Northamptonshire Legion Matters
December 2024
Message from the Editor
As we come to the end of another busy year, may I take this opportunity to thank all branches and members who have sent in ideas and contributions for the County Newsletter. Have a great Christmas and New Year!
In this issue
Editor’s Notes
Message from County Chair Training News
County Committee Diary Notes
2025 County Conference Branch News
Message from the County Chair
As we begin to see the lightening of the darkness that this time of year inflicts upon us, we look forward to the seasonal celebrations. As Officers of the County our sights are on a further horizon, the 2025 County Conference which will begin our Legion New Year with a new venue and revised date due to circumstances beyond our control at Northamptonshire County Hall. The advantages of our new venue is ample on-site parking and our ability to provide refreshments for delegates and visitors. I would wish to welcome representatives from all branches within the County to the 2025 County Conference.
Before Conference we will reach one of the two key deadlines in the RBL year; the submission of Forms MS1, MS1B & MS1-CSB by midnight on 31st December. Please do not delay submission until the last moment and please check that the file size when submitting via email is not too large to cause the file to be rejected by the online postmaster, as happened to at least one branch last year whose MS1 arrived at 11.50pm after a phone call from myself. Please DO NOT send your MS1 by post to the County Office, no Officers will visit the County Office between
17th December and 7th January 2025!
Editor's Contact: Northamptonshire.Secretary@rbl.community
PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR ALL THE LATEST INFORMATION
HTTPS: //COUNTIES.BRITISHLEGION.ORG.UK/COUNTIES/NORTHAMPTONSHIRE/
TRAINING NEWS
There is now a great selection of development and management training which members may find beneficial, especially if you are new to an Officer or Committee post in your branch.
All these are now available on the Discover Training Portal which everyone can register on and then book those courses you would like to do. Some are on-line only whilst others might need you to attend face-to-face.
The following are currently available:
Branch Management County Management County Training Officer County Recruiting Officer Branch Recruiting Advisor Branch Treasurer
LOMAS
Independent Examiner.
Secretaries Course (Branch and County) (new) Branch Community Support
Branch Community Support Coordinator (new) Branch Community Support Refresher Informal Resolution
For further details including Course Prospectus, guidance on how to register and use Discover and any local dates please visit the Training for Branches page of our website at https://counties.britishlegion.org.uk/counties/northamptonshire/training-for-branches/
Standard Bearer Training
We start training again in the New Year in preparation for the County Conference with sessions on
14th and 23rd January 2025
Training takes place at the Army Reserve Forces Centre Drill Hall, Clare Street, Northampton from
19.00 to 20.30hrs. Any queries please contact the County Parade Marshal
Northamptonshire.ParadeMarshal@rbl.community
Anyone interested in being a Standard Bearer or Parade Marshal, please come along to one of our sessions.
BCS Training
BCS Representatives and Supporters are required to complete Refresher training every two years. Branches have to be BCS registered before New Starter training can commence (see our webpage for more detailed information)
Any queries about branch training please contact Northamptonshire.CTO@rbl.community
Your County Committee
Full details of the County Committee are available on the County website.
Notes from the County Committee held on 21st November 2024
The Chair congratulated Faith Cosgrove and Pat Cutting on their 1st and Runner-Up places in the County Standard Bearer Competition.
Once all MSs have been received, the County Training Officer will be able to identify where there have been Officer and Committee changes to encourage branches to undertake any training required.
Work continues around the recommendations of the Finance Sub-Committee which have now been formally accepted by the Committee. This will include identifying any income streams to assist with County running costs such as contributions from branches and holding County fundraising events.
The County Community Support Co-ordinator expressed his concern that the restrictions on County funding will affect the amount of BCS support that can be provided for beneficiaries as few branches were now offering this service. The question of using County Welfare funds was also discussed and this will be raised with Haig House.
All branches are reminded that the County Recruiting Officer has recruitment materials which are available on request and can also deliver training where required.
The Committee agreed that the backlog and all future almonisation would now be calculated at 2.5%.
The 2025 County Conference will now take place on Saturday 1st February in the Drill Hall, Army Reserve Centre, Clare Street, Northampton.
The Regional Standard Bearers Competition will take place in Northampton on Saturday 15th February 2025 (see page 4).
The Committee discuissed and agreed a proposed format for the Sir Clive Johnstone Award (late RBL National President).
An application to become a County Supported Branch submitted by RBL Nether Heyford was agreed in principle.
Two branches had still not submitted their year end accounts and four branches were late which means they are now non-compliant.
The next County Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday 18th December 2024.
Diary Notes
By 5pm Friday 6th December 2024 - Compliant Branches to submit Motions and Charter Motions for RBL Annual Conference and/or County Conference to the County Secretary. Friday 13th December 2024 - Provisional agenda for County Conference issued to all compliant branches.
31st December 2024 - Deadline for the submission of all MS1s or MS1CSBs and MS1Bs to the MEO and County Secretary by email.
By 31st December 2024 - All Branch officers (i.e. Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) should have access to their rbl.community accounts.
By 5pm Friday 3rd January 2025 - Branch Delegate Return and Roll of Honour Information for County Conference to be submitted to the County Secretary.
2025 County Conference
Due to the non-availability of the Council Chamber in George Street, the Conference will now take place on Saturday 1st February 2025 in the Drill Hall at Clare Street, Northampton NN1 3JQ.
All branches are required to submit the details of delegates and any branch guests by no later than 5pm on Friday 3rd January 2025 together with their Roll of Honour Information (i.e. Branch members past and present who have passed away during 2024).
Delegates and guests are asked to arrive at 10.00am to allow for parking and security checking. Proof of ID must be a valid RBL National Membership Card for year 2024/25 for delegates and branch visitors - for non RBL visitors a photo ID required. Conference starts at 10.30am
Guest speakers will include Brigadier David Russell-Parsons OBE DL (Deputy Lord Lieutenant), Daniel Esler, RBL Director of Grants and Quality, Jo-Anne Wilson MBE (Manager RBL Galanos House) and Kate Wildman (RBL Head of Audit & Compliance)
Following Conference there will be a short Service of Remembrance
