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IW Poppy Launch
18th October 2014 The parade will form up between
09:00hrs and 09:30hrs outside the
RBL Club in Collingwood Road and
march off at 10:00hrs up into Regent
Street where a short service in the
presence of the Deputy Lord
Lieutenant will be held. Poppies will
be given out to dignitaries by a Girl
Guide and a Scout.
The parade will then march along
Regent Street into Carter Street and
Languard Road where the Deputy Lord
Lieutenant will take the salute, before
marching back into Collingwood Road
where the parade will be dismissed.
Please come along and support this
event
For more information please contact
Terry Clarkson, IW County Parade
Marshal on IW 856695 or e-mail
October 2014
BRANCH SECRETARIES - PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ITEMS IN THIS
NEWSLETTER SHOULD FORM PART OF YOUR REPORT
ELECTION RESULTS –
IW County Chairman & IW County Vice-Chairman
The election process for the positions of Isle of Wight County Chairman and Isle of Wight County Vice-Chairman was completed on Monday, 08 September 2014, in accordance with Legion Policy. There was only one nomination received for each position. I am therefore delighted to inform you that Andy Pound will continue as County Chairman and Karen Gibson will become County Vice-Chairman. Both of these positions are for a period of three years commencing at the close of the 2015 County Conference. On behalf of all the Branches and members I would like to congratulate Andy and Karen on their positions within the Isle of Wight Royal British Legion. Steph Harris IW County Secretary
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Applications for Funding
Branches who apply for funding from external organisations (e.g. Awards for All, Heritage Lottery Fund) must submit the draft applications to their local Area Manager before formally applying for a grant. Only when the application is approved by the Area Manager, can a branch contact the organisation directly. The only applications excluded from this process are those asking for the WW1 Centenary project funding.
Centenary Gardens
The Royal British Legion is calling on the public to plant a living legacy for those who fought and died in the First
World War as part of its Centenary commemorations. The Legion is working in partnership with Ashridge
Nurseries on the project called Centenary Gardens, which aims to keep the memory of those who made the
ultimate sacrifice in the First World War alive for future generations. Gardeners of all varieties, no matter what
space available, will be able to place orders through Ashridge at www.centenarygardens.co.uk over the next
four years.
Dr Stephen Clarke, says: “The idea of planting a living legacy in commemoration of those who died in the First
World War brings to life the notion of passing on the torch of Remembrance to the next generation. Living
tributes of this nature can last for decades, if not hundreds of years, standing as a lasting reminder of sacrifices
that have been made on our behalf.”
Following the success of last year’s performance the
Hampshire Festival of Remembrance will be held at the
O2 (Southampton Guildhall), Southampton on 7th
November 2014.
Discounted tickets are available to RBL members -
please quote TRBL19 when you book. Your support at
this event is greatly appreciated.
Steph Harris
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Ryde RBL Branch Poppy Launch
Ryde RBL Branch will be holding their
Poppy Launch on Saturday 25th October
2014.
The launch will take place at All Saints
Church, Ryde at 10am and will be
followed by a flag raising ceremony at
the Flag staff outside of LA Bowl on
Ryde Esplanade at 12noon.
Standard Bearers are asked to muster
at All Saints Church at 9.45am and at LA
Bowl at 11.45am.
For more information please contact
Bob Douglas on 01983 875012
FIELD OF REMEMBRANCE
CARISBROOKE CASTLE – 6th November 2014
Established by the Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Major General Martin White, the Field of
Remembrance is a place where residents can pay their respects and plant a cross for those who lost
their lives serving the country. It is located within the Princess Beatrice Garden, a tranquil walled
garden behind the castle's chapel.
The castle will open its doors for people to visit the Field of Remembrance between 10am and 1pm on
Thursday 6th November, when it is normally closed to the public. The Royal British Legion will make
crosses available for purchase at the castle's shop.
A service of remembrance will take place at the castle on Thursday 6th November at 10.45am, which
members of the public are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be available following the service
and all proceeds will go to the Isle of Wight WI.
The 2003 Royal Charter of
Incorporation and Schedules – Version
9, dated 31st July 2014, is now
available on the Membership page of
The Royal British Legion website
(http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/memb
ership/members-information/royal-
charter).
This version incorporates the Charter
Motions carried at Annual Conference
2014 and subsequently supported by the
Board of Trustees at its meeting on 19th
June 2014, including consequential
changes to the Governing
Regulations. The change to Article 3
(e) has not yet been ratified by the Privy
Council so is not included.
Given the prohibitive cost of issuing the
Royal Charter in hard copy (some
£7,000 plus postage), this latest version
will only be available on the Legion
web site.
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VENTNOR WW1 COMMEMORATION EVENTS
I hope you are well and greetings from sunny Ventnor!
My apologies for not including the Royal Artillery Association, the Hampshire Regimental Association and the
Royal Engineers Association Standards in my article regarding the WW1 Commemoration Parade in Ventnor on
3rd August that appeared in the last RBL IW County Newsletter.
A very successful ceremony to honour the first Ventnor men to be killed in WW1 took place on 22
September. On 22 September 1914 HMS Aboukir was sunk by German U-Boat 9 off Ostend with the loss of
527 lives. The three sailors were Albert Colenut, John Symmans and Alan Robertson, the latter being only 15
years old. It was a very moving ceremony and two great nieces and one great, great niece of Albert Colenut
were in attendance.
There will be similar monthly ceremonies taking place at 3pm on Sunday 26 October, 30 November and 28
December. I recognise and appreciate the logistics in attending this short ceremony but it would be good if a few
veterans and Standards were able to attend. If you are unable to attend this ceremony, perhaps you will be able
to attend future ceremonies over the next four years. On 26 October we will remember Charles Glaire, 1st Bn The Hampshire Regiment who was wounded at La
Bassee and who died in Netley Hospital on 10 October 1914. Also Victor Dennes from the 1st Life Guards who
was killed on 31 October in the first battle of Ypres.
On 30 November we will remember: Franciso Lake, 11th Hussars, killed on 1 November 1914 in the first battle
of Ypres, William Axhorn, 50 Battery Royal Field Artillery, killed on 12 November in the first battle of Ypres,
William Smith, 1st Bn The Hampshire Regiment, killed on 22 November on the last day of the first battle of
Ypres, Frederick Sheath, of HMS Bulwark killed off Sheerness when his ship blew up loading munitions
If you would like to attend any of these ceremonies, please let me know on 01983 854869.
Danny McMeechan, Chairman Ventnor WW1 2014-2018 Commemoration Committee
Congratulations to Shanklin RBL Club who were awarded 2nd place in their category in “Shanklin in Bloom” this year. Well done to everyone involved in keeping the flower display in such tip top condition the display was lovely.
SHANKLIN RBL - Festival of Remembrance
Friday 7th November 2014 – Shanklin Theatre
Shanklin Branch RBL will be holding their Festival of Remembrance at Shanklin
Theatre on Friday, 7th November. Tickets at £8.00 each, are available from Shanklin
Branch or Shanklin Theatre. For more information please e-mail John Hibberd on
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KEY DATES:-
30th September 2014 – Final date by which Branch Accounts must be submitted to County Secretary.
18th October 2014 – IW Poppy Launch – Shanklin
25th & 26th October 2014 – Branch Management Course – Conservative Club, Pyle Street, Newport.
25th October 2014 – Ryde Branch Poppy Launch
6th November 2014 – Field of Remembrance opens, Carisbrooke Castle
9th November 2014 – Remembrance Sunday
17th November 2014 – County Standard Bearer Competition - Newport
30th November 2014 Closing date for IW County Conference submissions.
31st December 2014 - Final date for Branch MS1 forms to be received by the County Secretary.
17th January, 2015 IW County Conference, Methodist Church, Garfield Road, Ryde. 2pm
ALL LEGION ENQUIRIES
(including all Welfare requests)
SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE CONTACT CENTRE ON
08457 725 725
________________________
County Secretary – Mrs Stephanie Harris
104 Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7DT
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.britishlegion.org.uk
Registered Charity number 219279
Newsletter Enclosures:-
Field of Remembrance – Carisbrooke Castle. Letter
and poster.
IT’S YOUR NEWSLETTER !!!
If anyone has any articles they would like to be
considered for publication in the monthly
newsletter that would interest members please
e -mail the newsletter editor at
Or send to: 2 Hope Mead, Langbridge, Newchurch,
Isle of Wight, PO36 0NP by the 20th of each month.
We are looking for anything from jokes to poems,
or hints and tips to remarkable personal
achievements and Branch events, photographs
welcome. Or even adverts!
Everything will be considered.