Safeguarding the welfare, interests and memory of those who have served in H. M. Armed Forces Registered Charity No: 219279

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The Royal British Legion Stamford Branch

Formed 7 June 1922 Website: http://community.lincolnshire.gov.uk/RoyalBritishLegionStamford

Affiliated with : 2 Squadron (Stamford Detachment), Lincolnshire Army Cadet Force, 2005 : 2071 (Stamford) Squadron), Air Training Corps, 2007 : 7 Troop (Public Services Detachment) Lincolnshire Army Cadet Force, 2008

Paul’s hard-earned medal

Gordon Williams presents Paul with the Branch cheque.

Shaun Arthur and Mike Parker racing to the winning post

President: D.W. Gladman, ISM, Gren.Guards Editor: Steve Bonde Chairman: J. Copeland 31 Clare Close, Stamford Vice Chairman: G. Williams Tel: 01780 757041 Hon.Secretary: S.R. Bonde (e-mail: srbonde@hotmail.com) Hon. Treasurer: J. Rimmington Membership/Subs Secretary: J. Fay Distribution: Marian Freeman & Welfare Committee Chairman: H. McNeill Roy Prentice Branch Honorary Chaplain: The Rev Canon Dr Donald Gray, CBE, TD Kindly printed by Hanson Cement

Newsletter – June 2009 Stamford Member runs the Marathon

Our Member, Paul Childe-Freeman was one of 66 runners in the Royal British Legion team which ran the London Marathon on 26 April. As reported in previous issues of this newsletter, Paul was running in spite of his disability and completed the course in a very respectable 4 hrs 36 mins. That is certainly faster than I could have done it – even fifty years ago, even without his disability! Paul has his medal and was back in the Dolphin the next day celebrating.

Two dozen of us gathered with other punters at the Hit or Miss pub on Saturday, 23 May to celebrate Paul’s success, and to enjoy a smashing night of Horse Racing. The evening was again a sponsorship event for Paul Childe-Freeman There were 8 races with horses glorifying in such names as Marathon Man and Pride of the Legion; betting and bids for ownership were suitably brisk. One of our Members even paid £50 for a horse whose name should not appear in a family journal like this; we thank you for your great generosity. Eventually the evening raised a total of £228 which the Hit or Miss made up to £250. Gordon Williams, as Branch Vice Chairman, also presented Paul with a chequer for £250 from the Branch with our thanks for his exploit. Gordon declined however then to buy a round for everyone. In thanking everyone there, Paul said how very humble he felt and how brilliantly everyone had responded. This should bring Paul’s current sponsorship to over £3500 – our very many congratulations on a terrific achievement. Lady Anne’s Hotel The next time you see Geoff Hastings, Manager of the Lady Anne’s Hotel, do thank him for his generosity. He has presented us with a cheque for a magnificent £500, being all the profit generated by the 1940s Evening he hosted for us last Febuary. Not only was it a great night, but such generosity as well! And Geoff wants to do it all again. He has invited us to a 1950s BBQ in the Marquee at Lady Anne’s Hotel on Friday, 17 July. More details to come, but get digging out those old winkle pickers, flare petticoats, drainpipes and brothel creepers.

Safeguarding the welfare, interests and memory of those who have served in H. M. Armed Forces Registered Charity No: 219279

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Vandalism of War

Memorial I attended the Court hearing in Grantham on 13 May when case was heard against the vandal who destroyed the stone bench on the War Memorial last February. He was of course found guilty and ordered to pay £350 in compensation to the Legion plus another £150 in fine and costs. After the hearing he came to me and apologised for the damage and any offence or hurt caused. It was certainly a very expensive night out for him. The vandal is a Gunner with 16 Regt, Royal Artillery and, as we are not replacing the stone bench, we have suggested to his Regiment that the compensation be paid instead to their own regimental soldiers and families welfare fund.

War Memorial Many thanks, once again, to Roy Prentice and Marion Freeman for decorating the War Memorial for us in May. The bench of the Royal Lincolns Regimental Assn is now on order.

Careers Advice If at first you don’t succeed, then bomb disposal probably isn’t for you!

Flying the Flag Our thanks to Dave Thompson for representing the Branch with the Branch Standard at the County’s annual Service of Rededication in Boston on 10 May

Branch Snowball The Marsden Wheeze, otherwise known as the Snowball, has now definitely reached £382. This follows a senior moment in accountancy last month.

In brief…

Ready for the off – all three cars!

’Stamford Branch Treasure Hunt Winner’ The winners – Maria & Jim Jackson

Branch Treasure Hunt

It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, hardly a breath of wind, a perfect day for a drive in the country, followed by a buffet at the Northfields pub. The route included a number of very imaginative clues scattered across some of the prettiest countryside in Lincolnshire and Rutland. Most of us took just over two hours to complete the course. We (Jim & Eileen Fay, Sybil Statham and I) would have too had we not been waylaid by this smashing pub in Irnham we discovered halfway round. And at the end of it all there was a prize for each of us – a booby prize, a dinner for four generously donated by Northfields, and a super trophy (pictured below) which was won by Jim & Maria Jackson.

It was a super day out spoiled by only one cloud. Only eight of us (eight people not eight cars) could be bothered to turn out. 175 out of 183 Branch members clearly had something else better to do. Yet when this event was first mentioned, it was greeted with “What a great idea! It’s something different which is what we want at this Branch.” Dick Scott and his wife, Janice (not a Member), spent many hours driving around the back roads of Lincolnshire putting together a route which would please all Branch Members. They bought the trophy and had it engraved. They devised and double checked fiendish questions and answers and then a couple, also non-Members, checked it all out to confirm the viability of the event. This couple

even turned up on the day to help run the event. In fact ‘officials’ almost outnumbered entrants! All this for what? Three cars! Their entry fees did not cover even the cost of the trophy, let alone the buffet and dinner-prize provided by Northfields. They made quite a loss. The Branch frankly owes Dick and Janice and Northfields an apology. I would not blame them if they joined so many other Branch Members and took no further part in our activities. But they must be gluttons for punishment. They have very kindly offered – I do not know why – to rerun the Treasure Hunt. The course is still in place and the original eight entrants are on their honour not to divulge the answers. The hunt will be held again on Sunday, 7 June, kicking off at 2.00pm at Northfields car park. The first prize will be a Carvery for four at Northfields, and there will be a second and a booby prize. A dozen or more Members signalled at Lady Anne’s on 19 May that they would take part. It would be good too if other Members could also join them and show some support and appreciation for the hard work which Dick and Janice have done on our behalf. Mayoring Sunday This year’s Civic Parade and Service for the inauguration of our new Mayor, Cllr Christine Brough, will take place on Sunday, 14 June. The Parade will form up in front of the Town Hall at 10.45am to march off at 11.00am for All Saints’ Church for the Service. Afterwards the Parade will return to the Town Hall for the march-past and salute, and for liquid refreshment. Could we ask as many Members as possible to join us to honour our new Mayor and show off our Branch to our best effect. Medals, berets and shiny shoes!

Safeguarding the welfare, interests and memory of those who have served in H. M. Armed Forces Registered Charity No: 219279

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Armed Forces Service, 22 June The Town Council and RAF Wittering are putting together a short Service outside the Town Hall on Monday, 22 June at 10.300am It should take no longer than 30 mins. This will be Stamford’s official launch of a week of celebrations around the whole country in honour of our Armed Forces. All Members of the Royal British Legion have been especially invited to attend and are urged to do so. Berets, blazers and shiny shoes again.

Armed Forces Weekend, 27/28 June As I write this, 26 May, our plans for Armed Forces Weekend are still fluid (ie we don’t know what we are doing!). We have had to give up our ambitious plans for the Meadows – we encountered all kinds of licences, ‘elf & safety rules, and other bureaucracy of which we have so long been blissfully unaware. We intend however to come roaring back in the autumn, sadder but more savvy, with our plans for next year. Meanwhile …

Saturday, 27 June: We hope to take our Mobile Display Unit (MDU) on to the Rec and to persuade one or more VIPs to help the Chairman of East Midlands Newspapers to hand it over formally to us and to inaugurate it for Royal British Legion use. We shall then join in the festivities in presenting the range of welfare services which we offer to the Serving and ex-Service community. Sunday, 28 June: We have already agreed that we shall join the Lions on the Rec with our MDU. We hope also to attract some of the Cadet and other groups to join us. We are also talking to the Churches about following on their Churches Together Family Service with our own Drumhead Service. This will take place about 4.30 or 5.00pm. National Annual Conference Around 1,000 Legion delegates descended on Eastbourne this year for the Legion¹s Annual Conference. The two-day event saw Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely (a former Col Commandant of the I Corps), deliver his first keynote speech as National President as well as an Emergency Motion passed. The Conference dealt with many Motions but the following votes are probably the most interesting:

Expenditure on parcels for the troops should be a proper charge to Legion funds; The minimum age for Youth membership should be reduced to 12 years; The Legion should be able to claw back from local authorities the cost of home and disability improvements; To ask the Government to extend the Disability Living Allowance beyond the age of 65; To build upon progress made concerning the increase in the provision of mental health services and the delivery of

priority treatment for veterans; The Legion should be more pro-active in promoting itself; The Legion should publicise more widely the scope of the support that it provides for younger Service men and

women from recent and current operations; Parade Marshals and Standard Bearers, who are eligible, should be allowed to wear their Veterans' Badge when

carrying out their duties on Armed Forces Day Parades; Conference would be held in Llandudno in 2013. The Conference also carried a Motion of Urgency that the Government should ensure that our Armed Forces receive

only the most up-to-date and modern equipment available. None of the above votes are of course binding on the Board of Trustees. A number of proposals were defeated: - To abolish Life Membership - To move the start of the financial year to somewhere between 1 January and 31 December (sic!); - To move the National Conference back to the late May Bank Holiday; - The National Conference should rotate between a fixed venue in each of the South, Midlands and North; - A Member’s personal annual renewal of membership should occur on the anniversary of his original recruitment; - Bevin Bys should be eligible for Legion help.

The undoubted highlights of the Conference were of course - The award of the Maurice Cup to Lincolnshire County for showing, during the year, the most progress and greatest

efficiency. It is official – we are the best County! - The special award of a National Certificate of Appreciation to Wootton Bassett Branch in honour of the loyalty they

have shown to our Armed Forces by turning out in their droves to pay their last respects to Britain’s war dead as they pass through the town after being repatriated in the UK. This is the first time such a Certificate has ever been awarded to a Branch.

And finally, our thanks to Dave Thompson for representing us as our Branch Delegate.

Safeguarding the welfare, interests and memory of those who have served in H. M. Armed Forces Registered Charity No: 219279

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Local Events Sunday, 7 June Re-run of Branch Car Treasure Hunt, 2.00pm at Northfields pub. Friday, 12 June Red House Wheelchairathon in Stamford Market Sunday, 14 June Mayor’s Parade & Service, 10.45 at Stamford Town Hall Tuesday, 16 June Talk by Derek Gladman on the History of Stamford. Monday, 22 June Armed Forces Day Service, Stamford Town Hall, 10.30am 26/27 June Armed Forces Weekend Friday, 3 July RAF Wittering Families Day Fri, 17 July 1950s Evening, Lady Anne’s Hotel Tuesday, 21 July New Members’ Social Fri, 24 July Branch Stand at RAF Cottesmore Open Day Sat, 28 November Branch Christmas Dinner, Lady Anne’s Hotel

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING 1900 hrs, Tuesday, 9 June, Clare Close Community Room

NEXT BRANCH GENERAL MEETING 2000 hrs, Tuesday, 16 June, Lady Anne’s Hotel Talk on Stamford by Derek Gladman

What does it take…? Have you noticed how few of us take part in many of the events we as a Branch organise? Probably not, since you – our average Branch Member – was not there. You may have noticed however how often I refer in this newsletter to the usual suspects who turn up, lend a hand, man a stall, and generally contribute. This has gone on for a long time. I remarked in this newsletter 18 months ago that there were some 30 or so Members whom I had never seen. I have still never seen them. And it is noticeable how, as our membership has increased threefold over the past five years, the number of Members who actively contribute to the Branch has actually decreased. Sadly this is because active, reliable colleagues such as Peter Smith, Sylvia Davidson, Bill Simpson etc are no longer with us. Few new Members are taking their places.

Plenty of us turn up of course for the quiz nights or Bingo at Lady Anne’s Hotel, and particularly for Prince Charles. But it is a different story at other events. This was especially noticeable at the two events organised by the Dolphin pub to raise sponsorship for Paul Childe-Freeman’s Marathon run. Barely a dozen of us turned up. It was slightly better at the Hit or Miss, but 160 other Members still had something better to do, or Corrie was on, or simply could not be bothered. It reached a particular low at the Branch Treasure Hunt when a mere eight of us turned up. It is worth setting out that role of honour – John Copeland, Bill Turner, Marie & Jim Jackson, Eileen & Jim Fay, Sybil Statham and myself. I wonder if those Members who cannot be bothered realise just how much work goes into organising these events and just how dispiriting it is when so few turn up. It is almost a form of contempt. If it continues there will simply be no point in organising anything. Just what do you want us to do? Just what does it take to get you to take part in our activities?

Steve Bonde, Editor, 01780 757041

Whitefriars Whitefriars are laying on a number of summer events: Sat, 6 June D-Day Recollections and tea, 2.30pm Sat, 1 Aug Friends & Family Tea, 4.00pm Mini Show by Clearer Productions, 6.00pm Sun, 23 Aug Car Boot Sale They cordially invite all our Members to join them and, hopefully, to give a hand. They would especially welcome anyone who would care to go along on 6 June to share with them their memories of D-Day. Could Members let me know if they will help, so that I can give Whitefriars an idea of numbers.

Red House The Red House plan to take some of their residents in wheelchairs down to Stamford Market for a morning out. This will be on Friday, 12 June. They plan to tour the Market from about 11.30 to 12.00noon. They have asked if any of our able-bodied Members could help them to push the wheelchairs. Their residents rarely get out – mainly because of a lack of volunteers - and it would mean so much to them if we could give them a hand. I shall be there. Would anyone else care to join me?

D-Day Anniversary Badge

The Legion has released this special enamel lapel badge to commemorate the 65th

Anniversary of D-Day. If you would like one – and all the best-dressed people are wearing them this season -please contact Gordon Williams who has lots of them, shower him with gold (about £3-worth), and he will give you one.

Heroes Return 2 The Big Lottery Fund has pledged funding for veterans, spouses, widows and carers, resident in the UK or Ireland, wishing to make overseas anniversary trips to the places where they or their loved ones saw action in WWII. The scheme started on 1 April 2009 and will run to 31 January 2011. Grants will vary between £150 and £5,500 depending on the number of people taking part and the destination. If you have any general questions about the scheme and whether you are eligible, ring the application helpline 0845 0000 121. Alternatively contact Poppy Travel,The Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7NX on 01622 716728 or on: info@poppytravel.org.uk