THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

COLSTON BASSETT, OWTHORPE AND COTGRAVE BRANCH

PLAN 2014

Registered Charity Number 219279 January 2014

Members of the CBOC Committee
COLSTON BASSETT, OWTHORPE and COTGRAVE BRANCH, ROYAL BRITISH LEGION – 2014 PLAN
1. Introduction.
a. Plan. CBOC Branch had a very successful 2013. The Branch recruited 10 new members, raised over £2284 (against a target of £1000), attracted over 120 people to the Branch Summer talk, raised £5020 during the Poppy Appeal (against a target of £5000) and successfully handled 2 welfare cases. The First Draft 2014 Plan was presented to the AGM on 10 Oct 2013 and was endorsed by the 58 members present.
b. Granby, Barnstone and District. Since the AGM Granby Barnstone and District Branch have asked CBOC to consider accepting them as a ‘Sub Branch’ of CBOC. Planning is taking place but there remains much to do before final approval is given. Nevertheless it is likely that Granby, Barnstone and District will become a sub Branch of CBOC in autumn 2014 and this will present a major challenge to the Committee. This is mentioned only briefly in the 2014 Plan and the draft ‘Process and Management’ plan at Annex A gives greater detail.
c. 2014 Final Plan. The 2014 Final Plan was agreed by the CBOC Committee at the meeting on 13 Jan 2014.
2. Aim. The aim of this document is to provide a plan for CBOC business in 2014.
3. Objectives. Following the success of 2013 and the direction in the Strategy the CBOC objectives for 2014 are:
a. Membership.
(1) New Members. The Branch is now 120 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 recruiting 5 serving and ex-service members under 60.
(2) Events and CBOC Gatherings. The following events and gatherings are planned:
• 25 or 27 Feb (Tues or Thur) – Visit to Rolls Royce Heritage Trust Museum and Visitors Centre. (Interest)
• 8 Mar Sat – Branch Spring Supper at Notts G & CC. (Raffle)
• 21 Apr Easter Sun – Support Martins Arms Easter Egg Rolling. (Poppy Fundraising)
• 24 Apr Thur – Gathering & Supper at Lime Kiln. (Quiz)
• 17 May Sat – RAF Regt Band Concert at All Saints. (Fundraising)
• 29 May Thur – Gathering at Cotgrave Welfare. (Quiz)
• 14 Jun Sat – Tombola Stand at the Cotgrave Festival. (Fundraising)
• Jun – Cream Tea with June Odell. (Fundraising)
• 5 Jul Sat – Talk and Buffet. Main Fundraising Event. (Fundraising)
• Jul – Stand at the Owthorpe Fair (Recruiting)
• 4 Aug Mon – War declared 1914 at 11 pm. Possible Church Service. (Remembrance)
• 9 Oct Thur – AGM and supper at the Lime Kiln.
• 18 Oct - Sat – Poppy Ball (Fun)
• 25/26 – Sat/Sun Oct Poppy Launch (Poppy Fundraising)
• 25/26 Oct and 1/2 Nov Sat/Sun – Poppy Collection (Poppy Fundraising)
• 7 Nov Fri – Support Notts G&CC Golf Match (Poppy Fundraising)
• 9 Nov Sun – Remembrance Sunday and Lunch at Notts G&CC (Poppy Raffle)
• 11 Nov Tues– Various Remembrance events. (Remembrance
• 17 Dec Wed – Christmas Gathering, Flanders Football?
b. Fund Raising.
(1) Non Poppy Appeal. Raise £1500 outside the Poppy Appeal from donations, talks and the following activities:
• RAF Regt Band Concert – 17 May (Chairman)
• Egg Rolling at the Martins Arms – 21 Apr (President)
• Cream Tea in Cotgrave with June Odell - Jun (BT)
• Supper and Speaker Colston Bassett Village Hall (Events members)
• Quizzes and Raffles (Various Members))
(2) Poppy Appeal. Involve as many members as possible in the Poppy Appeal activity. Involve the Cadets. Raise £5000 from the Poppy Appeal.
(3) Administration. Raise funds for administration separate from welfare funds through £1 collection at Gatherings and through the annual admin fee.
c Maintain Awareness.
• Schools. Visit and talk to pupils at Cotgrave Church of England Primary School, Candleby Lane Primary School and Ashlea Special School.
• Remembrance Sunday. Support all 3 village communities on 9 Nov. Parade with Cadets and uniformed services in Cotgrave.
• Social Media. Reconsider the use of the Web Site, Facebook and Twitter. Maximise the use of the Cotgrave Community web site.
• Talks. Visit and speak to external organisations and one Care Home in the area. eg WI, PROBUS, Methodist League,
• Articles. Write articles for newspapers and magazines such as Cotgrave Connections, The Cross, Wiverton News.
d. Welfare.
• Use the members and networks to identify eligible and needy cases and provide welfare assistance.
• Maintain liaison with Cotgrave and Cropwell Bishop Medical Centres, the Churches, Police and Cotgrave Advice Centre.
• Apply the revised Welfare procedures introduced by the RBL
• Introduce and maintain a support system involving members staying in half yearly contact with all members over 80.
e. Structure.
• Introduce and support the new Secretary.
• 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.
• Continue to meet the new requirements for sending the financial information to County RBL at the end of Jun.
g. Granby, Barnstone and District. Take Granby, Barnstone and District as a sub Branch. This includes:
• All administration.
• All accounts.
• All representation at County and National meetings.
• The attendance of one Granby, Barnstone and District member at CBOC Committee meetings.
4. CBOC Committee.
a. The CBOC Committee for 2014 was voted in at 10 Oct 2013 AGM:
President: Gordon Gray
Officers:
Chairman John Ludlam
Secretary Bryan Tansley
(Secretary Des Peter McLaughlin)
Treasurer Josie McGuirk
Members:
Events: Gilly Cross and Bert Wragg
Poppy Coordinator: Sheila Gray
Welfare: Mary Myles
b. Granby, Barnstone and District will, when it becomes a Sub Branch have one of its members ‘In Attendance’ at committee meetings.
5. Chairman’s Tasks.
• Coordinate Granby, Barnstone and District becoming a Sub Branch. (Annex A)
• Coordinate the recruiting of 5 new members under 60 who are serving or have served.
• Coordinate the CBOC Gatherings in Cotgrave.
• Organise the RAF Regt Band event.
• 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 year and 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.
• Review the greater use of social media.
• Provide presentations and articles when opportune.
• Mentor the new Secretary.
• Coordinate the research into the WW1 names on the Cotgrave War Memorial.
6. Secretary’s Tasks.
• Handover/Takeover by 31 Jan secretarial work (including: Minutes Book, Database, Membership forms, Outstanding Membership issues, Processes, Contacts) and inform County of the changes.
• With the Chairman all secretarial work for CBOC.
• 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.
• Assist the Poppy Coordinator to run the Poppy Appeal in Cotgrave involving as many members as possible.
• Take the necessary action arising from Granby, Barnstone and District becoming a sub Branch of CBOC (Annex A).
7. Treasurer’s Tasks.
• Maintain the accounts, present them for audit and then present them to the AGM.
• Provide annual financial information to the timetable set by the RBL.
• 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.
• Organise and act as secretary for 2 financial meeting each year to fill the gaps between Committee meetings.
• Take the necessary action arising from Granby, Barnstone and District becoming a sub Branch of CBOC. (Annex A)
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.
• When required organise non social events such as visits.
• BW research the WW1 names on Colston Bassett War memorial and with the Chairman prepare a pamphlet of the stories from Colston Bassett, Owthorpe and Cotgrave.
9. Poppy Coordinator’s Tasks. (Granby, Barnstone and District will run its own Poppy Appeal)
• Identify and approach members to help run the Poppy Appeal with a view to taking it over in future years.
• With the Secretary and Bryan Tansley run all aspects of the Poppy Appeal 2014.
• Involve more CBOC members to carry out Street Collections in Cotgrave.
• Incorporate the cadets early in the planning and execution of collection..
10. Welfare Member’s Tasks. (Granby, Barnstone and District will run Welfare in its area)
• Identify welfare cases in Cotgrave and the outlying villages.
• Liaise with Regional Welfare Case Officers to provide welfare.
• Carry out welfare work in consultation with the remainder of the committee as necessary.
• Introduce a system whereby younger members maintain 6 monthly contact with members over 80.
• If essential assist Granby, Barnstone and District with Welfare advise.
11. Coordination. The 2014 program will be coordinated through the CBOC Committee. One meeting will be held on 13 Jan in order to ensure all understand the plan and ask for assistance as necessary. One meeting will be held on 29 Sep to prepare the 2015 plan and coordinate effort for the AGM (9 Sep), Poppy Appeal and Remembrance events.

Colonel (Retired) T J LUDLAM OBE
Chairman CBOC Committee RBL

Annex:
A. Process and Management of Granby, Barnstone and District Sub branch
(20 Dec 2013 Draft)
ANNEX A to CBOC 2014 PLAN

GRANBY, BARNSTONE and DISTRICT AS A SUB BRANCH of COLSTON BASSETT, OWTHORPE AND COTGRAVE BRANCH – PROCESS AND MANAGEMENT
Draft as at 20 Dec 2013

INTRODUCTION
1. Granby, Barnstone and District (GBD) Branch had been struggling for some time with insufficient members (15), insufficient officers (No Secretary) and an inability to recruit more. The 2013 Branch AGM was very poorly attended and those that did attend agreed that the Branch was unable to continue in its present form. They directed their Chairman to approach Colston Bassett, Owthorpe and Cotgrave (CBOC) Branch with a view to GBD becoming a ‘sub branch’ of CBOC.
2. Chairman GBD discussed the matter with Chairman CBOC on 26 Oct 13 and met with him for further discussions on 5 Nov 13. On 12 Dec 13 they met to draft the process of integration and the future management of a sub branch.
AIM
3. The aim of this document is to describe and direct:
a. the process for GBD to become a sub branch of CBOC and
b. the future management of the sub branch.
DIRECTED PROCESS
4. Approvals. Part 4 of the RBL Management Handbook (4.3.3) describes the necessary approvals required in order for a branch to become a sub branch. They are sequentially: Agreement of the members of both branches; Approval of the County Committee; Approval of the RBL Membership Council who must also minute their approval.
5. Actions After Approval. Once all approvals are in place the following actions must be taken by the ‘parent’ and sub Branch:
a The ‘parent’ Branch:
(1) Takes over responsibility for all the administration of the sub branch.
(2) Takes over the account of the sub branch. The funds of the sub branch must remain visible within the ‘parent’ Branch account.
(3) Trustees become the trustees of the sub branch.
b. The Sub Branch:
(1) Retains its Branch number and adds ‘sub Branch’ to its title.
(2) Will continue to parade its standard as necessary.
(3) If so decided, will nominate a member as the sub branch representative to attend the ‘parent’ Branch meetings.
(4) Trustees have no further trustee responsibility.
(5) Will have no rights of representation at the Annual Meeting of County or the Annual Conference.

PROCESS AND FUTURE MANAGEMENT GBD and CBOC
6. Approvals. Both CBOC and GBD Branches will hold general meetings to approve the changes. CBOC will not hold a general meeting until the GBD accounts are audited and in order. The decision at the general meetings will be by majority vote of those attending and will be minuted. After the approval of members of both Branches GBD will request the approval of Nottinghamshire County Committee, including in their correspondence, copies of both Branches’ general meeting minutes.
7. Administration. After the approval of the Members Committee has been received the following administration will apply.
a. Membership. The GBD member database will be transferred to CBOC. Any outstanding membership matters will be passed to the CBOC Secretary.
b. Members Finance. CBOC only takes new members who pay by Direct Debit; this will not apply to GBD members who are ‘cash’ payers, although they will be encouraged to change to Direct Debit should they be able to do so. CBOC members pay an administrative fee of £1 per year for incidental administrative expenditure. GBD members will be expected to do the same, their contributions being visible within the CBOC account.
c. ‘Cash Payer’ Membership Cards. When cash payer membership cards for GBD members are received by CBOC they will be passed to the GBD sub Branch committee (see sub para 7e). Sub Branch committee members will be responsible for collecting the cash due and paying it en masse to the CBOC Treasurer. If cards are not paid for within one month of receipt CBOC will assume that, unless there are special circumstance, the individual no longer wishes to be a member and the cards will be returned to the RBL.
d. Secretarial. CBOC members will not act as secretary for any committees which exist in GBD sub Branch.
e. Committees. GBD Branch Committee will disband. A new committee will be formed as the ‘GBD sub Branch Committee’. It will have no trustee responsibilities and will not require a President, Secretary or Treasurer. It will require a representative to attend CBOC meetings, a Welfare member, a member or members to organise Events, a Poppy Coordinator and, if required, a Standard Bearer. The makeup of the GBD sub Branch Committee and how it elects its representative on the CBOC Committee will initially be determined by the GBD Committee prior to its disbandment.
f. CBOC Branch Committee. One of the GBD sub Branch committee members will represent the sub branch at the CBOC Committee meetings. That person will ensure that the GBD voice is heard and will also interface with CBOC Committee members on such matters as membership, funds and donations. The representative will not have a vote. GBD sub Branch finance will be included with CBOC Branch finance as an agenda item.
g. CBOC AGM. GBD members will be invited to attend the CBOC AGM. They will not have a vote.
8. Accounts. When the GBD accounts are audited and in order they will be transferred by the GBD Treasurer to the CBOC Treasurer. GBD Treasurer will transfer all funds to CBOC by cheque and, when the cheque is cleared, will close the GBD accounts. Any funding of GBD sub Branch will then follow the same procedures as similar CBOC activity. GBD funds will be identifiable within the CBOC account.
9. Finance. Where applicable and allowable GBD sub Branch Committee may direct GBD sub Branch funds towards Welfare within their area . Additionally they may request CBOC Treasurer to provide donations towards RBL recognised activity such as Bing House. Pre funding GBD fundraising activity may be undertaken as long as GBD sub Branch Committee puts an acceptable ‘business case’ to the CBOC committee for their agreement.
10. GBD Activity. GBD sub Branch activity will be carried out as in the past. This is likely to include, but is not restricted to, the following:
a. Remembrance. GBD sub Branch run the Poppy Appeal in their area and pay money collected direct to the Poppy Appeal. They parade with other uniformed organisations (including the Grenadier Guards Association) alternating between All Saints church Granby and St Andrew’s church Langar. They take a full part in the church service (congregation approximately 200) and hold a buffet lunch and raffle after the service. The buffet costs approximately £100 and will not be funded from sub Branch funds.
b. Fundraising. GBD sub Branch hold one fundraising lunch event each year. This is held in Barnstone village hall usually on the first Sunday in Sep. In 2013 55 attended and raised £405 for branch funds. This event is self-funding with organisers being reimbursed through ticket sales and the excess being paid into branch funds. GBD sub Branch will make it clear to those attending whether the profits are going to RBL Welfare or sub Branch administration.
c. 2014. GBD sub Branch is planning a series of musical events to mark the centenary of the start of WW1. The events concentrate on 1914 and will be called ‘It will all be over by Christmas’.
11. Trustees. CBOC Branch Committee members will become the Trustees of GBD Sub Branch. Their duties as such are described in part 4 of the Management Handbook (4.1.1). As Trustees they will take what action might be necessary to ensure GBD sub Branch follows the requirements of the RBL.
REVIEW
12. It is hoped that GBD sub Branch will, in time, recruit sufficient members to return to full Branch status. It is also possible that the number of members and activity will decrease to the point where there would be no benefit in the sub Branch continuing. These matters will be discussed annually and the sub Branch status reviewed by the CBOC Committee.