FEBRUARY 2014 MEETING
The first meeting of the 2014 was held on 3 February in the Punch Bowl. Members were very concerned to hear how Barry Barnes was recovering in hospital and all signed a card bearing their good wishes. Unfortunately poor Barry did not live to see it. We were all shocked to hear the sad news the next day. Our thoughts are with Dorothy, Jane, Dianne and all the family.
The branch events for 2014 were discussed. These include the branch dinner on 16th May and on 22nd June, in collaboration with the Parochial Church Council, and including the Orthopaedic Choir, a Service of Commemoration in St Michael’s Church, in the evening, followed by supper in the church yard. Full details will appear in R&AWF in due course.
Invitations were received to join two trips:
THE WESTERN FRONT – Ellesmere Twinning Association are organising a tour of The Somme, Ypres, etc. 15 to 19th August. Details available from 610300.
TRIP TO NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM via THE GERMAN WAR GRAVES AT CANNOCK – Oakengates & District organising coaches from Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Details available as above.
The vice-Chairman and branch secretary attended a conference organised by The Royal British Legion West Midlands Area Manager, who is based in Birmingham. The purpose was to provide an opportunity for Branches to meet the new team, hear about the new way of working and to influence how we work together. Welfare teams will be deployed at a wide range of accessible venues across the County. Currently there are teams at Telford, Shrewsbury and Market Drayton. Later this year teams will be co-located with Shropshire Council in Oswestry (Arthur Street); Ludlow and Bridgnorth. In spring 2014 the Birmingham Area & Regional Walk in Advice centre will open on New Street. There will be a national promotional campaign to make Legion Walk-In centres and local drop-in locations more visible nationally and locally. They are recruiting Volunteer Information Officers to work in the various offices and walk-in centres where they will be the first point of contact for the public, beneficiaries and members.
Enquiries from beneficiaries, members, volunteers and the general public can also be made to the new telephone Contact Centre which is open seven days a week from 8am–8pm with a Freephone number 0808 802 8080. This will be widely publicised. Thousands of troops will be returning from Afghanistan at the end of this year and a proportion of them will have problems with health, housing, and so on. The Legion will be there, easily accessible, on main streets, to support them and their families. Our job here in West Felton will be to continue to work for the Poppy Appeal, Remembrance and comradeship. Next meeting: Monday 3rd March 2014, The Punch Bowl, 8pm. New members always welcome.
