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Our branch officers for 2022/2023ndrew are:
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Branch Officers
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President
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John Allsop BEM MA
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Chairman
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Duncan Andrews
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Treasurer
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Paul Phillips MBE
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Membership Secretary
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Andrew Cooper
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Welfare Chairman
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Paul Phillips MBE
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Secretary
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Duncan Andrews |
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Standard Bearer
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Andrew Cooper
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Poppy Appeal Organiser
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Dr. Mike Bell
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Deputy Standard Bearer
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Fred Chase
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Branch Chaplain
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Rev. Akasha Lonsdale-Deighton
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Webmaster
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Duncan Andrews
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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 11th 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.
