THIS SITE WAS LAST UPDATED ON 28th November 2021

 The AGM of the Bordeaux & S.W. France Branch

of the Royal British Legion 

took place at;
Le  Petit Cave, Blaye
at 11:00 hrs on October 14th 2021

Followed by a Guided tour of their winery and a buffet lunch

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Our branch officers for 2021/2022 are:

Branch Officers
President	John Allsop BEM MA
Chairman	Duncan Andrews
Treasurer	Paul Phillips MBE
Membership Secretary	Paul Phillips MBE
Welfare Chairman	Paul Phillips MBE
Secretary	Anthony Dingle
Standard Bearer	Andrew Cooper
Poppy Appeal Organiser	Dr. Mike Bell
Deputy Standard Bearer	Fred Chase
Branch Chaplain	Rev. Akasha Lonsdale-Deighton
Webmaster	Duncan Andrews

     The Royal British Legion Bordeaux and SW France Branch
     213 Route de l'Eclop, Le Pontet, 33390 EYRANS France.
      05.57.64.46.21.
      andrewsin33@gmail.com

facebook site; 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/306085566632991/  The day to day information about the Branch will be posted on our Facebook site.

BORDEAUX & S W FRANCE BRANCH

The Branch is very different from those in the UK. We do not have any club premises where members can meet once or twice a week. In fact, members only meet together at the AGM and at various commemorative and social events during the year. This may seem strange with a membership of around 70. However, although based mainly in the Bordeaux and Aquitaine area, we cover an area twice the size of Wales! 

From Bordeaux in the North of our region, we extend to the Mediterranean in the South East, the Atlantic in the South West and within sight of the Pyrénées in the Centre. In fact, the Chairman and Treasurer are some three hours drive apart and our furthest fund raisers are some five hours away from Bordeaux. Despite this, however, the Branch is lively and active. 

Representatives of the Branch attend several commemorations each year, together with our Standard Bearer. We lay poppy wreaths to celebrate the Comet Line and the Chemin de la Liberté (the escape routes over the Pyrénées for Allied escapees during WW2) and attend the Frankton Souvenir ceremonies (the Cockleshell Heroes). 

In addition to 'showing the flag' at events such as these, members attend and lay wreaths at Armistice Sunday services at the Allied Military Cemetery in Bordeaux Talence and throughout the region. Armistice Day is always commemorated in France on November 11^th itself, which is a national holiday. 

Our main function is, of course, raising funds for the Legion, mainly though the Poppy Appeal. We have, for the past three years come second among all the hundred overseas branches in terms of funds raised per capita and we hope to continue in this fashion. 

We are always looking for new members. You do not need to be or have been serving in the military. However, you do need to have a genuine interest in the welfare of past and present members of our Armed forces.  

You will be very welcome to join us. Please communicate with our Chairman whose address you can find above.