THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

SUFFOLK COUNTY

NEWSLETTER

September 2011

COUNTY NOTICES & EVENTS

POPPY APPEAL AS AT 20 SEPT 2011

Suffolk £638,000

which is 4% up on the same time last year

Well done!!

FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN:

Every year, RBL counties are invited to submit applications for funding of their respective county

membership administration costs. The funding is generated from the Central General Fund, which is

primed from the membership fee (formerly the affiliation fee) which we all pay annually. Bids for funding

exclude all property costs and the cost of any staff employed for membership matters at the County

Offices. A proportionment is made at HQ for these costs.

To preamble, twelve months ago the Board of Trustees was seeking a substantial increase in the

membership fee, however delegates at the 2011 National Conference only agreed a £1 increase each

year for the next six years. Unfortunately, this minimal increase does not resolve the short term problem.

To quote from the letter we received when we were notified of our grant was: “The Budget Committee

has had to make some difficult decisions due to financial constraints of the General Fund after a minimal

Affiliation Fee increase and appreciated that not all Counties will be satisfied with final allocation that

have been made”.

For general administration we asked for £9,000 and received £5,345. Your County Committee may

therefore have to consider ways of reducing expenditure and/or fundraising for the County’s General

Fund. What we cannot do, as it would be irresponsible, is to overspend. Some of the savings we may have

to consider maybe unpalatable but we have no alternative but to manage within our means. As some of

you are already aware we are already seeing the cost of membership stationery being curtailed and I am

confident we will experience cutbacks effecting membership in other areas.

We are obviously already entered a period of austerity and if income to the Central General Fund is not

increased, this period is probably going to last for many years.

Colin Hawkins Suffolk County Chairman

September 2011

SUFFOLK COUNTY CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2011/12

2011

September 24 Saturday Standard Bearers’ Competition – Needham Market 25 Sunday Junior Cavalry event – Wickham Market October 01 Saturday County committee – County Office 01 Saturday Lavenham football match 02 Sunday Chairman’s seminar – Stowmarket RBL Club 06 Thursday I group AGM - Felixstowe 8/9 Sat/Sun Suffolk Showground- membership and welfare stand at Game Fair 09 Sunday Youth Standard Bearers’ competition 27 Thursday County Poppy Launch – Wattisham Flying Station 29 Saturday Ipswich Poppy Launch 29 Saturday Felixstowe Poppy Launch 30 Sunday Great Poppy Run - Rendlesham November 05 Saturday Woodbridge – Poppy Parade 09 Wednesday Leiston Festival of Remembrance 11 Friday Eve C Group Festival of Remembrance – The Apex Bury St Edmunds 11 Friday Witnesham Branch – social evening St Clements Hall Ipswich December 3 Saturday Visitors Course – County Office

2012

April 29 Sunday ANZAC day commemorative service. St Edmunds Church Southwold June 3 or 4 Sunday/

Monday Queen’s Jubilee Bank holidays – possible integration of County Rally within Ipswich Civic Celebrations and beacon lighting ceremony. Further details to be issued later

7/8 Thursday / Friday

Suffolk Show – please note change of days due to extended Bank Holidays

August 26 Sunday Woodbridge Branch 90th birthday – Elmhurst Park Woodbridge

Please share information about events you know of with the County by informing the office and keep this document updated.

COUNTY NOTICES & EVENTS - CONTINUED

WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED

WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED

County Fundraiser - sadly Doreen Bartrum has decided to hang up her boots in this role

County Recruiting Officers – we are getting more and more requests for the Information Stand at

events across the County and unfortunately Brian Bartrum cannot be in all places all of the time. It

would be great if we had a set of trained members from all parts of the county who we could call on

for events in their locale – training is provided.

CPAC – County Poppy Appeal Co-ordinator – link between County and the Community Fundraisers

LAKENHEATH’S FIFTH

ART SHOW AND

SALE

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22nd

10am – 3pm

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION HALL

HIGH STREET, LAKENHEATH

OVER 30 ARTISTS FROM

LAKENHEATH AND

SURROUNDING VILLAGES WITH

A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS

AND MEDIA

ENTRANCE FREE

(DONATION TO POPPY APPEAL

APPRECIATED IN ITS 90TH

ANNIVERSARY)

REFRESHMENTS, CAKES, RAFFLE

SALE OF DONATED ART MATERIALS

AND BOOKS

ALL PROCEEDS TO THE ROYAL

BRITISH LEGION POPPY APPEAL

EVERYONE WELCOME, RELAX AND

ENJOY A PLEASANT VISIT! YOU WILL

BE SURPRISED AT THE TALENT ON

DISPLAY!

On Thursday 28 July 2011 an Agreement to form

an Affiliation between 10 Flight Army Air Corps,

Army Cadet Detachment based at Wattisham

Flying station and Needham Market Branch of the

Royal British Legion, which was enacted at the

Cadet Detachment on Wattisham base by Sergeant

Paul Mildren ACF and Peter Down, Chairman of

NM Branch, RBL.

The "Old and Bold" Members of the Branch greatly

enjoyed the opportunity meet the "Young and Up

and Coming" Cadets. Members of both groups

learned a great deal from socialising with the other.

We now have to produce a forward plan of activities

by which the Affiliation may come alive. This may

well include cadets supporting RBL activities such

as the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance Sunday,

particularly if the Cadets' standard could be

paraded alongside that of the Legion.

Next summer we could look forward to their

assistance with Armed Forces Day and the Annual

RBL Garden Party. Additionally other events may

arise from time to time such as the Spitfire

Memorial on 2 September this year.

Legion members were impressed to learn that 14

cadets will be participating in the 10-day Annual

Camp in September. We will be interested to

explore if we may be able to provide some material

assistance with this, and other training activities,

perhaps by subsidising transport or equipment.

The photograph shows Sgt Paul Mildren and

Chairman Peter Down (Royal Navy) signing the

Agreement of Affiliation supported by cadets of 10

Flight AAC, ACF and Legion members, Frank

Barker (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders WW II),

Jim Darrah, (Royal Army Physical Training Corps)

Ted Barker (Royal Horse Artillery) and Paul Todd

(Military Provost Service). We also hope that we

may have other opportunities for socialising, both to

learn of the cadets' adventures on their exercises

and perhaps for Legion

members to recount their tales of daring do

during their services with the colours. Who

knows, subject to appropriate conditions, we may

be able to call on some of our specialist skills for

training as standard bearers, kayaking, first aid or

drill?

Peter Down JP FBCS

Chairman, Royal British Legion, Needham Market

Branch

COUNTY NOTICES - from The Secretary

Please check with your Treasurers if they need any help completing the relevant accounts forms.

David Land and myself are happy to hold sessions here in the office or out in the field for groups of

branches if you need help.

It would be great if we could endeavour to have them all correct first time round this year.

Please use Royal British Legion Independent Examiners to audit your accounts (they need the

practice) – you only pay for their mileage if they visit your branch (cup of tea may well be

appreciated!!!) or you get your books to them.

Our qualified examiners currently are:

Barney Adlington 01842 750592 barney@thetford.flyer.com

David Kemp 01284 704461david@kemp1895.fsnet.co.uk

David Land 01787 378669 dland@talktalk.net

Jim Reid 01359 221592 jamiewee@aol.com

We may well have another one after a course in September

Jim Reid is more than happy to help branches put their accounts together but you would then need

to have another IE. Also, if you do have an accountant do your books because you have loads of

money or property, then you would still have to have another audit of them. Please do your own in

the first place.

Non-members can become Independent Examiners but they need to do the RBL Branch Treasurers

Course and the Independent Examiners Course so that they can understand TRBL rules, regs and

procedures. Please speak with Peter Gipson if you have any members or non-members who would

like to do these courses.

Please remember this year that you only need to get ONE copy to me and if you wish to be able to

vote at County Conference or go to Annual Conference, this MUST be by 31st December 2011 (best to

get Certificate of Posting if you are near to deadline so date is verifiable if post gets delayed over

Christmas). I will endeavour to chase missing Branches prior to Christmas leave but I will be knee

deep in Conference stuff. Don’t forget your MS1 as well!!

In the Branch Membership Guide there was no mention of bulk payment of membership affiliation

fees via BFI. Branches who would like to pay from their BFI account need to register with Tom

Cantwell, Branch and Trust Accountant at HQ (if they have not already done so). If they have

previously registered, their details are kept on file and a transfer payment will automatically be

made this year. Branches can e-mail or write to Tom directly to register. There is no special form to

fill out.

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT IF I RECEIVE INCORRECT ACCOUNTS OR THEY ARRIVE WITHOUT

STATEMENTS, I AM OBLIGED TO SEND THEM BACK AND THEY WILL NOT COUNT AS HAVING ARRIVED

UNTIL FULLY COMPLETE

ACCOUNTS

ACTION FOR CHAIRMEN

90TH ANNIVERSARY GOLF DAY

40 golfers took to Bury St Edmunds Golf Course in glorious

weather and enjoyed a first class course and hospitality, then

were entertained by the spectacular trick shot show donated

by Kevin Carpenter. The day raised £1245

90th ANNIVERSARY GOLF DAY

BURY ST EDMUNDS

16TH SEPTEMBER 2011

40 golfers, a great mix of Legion and

Non-Legion members, serving officers

and ex–service, took to the glorious,

(donated) Bury St Edmunds Golf Club

course, in aid of The Royal British

Legion. Competitions included Longest

Drive, Nearest the Pin, Charity Green

and a Poppy Ball Round. They were then

treated to a wonderful Trick Shot Show

donated by Kevin Carpenter who

managed to incorporate poppies into

the show for us. The day raised £1255.

BRANCH FUNDS INITIATIVE

3.05%

Has your Branch signed up?

FROM THE COUNTY VICE PRESIDENT- MICHAEL BURTON

In response to our decline in membership, may I repeat what I stated in a previous issue many years ago;

there are 4 main factors for many branches to consider in order to be of service to our great organisation:

1 Membership. Everybody must try and get new Members. Make them welcome and if they are

suitable offer them a job, get them onto the committee or encourage them to take an officer’s

role

2 Presentation. Branch Meetings must be interesting with guest speakers and further events

during the year

3 Communication. Keeping in touch with members is vital via letters to them regarding branch

activities and also getting reports into local Newspapers and parish magazines

4 Sponsorship. To help with branch running costs such as postage paid for the member’s letters

There are many other ways to consider and due to my wealth of experience and posts I have held over the

years, I am happy to help and advise any branches that may need it.

Michael Burton 01379 651013

WELFARE NEWS

Training The Legion is joining with other service charities and beginning to use a new Case Management System (CMS). Hopefully by the time you read this all our caseworkers will have been invited to attend a training session to enable them to use this system. It is a huge change in the way we process our welfare work in the organisation. All training will be held in the County Office because of the equipment and connections required and expenses met by the Central Benevolent Fund.

There is still misconception that this money

goes to HQ – not the case! It is still yours but

kept in a high interest bank account and as

Trustees you are responsible for ensuring

best use of Legion money – in this instance

ensuring the best interest rate

GOOD NEWS Is that our Benefits and Money Adviser, Sue Robertson has achieved the best figures in terms of how many clients she has worked with and the money she has saved them. This includes the way that the Welfare officers and caseworkers have helped get information and pay debts to assist beneficiaries too. Mark Whitbread, the Poppy Calls fitter has similarly had very good feedback from beneficiaries to the extent that his boss thought he was paying them to say nice things about him! The Royal British Legion Suffolk has been selected as part of a pilot programme to give volunteers the opportunity to gain a qualification in volunteering. A small contribution towards the expense will be made to the County General Fund and I will become an assessor as volunteers compile a portfolio. We hope to start this process in January 2012

Mark Whitbread the Poppy Calls fitter has

similarly had very good feedback from

beneficiaries to the extent that his boss

thought he was paying them to say nice

things about him!

PARADE OF STANDARDS

NEWMARKET RACE DAY

Inspection Of standards at Newmarket

by National Chairman, John Farmer

NOT SO GOOD

NEWS

BRANCHES Chantry Branch has now officially closed down and will be followed shortly by Euston Estate and Trimley with possibility of others in the pipeline.

CATHEDRAL CONCERT Unfortunately, this had to be cancelled due to lack of support. PEOPLE Tony Maidment, the newer Welfare Officer has decided not to seek renewal of his contract and will leave TRBL on 11/11.

COUNTY DRAW NOTICE

SMALL LOTTERIES LICENCE – message from

County Secretary

If any branches are using the County Small

Lotteries Licence for their draw (selling tickets in

advance or wishing to give money as a prize), you

need to notify me that you wish to use the

Licence and also of how much you raise within 3

months of the event as I have to make a return to

St Edmundsbury Council.

You do not need a licence if you are only selling

tickets on the day of the draw and are not giving

money as a prize.

Please also make sure that for any draw you hold,

each tickets price is exactly the same – i.e. you

cannot sell tickets individually and then offer a

discount for buying a strip.

There are very strict rules governing all draws.

Please refer to Gambling Act 2005 – Small Society

Lottery Registrations. I have a copy of this that

can be emailed.

COUNTY DRAW RESULTS – from Doreen Bartrum

I would like to thank all Branch Secretaries and members

for selling and purchasing the 2011 County Draw tickets

which will benefit the Poppy Appeal. Unfortunately 27

branches did not return their tickets, either sold or

unsold, which is contrary to Charity Law.

I would also like, on behalf of myself and Mrs Ida

Jackson, to thank all the kind people who helped to sell

the tickets at the Suffolk Show and Newmarket Race Day

SELLING TICKETS AT NEWMARKET

LIST OF PRIZE WINNERS

1ST

£150

Mr R J Hearn

4th ITFC tickets

Mrs D Bartrum, Santon

7th Duxford tickets

Jack Sands

2nd

Center Parcs Pamper Day

Kesgrave RBL

5th £50 voucher Leger Holidays

Leon Loveday

8th Colchester Zoo tickets

Mrs Millar

3rd

Brudenell Hotel stay

Mark Tustain

6th HMS Belfast tickets

David Morley

9th £20 voucher Mulleys Coaches

Robert Crozier

10

th £10 Voucher QD stores

Mr Jewitt

COUNTY STANDARDS

If you wish any County Officers and consequently

County Standards at any local event, please contact

the Officers directly so that they can give you a

direct answer. It may be though, that due to the

County’s finances, we ask you to pay for the

Standard Bearer’s travelling expenses. This, as with

other travelling expenses, can be claimed up to

0.45p per mile

STANDARD BEARERS COMPETITION 2011

This took place on September 24th at Needham

Market Community Centre alongside the Women’s

Section competition.

The places were

First - John Levy Wenhaston

Second – Steve Lockwood, Woodbridge

Third – Gordon Palastanga – Ixworth

Fourth – Mick Norman, Stowmarket

Fifth – Peter Mayhew, Bramford

Very well done to all who took part

DO YOU WANT TO RECEIVE THIS NEWSLETTER VIA YOUR E- MAIL? – THEN PLEASE INFORM

sbromley@britishlegion.org.uk

01284 773471

Any information to be included for the next newsletter, please have into the Office by

30 October 2011

IF YOU WISH THIS NEWSLETTER IN LARGE TEXT OR CLEARER TEXT FORMAT, Please contact the

County Secretary

OTHER NOTICES

BRITAIN AUSTRALIA SOCIETY SUFFOLK BRANCH. ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATIVE SERVICE.

ST EDMUNDS CHURCH SOUTHWOLD. SUNDAY APRIL 29TH 2012 @ 3.00PM.

Please make a note of this important date in your Next Year’s Diaries.

The Suffolk Branch will again be hosting this service and we invite all members of The Royal British Legion who

would like to attend to come and join us, especially The Standard Bearers to help us provide another

memorable colourful event. We plan a short parade in Southwold Town led by Southwold & Reydon Corps of

Drums prior to the service. A Finger Buffet Lunch will also be available prior to this.

Further Details will be available shortly anyone who wishes to discuss this further please contact :- Diana

Whayman. Hon Sec/Treasurer.Suffolk Branch. Britain Australia Society.Tel No 01473 723793.Email

dianastw@aol.com

RAFA Beccles Battle of Britain Parade on Sunday, 11th September

On behalf of the Branch, I would wish to extend our thanks to all Standard Bearers who took part in our "Battle

of Britain" Service and Parade on Sunday, 11th Sept.

Brian Vousden Chairman

RAFA Beccles and Southwold Area Branch

With Many Thanks

Brian, Chairman

RAFA Beccles and Southwold Area Branch

DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET

DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET DON’T FORGET

ACCOUNTS AND MS1 IN BY 31 DECEMBER PLEASE (earlier if at all possible)

POPPY MEN PINS

These can be ordered from George Nutter CPAC Shropshire 17 Downfield Road, The Mount, Shrewsbury, SY3 8YF Email: geonut@talktalk.net

#We “sell” the badges for a donation of at least £2.00 to the Poppy Appeal but to Branches, for a minimum order of 50 + £5.00pp, we let them have badges for £1.00 each, so that “profit” that they make is banked into their Branch Poppy Appeal Account. To Date, the badges have raised 0ver £30.000.00 for the Poppy Appeal.#