Minutes of the Toddington Branch of The Royal British Legion

Committee Meeting 7:30 pm

Tuesday 21^st May 2024

1. Present

Debbie Gibbons, Graeme Kelly, Melanie Parker, John Wood, Bill Levinson, Lee Stone, Linda Washington.

2. Apologies

Glen Gadsden, Kelly Grumoli, Pippa Brazier, Lynda Bryant.

3. Silent Tribute.

4. Exhortation

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

we will remember them.

5. Previous Meeting – Committee Meeting 16^th April 2024

The minutes were read and agreed to be a true report of the last full committee meeting. 

Proposed – Lee Stone

Seconded – Bil Levinson

6. Chairmans Report

Raymond Aldous MBE.

Ray Aldous MBE passed away on St Georges Day 21^st April, Ray was 91, a real character, Ray loaned us his public address system for many years for our remembrance services. Ray joined the RAF for his National Service and was posted to Egypt, He was also involved with the Scouts, for which he received the MBE. His funeral is at the Cedar Chapel at the Luton Vale Cemetery 11:30am 22^nd May.

King Charles Ⅲ

His Majesty King Charles Ⅲ has announced that he is to take over the patronage of the Royal British Legion from the Late Queen Elizabeth, this is very good news indeed for the Royal British Legion.

D-Day Events, 6^th & 8^th June 2024

We are now only weeks from the two D-Day evening events we are holding on the Village Green. Reverend Linda Washington and our President Nigel Washington have agreed to conduct a short service and national tribute at both events, Bil Levinson will also be reading a proclamation prior to the lighting of the Village Beacon on both evenings.

Reverand Linda Washington has offered to do a D-Day themed Service at St Georges on 6^th June at 8pm, prior to going onto the green at 8:45 for the lighting of the beacon at 9:15.   

The Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Air Commodore Gordon Moulds CBE has confirmed that he and his wife will be attending on the evening of 6^th June, where he will lay a commemorative D-Day wreath for us.

The event on Saturday 8^th June will commence at 6pm with the Beacon again being lit at 9:15  

We would like any member with relatives that served during the 2^nd World War especially if they were serving on the 6^th June 1944, to bring along a copy photo of your relative with a short note of who they are, who and where they served with, and when they served, Graeme Kelly has made a “Pin Board” that will be on the green on 8^th June, these photos will be pinned onto the board to tell the tale of Toddington’s link to D-Day and the beginning of the end of the War.

Toddington Village Fete. 11am to 1pm - Saturday 22^nd June 2024

Toddington RBL will be attending the village fete again this year, after the great success of the fete last year we will be there again with our Merchandise stall, and a prize raffle, which will include a lovely hand knitted Coronation blanket, made by the Toddington Knitting Group.

 7. Reports

7.1 Treasurer – Debbie Gibbons

7.2 Poppy Appeal Report – Melanie Parker

2023 Poppy Appeal - Toddington

No recent events have taken place for fundraising, we have had £29.55 collected from the AYR pot from Childs Bakers, making the figures as follows:

• Local figure - £13,957.60
• Luton schools - £19,449.21
• Overall total - £31,824.62

D-Day 80 wreath has been ordered and pins are currently being ordered per PAO depending on events being held.

I am hoping that I can get a card machine for both of our June events, however these are quite hard to get hold of outside of the Remembrance period.

Poppy Appeal Totals National & Bedfordshire

Bedfordshire 2022/2023 - £341,885.30

Bedfordshire 2023/2024 - £337,511.23

National: 2022/2023 - £38,092,456.07

National: 2023/2024  - £38,164,145.72

7.3 Membership Secretaries Report – Bil Levinson

Membership Secretaries Report

From the membership list on 18^th May 2024, we have 61 members. Details have been sent to John and Kelly.

Web Site Report

The web site is up to date as far as I can tell, including April Minutes.

• Standard Bearer – Pippa Brazier

Our Standard Bearer, Pippa Brazier, continues to go to various Funerals, events, and parades that she is requested to attend, the most recent of these since the last meeting are set out below.

• 20^thApril London Cenotaph, St Georges Parade. (RAFA) 
• 22^ndApril Bedford Crematorium – Mr Victor Warren, Royal Navy, Korean War.
• 29^thApril All Saints, Leighton Buzzard – Mr Keith Boyce, RBL member.  
• 30^thApril St Marys Church, Oakley – Mr David Davies, Parachute Regiment.
• 13^thMay Bedford Crematorium – Funeral of Mr Roger Barker, Korean war veteran. 

8. Any other Business.

We have been given Some folders by Pat Smith, relating to her previous years as the secretary of the Toddington Branch, Debbie and Graeme will be going through these to see what they find.

9. Correspondence

All items of correspondence are now sent out via email to the committee members prior to the meeting taking place, so that they can be read beforehand and discussed as necessary during the meeting. If any member would like a copy of any correspondence item, please contact John Wood or Kelly Grumoli (details at the top of these minutes) and we will get copies to you.

• Air Commodore Gordon Moulds CBE
• Central News – April 2024

10 Future Events – Memorable Dates

• 6^th June, 8pm D-Day service at St Georges Church, Followed by:-
• 6th June, 8:45pm D-Day Commemoration and Beacon Lighting - Village Green.
• 8^th June, 6pm D-Day event on the Village Green.
• 22^nd June 11am to 4pm Toddington Village Fete, on the Village Green.
• 26^th October – Coffee Morning, Toddington Methodist hall.
• 10^th November – Remembrance Sunday
• 11^th November – Armistice Day (Monday)

11. Next Meeting

 The next meeting will be at 19:30 on Tuesday 18^th June 2024 and will be in the top bar of the Social & Services Club, High Street Toddington.

If any member would like to attend a committee meeting, please contact John Wood or Kelly Grumoli and we can send you the details.

The meeting was closed at 20.55 pm