Newsletter Issue 2 May 2011 Welcome to the Second Edition of the County Newsletter 2011…………
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The Royal British Legion North Yorkshire County Newsletter Issue 2 May 2011 Welcome to the Second edition of the County Newsletter 2011………….. County President: Michael Charlton-Weedy. CBE, Chairman County Colin Northridge.MBE Past County Chairman: Bob Burrows. County Vice Chairman: Mark Hogan County Secretary: Kimberley Thornton County Treasurer : Mark Hogan County Manager: Chris Cunningham. County Welfare Officer : Beverley Davies. County Welfare Officer: Ian Poole. County Managers Assistant: Louise Beilby. Community Fundraiser Elizabeth Hughes County PA Co-ordinator: Terry Goodall . County Standard Bearer: Ernest Sawdon (York Branch) From the County Chairman Hi everybody, This is the first County Newsletter since last July and I would like your views to be aired, your Branch activities to be advertised and your events displayed. So please use the Newsletter and let other Branches know what you are doing. We are trying and improve communications between County and Branches, but it is proving to be an uphill climb. We communicate, but there is very little feed back to the County office, consequently trying to find articles for this second edition of the County Newsletter has been hard work for Kimberley. Our 90 th Anniversary is upon us and I am hoping you are all doing something to commemorate and celebrate this great year which in turn will create greater awareness, strengthen the membership, raise the income of the Poppy Appeal and recruit additional supporters. PLEASE let us have details of any events so we can publicise them and display your achievements. Amalgamation The Membership Council has approved the plan to amalgamated North and East Yorkshire Counties. A small steering committee comprising members of the executives from both counties has been set up. The first And second meetings was on Saturday 10th April and Saturday 7 th May. A further meeting is to be held on Tuesday 7th June. There will be a Special Joint General Meeting of both Counties to elect a County Chairman, Officers and Executive members, on Saturday 23rd July 2011, at the Easingwold. Kimberley has been sending out details and nomination forms to branches. It is hoped that the new County and Youth Standards will be dedicated in time for the SGM, so they can be presented. Those elected will serve until the first County Conference, which will be held January 2012, when a Chairman and Officers will be elected for a three-year period. The Executive Committee will be elected, serving in the first instance for periods three, two and one year. The number of individual votes cast for each person will determine the respective terms. Best wishes to you all. Colin Northridge MBE. Your County Committee Steve Jewell, Scarborough ; Andrew Cowie, Ripon ; Angela Shepherd, County Central ; Fergus Osborne, Guisborough ; George Murgatroyd, Tadcaster; Alex Bentley , Skipton; Elwyn Pickering , Harrogate; Ray Ashby , York Tony Anderson , Riders Branch; Andy Monger , Riders Branch COUNTY RETURNS The County Officers THANK ALL Groups and Branches who submitted their Branch MS1’s to the County Office by 31 st December 2009 as requested. Details of Branch Officials etc; have been updated in the County handbook, which we have now just received from the printers and is currently being distributed through Group and mail shots. The details of those branches who have omitted to send in their MS1’s will not be updated in the Handbook this year. R&P Accounts Well done to all those Branches that have submitted their annual accounts. The Royal Charter Governing Rules 86 states:- Within 3 months after the close of its financial year, or within 1 month after the audit, every branch must send a copy of its accounts to its County Office, together with the report of the independent Examiners or qualified auditor. This means that the branch must send in its R&P accounts by 31 st December of each year. Currently we only have 2 outstanding, Well done and thank you . National Conference This years Conference is to take place at Telford International Centre, St Quentin Gate, Telford, Shropshire, on Saturday and Sunday 21 st and 22 nd May 2011. Sessions Saturday 9:30 – 1230, 1400 - 1730 Sunday Sessions 9:30 – 1230, 1400 – 1730 All those branches who nominated a delegate to attend and have been accepted by the Conference Committee should have received all of their delegate credentials in the post. Should any branch that has qualified, not yet received them, to contact the County office ASAP. For future interest branches are reminded that the Jim Prince fund was created in order to provide financial assistance to small branches, specifically to help defray the costs of sending a Delegate to Annual Conference. Each Regional Manager may annually nominate two branches to the Board of Trustees to apply to the fund. Branches with a membership of 100 or fewer, regardless of category are eligible to apply for assistance. To apply for the fund for next years National Annual Conference, please submit your Branch Delegate application form along with a covering letter to the County, by the due date specified in the Annual Conference Special Circular. Please be aware that only ONE Branch per County may be submitted for consideration. This year we received no nominations, let’s change that for next year. County Directory The directory that has been produced and issued to branches is a temporary handbook. There will be a further full combined and completed copy produced and distributed to all the branches after The price of Gold Badges the SGM 23 rd July. There was an omission in the current has risen to £168.00 per Badge due to directory, with an amendment page enclosed for all. It would be the increased cost of gold appreciated if you could provide me with any further amendments to ensure the revised directory will be up to date Forces Discount Scheme Veterans and families can benefit from discounts offered by over 1,100 companies through the free MOD Discount Scheme. Discounts and special deals are available from a wide range of providers, on everything from legal services to holidays and theme parks. You can register for free on their website at www.forcesdiscounts- mod.co.uk BOROUGHBRIDGE BRANCH The Boroughbridge branch of the Royal British Legion has helped to make life a little easier for injured members of the Armed Forces confined to wheelchairs. The group has raised money to buy 20 sheepskin wheelchair seat and back covers which have been presented to Lt Col Mel Pears, commanding officer of 15 Brigade, Personnel Recovery Unit in York, by branch president Coun Geoff Craggs, chairman Ken Richardson and other members, in Hall Square in Boroughbridge. Using natural sheepskin for the covers helps prevent sores because of its compression resistance, its breathability and its ability to retain moisture Lt Col Mel Pears (fourth from right) receives one of the sheepskin covers from members of the Boroughbridge branch of the Royal British Legion, from left, Janet Taverner, president Coun Geoff Craggs, Angels Collin, Aiden Foster, A rthur Unitt, John Reeves, chairman Ken Richardson EASINGWOLD BRANCH On Friday 29 th April, The George Hotel in Easingwold provided complimentary coffee, scones with cream. All donations were given to the Easingwold Branch Royal British Legion, £131.40 was raised. Many thanks to Mr & Mrs Riley for all their hard work, it was much appreciated At the Easingwold Galtres Centre on Thursday 7 th May a presentation evening was held by the Easingwold Branch Royal British Legion. The awards were for the hard work Poppy appeal collectors have done. Twelve recipients were presented with their awards by Major General Charlton-Weedy. CBE, DL. Mrs M Toase of Easingwold received her 50 years bar and broach. An evening enjoyed by all. BRANCH ACCOUNTS In the near future the facility will be available for those branches to submit their annual branch accounts electronically. The Legion will be introducing a new electronic system called “Legion Arms Accounting System”. The National Training Team is to visit our Areas and give LAAS training to all County Secretaries/Membership Administrators/County Treasurers and any Branch Treasurers who would wish to be trained. The National Training Team will link in with the existing training programme for Branch Treasurers, and partly they will need to offer separate courses. I have been asked to identify which branch treasurers may be interested in attending this course. No dates have yet been fixed yet but will start in May and carry on to September. To register your interest in attending this course, please make contact with the County Secretary, [email protected] or 01904 550577 It is the Legion’s Mission to be; The organisation which is, and is recognised as, the number one provider of welfare, comradeship, campaigning and Remembrance for the Armed Forces community. The Legion provides financial, social and emotional support to Service people, past and present, and their dependants. We are a major campaigner for improvements to legislation, public policies and statutory services. Our nationwide network of volunteers and staff work locally – often with partner organisations – to help those in need. We provide funds for those living in poverty and help for others to live independently. We provide residential care for vulnerable, older people and offer services to improve the quality of life to isolated or excluded people and families. We also help others to develop their vocational skills to find suitable employment. We are the national custodian of Remembrance – we inform people of all ages about the importance of remembering those from the British Armed Forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and those who fought and are still fighting for the freedom we enjoy. The Legion is embarking on an ambitious five year strategy that will lay the foundations for our Centenary by; 1.