How the Loja Branch began.
On 25 November 2009 the inaugural meeting of the Loja Branch was held and the branch was born. Now, in 2018, 6 of the founding members are still part of the branch, and we have a steady membership of around 30, with about 20 members who are full time residents in Spain.
Since its formation the branch has held its meetings in a number of locations around the Loja area, with our current meeting place at Hotel El Cruce in Moraleda from September 2022 onwards.
In April 2015, at a meeting chaired by the newly elected Chairman, Bob Adams, the branch voted to raise funds to purchase our own Standard – the equivalent of £1000.00. Thus followed 8 months of hard work mainly by Peter Roberts and his late wife Sylvia, who attended several car boot fairs every week. By the Christmas meal that same year, we had done it! The Standard was purchased in early 2016, and a Dedication ceremony was held at the Parish Church in Salinas in October 2016.
Since then, the Standard has been prominently displayed at every Branch Meeting.
The Standard has also been paraded at Remembrance events in Benejarafe, Mollina and Gibraltar and at the Annual District Conference.
In 2018 the Standard was paraded at the Muster of Standards at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Over the years, as well as our usual Branch meetings, we have held quizzes, bingo, raffles, tombola stalls, bring and buy stalls, dog shows, cake sales, book exchanges and attended car boot fairs to help the branch increase its funding.
As a branch we often organise trips around the local area, and sometimes further afield. The local Roman Villa, the Science Park in Granada and Gibraltar for Remembrance weekend are just examples.
Once a month, along with guests, we meet informally for lunch in the local and surrounding areas.
The founding members of the Loja Branch.
The first Chairman and Treasurer posing together.
The forming of the Loja Branch would not have been possible without the help of the Bikers Branch of the RBL.
Some photographs of a few of the current branch members and the new Standard are included below:
The new Loja Branch Standard
The Standard Dedication Ceremony at Salinas Church
District Quiz Winners 2016
Christmas Lunch in Moraleda 2015
Presentation to the Manager at Rinconcillo in Loja.