Royal Air Forces Association

Minutes of the 799th General Meeting of Branch 710 - Dursley and South Gloucestershire

Held at the Slimbridge Legion Social Club on Tuesday the 15th November 2016 at 20.15 hrs

Members Present - Bill Cooke, Pat Eagle, Alan Gough, Malcolm Hall, Norma Rodman, Lesley Scott, David Twyning & Tony Eve.

Apologies - Jim Ball, Philip Bevan, Ritchie Brittain, Meta Coe, Ann Eve, Maurice Freeman DFC, Grace Hutchinson, Roy Lewis, Fred McKenzie, Stan Shearer, Tricia Shearer, Scott Temlett, Graham Webb & John Welberry.

BRANCH GUESTS - The Chairman welcomed Roy & Barbara Lobley to the meeting. Roy is an Area Councillor and has taken over responsibility for the Branch from Ray Scantlebury. Roy introduced himself to Members present and gave a brief history of his Service career and RAFA Membership.

DEDICATION – Roy Lobley recited the Official Dedication of the Royal Air Forces Association and Members paid a one minute silent tribute to the fallen.

Minutes of previous GENERAL meeting #799 - The minutes of the 2016 November Branch meeting, held at the Legion Club, were displayed on the web site and by post to Members attending who could not access the electronic version. The minutes were accepted as a true record by Members present, who attended that meeting. All attending members received a copy of the minutes and additional copies were available at this meeting.

Proposed by: Norma Rodman Seconded by: Pat Eagle

MATTERS’ ARISING FROM THE MINUTES – NONE

REPORT BY THE CHAIRMAN - The Treasurer has confirmed that the General Account stands at £2,144.49p of that £482.62p was ring fenced for this year's Wings Appeal leaving £1,661.87 available for Branch admin. The collection at B&Q on the 5th December made £71.37, and the collection at Tesco Stroud on the 13/14th January raised £335.00p.

Malcolm is progressing an application to register the charity for Gift Aid, which will allow us to claim tax back from donations made locally to the charity. We are permitted to track back up to four years.

The welfare team has reported that they have one case ongoing and a further case had been successfully concluded over the Christmas period.

The value of the Welfare Account was £3,178.03p. at the last statement.

The Branch has been notified that £1,608.35p will be credited to our Welfare Account following the success of our exploits at RIAT Fairford last year where £31,456.59p was traded and this credit will be added to the £1,400.00p rebate which we will receive from the £7,075.00p raised locally by our Wings Appeal collectors this time.

The Committee is now reviewing how best to use this money to benefit needy personnel in our area.

Jim completed his course on Mental Health in November as part of the Associations progressive approach to Welfare and the development of its Caseworkers. Jim was pleased with the course and found it most enlightening.

To see what the Branch is doing, to make contact or to contact the Welfare Team please see the details below:-

Branch web site address:- www.rafa.org.uk/dursley-south-gloucestershire/

Branch e-mail address for all general enquiries:-

Branch welfare e-mail address for all welfare enquiries:-

WINGS APPEALS COLLECTORS FOR 2017

The next dates in the collections calendar are as follows

Venue & Date 10 to 1pm 1 to 4pm

......

Tesco Thornbury Friday 27th Jan Stan Bill & Dave

Tesco Thornbury Saturday 28th Jan Mac & Pat Jim

Tesco Tetbury Wednesday 1st Feb Malcolm Lesley & Pat

Tesco Tetbury Thursday 2nd Feb Tony & Alan Bill & Mac

Tesco Cam Saturday 25th Feb TBA TBA

Tesco Cam Sunday 26th Feb TBA TBA

......

Bill has made approaches to Morrison's supermarkets at Abbydale, Yate and Nailsworth and Sainsbury's supermarkets in Stroud and Dursley. He has also written to B&Q at Stroud and has applied for street collecting permits for Stroud and Cotswold Districts. The Committee agreed Bill would make an application to South Gloucestershire District to cover possible collections at Thornbury and beyond in the hope we can man the venues.

Details of the Golf Tournament to be held on Wednesday the 27th September are in hand and the Golf Club has circulated the information to their usual partners. Pat will write to all those who competed in 2016 to encourage them to join us again next time.

Bill is talking to the Berkeley Hunt Agricultural Show Committee members to determine if our help is required for the gate and arrange a pitch for the trade stand on 25th June this year.

Ian Campbell and the Chairman had a meeting with the Bristol and Gloucestershire Wing, Air Cadet, Civilian Committee Chairs before Christmas. The aim of the meeting, which was Area inspired, was to try to forge closer links with the Next Generation. It was suggested that Members could sign up to the civilian committees to allow us to understand how best we could help them and in turn, them us. The Branch intends to introduce a pilot study, with hopefully the Dursley and Thornbury Units, to provide detail of how this association can be best progressed and examine the commitment involved. We will then look for volunteers, from the Branch, to take up these posts.

As we have such a wide area to cover the Committee is looking to increase our collecting volunteers and will make an approach to CHQ for their help with advertising these opportunities. This will be an on line application and Bill and Tony will make our case for the additional support.

Tony said, whilst talking about volunteering, he noted we have an AGM coming up in March and, as you will know, Committee Members are elected to serve for one year. If any Member would like to understudy one of the committee or take on a fuller role to help grow the Branch, please let me know.

The Branch has received a £100 donation towards Branch Funds from a supporter. The Committee has proposed the money should be used to purchase equipment for the Branch to help advertise our presence when out collecting. Jim is looking at the options available.

And finally Jim has offered to present Part 2 of his talk on Lord Trenchard to the May meeting. Jim plans to cover the period from the early 1900's on to the development of Lord Trenchard's flying career. I know Members will be looking forward to that.

CORRESPONDENCE –

a)  This morning I have received mail relating to the Election of Area Council 2017. There are four nominations for three positions. I have circulated details of the candidates. I accept this is short notice and we have time to delay our response until the February meeting, but returns have to be at AHQ by 10th March. Branch members are requested to review the critiques so that an informed assessment can be made at the next meeting.

AREA NEWSLETTER – Copies of the December/January Area Newsletter have been posted to the web site, hard copies were also available at the Christmas Lunch and will be re-distributed to Members receiving hard copy of the January minutes.

NEW BUSINESS - No further New Business

A.O.B.

Item 1) Malcolm reminded the meeting that a few diaries were still available and anyone requiring one should contact him or the Secretary on 01453 860 510.

Item 2) Pat circulated copies of the February lunch menu to those present. The lunch will take place at the Gables Hotel, Falfield after the Branch meeting at 12.15 hrs.

BRANCH LOTTERY UPDATE - No winner this time, Pat collected lottery money from those present.

DATE AND LOCATION OF NEXT MEETING

The next General meeting will be held on Tuesday 21st February 2017, at the Gables Hotel, Falfield, where the meeting will open at 12.15 hrs..

There being no further business the meeting closed at 21:15 hrs..

Signed ………………………………….

Attachments:-

Lunch menu

Area Council nominees' critiques

Collection venues diary

Dec/Jan Area Newsletter

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