Post by aghart on Nov 3, 2021 12:50:00 GMT
NOVEMBER 2021 BRANCH MEETING
16 members & 2 guests attended the meeting. The guests were from the local branch of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Wiltshire Regiment Association. There were also 8 people logged in remotely using Zoom.
Members were invited to attend the two minute silence on 11th November at Poole Civic Centre. Members were informed of who is doing what and where in regards to Standards/Wreaths at Bournemouth, Poole & Weymouth on Remembrance Sunday.
Members were reminded to bring food for the December social and reminded that there will be no Zoom involvement in December. A final call for Ladies Lunch returns to be in by the December Social. It was confirmed that tickets for Tankfest 2022 are now available from the Tank Museum. Friday 24th June- Sunday 26th June 2022.
A nigh time visit to the Tower of London has been offered to the branch by one of the Yeoman Warders. This will be pursued in the new year. Members have been invited to the December Lunch of the Royal Artillery Association (Poole Branch) at a cost of £30pp.
Branch members who are also members of the RBL were asked to consider transferring to the Poole branch of the RBL so they would then have access at all times to the North Road Club.
The meeting then closed and the Branch President introduced the guest speaker, Councillor David Kelsey, Mayor of Bournemouth, and "Armed Forces Champion" for the Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole Council. David is a native of Portsmouth who visited Bournemouth one Friday night and basically never left. He is a veteran himself, Royal Engineers and so was the obvious choice as Armed Forces Champion. His main job in the role is to ensure that the "Armed Forces Covenant" is adhered to. He is the point of contact regarding this in our area.
David explained that during Covid there has been an increase in the number of homeless ex Servicemen on the streets. Specific accommodation for veterans has been made available in the area which include temporary (3 months at a time)slots for those on the streets. He mentioned a few specfic cases and highlighted what the Council was doing to assist. A suprising number of homeless veterans are refusing help and just want to be left alone.
Other things he highlighted? Tell your GP that you are ex-Forces, they now have to record this fact and it can help you get fast track service in a number of circumstances. A lot of councils have job vacancies and many are looking to recruit ex military people because of their increased reliability compared to many other people in society. More private firms are signing up to the armed forces covenant and aspects of it are becoming mandatory rather than voluntary. They have just helped with a Jobs fair at the Tank Museum at Bovington exclusively for serving and ex military people. They also lines of communication with a number of mental health specialists and are able again to get veterans moved up the queue a bit. The big point is that those needing help need to ask for it, it may not automatically come to you. Lots of questions followed what was a very well received address. The next branch meeting will be the February 2022 meeting.
16 members & 2 guests attended the meeting. The guests were from the local branch of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Wiltshire Regiment Association. There were also 8 people logged in remotely using Zoom.
Members were invited to attend the two minute silence on 11th November at Poole Civic Centre. Members were informed of who is doing what and where in regards to Standards/Wreaths at Bournemouth, Poole & Weymouth on Remembrance Sunday.
Members were reminded to bring food for the December social and reminded that there will be no Zoom involvement in December. A final call for Ladies Lunch returns to be in by the December Social. It was confirmed that tickets for Tankfest 2022 are now available from the Tank Museum. Friday 24th June- Sunday 26th June 2022.
A nigh time visit to the Tower of London has been offered to the branch by one of the Yeoman Warders. This will be pursued in the new year. Members have been invited to the December Lunch of the Royal Artillery Association (Poole Branch) at a cost of £30pp.
Branch members who are also members of the RBL were asked to consider transferring to the Poole branch of the RBL so they would then have access at all times to the North Road Club.
The meeting then closed and the Branch President introduced the guest speaker, Councillor David Kelsey, Mayor of Bournemouth, and "Armed Forces Champion" for the Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole Council. David is a native of Portsmouth who visited Bournemouth one Friday night and basically never left. He is a veteran himself, Royal Engineers and so was the obvious choice as Armed Forces Champion. His main job in the role is to ensure that the "Armed Forces Covenant" is adhered to. He is the point of contact regarding this in our area.
David explained that during Covid there has been an increase in the number of homeless ex Servicemen on the streets. Specific accommodation for veterans has been made available in the area which include temporary (3 months at a time)slots for those on the streets. He mentioned a few specfic cases and highlighted what the Council was doing to assist. A suprising number of homeless veterans are refusing help and just want to be left alone.
Other things he highlighted? Tell your GP that you are ex-Forces, they now have to record this fact and it can help you get fast track service in a number of circumstances. A lot of councils have job vacancies and many are looking to recruit ex military people because of their increased reliability compared to many other people in society. More private firms are signing up to the armed forces covenant and aspects of it are becoming mandatory rather than voluntary. They have just helped with a Jobs fair at the Tank Museum at Bovington exclusively for serving and ex military people. They also lines of communication with a number of mental health specialists and are able again to get veterans moved up the queue a bit. The big point is that those needing help need to ask for it, it may not automatically come to you. Lots of questions followed what was a very well received address. The next branch meeting will be the February 2022 meeting.