Don't forget, if you "click-on" any words in coloured type, it will take you to a Web site...

AFTER SEVENTY-SIX YEARS, we very much regret the Byfield and District Branch of the Royal British Legion has now CLOSED

WE HOPE THAT THIS WEB SITE WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE AS A RECORD OF WHAT WE DID ACHIEVE IN THE LAST YEARS OF OUR EXISTANCE.

ADVANCE NOTICE: THE FIRE'S GONE OUT, so sadly, This year (2023), our SUMMER Barbeque HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

     MEAT...    ...& FIVE VEG

There were NO takers for our £10/head ADVANCE tickets. Any raffle PRIZES will be returned to the donors.

Poppies in a Jar Competition? There were 536 poppies in the jar. Thank you to all that helped, and of course, those that guessed at how many poppies were in the “Coronation jar”. The three winners were: 1. Pom Boddington, who guessed there might be 533, 2.Terry Hoyle who thought 542 poppies were packed-in and 3. April Skelsey whose calculations equalled 549.

There were 123 entries, and our Branch matched the donations, which provided another £247 to this year's Poppy Appeal.

CALL for STANDARD BEARERS: Saturday 10th June is a Training Day for existing and would-be bearers, and Parade Marshalls. Attendance is invited commencing 0930 and ending at 1530, at the Army Reserve Centre, Clare Street, Northampton NN1 3JQ (W3W ///loops.gift.parade). If any branch member is interested in attending, please let our Chairman Bob Cubitt know either by email at cubittbob@yahoo.co.uk or tel: 07957 810158 because he needs to advise the County Parade Marshall, Nick Fall about numbers. THERE WILL BE A FREE LUNCH.

YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO GO ALONG TO:

Our first "Armed Forces & Veterans' monthly breakfast", which is on Saturday 24th June between 10 and noon at Byfield's "CROSS TREE" inn NN11 6XA. We'll be having a meet and greet - and you can eat a breakfast bap and drink a hot beverage for a fiver. The intent is for this new “Club” to provide an informal social environment for a chat and laugh with a breakfast bap and mug of coffee or tea. If you are serving or have served in HM Forces, if you are an RBL member, SSAFA etc there will be an opportunity to meet old and new colleagues. If you are none of the above but are interested in the RBL and what we do, please don't be shy and come along anyway; you'll be welcomed (and hopefully, recruited).

If there is sufficient interest the “Club” will meet every month or two, and in the future the “Club” might meet in surrounding villages providing there is a suitable venue. 

THEN THERE IS...

The PROBUS Summer Outing on Monday 3 July 2023 to: Cotswold Farm Park - Home of Adam Henson

Our Committee Member Graham Walker advises that the local Probus group* has organised a visit to Cotswold Farm Park, and have booked a 53-seater coach leaving from Daventry.

They already have 40 seats booked so there remains just a few vacant spaces, which any of our Branch Members may claim BUT don't be shy, if you would like to go, your need to book, so DO IT NOW.

If anyone is interested, please give Graham Walker a call on 01327 262405.

The price is £40 per person for the coach, admission to the park and lunch.

The Park is run by Joe Henson who is Adam Henson’s (of the BBC TV's "Countryfile" fame) father. Joe Henson had blazed a trail on shows such as "Animal Magic" and "In the Country", discussing animal behaviour and farming traditions with passion and eloquence. 

*Probus is a national club formed by retirees who gather regularly to have a natter and try to do good works. Graham is a Member and can give details if required.

AND 

On Tuesday 11th July 2023, Byfield's 2^nd Tuesday Group (aka Over 60s) will visit: National Memorial Arboretum (thenma.org.uk)

As there are fewer than 30 members in the 2^nd Tuesday Group, Byfield's Parish Clerk, Angela Weller contacted our Hon. Sec. Caroline to ask if any RBL Byfield and District members would like to join them in their day out.

They will also be advertising the event in the June/July Byfield Parish Magazine "Byword" with the offer of seats for anyone in the village (or other villages) who would like to join the trip - if they haven’t filled a coach by then.

Catterall’s coaches has been booked to provide transport (with an onboard toilet it is believed).

They will be leaving Byfield around 9.15am to arrive for coffee/tea and biscuits at 11am; they are hoping to leave the Arboretum for home at 4pm.

Some further information on the National Memorial Arboretum is:

• There is no charge for admission but donations by visitors are always welcomed. 
• There are assorted tours by land train or similar. If individuals wish to take any of these tours, they can sort them out on arrival if they wish to.

If you are interested, please let Caroline (caro.crewe@outlook.com) have your name(s), address, phone number and email as she will be initially co-ordinating any RBL branch attendees, and passing this information across to Angela Weller.

Please do not make any payments at this point.

£15 to secure a seat with £3.75 for the pre-booked arrival coffee/tea and biscuits if required; total £18.75 per person. To be paid by the end of April/early May 2023 with either cash or cheques payable to Byfield Over 60s Club please. 

We are told that it is possible if they can completely fill the coach that a small refund on the coach price will be due to you.