Item 1. Chairman’s Opening Remarks
Alan Bailey, acting Chair, welcomed the members present to the meeting.
Apologies received from Graham Pattenden due to convalescence and Chris Kiely.
The Act of Remembrance was spoken.
Item 2. Annual Quiz Night 26 November 2021
Preparations are underway for the annual quiz evening. The Byfield Village Hall is booked.
Cost to be £10 per table with 4 to a table.
- Shaun Start will write the questions, and his wife will operate the scoreboard.
- Bob Cubitt will be question master on the evening
- John Russell, BEM, will collect table monies on the night
- Alan Bailey to contact PTA to arrange bacon butties
- Alan Bailey will run the bar on the evening
- David Bradshaw will collect the answer papers. Discussion took place as to whether have 4 markers or for each table to mark other tables as the answers are read out. This will be finalised at the monthly November meeting.
- Alison Hurst offered to be a collector for raffle prizes if that helps anyone wishing to donate. Alison will draw the raffle numbers and a “shouter” for the drawn numbers will be needed on the evening. Any donations from members for the raffle will be gratefully accepted and can either be given to Alison or brought on the evening – thank you
- Alan Bailey will approach Northampton County to ask for RBL merchandise to place on the tables such as pens etc.
- David Bradshaw will approach POA to see if he has any RBL merchandise.
- Rob Crewe will produce laminated posters to advertise the event which will include words such as “Support your local Legion”
- The Byword copy has been submitted and the event will be in the Oct/Nov Byword
- Jane Holland will put the event on the Byfield and Woodford Halse community pages nearer the time
Members present decided that tickets for the event would not be needed. This was proposed by John Russell, BEM and seconded by David Bradshaw, Treasurer.
- Volunteers are needed from 6pm onwards on 26 November to help set the hall up. Anyone that can assist with this will be made very welcome.
Item 3: Remembrance Services
- Alan Bailey to contact Revd. Paul Trathen and discuss arrangements for the annual remembrance services. RBL District has advised that branches may no longer apply for road closures. Further discussion on the services will be held at future meetings when Alan can report back on his meeting with the Reverend.
Item 4: Alternative Stonemason for cleaning Byfield War Memorial
This item produced much discussion. It is neither the responsibility of the Parish Council or the legion branch to maintain the memorial.
John Russell, BEM, reminded all present that we should consider / review all the memorials in the RBL Byfield & District branch.
- Jane Holland will email HS2 Parish Councillor, Santon Crowshaw, to request he contact HS2 to request some monies towards restoring/cleaning all the branch memorials needed.
- If this is unsuccessful then we could consider volunteers for a working party to clean the Byfield memorial ourselves or discuss other methods.
Les Jones explained how important the Byfield memorial is to him personally and that he would like to see it looking better and maintained regularly.
- It was decided by members present that the wooden crosses should be removed around 2 – 3 weeks after remembrance. A volunteer can be requested at each November branch meeting.
- Jane Holland volunteered to remove last year’s crosses in the next few days.
(NB. I have been advised that Branch funds may not be used for cleaning the War Memorial.)
Item 5: 100 years Centenary Bench
- Please refer to August 2021 minutes for suggestions received on types of 100-year centenary bench. Alan Bailey will bring photos of the different types available for discussion.
There was discussion that perhaps a memorial bench may be rather expensive and that money may be better spent on other items. This was left for discussion / resolution at future meetings.
Item 6: Next Pub Lunch
Members present thought that it was time to consider resuming pub lunch meetings, and that the 1st post covid-19 meeting should be combined with the farewell lunch to Joy Rees and Terry Hoyle.
- Alan Bailey to contact both Joy & Terry for availability dates and then book a local pub and advise members
- John Russell BEM, volunteered to write the speeches for the occasion.
AOB
- Les Jones requested that a committee member approach District to acquire a small stock of “In Sympathy” cards to send to families of deceased members. Alan Bailey pointed out that
he keeps cards of both sympathy and get-well messages with Byfield and District for use as necessary.
There being no further business, the acting Chair closed the meeting at 21:20.
The next meeting will be held on 4th October 20:00 in the Village Hall Meeting Room.
