The old and the new Standards side by side on the St James Church Communion Table

Our Branch President and Standard Bearer, Tony Evans, handing the old Standard to the Rev John Lenton for safe keeping in the Church.

The Rev John Lenton unfurled the new Standard to bless it

The Branch Committee with Rev John Lenton after the service. Also present was the Chairman and Standard Bearer of the Tadley & District Branch who attended in support.

Bramley & District Royal British Legion visit RAF Odiham

On Monday 24^th April 2017, 12 members and friends from the Branch were treated to a visit to the RAF at Odiham. We were welcomed by the visit Project Officer, Flt Lt Elmer, and then guided to the Main Briefing Room where, after a welcome cup of tea, Wg Cdr Bell, Chief of Staff, gave us all an excellent overview of all aspects of the Station’s operations. He stressed the importance to the station of being part of the surrounding community and explained why it is necessary for them to train in low level and night flying procedures. Next, personnel from the RAF Regiment Force Protection Training Unit, armament engineers and survival equipment specialists had assembled at the back of the room with a wide range of weapons and survival equipment that are currently used by the Chinook Force. Finally, we were hosted by aircrew of 27 Sqn who explained their roles, showed us around their flight preparation facilities and then invited us inside a Chinook. The visit concluded with a group photo in front of a Chinook with one of our 27 Sqn hosts, Flt Lt Robson, on the left and our project officer, Flt Lt Elmer, on the right.

Our thanks to RAF Odiham for giving us this privileged insight into their operations and more knowledge about these extraordinary aircraft that use the skies above us.

Donna Green, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s chief nurse, was presented with a special certificate by John Delafield, Rhydian Vaughan and Jean Young from the Bramley and District branch of The Royal British Legion. Jean said: “We would like to say thank you to the hospital for allowing us to collect for the poppy appeal here and everybody who donated. Everyone was so generous and we are really pleased with the amount of money we managed to raise. This 2016 appeal went well, with a grand total of £3,982.11 raised across the hospital, £300 more than the amount donated in 2015.