CBOC BRANCH, ROYAL BRITISH LEGION – 2018 PLAN

1.         Introduction.  

a.         2017.   CBOC Branch had a good 2017. The targets the Branch set itself for the year were generally met.

• Membership/Recruiting: The Branch has 124 members. 2017 Recruiting Target 5 – Recruited 10: 2 Serving, 4 ex mil (3 under 60), 1 ACF Cadet and 3 supporters. The membership strength reduced by only 1 during 2017 as 6 members didn’t re-join when the new payment system was introduced, later 1 member didn’t renew and 4 members passed away.
• Non Poppy Appeal: Target: £2000 – Collected £2044 from Plus 1176 from Coop Community Fund and £1137 from Tom Bee cycling to Ypres. A total of £4357
• Poppy Appeal: Target 450 Colleting Hours – 400+ Hours resulting in a total of £19,300.

b.         Granby, Barnstone and District (GBD).         GBD returned to full Branch status.

c.         IT.       The Office 365 RBL network still has yet to fully bed in. The Branch has not received sufficient training to make best use of what should be an excellent system for Committee business. The CBOC Web site is out of date and continues to need rejuvenation. A webmaster is required.

e.         Welfare.          The Branch supports the Community Support project. The Welfare Member (now BCS Member) has struggled to get information about cases referred to the RBL. A lot of effort for little reward.

f.          RBL Annual National Meeting.          The Chairman attended the RBL Annual National Meeting in Southport. The first time the Branch had attended in living memory. It was worthwhile.

g.         WW1 - CBOC Great War Project.     The CBOC GWP continued. www.CBOCGWP.co.uk

h.         2018 Final Plan.          The Draft 2018 Plan was presented to the AGM on 12 Oct 2017 and was endorsed by the 49members present .The Plan has been written in accordance with the CBOC Strategy 2015 to 2020 and the final version was agreed by the CBOC Committee on 8 Jan 2018. 

2.         Aim.    The aim of this document is to provide a plan for CBOC business in 2018.

3.         Objectives.      The CBOC objectives for 2018 are:

a.         Membership (Comradeship).

(1)        New Members. The Branch has 124 members. The average age is reducing but remains high and the number of ex-servicemen low but increasing. Anyone wishing to join the Branch will be welcome but recruiting effort will go towards identifying and recruiting 5 serving or ex-service members under 60.

(2)        Colston Bassett Membership. Membership in Colston Bassett is reducing. In 2018 we will reverse this trend.

(3)        Events and CBOC Gatherings. (tbc) Run the following events and gatherings:

• 16 Feb Fri – Branch Spring Meeting at Cotgrave Golf Club (Prestigious)
• 8 Mar Thur – Gathering at Cotgrave Club for recruits (Gathering)
• ?? Mar (tbc) – Military visit. (Gathering)
• 1 Apr Easter Sun – Support Martins Arms Easter Egg Rolling. (Fund Raise)
• 10 May Thur – Meeting and Supper at Chequers Cropwell Bishop (tbc) (Gathering)
• 16 Jun Sat – Stand at the Cotgrave Festival. (Fund Raising)
• 14 Jul Sat – Main Fundraising Event, CB Village Hall (Fund Raising)  
• *8 Aug – Great Pilgrimage 90 event. GP 90. (Remembrance)
• *14/15 Sep – Belvoir Wassailers Concert (Fund Raising)
• 11 Oct Thur – AGM and supper at the Cotgrave Club. (AGM)
• 20 Oct to 10 Nov – Poppy Collection. (Fund Raising)
• *1 Nov – Knitted Poppy display opens (Remembrance)
• *3 Nov – Barnstone Singers Concert (Fundraising)
• *11 Nov Sun - Remembrance Sunday and Lunch. Location tbd. (Prestigious)
• 12 Dec Wed – Christmas Gathering and supper at Rose and Crown. (Gathering)

*’Thank You’ Campaign.        Those events with a * will be part of the CBOC effort towards the RBL ‘Thank You’ campaign. Additional events such as a CBOC Great War Project Exhibition, An Art Competition, ¼ Peel of Bells and Knitted Poppies display will be introduced at a later date. Members will be coopted onto the Committee to assist as necessary.

             b.        CBOC Fund Raising.

(1)        Non Poppy Appeal.     Raise £2000 outside the Poppy Appeal from donations, talks and the following activities:   

• 1 Apr, Easter - Egg Rolling at the Martins Arms       (Chairman)
• 16 Jun – Cotgrave Festival                                         (Secretary)
• 14 Jul – BBQ and Horse Racing                                 (Treas, Events Members)
• 14 Sep – Belvoir Wassailers Concert                         (Jon Carlton)
• 3 Nov – Barnstone Singers Concert                           (Chairman)
•  Quizzes and Raffles                                                   (Various Members)

(2)        Poppy Appeal.            To provide 400 people hours of collection for the Poppy Appeal mainly between 20 Oct and 31 Dec.

c          CBOC Maintain Awareness.

(1)        Branding.        Introduce the RBL ‘Live On’ Branding.

(2)        Schools.           Visit and talk to pupils at Cotgrave Church of England Primary School, Candleby Lane Primary School and Ash Lea Special School. Involve in GP 90.

(3)        Remembrance Sunday. Support all 3 village communities on 12 Nov. Parade with Cadets and uniformed services in Cotgrave and assist with traffic control.

(4)        Social Media.  Reconsider the use of the Web Site, Facebook and Twitter.

(5)        WW1 Names.  Continue to maintain and update www.CBOCGWP.co.uk. Work with U3A History Group to enhance web site.

(6)        Talks.   Visit and speak to external organisations and one Care Home in the area. Eg. WI, PROBUS, Methodist League, U3A.

(7)        Articles.           Write articles for newspapers and magazines such as Cotgrave Connections, The Cross, Wiverton News.

d.         CBOC Welfare.

(1)        Further develop the RBL ‘Branch Community Support’ initiative.

(2)        Use members and networks to identify eligible and needy cases and direct them towards the Regional welfare resources.

(3)        Maintain liaison with Cotgrave and Cropwell Bishop Medical Centres, the Churches, Police and Cotgrave Advice Centre.

(4)        Identify and support all Branch members in need of assistance.

e.         CBOC Structure.        A new Treasurer is now in post.

f.          IT.       Office 365 presents an opportunity to carry out branch work more efficiently. We will attempt to organise training to help us embrace this system. The Branch web site requires attention and we will find a new webmaster and update the site. The CBOCGWP web site cost £100 per year to run and we will investigate moving the site to a no cost location, possibly the Cotgrave U3A site.

4.         CBOC Officers, Committee and Conference Representative.           The following were voted in at the AGM on 12 Oct 2017:

a.         Officers.         

President                     Roy Evley

Chairman                     John Ludlam

Vice Chairman            Pam Brooks

            Secretary                     Peter McLaughlin

            Treasurer                     Tom Bee

b.         Committee.    

Chairman                     John Ludlam

Vice Chairman            Pam Brooks

            Secretary                     Peter McLaughlin

            Treasurer                     Tom Bee        

Welfare BCS Member            Chris Cockayne

Events Members         Gilly Cross and Bert Wragg

Poppy Coordinator     Ian Shaw

c.         Conference Representatives.  County - John Ludlam, National – Currently vacant.

5.         Chairman’s Tasks.

• Coordinate the recruiting of 5 new members under 60 who are serving or have served.
• Coordinate the increase in members in Colston Bassett.
• Coordinate the CBOC Gatherings in Cotgrave.
• Identify Guest speakers as necessary.
• Arrange Remembrance Sunday parade in Cotgrave.
• Assist Suzi McCullough and Chris Cockayne to arrange Remembrance Sundays in Colston Bassett and Owthorpe respectively.

• Write a newsletter twice each year, the first early in the year and the second running up to the AGM.
• Find a member to maintain a CBOC web site and make maximum use of the Cotgrave Community web site in order to inform, recruit and retain.
• Review the greater use of social media. FACEBOOK and Twitter.
• Provide presentations and articles when opportune.
• Coordinate the Branch website and the CBOC Great War Project.
• Coordinate the ‘Thank You’ Campaign tasks.

6.         Secretary’s Tasks.

• With the Chairman all secretarial work for CBOC.
• Process all new members’ documentation.
• With the Chairman plan, advertise, organise and coordinate the AGM.
• Provide the main conduit into CBOC from other organisations or individuals wishing involvement.
• Identify and train Standard Bearers as necessary.
• Assist the Poppy Appeal Organiser to run the Poppy appeal.
• When required help organise events such as visits.

7.         Treasurer’s Tasks.

• Maintain the accounts on LOMAS, present them for audit and then present them to the AGM.
• Provide annual financial information to the timetable set by the RBL.
• Comply with the RBL financial regulations and advise the committee on all financial matters.
• Prior to and at the AGM advise the committee and members on the money available for donation and the maintenance of the Reserves.
• Act as banker for CBOC activities.

• Organise financial checks every quarter.
• Organise and act as secretary for 2 financial meeting each year to fill the gaps between Committee meetings.

8.         Events Members’ Tasks.

• Form a subcommittee to run the main fundraising event as necessary.
• Plan, advertise, organise and run the Spring Supper and Remembrance Sunday lunch.

• Plan, advertise, organise and run those CBOC Gatherings outside Cotgrave.
• When required help organise events such as visits.

9.         Poppy Appeal Organiser’s Tasks.

• Recruit Deputy Poppy Appeal Organisers as area representatives.
• Incorporate the cadets early in the planning and execution of collection.
• Implement lessons learnt from 2017.

• With the Secretary, Cotgrave Representative, Colston Bassett Representative, Cropwell Bishop Representative and Owthorpe Representative run all aspects of the Poppy Appeal 2018.
• Involve more CBOC members to carry out Street Collections in Cotgrave.

10.       Welfare BCS Member’s Tasks.

• Continue to embrace the RBL ‘Branch Community Support’ initiative. Provide quarterly statistics to RBL.

• Identify welfare cases in Cotgrave and the outlying villages and liaise with Regional Welfare Case Officers to provide welfare.
• Carry out welfare work for CBOC members in consultation with the remainder of the committee as necessary.
• Introduce a system whereby younger members maintain 6 monthly contact with members over 80 and those in need of assistance.
• Advise members on the possibility of becoming a Regional welfare volunteer.

11.       Coordination.  The 2018 program will be coordinated through the CBOC Committee. One meeting was held on 8 Jan 2018 in order to ensure all understand the plan and ask for assistance as necessary. One meeting will be held on 24 Sep 2018 to prepare the 2019 plan and coordinate effort for the AGM (11 Oct), Poppy Appeal and Remembrance events. The Treasurer will call in 2 finance meetings to cover the gaps between committee meetings.

Colonel (Retired) T J LUDLAM OBE - Chairman CBOC