Aylesbury & Halton Branch RAFA In this Issue… Down in the Weeds. Let’s Do Lunch! “Mayday! Mayday!” Spring 2018 So what have we been up to as a branch so far this View year? Well, branch membership continues to rise and I am most pleased to report that as of today, it stands at 1116 members. On 31st December 2015 we had From 475 members and it had been decreasing slowly year on year up to that point. I think those figures show what a significant change of fortune has come about The for this branch and I thank everyone who has had a hand in recruiting even one of those new faces. We lost 31 lapsing members at the end of January this Chair year and I hope at least some of those members will come back to us. If you are one of them, please Welcome to the Springtime Edition of the renew your membership as soon as you can. Branch Newsletter! Later in this edition you will read about the monthly As I write this I can see the daffodils and crocuses members lunches we have been running with great have already started to open and paint the front of success since January. Arising from yet another Building 259 with splashes of magnificent colour. The bright idea from our RAFA Stn Officer and Branch evenings are drawing out and the sunshine actually Entertainments Chairman Kev O’Neill, we decided to has some warmth in it… Spring is here at last and so run a 3 month pilot scheme to offer a free hot winter is the latest newsletter. warmer lunch to any branch member who wanted to come along. Actually, we offset the costs by passing I want to start by thanking all of you who took the around a hat for anyone to make a donation if they time to attend the Branch Annual General Meeting wish and we have been pleased to use those funds to on 7th March. Such meetings may seem to be quite help pay for the next month’s food. In his defence, formal for those who have not attended one before Kev does put his own effort behind his ideas and has and I make no apology for that. It is the most been the main chef behind the delicious food that important meeting of the year for us where the has been presented, ably supported by Mrs Joy membership elects the committee members who will O’Neill and Mrs Ali Gibson who have prepared the run the branch on their behalf and where the branch wonderful desserts to go with it. accounts for the last year are formally presented and ratified. These are legal requirements so we have to We have also had great support from Squadron be sure that proceedings are conducted properly in Leader Ali Sandeman who has attended each meal accordance not only with the rules and byelaws of together with a contingent of current RAF personnel the Association, but also comply with all the who have joined in wholeheartedly, meeting and requirements of Charity Law. chatting with us and making the events particularly interesting. In conjunction with the lunches, we have The fact that I am writing this demonstrates that I embarked on a new programme of providing free have been returned as Branch Chairman for another technical support to any branch member who wants year and I thank you all for giving me your trust and some help with their home computers, laptops, support yet again. Indeed all committee members tablets or smart phones. If you want to know how to have been returned to their posts with the exception set up and use Facebook or other social media safely, of the Honorary Branch Secretary Karl Wright who to contact family members and friends, or to stay up has stepped down this year as he is due to be posted to date with branch social events for example, then away from RAF Halton on promotion to Squadron let me know and I’ll get Ali’s team on the case! Leader. I’m sure you will all join me in thanking Karl for his outstanding work for the branch over the last And finally, if you have visited the branch recently year. We wish him well in his new role and our very you will see that we have embarked upon a series of best for his family for the future. internal improvements. The kitchen has had a complete overhaul to enable us to deliver members’ And that prompts me to welcome Mrs Leigh Kirby lunches in a cleaner, more suitable environment and aboard as the new Secretary. A willing volunteer who we are now progressing through the bar redecorating put herself forward without prompting despite being all the walls, ceiling, doors and shelves as well as a relatively new member of the branch. Some of you servicing all the fridges and the glass-washer ready will know her for her magnificent portrayal of my for the summer season. I hope you will forgive us any wife in the Murder Mystery Night last summer. minor disruption, normal service will resume as soon Here’s hoping that she won’t hen-peck me quite as as possible. much on the committee! Leigh and her family have become very active supporters of the branch and Well that’s enough from me and so without further indeed her husband Dan sits on the Entertainments ado… on with the newsletter! Committee too. I am so grateful to have such an accomplished and dedicated team around me as Derf Mockford - Chairman Derf together we face the challenges and opportunities of 2018. Hot Poop! Is your Membership in date? The vibrancy and sustainability of our Branch, the oldest in RAFA, depends on all our members ensuring that Do you want FREE help with their annual membership renewals your IT devices? are completed as soon as possible. If you have been struggling to get the most If you did not sign up to pay your out of your home computer, laptop, tablet or subscriptions by Direct Debit then smartphone then we have the help you your membership may have lapsed at need! the start of the year. With help from RAF Halton technical staff, we Please Check and make are offering FREE one-to-one support to help you set up your equipment properly and sure YOU have renewed show you how to use it safely to stay in touch with your friends, family and the Branch! YOURS! Just give Derf your name and we’ll arrange it What’s Happening on Our? FirstFirstWednesdays! Wednesday 4th April 2018 – Guest Speakers - South East Asia Our very own Alwyn and Jos will be sharing their experiences of their recent jaunt around South East Asia. Wednesday 2 May 2018 – The Tea Man! No doubt some of you will recall the excellent talk from Mr Colin Smith of Smith’s Coffee Company at Hemel Hempstead last year. As promised, he is coming back to talk all about tea, our national obsession. Colin is most definitely an expert on the subject and you will be amazed at how much you didn’t know about tea! Wednesday 6th June 2018 - Play Your Cards Right! Will you go higher or lower? This TV favourite is coming to the Branch in June so don’t be shy, it’ll be nice to see you, to see you, nice! And don’t forget, points mean prizes and you don’t get anything for a pair, not in this game. Down in the As part of our ‘Charitable Outputs ‘ for 2018, the Branch Committee has decided to take one of the RAF Halton Contact Houses under our wing. The RAF Halton Contact Houses are a facility of the So we have stepped in and hired a local gardener to Station Community Welfare Support System. The pop in and cut the grass and keep the place tidy all Contact Houses are there to provide safe temporary through the year. With help from a large party of accommodation for a wide variety of purposes such Servicemen Awaiting Trade Training (SATTS) from as compassionate and welfare cases, child custody the Station, the worst of the weeds, brambles and visits, emergency re-housing due to fire, flood etc or scrub was cleared away on 20th February and we simply to accommodate visiting family and friends. now have a bit of a blank slate to work from. Contact Houses are fully furnished and equipped to modern standards and 78 of them all around the RAF We plan to put in proper play equipment for kids to have been renovated with the assistance of RAFA. burn off a bit of steam safely, bring the central water feature back into use and plant some shrubs and There are 4 such houses here at RAF Halton, but only colourful flowers to create a nice tranquil area for 3 of them are covered on the existing grounds families to relax and unwind in times of stress. The maintenance contract so this particular house, next fencing to the rear is falling down so we will need to to the Post Office and the Thrift Shop, has had to rely replace that too. We will publish updates through on volunteers to keep the gardens tidy. Ironically, the year to keep you all informed of our progress. this house has by far the largest gardens, especially the rear garden, and the efforts of volunteers alone There is a lot to do and we will be holding the odd have not been sufficient to stay on top of the fundraising event through the year to give us the workload.