1
Royal Air Forces Association
Minutes of the North Costa Blanca BRANCH Meeting
held 12.00–13.00, 9th October 2017 at Los Arcos, Pedreguer
Action
1. Present
Gaby Ferenczy (Life Vice-President)
Colin McNae (Acting Chairman) - (Vice-Chairman and Webmaster)
Brian Flowers (Secretary)
Maggie Dennis (Treasurer and Welfare Officer)
Alan Gill (Social and Entertainment Officer)
Sue McNae (Wings Appeal Officer)
Len Hewitt (Flyer Editor)
2. Apologies
Cameron Gair (President)
Bob Hunt (Chairman)
3. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
· Approval of the Minutes of the previous meeting was proposed by Gaby Ferenczy, seconded by Ann D’Souza and approved unanimously.
4. Matters Arising
· None
5.0 Report by the Chairman.
· The Acting Chairman, Colin McNae, welcomed 42 members and Mary, a friend of Ann D’Souza.
· The Acting Chairman then presented name badges and RAFA badges to Gaby Ferenczy (now Life Vice-President), and to new members, Peter & Betty Hillier.
5.1 Wings Appeal Donation
· The NCB’s Wings Appeal donation for 2017 must be dispatched to RAFA-CHQ before the 31st October 2017. The total funds collected so far for Wings by the NCB was equivalent to about £3,000, but additional funds would be collected by the end of 2017. Moreover, the Branch could afford to contribute £2,000 from Branch Funds if necessary.
· Based on the above, Alan Gill proposed that the NCB should donate £5,000 to the Wings Appeal for 2017, which was seconded by Angela Niblock and approved unanimously.
MD
5.2 Autumn EAC, Dublin, 6-8 October 2017
· The Chairman and his wife were presently having a short holiday in Dublin and they would report on the European Area Conference in Dublin in due course.
5.3 RBL Remembrance Service, Fisherman’s Church, Javea, 15.00 12th November
· The Branch Standard would be paraded by Colin McNae at this service.
CMN
5.4 NCB - RAF’s 100th Anniversary
· This event would now take place at El Canor as La Cumbre Restaurant could not provide exclusive use of the restaurant on a Saturday evening.
· It was agreed that the Secretary should check the possibility of hiring the Rommy Baker Big Band or a part thereof for this event.
BGF
· A subsidy from Branch Funds of €1,500 for this event was proposed by Alan Gill, seconded by Tony Edmonds and approved unanimously.
MD
6. Vice-Chairman’s Report
· The Vice-Chairman had transferred the Burn’s Night event to the Inn on the Green because building works were scheduled at Los Leones.
· The maximum participation was now 62. NCB Members would be given priority.
· The cost would be €25 pp.
7. Secretary’s Report
· The Secretary reported that NCBB membership was presently 119 members, (58 Full Members and 61 Associate Members). Full Member Colin Bond had recently returned to the UK, but he remains a member of the NCB until the end of 2017.
· The Secretary explained that on the NCB’s List of Members, the former ‘NCB No.’ column had been changed to ‘JoinNCB’. This is because from January 2017, new members’ fees are due on the date on which they joined the Branch, not on 1st January.
However, the situation for Members who joined the NCB before 2017 does not change.
8. Treasurer’s Report
· The Treasurer reported that the NCB finances on 30th September were as follows:
Bank Account: €15,405·26 Cash: €63·28
· The Treasurer would transfer before the end of October £5,000, (about €5,700), to the Wings Appeal at RAFA-CHQ. The donation must be received by 10th November.
MD
9. Welfare Officer’s Report
· The Welfare Officer reported that she had obtained Attendance Allowance for a 94 years old ex-RAF couple. Maggie had also had a shower installed for them costing €2,000, which she would claim back once the couple fills in the necessary forms.
· The ex-RAF gentleman who was awaiting an eye operation had undergone the operation. Unfortunately, his mobile phone was not working, so Maggie was unable to contact him to follow up.
10. Social and Entertainment Officer’s Report
· The Chairman thanked Alan for his help in organising the Battle of Britain 77th Anniversary evening at the Asia Chinese Restaurant on 16th September.
· Alan then gave the following list of future events:
- 19th October, ‘Nil by Mouth’, Careline Theatre, Alcalali, + pre-show meal 18.00, Bar Torre, €25.
- 22nd October, Lunch at Verd i Vent Restaurant, Bernia, 13.00/13/30, €20 pp.
- 12th November, 15.00, RBL Remembrance Service, Fisherman’s Church, Javea, pre-service lunch, 13.00, Pepe y Estrella Restaurant.
- 11th December, 13.30/14.00, (changed from 20th December at request of members), Christmas Lunch, Satari’s Restaurant, (replaces 11 December Branch Meeting).
- 25th January, 19.00/19.30, Burn’s Night, Inn on the Green, 62 maximum, €25 pp,
- January, Panto, Robin Hood, Careline Theatre, Alcalali, dtf.
11. Wings Appeal Officer’s Report
· The Wings Appeal Officer reported that the Battle of Britain collection at Iceland, Benissa, on 15th September had raised €227·69. Sue thanked Bob Hunt, Yvonne Keir, Len & Ann Hewitt, Carol Thorn and Peter Hillier for their assistance.
· Sue explained that she had recently purchased 6 bottles of tinto, 6 bottles of blanco, 6 bottles of rosado and 6 bottles of cava for raffle prizes. She would welcome additional suitable raffle prizes in good condition.
12. Flyer Editor’s Report
· Len Hewitt reported that the Autumn Edition of The Flyer was being prepared. The deadline for articles was 1st December.
· The Chairman would submit a report on the European Area Conference in Dublin.
BH
· The list of ‘Special Birthdays’ would be reinstated in the Winter Edition of The Flyer with the assistance of the Membership Secretary.
PMF
· The Branch Chaplain agreed to provide an article for The Flyer.
JB
13. Webmaster’s Report
· The Webmaster reported that there were 2,476 hits on the NCB website in September, which was a record.
14. Chaplain’s Report
· Father Booker asked members, ‘Who first broke the ten commandments?’
The answer was Moses, during the Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land, when Moses brought the ten commandments tablets down the mountain and broke them when he found his people worshipping a golden calf.
· Father Booker summarised the Ten Commandments as follows;
‘That which is hateful to you, do not do to others.’
15. AOB
· Ed Morley apologised for not attending the Battle of Britain evening meal in the Asia Chinese Restaurant on 16th September. Ed and Jane had celebrated their wedding anniversary in Gibraltar and returned home on the 16th September.
16. Date and place of next meeting
· The next Branch Meeting will be held 12.00-13.00 on 13h November at Los Arcos, Pedreguer.
(Brian Flowers - Rev.2 – 18th October 2017)