Item 1. Annual Quiz
Quiz night date of Friday 29 April 2022 was confirmed by all present.
- Caroline Crewe to confirm date with Byfield Village Hall
- Caroline Crewe to contact PTA re bacon butties for the evening
- Alison Boyle in charge of raffle to be assisted by Jane Holland
- David Bradshaw will collect team papers for marking
- Bob Cubitt to contact Shaun Start re quiz questions
- Bob Cubitt to host
- Alan Bailey and Chris Kiely to prepare and manage the bar
- Rob Crewe to modify the previous advertising posters
Planned 7.30pm start with volunteers needed to help set up the hall from 6.00pm onwards.
Any raffle prizes to go to Alison Boyle or Jane Holland please.
Item 2. War Memorial crosses and wreaths
As per RBL branch minutes of August 2018 and September 2019 wreaths will be removed from Byfield War Memorial during September. Crosses to be removed as they start to deteriorate. Byfield Parish Council has been advised of this.
- Rob Crewe will keep Byfield War Memorial tidy during any flag flying days.
Item 3. Battle Back Centre donation 2021
No donation was actually made during 2021. The last branch donations made were in 2020 being £500 to both Battleback Centre and Galanos House. Any future donations to Battleback Centre have to be donated to RBL with a letter requesting that the donation is passed on to Battleback Centre. This is as a result of RBL taking away the facility to donate directly.
Item 4: New Padre
Alan Bailey spoke with Reverend Paul Trathen who is honoured and happy be Padre. He has asked to be known as Father. He is however away during November 2022.
- Bob Cubitt to contact Byfield’s retired Bishop to ask if he is available this coming Remembrance November.
Item 5: Joy Rees farewell presentation
Alan Bailey has heard from Joy Rees who would prefer a meeting at Red Lion Culworth.
- Bob Cubitt to follow this up and arrange venue and a date
- John Russell will present Joy with her framed certificate at the meeting.
Item 6: Flag flying dates 2022
Rob Crewe has advised Byfield Parish Council of proposed flag flying dates. The Parish Council has advised that it will respond after their next meeting scheduled for 13 February 2022.
Item 7: Annual County Conference January 2022
Alan Bailey was unable to virtually attend on the day. We are awaiting publication of the minutes.
Item 8: Meeting dates 2022
Meeting dates for 2022 were confirmed. These are attached as an appendix to these minutes.
- Caroline Crewe to confirm meeting dates with Byfield Village Hall
Item 9: Finance statement end January 22
David Bradshaw has Bank statements to end December 2021. BFI a/c: healthy. Current a/c: healthy too.
January 22 expenditure to deduct from this total is: Hire BVH Dec21 £15.30, 8 x RBL Remembrance wreaths £148.00, and £42.79 for retirement gifts.
Item 10: Meeting speakers for April and June 2022
- April 22. Bob Cubitt on the Malayan Emergency
- June 22. Bob Cubitt to contact member Bernard Tisley to enquire about possible speaker on firearms and their history.
If any member has any ideas for interesting local speakers for our branch, please do let Bob Cubitt, Secretary know. Talks ideally 30-45 minutes in length.
Item 11: Branch Outing 2022
- C/f to March 22 meeting
- Bob Cubitt to look at the potential to visit the former RAF Defford, which is a National Trust property.
Item 12: Branch BBQ 2022
Dates discussed and Sunday 31 July 2022 was decided upon. Attendees to be Members and others by invitation only.
Venue to be determined.
- Bob Cubitt will contact Byfield School to see if this is a possible venue
- To be discussed further at the March 22 meeting.
If any member wishes to make their garden available for the BBQ please do let Bob Cubitt know.
Item 13: Queens Platinum Jubilee June 2022
- Bob Cubitt will contact Byfield Parish Council to ask if anything has been arranged for Byfield and whether RBL Byfield & District branch can do anything to help / join forces with any other groups in the area.
Item 14: New members / welcome pack
- Chris Kiely volunteered to remove the old recruitment posters in both Byfield Surgery and Bus Stop
- Welcome pack ideas to be carried forward to March 22 meeting.
Item 15: AOB
John Russell thanked Alan Bailey for his hard work over the years as Branch Secretary, and thanked both Graham Walker and Bob Cubitt for taking on roles of Chair and Secretary respectively.
As a matter of point John Russell would like a signed copy of future minutes.
Please note that during covid-19 it was not always possible to get minutes signed but they were all approved via email.
Date of next meeting: Monday 7 March 2022. Byfield Village Hall annex 20:00
Meeting closed 21:55
RBL Byfield and District committee meeting dates 2022
Monday February 7th Speaker: Tim Boddington Venice
Monday March 7th
Monday April 4th Speaker: Bob Cubitt Malayan Emergency
Tuesday May 3rd
Monday June 6th Speaker: TBC
Monday July 4th
Monday August 1st
Monday September 5th
Monday October 3rd
Monday November 7th AGM
Monday December 5th
Other dates of note
Friday April 29th Annual Quiz night Byfield Village Hall
Sunday July 31st Branch BBQ
Outing date
Suggested months June to July. Venue to be confirmed.
