Presentation at 3 RSME to Fiona Laden
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Round-up 2009
By Colonel Simon Lane, Regional Director of Fundraising
Our fundraising held up well during a year of recession and we are on track to exceed our aspiration for 2009 of £200,000 (net). Our County Chairmen and their volunteers continue to give of their time with outstanding results, supported by a sympathetic public and the Army – both Regular and TA – that still finds time for us between operational tours. Simon Wilkinson very kindly took over as Buckinghamshire Chairman at short notice, and has rapidly built an active committee including strong representation from outside the military community.
The photograph on the left is of a splendid presentation from 3 RSME (Gibraltar Barracks, Blackwater) which includes our new Fundraising Coordinator, Fiona Laden. She has had 10 years’ experience in our National Office Welfare Department and we are fortunate to ‘capture’ her for the Region.
One of Fiona’s tasks is to find an appropriate County Committee for any volunteers, so if readers have friends who would like to give anything from a few hours or more annually please ask them to contact her on 01252 348 270, or homecounties@soldierscharity.org. Previous military experience is not necessary!
General Sir Richard Dannatt meeting ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and Army personnel at the Royal Berkshire Show in September 2009
A report by Peter Walker, Chairman
Berkshire has had a successful year with around £85,000 expected to be raised.
A variety of events have been run, including a talk on the Battle of Maiwand fought by the Berkshire Regiment in Afghanistan in the 1880s, a concert given by the Royal Engineers Band, a talk from the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe MP, and a highly successful concert attended by over 500 people at Eton College given by the London Male Voice Choir.
Bucket collections have included highly successful race meetings at both Ascot and Newbury Racecourses. At Ascot we were fortunate to be allowed to collect for all three days of the King George VI Cup meeting, which raised over £13,000 for the County. We were also fortunate to be visited by General Sir Richard Dannatt at the Royal Berkshire Show when he met both County Committee members and Army personnel at the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Stand, accompanied by Richard Benyon, the MP for Newbury and an ex-Army officer himself.
Maintaining our presence at the Royal Berkshire Show over 3 days is demanding for the Committee, and I am most grateful to them all for covering this event, and all the others so willingly throughout the year.
Captain Bill Holland with members of 7 Rifles at The Bucks County Show
A report by Simon Wilkinson, Chairman
This year has seen major changes with the retirement of our Chairman Christopher Prideaux, who we thank for many years of energetic leadership. New committee members, some intentionally outside the normal Military family, have joined us, giving us a more representative committee of the public willing to support our Soldiers.
TheArmed Forces Day event near Henley, in June, was attended by 4,000 servicemen and women. We raised a lot of money and flew the flag for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, similarly we attended the Bucks County Show for the first time, again with a terrific stand and we were delighted that so many people gave so generously. The CO 7 Rifles provided 8 Territorial Riflemen volunteers recently returned from Afghanistan, dressed in Desert Combats and collecting for us; they stole the gaze and kisses of many a young lady!
Committee member Capt Bill Holland walked up Ben Nevis with a Fridge on his back (the typical weight of a rucksack) and raised some £2,900 for us. We also had 14 guests at the ABF The Soldiers’ Charity v Royal Household cricket match, all of whom gave significant amounts of money. Several members have also given fundraising talks and a lot more is planned for 2010.
A report by Guy Acland, Chairman
In January 2009 the then Commander-in-Chief, Land Command, General Sir David Richards, gave a fascinating talk on Afghanistan to some one hundred supporters at the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) in Cowes. The lecture and supper raised over £1,300 for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.
In May, 114 supporters attended our annual Big Curry at the RYS. With a bumper raffle and auction this year, the event raised over £2,600.
As always I am extremely grateful to our hardworking committee members, who share my appreciation for the generous and continuing involvement of all our supporters.
(Regional Director’s Note: The RYS events are always meticulously arranged by Guy and his committee wives; always a stylish occasion.)
Band of the Rifles at St Cross
A report by Nick Leadbetter, Chairman
The soldiers and ex-soldiers of Oxfordshire and their families make little welfare demand on ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, but when asked to help we have been quick to give it. Fifteen individuals were helped during 2009.
We held 8 events during 2009. At the time of writing, units in the County have raised over £13,000 (not including the contribution of 23 Pioneer Regiment, below) and our volunteers have raised over £9,000.
The clay-pigeon shoot at Bicester Garrison has become a fixed event in our calendar, as has the joint venture with Gloucestershire at the Cheltenham Cricket Festival. The highlight of the year was on 17 October at Abingdon School when we heard Colonel John Blashford-Snell’s illustrated talk A Life of Adventure. This perfect venue was generously made available to us free, and the Headmaster has invited us to return.
All our regular units, Oxford University OTC and the ACF have continued to support ABF The Soldiers’ Charity through the year. Abingdon Station has received a certificate of commendation from the Chief Executive for its tremendous contribution to fundraising and 23 Pioneer Regiment became the closest ever runner-up in the 2008/09 competition for the Carrington Drum, raising an amazing £23,311.
In 2010 we are looking forward to holding a reception at Shotover House (once home of the late Sir John Miller) on 17 July with the AAC Band and aerial Display Team.
Finally, the Committee is indebted to Major Tony Heybourn, who is standing down from his role as our Hon Treasurer in January 2010 after 7 years of outstanding service. His place will be taken by Colonel Terry Byrd.
A report by Jamie Balfour, Chairman
Hampshire has had a good year in 2009, and so far we have raised a total of just over £70,000. Although the economic situation has been difficult for fundraising, there is no doubt that the political profile of Afghanistan, and in particular the focus on wounded soldiers, has had a sad but beneficial impact. Many people who would not normally support ABF The Soldiers’ Charity have contributed, and the turn out for recent home coming parades, most recently in Hampshire for 1 PWRR and 17 Port and Maritime Regiment, has been outstanding.
We have also in 2009 formed a Southampton and Portsmouth committee under Charles Ackroyd, and hope to form a Winchester and West Hants committee in 2010; volunteers very welcome.
In 2009 we ran a wider selection of events than normal, including a talk on post-apartheid South Africa, a garden opening in Itchen Abbas and a Sounding Retreat at St Cross in Winchester. Of particular note was the Aldershot Autumn Lunch with an excellent talk from Capt Alex Bourne WG, which raised £4,890. Individual donations were up, and bucket collections at the Army show and at supermarkets raised over £12,620,
For 2010 our key event will be to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s death at Hampshire Collegiate School, Embley Park near Romsey, which was her family home. A presentation on Army Operational Nursing will be followed by a Beating Retreat on the evening of Sat 17 July.
I cannot finish without mentioning the sad death in November of our Hampshire Secretary Brian Coombes. A marvellous man, he will be much missed by us all.