THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

COLSTON BASSETT, OWTHORPE AND COTGRAVE BRANCH

PLAN 2013

January 2013

Members of the CBOC Committee
COLSTON BASSETT, OWTHORPE and COTGRAVE BRANCH, ROYAL BRITISH LEGION – 2013 PLAN
1. Introduction. CBOC Branch had a successful 2012. The Branch recruited 17 new members, raised over £1800 (against a target of £1000), attracted over 120 people to the Branch Summer bbq, raised £4200 during the Poppy Appeal and successfully handled 4 welfare cases. For 2013 the CBOC Strategy requires a plan to be written and presented to the AGM the year before the plan is due to be executed. The Draft 2013 Plan was presented to the AGM on 11 Oct 2012 and was endorsed by the 48 members present. This, the Final Plan was agreed by the Committee at the meeting on 10 Jan 2013.
2. Aim. The aim of this document is to provide a plan for CBOC business in 2013.
3. Objectives. Following the success of 2012 and the direction in the Strategy the CBOC objectives for 2013 are:
a. Membership.
• Recruit 10 New Members. The Branch is now over 111 strong but the average age remains high and the number of ex-servicemen low. Anyone wishing to join the Branch will be welcome but our recruiting effort will go towards ex-servicemen/women under 60.
• Events and CBOC Gatherings.
• 24 Jan Thur – Gathering at Cotgrave Welfare
• 7 Feb Thur – Stand at the Cotgrave Community event. (Awareness)
• 20 Feb Wed – Visit to Reinforcement Training and Mobilisation Centre (Visit)
• 2 Mar Sat – Branch Supper at Notts G & CC (Social/Raffle)
• 31 Mar Easter Sun – Support Martins Arms Easter Egg Rolling (Fundraising)
• 24 Apr Wed – Supper with a speaker on the Cockleshell Heroes at Colston Bassett Village Hall. (Main Fundraising)
• 30 May Thur – Gathering & Supper at Lime Kiln (Social/Quiz)
• 15 Jun Sat – Stall and Welly Wanging at the Cotgrave Festival (Fundraising/ Recruiting/Awareness)
• 29 Jun Sat – Armed Forces Day, National event hosted in Nottingham. (Recruiting/Awareness)
• Jul (Date tbc) – Stand at the Owthorpe Fair (Fundraising/Recruiting/Awareness)
• Sep/Oct Visit Loughborough Carillon and Steam Railway. (Visit)
• 10 Oct Thur - AGM and supper at the Lime Kiln
• 26 Oct Sat (Date tbc) – Poppy Ball (Social)
• 26/27 – Sat/Sun Oct Poppy Launch (Awareness)
• 26/27 Oct and 2/3 Nov Sat/Sun – Poppy Collection (Poppy Fundraising)
• 8 Nov Fri – Support Notts G&CC Golf Match (Poppy Fundraising) (tbc)
• 10 Nov Sun – Remembrance Sunday and Lunch at Notts G&CC (Social/Raffle)
• 19 Dec Thur – Christmas Gathering (Social)
b. Fund Raising.
• Non Poppy Appeal. Raise £1000 outside the Poppy Appeal from raffles, quizzes, donations and the following activities:
• Egg Rolling at the Martins Arms. (President)
• Cream Tea in Cotgrave with June Odell (Secretary)
• Supper and Speaker Colston Bassett Village Hall (Events members)
• Sponsored walk. (Chairman)
• Raffles (Welfare Member)
• Poppy Appeal. Involve as many members as possible in the Poppy Appeal activity. Involve the Cadets. Raise £5000 from the Poppy Appeal.
• Administration. Raise funds for administration separate from welfare funds through £1 collection at Gatherings and through the annual admin fee.
c Maintain Awareness.
• Remembrance Sunday. Support all 3 village communities on 10 Nov. Parade with Cadets in Cotgrave.
• Web Sites. Develop further the Branch web site. Maximise the use of the Cotgrave Community web site.
• Talks. Visit and speak to external clubs in the area. Eg WI, PROBUS, Methodist League
• Articles. Write articles for newspapers and magazines such as Cotgrave Connections, The Cross, Wyverton News.
d. Welfare.
• Use membership and networks to identify eligible and needy cases and provide welfare assistance.
• Maintain liaison with Cotgrave and Cropwell Bishop Medical Centres, the Police and Cotgrave Advice Centre.
• Maintain half yearly contact with all members over 75.
e. Structure.
• Identify individual members to play a greater part in the Branch activity.
f. Financial Control.
• Move all current members onto Direct Debit wherever possible. All new members are to be on Direct Debit.
• Undertake financial checks every quarter.
• Meet the new requirements for sending the financial information to County RBL at the end of Jun.
4. CBOC Committee. The CBOC Committee for 2013 was voted in at 11 Oct 2012 AGM:
a. President: Gordon Gray
b. Officers:
Chairman John Ludlam
Secretary Bryan Tansley
Treasurer Josie McGuirk
c. Members:
Events: Gilly Cross and Bert Wragg
Poppy Coordinator: Sheila Gray
Welfare: Mary Myles
5. Chairman’s Tasks.
• Coordinate the recruiting of 10 new members, 5 of which should be ex-servicemen under 60.
• Coordinate the CBOC Gatherings in Cotgrave Welfare.
• Identify Guest speakers as necessary.
• Arrange Remembrance Sunday parade in Cotgrave.
• Assist the President and Maureen Cockayne to arrange Remembrance Sundays in Colston Bassett and Owthorpe respectively.
• Write a newsletter twice each year, the first early in the new year, the second running up to the AGM.
• With David Myles maintain a CBOC web site and make maximum use of the Cotgrave Community web site in order to inform, recruit and retain.
• Provide presentations and articles when opportune.
6. Secretary’s Tasks.
• All secretarial work.
• With the Chairman plan, advertise, organise and coordinate the AGM.
• Provide the main conduit into CBOC from other organisations or individuals wishing involvement.
• Identify 1 additional Standard Bearer.
• With the Poppy Coordinator run the Poppy Appeal in Cotgrave involving as many members as possible.
7. Treasurer’s Tasks.
• Maintain the accounts, present them for audit and then present them to the AGM.
• Adapt procedures to match the new RBL dates for providing annual financial information.
• Comply with the RBL financial regulations and advise the committee on all financial matters.
• Prior to and at the AGM advise the committee and members on the money available for donation and the maintenance of the Reserves.
• Act as banker for CBOC activities.
• Organise financial checks every quarter.
8. Events Members’ Tasks.
• Plan, advertise, organise and run the Spring Supper and Remembrance Sunday lunch.
• Plan, advertise, organise and run those CBOC Gatherings other than those in Cotgrave Welfare.
• When required organise non social events such as visits.
9. Poppy Coordinator’s Tasks.
• Run all aspects of the Poppy Appeal forming a subcommittee if required.
• Involve 10 new CBOC members.
• Incorporate the cadets.
10. Welfare Member’s Tasks.
• Identify welfare cases in Cotgrave and the outlying villages.
• Contact members over 75 each half year.
• Carry out welfare work in consultation with the remainder of the committee as necessary.
11. Coordination. The 2013 program will be coordinated through the CBOC Committee. One meeting will be held on 10 Jan in order to ensure all understand the plan and ask for assistance as necessary. One meeting will be held on 30 Sep to prepare the 2014 plan and coordinate effort for the AGM, Poppy Appeal and Remembrance events.
Colonel (Retired) T J LUDLAM OBE
Chairman CBOC Committee RBL