Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 7th May 2009

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 7th May 2009 at The Woodmead Hall, Lyme Regis, commencing 19:00 hrs.

Present: Mr K Whetlor, Chairman; Mr D Manners, Vice Chairman; Mr M Kirkby, Secretary; Mrs A Driver, Welfare Secretary; Mr D Humphrey, Membership Secretary; Mr K Austin; Mr E Bignall; Lt Col R Bennett.Mr N Hampton Rumbold; Mr M Lloyd; Mrs A Manners

1) Exhortation: Lt Col Bennett

2) Chairman’s Opening Remarks: nil

3) Apologies: Mr C Quick, President; Mr W Reed, Vice President; Ms T Hodder, Poppy Appeal Organiser

4) Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 5th March 2009. The Minutes were presented on the night, agreed as a true record and signed by The Chairman.

5) Matters Arising: The Vice Chairman asked why the Standard Bearers report had become his responsibility. The Secretary replied that since the post of Standard Bearer had been changed to an appointment rather than a Committee position the best person to give the Standard Bearer’s report would be the Events Organiser as the Standard Bearer attends events. The Vice Chairman at present carries out the role of Events Organiser. The Chairman stated that he was willing to give the Standard Bearers report as he lived nearby.

6) Additions to the Agenda: i) To waive the entrance fee for the 2009 Festival of Remembrance.
Proposed: Chairman.
Proposal defeated.
Lt Col Bennett made a proposal that the entrance fee be reduced to £3 per head with a voluntary collection taken during the festival.
Seconded: Vice Chairman
Proposal Carried

ii) a. The Welfare Secretary requested the committee to provide feedback from any assistance given to beneficiaries so that should further help be required from the branch then she would have some knowledge of the case. The Committee was also requested to inform the Welfare Secretary of any beneficiary that was suffering serious illness or had been hospitalised so that she could arrange a visit. The combined local knowledge of the Branch would be greater than that of the Welfare Secretary working in isolation.
b. The Welfare Secretary had obtained some youth information packs from Headquarters and these have been passed to the Secretary.
c. The Over 50’s Forum has invited Lt Col Fairman from County to give a talk on the work of The Legion on 27th Mayat 15:00 in the Masonic Hall. The Welfare Secretary has already posted notices around the town and placed adverts in some of the free publications. She asked the Committee if there was anywhere else where the meeting could be publicised. The Membership Secretary suggested the Parish Magazine.

7) Secretary’s Report and Correspondence:
i) 27th April. Enquiry made to County Training Officer to arrange a place on the December Branch Management course for Lt Col Bennett. The County Training Officer will contact Col Bennett directly. The Treasurer has also spoken with the County Training Officer and he has confirmed that Lt Col Bennett has been booked on the 6th December course at Basingstoke.
ii) Terry Vine has been booked to address the Committee about youth affiliation at the next meeting on 2nd July.
Correspondence Received:
i) Final Agenda for the 2009 Annual Conference. Charter Motion 5, Motion 10, and Motion 16 may be of particular interest to the Branch.
ii) Annual Reports and Accounts for 2008
iii) The Branch Rules have been approved by the County Chairman and returned to the Secretary. The Secretary asked how best to make the rules available. The Committee decided that a copy should be made available in the information pack in the Town Library and published on the internet.

8) Treasurer’s Report: The Branch won £5 in the 500 Club draw.A Branch donation of £300 was made to the Poppy Appeal (A copy of the Treasurers financial report may be obtained on request from the Secretary).

9) Welfare Secretary’s Report: One Welfare case, reported by the Chairman, has been successfully concluded.
An investigation into the geographical boundaries for welfare has discovered that Bridport Branch boundary extends up to and includes Charmouth but Bridport are happy to discuss any borderline cases.
All Welfare accounts signatories are now up to date and the Welfare balance is in the black.
The Welfare telephone number has been publicised at various locations within the town.
County are currently dealing with one referred Welfare case and there is another ongoing case with hospital transport.
The Vice Chairman reminded all present that the Taxi service was solely for medical reasons and was only for the use of beneficiaries ie Servicemen, Veterans or dependants in need.
The Vice Chairman asked if it would be possible for all members of the Committee to have a list of members and beneficiaries. The Secretary and Membership Secretary were of the opinion that it wouldn’t be helpful as members are not necessarily beneficiaries and vice versa. In fact nationally beneficiaries far outnumber the Legion membership. Lt Col Bennett proposed that the County Secretary be asked how other branches deal with this question. (Action Secretary)

10) Poppy Organiser’s Report: A wreath has been ordered for Rogation Sunday (Blessing of the Boats) on 17th May. The Vice Chairman and Mrs Mannners are unable to attend.Prizes for the quiz raffle on 18th May were requested.
Mrs Manners, Poppy Appeal Organiser for the last 15 years, had originally intended to stand down as Poppy Appeal Organiser at the end of May but will instead hand over to Ms Hodder with immediate effect following communication from Aylesford.

11) Membership Report: Since the last meeting we have lost one member through non payment of Direct Debit (HQ could not collect it after several attempts), and the person concerned cannot be contacted as he has moved away. So after consulting HQ that person has been removed from the register. The good news is another six members have been recruited since the last meeting in March, taking the total membership of the branch to 157.
84 pay by cash
68 pay by direct debit
2 are life members
3 members are excused payment.
Membership Badges:
A third batch of twenty has been purchased. There are 17 remaining at a cost of £5.00 each. All profits from badges already sold have been handed to the Treasurer.
Monthly Draw:
48 People have responded
29 Cheques and £108 have already been received. The Treasurer expected to be able to get 50 people involved this year.If approved the first draw will take place on Armed Forces Day, 27th June 2009 and 11 subsequent draws will take place at the Committee meetings. There will be a first prize of £10 and a second prize of £5 each month.
To Host the draw as detailed.
Proposed: Membership Secretary
Seconded: The Chairman
Proposal Carried.

12) Events Organiser’s Report and Standard Bearers Activities:
Quiz Night this year will take place at the Nag’s Head at 19:30. The Committee are requested to bring prizes for the raffle.
Veteran’s Day has now sadly been renamed as Armed Forces Day. The Events Organiser has tried hard to think of something to commemorate this event but neither he nor the Committee were able to find anything fitting. The Membership Secretary reminded the Committee that he had planned the first draw on this day and hoped that something could take place even if informal.
A sponsored walk had been planned in conjunction with another charity where the funds raised would have been shared, however money was needed by the other charity for an urgent and potentially life saving purpose. The walk will still take place but funds will not now be raised for the Legion.

13) The next meeting will be held on 2nd July at 19:00 in the Woodmead Hall.

Meeting Closed: 20:00hrs.

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 5th March 2009

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 5th March 2009 at The Woodmead Hall, Lyme Regis, commencing 19:00 hrs.

Present: Mr K Whetlor, Chairman; Mr D Manners, Vice Chairman; Mr M Kirkby, Secretary; Mrs A Driver, Welfare Secretary; Mr D Humphrey, Membership Secretary; Mr K Austin; Mr E Bignall; Lt Col R Bennett.
Mr N Hampton Rumbold arrived late due to traffic delays.

1) Exhortation: Lt Col Bennett

2) Chairman’s Opening Remarks:
The Chairman opened the meeting by reading Articles 2 and 3 of the Royal Charter to explain, the difference between a member of the Royal British Legion and a beneficiary, and who the Legion is allowed to help.

3) Apologies: Mr C Quick, President; Mr M Jones, Treasurer; Ms T Hodder, Poppy Appeal Organiser; Rev J Harrisson; Mr M Lloyd; Mrs A Manners.

4) Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 5th February 2009. The Minutes were presented on the night, agreed as a true record and signed by The Chairman.

5) Matters Arising: None

6) Additions to the Agenda: Proposal to run a monthly Draw. (Prop. D Humphrey).
The idea is to have a minimum number of 100 members willing to participate who would pay £12 each, in advance, for a year’s entry to the draw. There will be 3 prizes per month. 1st Prize £15, 2nd Prize £10 and 3rd Prize £5. The remaining money would go to the Branch funds (not the Poppy Appeal) to assist the running of the Branch. This would generate, much needed, income to the Branch of £840 per year. The Draw is perfectly legal and does not require a license as it only open to members and is therefore classed as a private lottery. It does require a person to be nominated to run the draw whose name goes on the ticket.
The Membership Secretary asked all present to canvas as many members as possible to gauge the level of interest. The Chairman suggested a letter go out to all members asking for their support.

7) Secretary’s Report and Correspondence:
Introduction of Training Records for Committee members.
The Secretary asked the Committee if they would complete a Training Record form listing Legion courses they had attended in the past. He also urged Committee members to volunteer for further training, particularly the Branch Management course.

Update on Branch Rules.
The Branch Rules had been approved at County but were still waiting to be signed by the County Chairman. The County Secretary will return the Branch Rules once the signature has been obtained.

Correspondence:
Highlights 2008 DVD. A copy will be made available for viewing in the Town Library.
Invitation to Sandford Women’s Section 60th Anniversary for Standard Bearer and 2 Branch Officers. The Deputy Standard Bearer stated that he would not be available that weekend (19th April). It is doubtful if the Standard bearer will be available either.
County Newsletter.

8) Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer was absent for this meeting. No report was given but a written report will be requested on his return. (members may obtain a copy of the report from the Treasurer or the Secretary).

9) Welfare Secretary’s Report: The issue of confidentiality was raised at the Welfare meeting. Geographic areas of responsibility were discussed. The Welfare Treasurer has now transferred the welfare accounts books from Bill Reed. Welfare funds are low and a top up will be requested from the Treasurer on his return.
A mobile phone has been obtained to provide a consistent number for contacting the Welfare Secretary. This will become Legion property and will Transfer to any future Welfare Secretary.
The Welfare Committee had also discussed the definitions of a beneficiary to reinforce their awareness of who may be eligible for Legion help.
The Welfare Secretary requested a stock of expense claim forms.
Two welfare cases have been dealt with. The first required no further action and the second has been referred to County.
A request was made for a welfare training course. The Branch now has three trained and CRB checked caseworkers which, County has stated, are enough to cover our needs.

10) Poppy Organiser’s Report: Nil.

11) Membership Report: As mentioned, by the President, during the last meeting Mr W Amor from Dorchester died during the first week of February. He was included on the branch roster in the last report as the Membership Secretary was unaware of his death prior to writing his report.
We have however gained another three members over the last four weeks. So the membership has increased once again from 150 to 152 to date.
84 members pay by cash.
63 members pay by direct debit.
There are 2 life members and 3 are excused payment.
Out of the three new members recruited this month 2 are beneficiaries and one is not and is therefore ineligible for Legion help.
The Membership Secretary still holds five membership badges for sale to members at a cost of £5:00 each.

12) Events Organiser’s Report and Standard Bearers Activities: There are still places available for the Trip to Bovington on 4th April. At present the 35 seater coach has 19 out of 35 places taken.The coach needs to be filled to keep the cost down. An advert has appeared 4 times in the local paper but Committee members were urged to seek others who may wish to go.
The Annual Quiz. Will this year be held at the Nag’s Head on Monday 18th May. Membership Secretary questioned the day as another pub also holds a regular quiz night on Mondays.
The May Day Fete will be held on 3rd May. The Nail game will be in operation again this year as it was very successful last year. As the prizes are all cash, no other items are required.
The Charmouth Branch Women’s Section has requested that we advertise their forthcoming Coffee Morning on the blog (Action – Secretary).

13) The next meeting will be held on 7th May at 19:00 in the Woodmead Hall.
Meeting Closed: 19:35 hrs.

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 5th February 2009

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 5th February 2009 at the Woodmead Hall, Lyme Regis, commencing 19:30hrs.

Present: Mr C Quick, President; Mr K Whetlor, Chairman; Mr D Manners, Vice Chairman; Mr M Kirkby, Secretary; Mr M Jones, Treasurer; Mrs A Driver, Welfare Secretary; Mr D Humphrey, Membership Secretary; Mr K Austin; Lt Col R Bennett; Ms T Hodder; Mr M Lloyd; Mrs A Manners.

1) Exhortation: The President.
The President asked the Committee to remember a former Poppy Organiser from the Branch, Mr Bill Amor, who died this week. A wreath has been sent to his daughter.

2) Apologies: Rev Harrisson, Mr W Reed, Mr N Hampton-Rumbold.

3) Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 9th October 2008. The Minutes were presented on the night, agreed as a true record and signed by The President.

4) Election of Poppy Appeal Organiser: Ms Tracy Hodder. Proposed by Mr M Lloyd, Seconded by Mr D Manners. Duly elected by those present.

5) Deferred until the arrival of the County Secretary.

6) Matters Arising: Nil

7) Chairman’s Report: Nil

8) Secretary’s Report: Letters of appreciation have been sent to the Auditors, Messrs Jenkins and Volkman.
The County Secretary has been asked for details of parade marshal training for Mr M Jones.

9) Treasurer’s Report: The Deposit Account has been closed and the remainder of the money that was held there has been transferred into the Current Account. The bulk of the Deposit Account has already been paid into the Branch Fund Initiative (BFI).
The Branch now has just two accounts. A Current Account for routine expenditure and the BFI Account at Head Office.
The Interest Rate for the BFI Account is not as good as that received on the old Deposit Account but is reasonable given the state of the economy at present.
The amount held in the BFI Account is £10782.43 and there is £337.75 in the Current Account.
The President asked about the state of the Welfare Account. The Treasurer replied that the transfer of signatories between the old and new Welfare Personnel was taking place. The Welfare Secretary confirmed that the books had been audited and Mr D Manners would be acting as Welfare Treasurer.
Mrs Manners asked if there would be a donation from the branch to the Poppy Appeal. This had previously been confirmed and minuted at October’s Committee meeting.

10) Membership Report: Sadly, two members have died since the last meeting. Mr J Thompson on the 6th December and Mrs Molly Hodder on Christmas Day. Both were aged 93.
5 New members have been recruited. This is the 13th month that membership has shown an overall increase and the membership now stands at 150.
83 members pay by cash.
62 members pay by direct debit.
There are 2 life members and 3 are excused payment.
County are hoping to get at least 60% of members to pay by direct debit. Lyme Regis falls slightly short of that target.
Members were reminded that membership badges are available from the Membership Secretary priced at £5 each.

• The Chairman introduced the County Secretary, Miss Beverley Harrison who had arrived to present the Trophy to the Branch.

11) Welfare Secretary’s Report: The Welfare meeting was held at 19:00 today the Committee structure was decided and the Welfare secretary set out her aims which were to revitalise the welfare work of the branch by visiting various organisations and establishments to inform them of the help we can offer and remind them that we are not just here at Remembrance.
In future the Welfare Committee meetings will be held approximately one week before the General Committee meeting at Lt Col Bennett’s House.

12) Poppy Organiser’s Report: Since December when the first amount of £4385.17 had been banked, another £81 had been received to give a total of £4466.17. At this point in the meeting the Secretary handed over another £48 which he had raised through the sale of enamelled poppy brooches. This was later rounded to £50 when the Chairman bought two of the remaining three brooches.
Mrs Manners welcomed Ms Hodder as the newly elected Poppy Appeal Organiser, who officially assumes her duties from the 1st June.
The “Type A” Poppy sprays which the branch normally gives to the families of the deceased have recently been modified and as a result look cheap and nasty. Mrs Manners proposed that the Branch purchase small ten inch wreaths instead. The Chairman seconded that. The “Type A” sprays will be returned and a refund requested. The extra cost of the wreaths is £3.

13) Events Organiser’s Report: The trip to Bovington Tank Museum will take place on Saturday 4th April. This date marks the 70th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Armoured Corps. A 35 seater coach has been booked and is half full already. The price is £15 per person which includes the coach fare and entrance fee. The coach will depart from Anning Road adjacent to the playing field at 09:00 and will return at approximately 17:00.
Following a suggestion from the President about hosting “An Evening With…” event, the Events Organiser explained that was something he had considered but decided against due to the cost of paying for the type of celebrity that would guarantee a packed venue.
No clear answer has been received as to whether there would be a charge for using the Woodmead Hall for the Festival of Remembrance. The pro’s and cons for using the Woodmead Hall had already been discussed at the AGM. The main arguments for being the logistical advantage and against being the perceived lack of atmosphere. The Events Organiser had spoken with the band and their preference was for the Woodmead Hall. The Events Organiser stated that he required a decision from the Committee fairly quickly as the venue would have to be booked early to ensure its availability. Lt Col Bennett favoured the Woodmead Hall for its ease of access and explained that it was up to the branch to ensure a good atmosphere. The Chairman asked to be excused from the debate due to a conflict of interest. Lt Col Bennett proposed the Woodmead Hall as the venue for the 2009 Festival of Remembrance. A vote was taken and the Branch decided 8 to 2 in favour of the Proposal.
The Chairman requested the Events Organiser to inform the Marine Theatre of the Committees decision.
The Date for the Festival of Remembrance will be set for the 1st November as that is the only Sunday available around the Remembrance period.
The Events Organiser asked if anyone knew the whereabouts of the Quiz Trophy following the closure of The Angel Inn and was informed by the Membership Secretary that he had rescued it and it was now at his house.

• Agenda Item 5: The President welcomed Mr Pip Evans who had arrived to photograph the presentation of the Medium Branch Poppy Award and also Miss Beverley Harrison, County Secretary.
The Trophy and Certificate were presented by the County Secretary and accepted by the 2008 Poppy Appeal Organiser on behalf of the Branch. The Branch was last awarded the Trophy in 2004 when Mrs Manners had also been the Poppy Appeal Organiser.

14) Correspondence: Dorset County Plan for 2009 to 2013, Dorset County Conference Information and Dorset County Newsletter.

15) AOB: Mrs Manners asked the Committee to begin saving gifts and prizes for the May Day Fete.

Lt Col Bennett asked the Committee to rise and thank the County Secretary for attending the meeting.
The County Secretary addressed the meeting and gave a summary of the County Conference and the Dorset County Plan for 2009 to 2013 (Details are available from the Secretary)

Meeting Closed: 20:30 hrs.

Please note. The next Committee meeting will be held on 5th March 2009 at 19:00 hrs

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 27th November 2008

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 27th November 2008 at The Woodmead Hall, Lyme Regis, commencing 19:30 hrs.

Present: Mr C Quick, President; Mr K Whetlor, Chairman; Lt Col R Bennett , Vice Chairman; Mr M Kirkby, Secretary; Mr M Jones, Treasurer; Mr W Reed, Welfare Secretary; Mr D Humphrey, Membership Secretary; Mrs A Manners, Poppy Organiser; Mr D Manners, Events Organiser; Mr K Austin; Mrs A Driver; Mr N Hampton-Rumbold; Mr M Lloyd.Branch Members: Mr P Evans, Mr R McLennan, Mr S Moore, Mr T Norman, Wing Cdr Orr, Lt Col Taggart.

(1) Exhortation: The President

(2) Apologies: Mr E Bignall, Rev J Harrisson

(3) Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting held on 10th January 2008
Agreed by all present and signed by the President.

(4) Branch Reports

President’s Address
This is the Presidents 63rd AGM. He thanked all the Committee and those who have worked behind the scenes for their hard work last year. New blood on the Committee has given the Branch new life. A lot of money has been made for the Poppy Appeal but not so much for the Branch Fund which in the past had been boosted by the Bingo. A Harvest home had been successful in the past and the President asked the Branch to consider reviving this.
The meeting was asked to remember those suffering ill health, including Pip Evans and The Rev Harrisson, as well as our servicemen and women who were serving overseas.

Vice President’ Report
Nil

Chairman’s Report
Where we have been and are going
We are now hopefully on the up and up.
The past years have been very difficult for lack of working membership. In fact at one time we were down to a committee of four which to say the least was not workable for the benefit of our members. But the determination of the small group to survive has led us to were we are today with a growing membership and all officer posts filled.
Much praise for officers at this time and my sincere gratitude to those past and present officers for all there commitment to the RBL We would not have been able to carry on with out there loyalty to the Legion We are very proud of our record in welfare in this branch and I am pleased to say this was not affected due to the hard work of Bill Reed our Welfare secretary. During this time our Bingo night was handed over to a group of people in Lyme and is still doing well for the people of Lyme But it greatly reduced our financial income for the branch.
During this period we also became aware of many changes that were on the way within the Legion due to many problems such as the fall in legion membership accountability of money from branches and rising costs.
The Future
All members I believe are in the legion to help those less fortunate than ourselves and especially now with our forces still in battle zones .The well being of our members is always a priority and I for one am proud to be able to my bit for those members now and the new ones we will acquire. Most of us are traditionalists and the poppy collection is very much part of that. We have to protect our poppy collection. There had been a change in that we now do not go door to door but concentrate on the shops and the high street with collectors. This has been very successful and a tribute to the organiser Angela Manners
Part of the success now is due to the regular quarterly committee meetings and sub meetings that are called for the various events. One of these is the regulation of the AGM in future to be held each year in November
You will have had our first new edition of the Newsletter from the branch, which we hope to keep our members up to date.
I am also looking forward to the newly elected Welfare committee being very active again a necessary part of Legion work.
Our Membership has increased this year due to our new energetic membership secretary in attracting new members. This needs to continue with an emphasis on attracting younger members and getting them actively involved. Personally I'd like to see more Service personnel and Veterans recruited as these are the people that the Legion exists for.
Branch Funds - Although we raise quite a lot for the Poppy Appeal we do not generate funds for the Branch. Our only income seems to be from bequests. What we need is some form of regular income. I have said before it was the Bingo that gave us our money I am not sure what we could replace that with but we need something or our Branch Funds will dry up and we will be unable to provide local welfare help.
Thanks to Vice Chairman and Secretary and Treasurer. With new members participating we can look forward to the future success of the Branch.
Progress on Rev John Harrisson. Reports being received from his son. Despite the serious nature of his illness he is now making good progress.


Secretary’s Report
Nil

Treasurer’s Report
The Branch Accounts were agreed by all present and signed by the Branch Officers.
A Summary Balance sheet and Monthly Treasurers Report were shown to the meeting. The main increase in money held at present is due to the members’ affiliation fee which will be deducted by Head Office on 1st March 2009.
£10690.11 has been transferred into the Branch Funds Initiative as recommended by the Board of Trustees.£413.58 remains in the current account for immediate access.
There is a remainder of £0.86 in the deposit account which will remain there until the interest on that account has been received. That will be transferred to the current account and the deposit account will then be closed.
The Treasurer requested a letter of thanks to be sent to the Auditors. Action: Secretary.
The Treasurer also suggested that another member of the Committee be trained to deputise for him in his absence.

Membership Secretary’s Report
Well first I am glad to report that overall this year the membership has increased from 120 in January to 147 at the moment an increase of over 20%
59 People pay by Direct Debit
82 people pay by Cash
4 people are excused payment
2 people are life members
35 people have joined the branch this year, the oldest being 93, and the youngest being 20. So as you can see we are attracting support from all age's here in Lyme.
5 people have died since the last AGM and 3 people refused payment moved abroad or live out of town, Their cards have been returned and the Branch has been re - credited.
The first batch of 20 membership badges has been sold and money passed on to the Treasurer. I now have another batch of badges and deeply encourage all members to purchase one at a cost of £5:00 and wear it with pride.
The Skittles Team is doing better this year and beat the Top Dogs last week

Welfare Secretary’s Report
The Welfare Secretary announced that due to failing eyesight he was no longer in a position to continue in his post. He still wished to remain active with the Committee and would assist the new Welfare secretary where he could.£367 had been spent on the Taxi service in the last year and the Welfare Secretary hoped that the Branch would continue to provide this service in the future.A new Welfare Committee would be formed this year and the Welfare Secretary suggested that Welfare Committee meetings be held 30 minutes before the main Committee meetings as they had in previous years.

Poppy Appeal Organiser’s Report
The 2007/2008 Poppy Appeal figures were presented to the meeting. The last Poppy Appeal had raised a total of £5906.10 compared to the 2006/2007 total of £4415.76.The Poppy Appeal Organiser thanked all those who had helped in the collection either personally or by allowing a collection on their premises.The Poppy Appeal Organiser announced her resignation to the meeting but confirmed that she would continue to assist the new Poppy Appeal Organiser until the books closed on 31st May 2009.

Events Organiser’s Report
No major fundraising events had taken place in 2008 although plans for a joint venture in 2009 have begun. The events that have taken place this year such as the barbeque, and quiz night as well as the monthly get togethers in the Nag’s Head all help to raise the profile of the Branch in the town which it is hoped in turn will generate more funds.
It was a great disappointment that the town’s Remembrance Festival had to be abandoned but as many of the key figures were unavailable this year a decision had to be made at the last minute to cancel the event. With this in mind the Event’s Organiser had drawn up a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) to assist in organising the Remembrance events in the future.
The Events Organiser was sincerely grateful to the tremendous efforts of Reverends Rosemary Bragg and Keith Vivien in deputising for Reverend Harrisson at the last moment.

(5) Election of The Branch Officers and Committee

President
Cecil Quick.
Proposed: Ken Whetlor. Seconded: Wing Cdr Orr. Duly elected

Vice President
Bill Reed
Proposed: Ken Whetlor. Seconded: Angela Manners. Duly elected

Chairman
Ken Whetlor
Proposed: Bill Reed. Seconded: Martin Jones. Duly elected

Vice Chairman
David Manners
Proposed: David Humphrey. Seconded: Lt Col Bennett. Duly elected

Honorary Secretary
Murray Kirkby
Proposed: Angela Manners. Seconded: Neil Hampton- Rumbold. Duly elected

Honorary Treasurer
Martin Jones
Proposed: David Manners. Seconded: Michael Lloyd. Duly elected

Membership Secretary
David Humphrey
Proposed: David Manners. Seconded: Murray Kirkby. Duly elected

Welfare Secretary
Ania Driver
Proposed: David Humphrey. Seconded: Lt Col Bennett. Duly elected

Poppy Appeal Organiser
Vacancy arising

Events Organiser
David Manners
Proposed: David Humphrey. Seconded: Michael Lloyd. Duly elected

Committee Members
Keith Austin, Edward Bignall, Lt Col Ross Bennett, Michael Lloyd, Angela Manners, Neil Hampton-Rumbold (Deputy Treasurer)
No objections from all present.

(6) Appointment of Standard Bearer and Deputy Standard Bearer
James Rice
David Humphrey (Deputy)

(7)
Appointment of the Auditors for 2009
K Jenkin & J Volkman
No objections from all present.

(8) Adoption of The Branch Model By-Laws- November 2007
To update the Branch By Laws in line with the latest Royal Charter.
Proposed by The SecretaryAgreed by all present

(9) To add an additional Annex to the Branch Model By-Laws
Annex B lists the Acts of Remembrance performed by the Branch.
Proposed by The Secretary.Agreed by all present.

(10) Discuss the venue for the 2009 Remembrance Festival
The Membership Secretary raised the question of the best venue for the Festival of Remembrance. The Events Organiser mentioned that the main argument for the Woodmead Hall was the availability of parking although it was emphasised that this didn’t seem to detract from numbers attending the Marine Theatre. The Marine Theatre had more flexible lighting arrangements for the stage and the cost had in the past been borne by the generosity of an anonymous donor. The Membership Secretary was worried that the Marine Theatre might not always remain “free” and reminded the meeting that the cost of staging an event like this should be less than the amount raised. The Chairman stated that the 2008 event had been organised at zero cost in a written contract.
Lt Col Ross Bennett proposed that the Events Organiser investigate the actual cost involved with each venue and report his findings back to the Committee. This was seconded by the Secretary and agreed by all present. Action: Events Organiser

(11) Award of the “Jack Loveridge” Trophy
This year the trophy was chosen by secret ballot of those present at the AGM. The winner of the trophy was David Humphrey.

(12) AOB
The Secretary reminded those present that the newsletter was due to be published and anyone wishing to submit articles for publication should do so as soon as possible.

On completion of the meeting the following members were chosen to serve on the Welfare Committee:
Lt Col Ross Bennett, Mrs Ania Driver, Mr David Manners, Mr Bill Reed, Mr Ken Whetlor.

Meeting Closed: 20:15 hrs.

Please note. The next Committee meeting will be held on 5th February 2009 at 19:30 hrs.
A meeting for the Welfare Committee only will take place at 19:00 hrs.

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 9th October 2008

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 9th October at The Woodmead Hall, Lyme Regis, commencing 19:00 hrs.

(These minutes have been edited to protect the privacy of members and beneficiaries. A full copy is available to members on request from the Secretary)

Present: Mr C Quick, President; Mr K Whetlor, Chairman; Lt Col R Bennett , Vice Chairman; Mr M Kirkby, Secretary; Mr M Jones, Treasurer; Mr D Humphrey, Membership Secretary; Mrs A Manners, Poppy Organiser; Mr D Manners, Events Organiser; Mr K Austin; Mr E Bignall; Mr M Lloyd

1) Apologies: Mr W Reed, Rev J Harrisson, Mr N Hampton-Rumbold

2) Exhortation: The President.
We were asked to remember Graham Marler who died at the age of 73 on 20th September.

3) Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 4th September 2008. The Minutes were presented on the night agreed as a true record and signed by The President.

4) Matters Arising: None.

5) Chairman’s Report: None.

6) Secretary’s Report: Dave Humphrey and his partner, Tracy visited Belgium recently and took the opportunity to visit some of the battlefields. They were able to lay crosses at the graves and memorials of several of Lyme’s war dead. I have put 2 pictures on the blog and there are more which I hope to include in the next newsletter.
A Welfare Committee meeting took place on 24th September 2008 at 11:00 hrs. The Chairman, Welfare Secretary and Secretary were present.The meeting took place to review the status of the excused payment members. Two members were removed from the excused payment members list and two more were added. The number of excused payment members remains at five. The Committee raised no objections to this recommendation. The welfare committee also recommended future meetings be held 30 minutes before the start of the main Committee meeting. The Membership Secretary questioned whether 30 minutes would allow enough time to conduct the Welfare Committees but was assured that this was only a guideline and the meeting could be rescheduled to start earlier if necessary.

7) Membership Report: One member has passed away. There are 4 new members.
81 Members pay cash.
50 pay by Direct Debit.
There are 4 “Excused Payment” members contrary to the Secretary’s report. This is because one of the “Excused Payment” members offered to pay when their membership card was delivered. Payment was accepted by the Membership Secretary and the Welfare Secretary was informed.
There are 2 Life Members.
Most of the 2009 membership cards have been delivered. One member has not been able to be contacted yet and there are 4 members who have not yet replied to the Membership Secretary.
Twenty Membership badges were recently ordered and there are now only 4 left.

8) Welfare Secretary’s Report: None

9) Poppy Organiser’s Report: The Poppy Organiser asked the Committee if some enamel poppy badges could be ordered to sell at the Festival of Remembrance. The Secretary and Membership Secretary admitted they had already ordered some and had been selling them for several weeks now. The profit from the sale would be donated to the poppy appeal but would not now be the surprise they had hoped for.
The new self adhesive poppy was displayed to the committee. They are meant to be an addition not a replacement for the current design. 1000 have been received so there will be limited numbers in each box.The Poppy Collectors have been given complementary tickets to attend the Festival of Remembrance.Remembrance wreaths have been distributed to the local organisations with one exception (edited for privacy reasons )who have been reminded that payment has not yet been received for the last one. The Committee were asked by the Poppy Appeal Organiser whether they should be given a wreath. It was agreed that they should.
The St Georges Square Memorial has had the old poppies and wreaths removed in preparation for Remembrance Day.
Prizes for the Festival of Remembrance Draw were requested. The Poppy Appeal Organiser asked for the prizes to be either given to her in advance or brought down on the night.
The Poppy Appeal Organiser wished to see a return to the old way of choosing the recipient of the Jack Loveridge Award whereby every member attending the AGM was given a ballot paper to record who they felt should receive the award. The Poppy Collectors should not be eligible as they have their own award scheme however non members would be eligible if they have provided outstanding service to the Legion.
10) Events Organiser’s Report: There is an amendment to the timing of the wreath laying ceremony at the cemetery on the 8th November. The start time will now be 10:15 hrs and not 10:30 as previously stated. This will allow more time between the cemetery and Polish Memorial engagements.The Polish memorial ceremony will take place at 11:00 hrs.The Festival of Remembrance will take place at 19:30 hrs on 26th October. The events Organiser was disappointed that no replies had been received to the invitations sent to the county’s standard bearers and despite invitations being sent out to the County Committee and others only the County Chairman had bothered to reply. If standard bearers do not attend then the Committee could consider changing the date of the Festival as one of the reasons for holding it so far in advance of Remembrance Sunday was to accommodate the standard bearers own timetables.
Pip Evans will return as compere this year and Cpl John Hunt will carry the Bible in the Drumhead ceremony. The Lifeboat Crew have been invited to take part in the Drumhead ceremony but no reply has yet been received. Lyme Regis’ Standard Bearer has also been informed but has yet to confirm his availabilty.
The Pilot Boat has been contacted to supply sandwiches for the standard bearers. Publicity for the event has been organised as has any necessary equipment.
The Events Organiser reported that due to a lack of available performers this year’s event would involve more audience participation set against a rolling slide presentation.
Help from Committee members was requested for 11:00 hours on 26th to assist in setting up the Marine Theatre for the festival.
The question of whether medals should be worn was raised. Some members thought it should be compulsory as it is a formal occasion while others thought it should be optional. The Secretary thought that the Committee should wear medals to set an example but leave it optional for others. The Committee decided that medals should be optional.
Trafalgar Night, whilst not strictly a Legion Event, will be held on Saturday October 18th at the Nag’s Head. The event is usually open to Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel and veterans only but the Events Organiser decided to open it to all members this year. A Legion collection box will be passed around.The first Social evening was held at the Nag’s Head on 7th October. A small group of members attended. It is hoped this informal event will continue and that more members will attend over time.The President Proposed a vote of thanks for the Events Organiser for his work in organising the Festival of Remembrance.

11) Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer’s report was moved from item 7 as he’d arrived at the time stated on the Agenda, which was incorrect.
The 6 monthly Halifax bond, currently earning interest at 6.4%, matures on 17th November. The Treasurer asked for the Committees advice on whether he should reinvest it in another bond or follow the Branch Fund Initiative. The President was unhappy that by following the Branch Fund Initiative the branch would probably lose £125 in interest next year but felt that change was inevitable. The Secretary reminded the Committee of the current financial position of the Halifax. He explained that in the event of a banking failure, the Branch would probably not receive the protection that an individual investor is entitled to and the funds are not safe where they are at the moment. If the funds were lost and the Committee had not followed the instructions given by the Board of Trustees then the Committee could be held personally liable for any losses incurred. The Poppy Appeal Organiser felt that the Treasurers advice had always been sound in the past and that the Committee follow whatever decision he thought best. The Events Organiser agreed with the Secretary’s comments. The Vice Chairman stated that the debate could go on for ever with no decision being reached. He therefore proposed that the Committee accept the Branch Funds Initiative. This was Seconded by the Secretary and agreed by all present. Branch Funds will therefore be transferred to the Central Account when the Bond matures with the exception of the amount held for subscriptions and the maximum sum allowed under the Branch Fund Initiative.
The Poppy Appeal Organiser requested a donation from the branch to the Poppy Appeal. The Treasurer will arrange for £300 to be transferred to the Poppy Appeal account on 1st May 2009.

12) Standard Bearer’s Report: None

13) Correspondence: Timetable to Annual ConferenceOctober’s Legion LetterInstructions and forms relating to Annual Conference 2009Branches DVD Autumn 2008 (A copy will be placed in the library)

14) AOB: None

Meeting Closed: 19:48 hrs.

Please note. The next meeting will be held on 27th November 2008 at 19:30. This will be the Annual General Meeting for 2008.

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 4th September 2008

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 4th September 2008 at The Woodmead Hall, Lyme Regis, commencing 19:00 hrs.

(These minutes have been edited to protect the privacy of members and beneficiaries. A full copy is available to members on request from the Secretary

Present: Mr C Quick, President; Mr K Whetlor, Chairman; Lt Col R Bennett , Vice Chairman; Mr M Jones, Treasurer; Mr W Reed, Welfare Secretary; Mr D Humphrey, Membership Secretary; Mrs A Manners, Poppy Organiser; Mr D Manners, Events Organiser; Mr K Austin; Mr E Bignall; Mrs A Driver; Mr N Hampton-Rumbold; Mr M Lloyd.
Branch Members: Lt Col Taggart, Mr T Rice, Mr J Gratton, Mr J Baddeley.

1) Apologies: Mr M Kirkby, Secretary; Rev J Harrisson.
The Membership Secretary asked those present to remember Albert Curtis a young Lyme Regis man from the Dorset Regiment, who laid down his life this day in 1915 after being wounded at Gallipoli and is buried in the Pieta Military Cemetery Malta

2) Exhortation: The President

3) Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 3rd July 2008. The Minutes were presented on the night agreed as a true record and signed by The President.

4) Matters Arising: None

5) Chairman’s Report: A letter has been received from Mrs Diana Cross from Flat 2 Coverdale voicing her support for the branch funds initiative providing the money can be accessed within the four days stated by Pall Mall.The Chairman also has received a letter from the National Vice President outlining the start of the campaign “Return To Rationing” beginning 1st October 2008.

6) Secretary’s Report: The following was read out by the Membership Secretary in the secretary’s absence: "I acquired a copy of the Branch Model By-laws recently as I had discovered that these should form the template for the branch’s own by-laws that I will be updating. These by-laws are based on the contents of the Royal Charter and I discovered at the County seminar that these will be amended and should be available by October. Once I have been able to study the changes I will be in a position to draft a copy of the new branch rules for approval by the Branch and County.I have placed a folder, containing information on the Branch, in the Lyme Regis Library and will keep it updated on a regular basis.There is a copy of the current Branch By-laws as well as a copy of the Royal Charter in the folder for those who don’t have a copy".

7) Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer began by describing the background behind the Branch Funds Initiative and the way that the Lyme Regis Branch invests funds. He felt that the scheme was good for the Legion overall but that Lyme Regis Branch may receive less interest from it than at present. A letter detailing this has been sent to all members. Members were concerned that there would be a loss of local control of funds raised by the branch but the Treasurer assured them that this would not be the case. The branch would still have access to its own funds. Another concern was that money raised by the Branch would be given to other branches but the Board of Trustees have stated that this will not happen. Money deposited in the name of Lyme Regis Branch would only be available to Lyme Regis Branch and nobody else. The Branch Funds Initiative will still begin on 1st October but on a voluntary basis for the time being. The Treasurer has written a letter to the County Treasurer expressing concerns about the Branch Funds Initiative and how Lyme Regis achieves a better return on its investment than that proposed.

8) Membership Report: Despite the sad loss of another member, Mr James Hogg, the membership has risen from 130 to 134.
47 members pay by Direct Debit
80 are cash.
There are 2 Life Members and 5 are excused payment.
The Membership secretary passed an envelope to the Treasurer containing the proceeds of a collection held in the Volunteer Inn following the funeral of Major Buckland.

9) Welfare Secretary’s Report: No money has been received since the last meeting.
£44.40 has been paid to the Taxi service. The Taxi service has cost £374.50 this year.
There is £18.78 remaining in the Welfare account.
£100 was requested from the Treasurer to replenish the Welfare account.

10) Poppy Organiser’s Report: The Poppy organiser was unable to attend the County’s Poppy Organiser event held on the 16th September.
A request to the Town Council has been made for the removal of the crosses and wreaths from the War memorial. The wreaths at the Polish memorial have already been removed.
West Dorset District Council has sent the licence for the Poppy collection. The collection boxes at commercial premises will be displayed between 25th October and 10th November 2008. The street collections will be held on 31st October and 1st November.

11) Events Organiser’s Report: The barbeque took place on 5th August at the Nag’s Head. It was not a fund raising event and costs were met by those attending and the generosity of the Landlord.
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of Remembrance, 26th October at 19:30 in the Marine Theatre.
Remembrance ceremony at the Formidable War grave, 8th November at 10:30 followed by the laying of the wreath on the Polish Airmen’s memorial in Anning road at 11:00. The meeting place for the Formidable ceremony will be in the cemetery just above the Kingsway entrance.
Mrs Driver commented that she would ask Mrs Lavery if she would like her to speak on her behalf at the Polish memorial.
The Remembrance Day Parade will be held on 9th November, leaving Langmoor Gardens at 14:30.
The Two minutes silence will be held at the Cat’s Park memorial on Tuesday 11th November at 11:00. Those attending should aim to get there in plenty of time.

12) Standard Bearer’s Report: None.The question of changing the Standard bearer from a Committee member to an appointed post was raised. The Chairman has not managed to contact the Standard Bearer but both the Membership Secretary and the Secretary have spoken with him and he was happy to go with the Committee decision.
Proposal. To Discuss at the AGM, changing the post of Standard Bearer from Committee Member to an appointed post in accordance with Branch Model Bye-laws November – 2007:
Proposed: Chairman
Seconded: Welfare Secretary

13) Order a stock of Legion Membership Badges to be issued to new members on joining. (Royal Charter – Rule 48):The membership Secretary proposed that the Treasurer purchase and hold 20 Legion Membership badges at a cost of £69.15 (inc p&p). The badges will be offered to members at a cost of £5.00 each making an overall profit of £30.85 to assist in administration costs for the branch. The Events organiser seconded the proposal. There were no objections.

14) Discuss the arrangements for reviewing the status of Excused Payment Members: The Membership Secretary reminded the Committee that excused members cost the branch £55.00 per year and as the Branch does not have an administration surcharge that sum is lost each year. He asked that the Welfare Committee review the arrangements for eligibility of excused payment status before the end of October. The Committee were aware that such a discussion was not proper for a general Committee meeting as confidentiality of beneficiaries had to be maintained. The Membership Secretary agreed with this but had raised the subject so that the Welfare Committee would consider it when they next met.

15) Recommend that the Branch make a donation to the Lyme Regis Town Band’s “Name removed for privacy reasons” Benefit Concert which is due to take place on 27th September at 19:30 hours:
Proposed by the Secretary.
The Committee felt that this shouldn’t be discussed at an open meeting as it was a welfare decision. The Membership Secretary pointed out that the concert was already public knowledge as it had been published in a newspaper article. The President and the Welfare Secretary both stated that such a donation would be illegal. The Vice chairman asked for clarification about the person being debated. This was given by the Membership Secretary from the Secretary’s Report.The Secretary had also asked that all branch members be encouraged to attend the concert to ensure its success.
Further investigation required.

16) Newsletter Update: The Treasurer proposed a newsletter to be published 3 times a year and distributed to all members. An example was displayed to the Committee. It will be published on 2 sheets of A4, printed on both sides. The first issue will be published as soon as possible.
Proposed: Treasurer
seconded: Events Organiser
The Treasurer also mentioned that he would like to see regular monthly get togethers in the Nag’s Head (where the Legion Seal is held), possibly on the first Tuesday of each month. There were no objections to this idea so the dates would be published in the newsletter. The Poppy organiser suggested a book could be held in the Nag’s so that people attending the get togethers could record messages for those absent. The Membership Secretary agreed and informed the meeting that the Secretary had placed a Branch Information pack in the Library and he would suggest to him that the same information be placed in the Nag’s Head.
Mrs Driver asked if there was a remembrance book for local servicemen and women who had died but was informed that the only one in existence was for those who had died in action. This is held in St Michaels Church.

17) Correspondence: The Secretary has written to Bob Emmett for further details about the War Grave tender of Leslie Emmett’s grave. The letter was dated 9th August. To date he has received no reply. He will need further details to complete the application for the Branch Certificate.We received an application for a standard bearer to attend the laying up and rededication ceremony of the Axminster Branch and Women’s Section standards. Unfortunately our standard bearers are both unavailable so the invitation was declined.The Secretary has received a small number of County Handbooks from the County TreasurerA letter has been sent to the son of Major Buckland to thank him for the donation from the church collection at his father’s funeral. A receipt was also sent to Wakely and Sons.

18) AOB:The Membership Secretary requested that the Chairman draws up a 3 year plan prior to the next AGM. Plan to include a review of what we have achieved so far, what we are good at, what we need to improve on and our objectives for the future.The Chairman was willing to produce this.
The Secretary asked when the invitations for the Lyme Regis Festival of Remembrance be will be sent? Will we have a different procedure for entry this year to avoid confusion at the door?
The Events organiser will attend to the invitations. Tickets will be issued with the invitations and they must be produced at the door or the full entrance fee will be requested.
The Welfare Secretary requested that the branch consider recognition for members, who have made contributions to the running of the Legion, in the form of Branch and County certificates.This will be an agenda item at the AGM.
The Membership Secretary requested a date for the AGM.This will be held on Thursday 27th November at 19:00.
The Membership Secretary presented a copy of the Legion Course Dates for 2009.

Meeting Closed: 20:21 hrs.

Please note. The next meeting will be held on Thursday 9th October at 19:00

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 3rd July 2008

Minutes of the General Meeting of the Lyme Regis Branch held on 3rd July at The Woodmead Hall, Lyme Regis, commencing 19:00 hrs.

(These minutes have been edited to protect the privacy of members and beneficiaries. A full copy is available to members on request from the Secretary

Present: Mr C Quick, President; Mr K Whetlor, Chairman; Mr M Kirkby, Secretary; Mr M Jones, Treasurer; Mr W Reed, Welfare Secretary; Mr D Humphrey, Membership Secretary; Mrs A Manners, Poppy Organiser; Mr D Manners, Events Organiser; Mr K Austin.
Branch Members: Lt Col Taggart and Wing Cdr Orr

1) Apologies: Lt Col R Bennett, Vice Chairman; Rev J Harrisson; Mr N Hampton-Rumbold.

2) Exhortation: The President.
All present were asked to remember, in silence, our former Vice President, Major Stuart Buckland who passed away recently.
Following the Exhortation, the President addressed the meeting with a request that we appoint a new Vice President to succeed Major Buckland. He suggested that Mr W Reed be appointed. This was proposed by the Chairman and agreed unanimously by all present.

3) Minutes of the Last Meeting held on 1st May 2008. The Minutes were presented on the night agreed as a true record and signed by The President.

4) Matters Arising: None

5) Chairman’s Report: None

6) Secretary’s Report: The National Branch Management Course, at Bracknell, was attended by both the Secretary and the Membership Secretary between 20th and 22nd June 2008. Both found the course extremely useful and interesting and strongly recommend that more Committee members attend future courses as they become available.

7) Treasurer’s Report: The Welfare Secretary requested another £100.

8) Membership Report: despite the sad loss of Major Buckland, membership has increased from 129 to 130 Members.
43 members pay by Direct Debit
79 are cash.
There are 2 Life Members and 6 Excused payment.

9) Welfare Secretary’s Report: (Edited)The Welfare fund statement was given to the Committee.
One Beneficiary received a petrol allowance.
The invoice for the Taxi Service has been received.
The welfare Secretary requested an additional amount for the Welfare Fund from the Treasurer.

10) Poppy Organiser’s Report: The Poppy Appeal National total for 2007/2008 has been confirmed to be in excess of £30,000,000. Lyme Regis Branch has contributed £5906 to that total, compared with £4415 for the previous year.
The Poppy Appeal Organiser requested that the minutes show that the “men’s section” had not made a donation to last years appeal but would be expected to do so this year.
The 2008/2009 appeal starts early this year with shop collections between 25th October and 10th November. The Street Collection has been booked for 31st October and 1st November.
A new addition to the poppy range is a self adhesive poppy which should be available in limited amounts this year. This is not to be confused with the peel off labels that are usually given to children.
The raffle on Veterans night raised a total of £47.80 once the cost of prizes (£26.43) had been deducted.
The Poppy Appeal Organiser informed the Committee that the Secretary had located some blank cards with Legion logos available through Supply Lines. She asked that the Secretary order 50 to be sent to hospital patients when required. Action: Secretary.
The Membership Secretary queried the dates allowed for Poppy sales, reminding the Committee that the Legions Closed period (where all donations to the Legion are automatically given to the Poppy Appeal) runs from 14th October to 14th November. The Poppy Appeal Organiser replied that the rules were local rules applied by the District Council so as not to clash with other charities collections.

11) Events Organiser’s Report: The Veterans evening on the 26th June was a success although areas for improvement have been noted by the Events Organiser. There were approximately 50 people in attendance. The Events Organiser is committed to ensuring that Veterans Day events should not take on a memorial role as has been seen on some of the national news coverage. It should instead be a celebration by surviving Veterans as the Veterans Agency intended it to be.
Tuesday 5th August is the Barbeque Evening to be held at The Nag’s Head at 19:00 Hrs. The landlord is supplying the food but donations will be sought from those attending.

12) Standard Bearer’s Report: None. Absent

13) Branch Funds Initiative: The Secretary referred to the letter from Head Office entitled “Branch Funds –The Way Forward” and other documents published with the Agenda.
October 2008 is the date set by the Board of Trustees for Branch Funds to be transferred to a central account system. Branches will be allowed to hold up to £1000, an increase on the previous proposal which would have only allowed £200 to be held by each Branch. Anything above that is to be transferred to the central account where it will earn interest at the Bank of England Base Rate. The amount of money deposited by Branches will still be available for use by the branch for any purpose permitted by the Royal Charter.
At this year’s Annual Conference delegates voted to urge the Board of Trustees to rescind this decision however the Board is not legally bound to obey that instruction. It is unclear at present what action Branches should take however, the Secretary reminded the Committee that whatever Lyme Regis Branch decide they should bear in mind that any money collected by the Branch is public money donated for the use of beneficiaries in accordance with the objects of the Royal Charter.
The Events Organiser commented that the RNLI conducted a similar exercise to centralise funding and despite initial resistance the system is now running very well.The Welfare Secretary asked if Head Office had access to individual Branch Accounts but the Secretary replied that Head Office would only administer the account and would not have authority to draw on the funds or allocate them to another Branch.The Membership Secretary mentioned that although some Branches manage their funds well others were quite content to deposit funds into a low earning savings account and this was costing the Legion more than £500000 in lost interest.
The Treasurer stated that our Branch Funds could not be transferred at present as there is a minimum investment period before the money could be withdrawn from its existing account. The Secretary replied that branches can make a request to hold in excess of £1000 and this would be a valid reason. The Membership Secretary drew attention to the fact that the central fund would be available for use almost immediately which is better for our beneficiaries.
The Welfare Secretary asked if money would still be available to him as it is at present. The Secretary replied that so long as money was being used in accordance with the Objects in the Charter then there shouldn’t be a problem.
The Secretary had e-mailed Head Office to enquire what would contingency plan had been made in the, albeit, unlikely event of a Bank failure and had received the reply that the funds although administered centrally would be spread around the four major banks to minimise risk. The credit rating of these banks is only slightly less than that of the Government.The Committee decided to await further instruction from County and Head office before committing the funds to the Central account.

14) The Future of the Western Area Group: The Chairman hasn’t heard from the President of the group for approximately 2 years. He has had discussions with the Treasurer of the group and it was decided that the funds held by the group be donated to the County fund. The Group has not been closed yet but each Branch should be asked whether to continue with the group or request to County that it be closed.
The Membership Secretary asked what the purpose of the group was and the Chairman replied that he felt that it was formed with the purpose of one day becoming a Branch if individual branches became too small.
The Committee recommended that the Western Area Group be disbanded. The Chairman will inform other members of the group of Lyme Regis Branch’s decision. Action: Chairman

15) Discuss changing the post of Standard Bearer from Committee Member to an appointed post in accordance with Branch Model Bye-laws November – 2007: The Membership Secretary opened the discussion by assuring the Committee that he fully supported the current Standard Bearer and that what was to follow should not be interpreted as an attempt to remove him.
Under current Branch rules and practice the Standard Bearer is a member of the Committee and is expected to report to the Committee at Branch meetings. Due to the Standard Bearers work commitments this has not been happening and apologies for non attendance have not always been received. The Minutes of any meeting are legal documents and may be audited by County or Head Office and questions may be raised as to why the Standard Bearers report is always left blank. The issue of non attendance also leaves the Standard Bearer in an awkward situation as under current Branch Rule 16 any member of the Committee who absents himself for 3 consecutive meetings without sufficient reason is deemed to have resigned.
The Secretary commented that under the Model By-Laws authorised by the Membership Council the Standard Bearer does not have to be a Committee post but may be appointed by the Committee. He would not have to appear at meetings in person but details of his engagements would be handled by the Events Coordinator. As an interim measure his report could be removed from future agendas until the new Branch Rules have been presented and approved.
The Poppy Appeal Organiser asked if he could still be sent minutes of meetings so that he would know what events he would need to appear at. The Secretary assured that he would still continue to send the minutes to him.
The Chairman was concerned that the Standard Bearer might feel that he had a suffered a loss of status by not being a Committee member and wished to speak to him personally to gauge his reaction before any further decision was made. The Secretary stressed that there was no intention that the importance of the Standard Bearers position was in any way reduced by this but it would ensure that the Standard Bearer could continue doing the job he does best without the hassle of attending meetings. In any case the decision to change the post would not take place until the new Rules were agreed, probably at the next AGM. The immediate concern was to remove the need for a report at Committee meetings.The Chairman proposed that this be postponed until the next meeting to allow for consultation and that the full proposal to change the Standard Bearers post to an appointed position be carried to the next AGM.
Action: Chairman, to discuss this item with the Standard Bearer.

16) Correspondence: Royal British Legion Industries Price List. The administration forms have now been moved to the Poppy Appeals department and requests for replacement literature should now be made to them.
Legion NewsletterBranch Funds Initiative – The Way Forward, explains how the Centralisation of Branch Funds will be managed.
Remembrance Weekend Special Circular, contains dates and timings for buying tickets for the Annual Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall.2007 Royal British Legion Annual Accounts.
Dorset County Newsletter
Follow in their Footsteps and A Trip to Remember, Legion Travel information containing details of battlefield tours for this year including educational tours for schools.

17) AOB: The President presented a request from Mr Bob Emmett to grant some form of official thanks or recognition to the person who tends his brother’s grave in The Netherlands. The President suggested a Branch Certificate of Appreciation might be appropriate.
The Secretary added that he had spoken to the County Chairman and had been told to complete the citation form requesting such a certificate. Action: Secretary
The Events Organiser reminded the Committee that the Lyme Regis Festival of Remembrance would take place on Sunday 26th October 2008.
Wing Cdr Orr mentioned that there had not been sufficient advertising of the Veterans Day event. The Events Organiser replied that details had been posted around the town, on the notice board, the web site and in the local newspaper. The Membership Secretary added we might be able to request an entry in the Parish magazine to publicise future events. The Events Organiser explained that to advertise events in the local newspaper cost money unless it was reported as a news article in which case it was subject to editorial control and not guaranteed to appear. The Secretary also suggested that a folder could be placed in the library and items of interest added on a regular basis.

Meeting Closed: 20:03hrs.

Please note. The next meeting will be held on Thursday 4th September 2008 at 19:00