Welcome to the Windermere Branch of The Royal British Legion

Coffee Morning fundraiser for the Windermere Poppy Appeal

Thank you to everyone who attended on Saturday 15th April 2023 at the Marchesi, Windermere. Especially the generous donation of delicious cakes for sale by Jeanette, tea room helpers and all raffle prize contributors.

Disappointedly, although the weather was good, the numbers attending were not as many as in the past. £180 was the resulting amount made - after deduction of the room hire charge.

See 2022/23 Poppy Appeal update £9,046 - including £3,625 collected at Windermere Booths

Windermere Branch 2022 AGM - Held on Tuesday 29th November (link)

2022 Remembrance Parade on Sunday 13 November - see link

Coffee Morning - £340.30 result from 2021/22 Poppy Appeal Launch

Windermere Branch recognises the Royal British Legion's Centenary on Saturday 15th May 2021 - see link

Subject: We Are the Legion book - Now Available for Pre-Order

The official Royal British Legion centenary publication written by Julie Summers is now available online for pre-order.

We Are The Legion, richly illustrated with more than 350 images, is the first book to look at our whole one hundred years, telling the extraordinary story of support to servicemen and women in the UK and around the world - from finding jobs and housing to healing the injuries and trauma of conflict.

It also tells the story of the Legion's transformation into a modern media-savvy charity leading the country in Remembrance but also lobbying government on pensions and researching state-of-the-art rehabilitation while working alongside other leading charities on welfare provision.

We Are the Legion covers every aspect of the Legion's work: the history of the poppy, the Legion's international links, and its latest work on rehabilitation and support. But the book also pulls together lesser-known aspects of the Legion's history, whether of the villages set aside for rehabilitation or the misguided trip to Germany in the 1930s as an attempt to foster friendship between nations.

Handsomely presented in a bound landscape quarto edition of 256 pages, it will make an heirloom addition to bookshelves or coffee tables. Pre-orders will be shipped on the publication date of 06 May, in time for the Legion's 100th anniversary.

Poppy Appeal update (click link* - February 2021) *includes last year's achievement.

See Armistice & Remembrance 2020 (click link) for a very different COVID-19* limited celebration.

As Windermere's Roll of Honour was not read out this year* please see:

Roll of Honour 1914- 1918 and Roll of Honour 1939 - 1945 (including Korea and Northern Ireland)

Last year's Poppy Appeal fundraising, to 17 August 2020, totalled £11,166.62 but as activity was halted because of COVID-19, a transfer of £4,000 from the Wallace Trust Fund was made and we await the total to date 30 September 2020.

Last year's final total for 2018/19 being a terrific £14,891.28.

75th Anniversary of VJ Day on 15 August 2020

In contrast to VE Day*, when strict Corona Virus guidelines limited the Standard and Union Flag bearers to individual ceremonies outside their own abodes, a small ceremony was conducted at the Windermere War Memorial on VJ Day. (*We are grateful that the reverend James Richards individually attended the War Memorial and said prayers at 11am on VE Day).

To ensure that social distancing would be maintained the event was not publicly advertised, attendance limited to: Windermere Branch Royal British Legion members, Deputy Mayor representing Windermere Town Council, Officer in Charge of Windermere ATC and a musician* for the Last Post, Reveille & National Anthem.

Wreaths were laid by Chris Rodway for Windermere Branch TRBL and by Sandra Lilley (Deputy Mayor) for the Windermere Town Council.

At 11am two minutes silence, which followed the Last Post, Exhortation and Kohima (President, Mr Reg Nicholson OBE and Chairman, Mr Peter Lever) - then Reveille and the National Anthem.

*A special thanks to Dave Higson from the Burneside Brass Band.

(Photos link)

New item: Poppies from Windermere laid during Falkland Island War Graves and Memorials visit in Nov/Dec 2018

GP90 Post event report

(see new photo of Windermere's Poppy Wreath displayed at the Menin Gate)

Annual Boat Trip - 15 June 2018

Another splendid evening enjoyed by 36 embarked, great food (courtesy of the splendid Mrs Seward) wine and company. As always grateful thanks to Windermere Lake Cruises for supplying the boat and crew. Balance of £211.13 (£108 from the raffle) added to Branch accounts. Special thanks to Sue Lever and all helpers.

Spring Coffee Morning - 28 April 2018

Spring coffee morning proceeds which go entirely into our Poppy Appeal fund.

Cakes = £61, Door = £50.10, Raffle = £126.00, Bertha’s Board = £40.

Cost of room hire = £39.00.s

Final total = £238.10. Many thanks to everyone who helped and contributed.

Poppy Launch 2017 at Lakes School

The Coffee Morning held on Saturday 21st October raised £245 to kick start the 2017/18 Poppy Fundraising year. Thankyou as always to everyone who helped and also to those supporting.

National Arboretum Visit - Thursday 7 September - click on link

The Windermere Branch Annual Dinner, held at Beresford's Restaurant on Friday 21 April 2017, was an enjoyable ocassion at a venue new to us, the food was excellent. Three honoured guests attended, Gaynor & Emma from the ATC and the Windermere Mayor Leith Hallatsch.

Boat Trip 9 June 2017

Beautiful weather was enjoyed for the Annual Windermere boat trip on Friday 9 June. Once again Mrs Seward provided the delicious Pie & Pies and we continue to be eternally grateful to Windermere Lakes Cruises for their generous donation of the vessel and crew for this event. A raffle was held raising a fantastic £135 and after expenses the overall profit was £88, thus £223 has been contributed towards Branch Funds. Many thanks to the organisers and those sailing on this most enjoyable nautical social event - see link.

Remembrance Sunday, 13 November, resulted in a good turnout helped by weather much improved than experienced last year. See link for photos but any more contributions would be appreciated.

Candlelit vigil at Windermere War Memorial on 30 June 2016, the eve of the start of the Battle of the Somme (report and photo)

LEGION PARTNERS WITH DAN SNOW TO REMEMBER THE FALLEN OF THE SOMME - click here for free interactive App

If you are not a Direct Debit payer the membership renewal method has changed, one of the options available is cash payment using a PayPoint. The location of local PayPoints may be identified by inserting your post code into https://paypoint.com/en-gb these include: Co-op shops in Bowness, Windermere and Hawkeshead, Spa shops at Troutbeck Bridge and Staverley. Others include Asda in Kendal and at Milnthorpe McColls. Anyone who needs help with their payments please contact: Peter Lever 01539444230; Jeanette Irwin 01539442025; Pat McDougall 01539442718 or Richard Glenister 07719025762.

The Windermere Branch Vice Chairman presented a cheque for £10,000 to Byng House towards their appeal for a replacement Amenities bus. This sum was drawn down from the Wallace Fund legacy held on behalf of the branch - see photos.

Presentation of Lonsdale youth Trophy to 1264 (Windermere) Squadron ATC at the County Conference on Saturday 6 December.

1264 (Windermere) Squadron ATC Affiliation presentation on Tuesday 18 November 2014 - click here for Certificate and presentation photos

1264 Squadron of the A.T.C. Windermere branch held a candlelit vigil the Windermere War Memorial from 9pm on Monday the 4th August 2014

A candle for every one of the 132 men from Windermere who lost their lives in the First World War was lit and the Role of Honour read out after the Exhortation by our President, the sounding of the Last Post & Reveille and the Kohima Epitaph. This epitaph was narrated by our President together with one of the A.T.C. cadets. A few photos are in the Photo Gallery

Also see the related article Windermere Air Cadets Plant Poppies with Pride.

Below is a list of dates for your diary on what's happening in the Windermere Branch of The Royal British Legion.

ALL events CANCELLED because of the CORONAVIRUS


Tuesday 17 March 2020	Branch Committee Meeting