made in the Mayor's Parlouron Tuesday May 19th 2015 followed a year ofTRBL being the Mayor's Charity. The specialpresentation cheque for £33k will be adjusted toallow for some monies already received andothers still to come. Missing from thepresentation were the RBL CommunityFundraiser, Tracey Hall and Chairman ofChelmsford RBL Branch Harry Hudson, both ofwhom had made significant contributions to thesuccess of the appeal but were prevented fromattending due to being unwell at the time.
EVEN MORE NEWS & EVENTS!
ROGER BURGESS AND BRYAN MALYONBURY THE HATCHET
From left to right: John Pontin Deputy Mayor'sescort, Deputy Mayor Sandra Pontin
Mayoress, Mayor Cllr Bob Villa, RBL CountyChairman – Melvin Swann and RBL County
President Major David Swann TD
PAGE 6
LEIGH ON SEA BRANCH
At a Branch Meeting on 21st May, following ourofficial business, we enjoyed a Fish & Chip Supper tocelebrate VE Day. One photograph shows ourMembers celebrating with two of our veteransCharles Benford and Eileen Hughes.
The lower photograph shows Charles Benford, 95years young with some of his medals. Charles hasjust returned from a trip to Arnhem with 160 otherveterans who travelled from the UK in 80 LondonTaxi Cabs in a journey arranged by The London TaxiBenevolent Association for War Disabled, also knownas the Taxi Charity.
B GROUP
SUMMER LUNCH
Members of B Group and their guests sat down to asplendid Summer Lunch at the Moot House at CastleHedingham on 28 May. Judging by the chatter andgeneral hilarity a good time was had by all.
The one person missing from the line-up was GeorgeCordeiro of Coggeshall Branch who was behind thecamera. Several of our ‘regulars’ were missing due to illhealth and we wish them a speedy recovery.
COGGESHALL BRANCH OBITUARY
HARRY HOWELL 1923 – 2015
On 29th May Coggeshall Branch bade farewell to our comrade HarryHowell at Three Counties Crematorium, Braintree.Harry was born in London and when World War Two came he joinedthe Navy, serving with convoys in the North Atlantic. After the war hemarried and had several occupations, the last of which was as a taxidriver which he gave upat the age of 72.He and his wife settled inHomeweave House,Coggeshall, and Harrywas a very keen bowlsplayer. He was widowedbut found happiness asecond time when hemarried Edna, awidowed lady who alsolived in the sameretirement complex.The service wasattended by many ofHarry’s neighbours,bowling friends andmembers of Coggeshall Royal British Legion, his coffin being escortedin by the Coggeshall Branch standard.
The service consisted of a reading and pieces of music, and the finalfarewell reflected his lifelong support of West Ham United Football Clubin the form of their theme song, I’m forever blowing bubbles, sung bythe West Ham Squad (and quite a few of his assembled friends) andwith showers of bubbles blowing across his coffin.
Photographs by courtesy of “Leigh Times