Royal British Legion Ashwell & District Branch Chairman’s Report 2023/2024
It has been a busy year for us in the Branch. Last year, we held our usual Poppy Appeal collections at points along the High Street and at Carters Pond on the three Saturdays before Remembrance Sunday. The service on Remembrance Sunday was held at St Mary’s Parish Church led by Revd Chris Campbell followed by the Act of Remembrance led by Revd Jim Dalgliesh at the village War Memorial. It was good to have the Uniformed groups joining in both the service and the Remembrance. Many gathered with us to take part in the laying of wreaths and the Silence as we honoured those and named from this village who died. Thank you to all who took part. It is so important that even though we don’t personally know the people whose names are inscribed on the Memorial and read out at the ceremony that we still remember them and the sacrifice they made to win the gift of peace.
The work of the Committee continued throughout the year – meetings were held on occasions and the year ends with our AGM today.
Our Branch membership stands at 49.
The year began with the sad news that Mrs Edna Howe had died following a short illness. Edna was our Branch President and had served the Branch for many years in various capacities. We also heard with sadness of the death of Mr Byron Searle. Byron had been a Branch member for many years and always supported the work especially the Poppy Appeal. Well attended funeral services were held for both of them at St Mary’s and tributes were paid to both Edna and Byron for the part they played in the life of the village. May they rest in peace.
The collections from both funerals were donated to the Branch. We were able to purchase a new Union Flag to fly at the War Memorial.
The work of the Committee focussed on the various fund raising events through the year. These were
June 8th a Coffee Morning following the Commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings in 1944.
August 17th a Coffee Morning
One hugely significant date during the year was the Commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. An act of Remembrance was held at the War Memorial on June 6th which was attended by about 40 people. The D-Day Coffee Morning which was held a few days later on June 8th was wonderfully supported and a large sum was raised - £656 to support the Poppy Appeal.
During the year Sharon Dawson and Paul Miller attended Committee meetings – Sharon proposed the creation a Poppy Fall to display at the Memorial on Remembrance Sunday. This was supported by the Committee and since then Sharon has recruited many knitters in the village to provide poppies to be placed on a background to create the Poppy Fall. Well over 1000 poppies have been knitted.
My thanks to all members of the Branch Committee for the huge amount of work they do to make the Branch such a success – their ongoing support and organising of events is very much appreciated. For small village community we do very well when compared to Branches in larger towns in the County. My especial thanks to our Officers, our Treasurer, Rita Lewis, and our Poppy Appeal Organiser, Jo Huggins, our Secretary Katie Cripps, and our Vice Chairman & Membership Officer Andrew Gillborn for your unstinting commitment in supporting the work of our Branch.
Earlier in the year Jo let us know that she intended to stand down as our Poppy Appeal Organiser this year. This will be her last Remembrance organising all of us and encouraging others to be collectors in the village on the three Saturdays before Remembrance Sunday, as well as maintaining our supplies sold at coffee mornings. Jo has done this job for 6 years.
As we say thank you to Jo for her service to the Branch may I present her with this Branch Certificate of Appreciation for all her work with us and for us.
I am pleased to report that Sharon Dawson and Paul Miller are to take on the role as joint PAO’s.
Our thanks also go to Chris Pack who raises the Union Flag when needed.
Thank you too to Craig Langford who looks after the War Memorial and always makes sure that the grass is cut and plants are kept fresh and beautiful – a fitting tribute to all we remember.
Finally, a huge thank you to those who volunteer through the year to collect for the Poppy Appeal at various points in the village, as well as supporting the coffee mornings and fund raising events we hold. We always welcome new volunteers who offer to take part in our activities and if you would like to help please get in touch.
One question I would like to ask for your advice on and that is, ‘Is there anything we should or ought to be doing to promote the work of our Branch and the work of The RBL?’ I’m always happy to receive suggestions that the committee can reflect on.
Revd Canon Lindsay Dew (Chairman)
‘In honour of those who fought, in memory of those who fell’
