President’s report August 2021.
Annual General meeting
It is at least two years ago (April 2019) that I last wrote a President’s report and I remember then my opening lines were “I would like to say that we are a thriving organisation but unfortunately, as last year, we are just about keeping our heads above water both in numbers and financially. The reason is simple. The Royal Signals Association is not attractive to the younger generation and even though men and women are leaving the Services, to a large extent, many just want to forget they were ever in.”. Little has changed.
I have had little or no success on Facebook and fear that with the website changing ownership, for many months the website was to all intents and purposes “Out of action”. The main response was from other RSA branches who say they are in exactly the same position and some are in grave danger of having to close. That is not something I wish of our branch. The website is now working.
Of course Covid has had a devastating effect on our membership and our activities. It meant that we had to cancel our very very successful Annual Dinner scheduled for last November and a number of minor activities have had to be discarded before they even got off the ground.
I truly hope that by the end of this AGM we will have plans for this year’s dinner hopefully in November.
On an even sadder note, we lost our Chairman Geoff Gardiner earlier this year after a long battle with cancer. Geoff as I’m sure you remember was one of the mainstays of this association and brought in many friends and associates who were not necessarily ex Corps but enjoyed the companionship of the group. Most of them are still with us (ex REME, ex RASC, ex Cambridgeshire Regt, ex RE etc etc.)Thank you Geoff, your loyalty will be difficult to replace.
I must also thank our Secretary and standard-bearer Michael Court. Because of ill health, Michael has had to hand over the Standard Bearer duties to Jane Crowe. This is an arduous task and invariably means representing the Branch on Armed Forces Day, Anzac day, National service day, VJ Day, the Falklands ceremony, and Royal Naval Association parades, RSA meetings, the Peterborough Veterans association, and Royal British Legion meetings. We are also well represented at meetings of the Cambridgeshire Regiment and even the 40’s weekends. Also noted is that our Branch Standard did make it to Salisbury Cathedral on 29th feb 2020 for the beginning of our centenary year, before everything else was cancelled. I must also thank on the committee Adam Twose, Margaret Gardiner for her continuous support, even when Geoff was very poorly, and the assistance of our Treasurer John Walsh and the timely take over as Chairman by Dave Stapleton. In essence, thank you all my committee for all the input and assistance over this Covid period. Many others have assisted in running the Branch throughout this difficult period especially our current members and Associate members including Darron, Jan, Gary Chris Betty, David, Loraine, Shirley, Rose, Pete , Gordon, Marilyn, Tom and often more.
Just a reminder that the Corps weekend is being held at the NMA on September 4 and a number may wish to attend.
I am more than happy to remain as President if I am voted in by the new committee.
Thanks you all sincerely…in the meantime stay alert and stay safe..
John Hill President
