Branch President 2021 - Date
Mrs Maree Brown
Maree Brown is a true Sandgrown Un, born in the Queen Victoria hospital on 4th July 1956 but grew up in Lancaster. On leaving school at 15 years of age, Maree went into the retail trade as a Shop Assistant at Marks & Spencer in Lancaster, rising to Supervisor until she left Marks & Spencer to join Hornsea Pottery as Stock Controller in 1980.
Maree became involved in the Royal British Legion following the Morecambe & Heysham Branch 1991 AGM when she volunteered to become Branch Secretary for the unfilled vacancy for that role. Since then, she has also served as Branch Chairman, Branch Vice-Chairman, Branch Treasurer, Branch Poppy Appeal Organiser and Committee Member. She has also been MC for the annual Remembrance Sunday Commemorative Service at Morecambe Cenotaph for over 15 years. In recognition of her 30 years service to the Branch, Maree was asked if she would take on the role of Branch President and was elected by the Branch Committee in August 2021.
Branch President 2011 - 2016
Mr Mike Dennison
Mike Dennison is another true Sandgrown Un, born in the Queen Victoria hospital on 4th January 1958 (Just as former Branch President Harry Sheppard was working at Heysham Harbour). He went to Trumacar, Lancaster Road and Euston Road schools before starting a 24 year career in the King's Own Royal Border Regiment in 1974.
After graduating from the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion in Folkestone he joined the Regiment in Minden , West Germany during which time he completed his first tour of N.Ireland in 1976. The Battalion moved back to the UK to almost home territory of Weeton Camp near Blackpool. The first job they had to do there was a stint of fire fighting with the Green Goddesses in Liverpool. Mike was promoted in 1978 and posted to the Infantry Demonstration Battalion in Warminster where he met and married Lynn.
He was posted to West Berlin where his first child Leanne was born, it was during this time he had to guard Rudolph Hess in Spandau Prison. After Berlin he lived in Catterick, Belfast, Colchester, Londonderry and eventually back to Warminster with his family,(now two daughters). During those postings he undertook tours to Belize, The Falklands, Cyprus (UN Peacekeeping), Canada, Kenya and many to Northern Ireland. During a varied and enjoyable career Mike found he had a skill for radio communications and eventually rose through the ranks to command his beloved Signal Platoon during the operational tour in Londonderry. Mike retired from the Army in 1998 reaching the rank of Warrant Officer.
Since leaving the Army Mike has worked for Nortel Networks and Orange in the civil telecommunications industry, seeing the rest of the world he didn't get to in the Army, before taking on the tenancy of the York Hotel.
Branch Vice-Chairman, Mrs Maree Brown, investing the new Branch President, Mr Mike Dennison, with the President's Jewel at The Platform on 12th November 2011.
At the end of 2015, Mike advised the Branch Committee that he and his wife Lynn were leaving the York Hotel to go travelling the Far East once again and on their return would be going to live in Spain. He would therefore have to resign as the Branch President and Parade Marshal.
The Branch presented Mike with a Certificate of Appreciation at his farewell party held in the York Hotel on 6th February.
Branch Chairman Mrs Maree Brown (Right) presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Mr & Mrs Dennison.
Branch President 2004 - 2011
Mr Harry Sheppard
Joseph Henry Sheppard was born on 1st October 1926 and his family moved to Morecambe in 1935 where he attended first Sandylands, then Balmoral Road schools. His first job at 15 was at ICI in Heysham before he eventually embarked on a distinguished war and peace time career in the Merchant Navy.
Harry first joined an Oil Tanker that sailed from the jetty at Heysham and worked two trips to America before four trips on a refrigerated vessel to Argentina where he was left hospitalised for 5 months during one such trip. He even did a 1000 mile journey up the Amazon before leaving warmer climes for the Arctic Run; Harry then knew what it was like to feel the cold.
He sailed as part of the Merchant flotilla towards France in 1944 and arrived on D Day plus 2 before being discharged from the Merchant Navy in 1946 and he holds fond memories of convalescing and rehabilitation at Endmoor Village near Kendal throughout 1947.
Harry joined the Legion in 1947 and was married in 1948 eventually re-joining the Merchant Navy working on the Midland Railway ships at Heysham and managed to fit in a period of work at Heysham 1 Power Station just before his retirement.
Harry was President of the Legion for almost 12 years and although his wife Kath died in 1995 he has enjoyed the love and affection of his loving family, his friends in the Legion, the Royal Naval Association and the Strawberry Gardens.
Branch President, Mr Harry Sheppard, at the Cenotaph, St Peter's Churchyard, Heysham at the dedication of the Parachute & Airborne Regiment Association Standard in 2010.
Branch President 199? - 2004
Mr Tom Hanley
Tom Hanley served with RAF in the Middle East, Italy and Yugoslavia and when he was de-mobbed he joined the then British Legion in his native Cumbria and transferred to the Morecambe & Heysham Branch when he moved here in 1964.
Tom was very soon "elected" to the Branch Committee and then discovered that being a volunteer to the cause meant that you were committed for life!! Tom became Honorary Secretary in 1966 and remained in that post for 23 years but in 1966 he also got "volunteered" to be Honorary Poppy Appeal Organiser and he carried out these duties for over 30 years. To this day, Tom is known as the "Poppy Man" to a great many people in Morecambe.
In later years, Tom was elected to the Lancashire County Committee and became their Chairman and was honoured with Life Membership and a Gold Badge.
On the 19th May 2021, Tom celebrated his 100th birthday with a garden party at Bare Hall where he received a birthday card from H. M. Queen Elizabeth.
Branch President, Mr Tom Hanley celebrates his 100th Birthday on 19th May 2021
