I really hope not, there are thousands of troops that have been injured in the last 20 years who need a place to go and chat to people that understand them ie other ex servicemen who speak the same language. The Legion could do with recruiting ex service personnel to manage their establishments who have experience in lets say the WO and Sgts messes. Managers also need to be pro-active in making their clubs popular, get out and print leaflets promoting their branch get around the estates and put them through letterboxes, have Trafalger, Battle of Britain and Waterloo dining in evenings just like the messes do, or whatever Battle honours you want to celebrate. Have a branch football team etc. Hard work but if the effort is not put in then we could lose yet another British institution. I have still to join my local legion before i get out of the military! Steve
RBL Annual Report & Accounts 2012 H4H Annual Report 2012 SSAFA Annual Report 2012 It must be difficult, as several large organisations are seen as very much operating in the same field, but while the wider intentions are seen as similar it strikes me that each has a somewhat different focus. I'm intrigued by the reference to 'The ongoing animosity between our trustees and much of the rank & file'. I'm a browser of ARRSE, and there quite often seems to be dissatisfaction at the way the 'club' side has changed (eg.), but H4H has had it's internal controversies too. There has to be a fair few branch members here - do they feel like 2nd class members? Or is this just the sort of thing that's happening to all large charities at the mo? Granddad was an RBL organiser in York for many years, so I lean towards them and have always had immense respect for the operation as a whole (pretty much only the RBL & RNLI get donations from me), but it is still interesting to hear the bigger picture from people actually involved in the modern organisation.
I'm a member of RBL but more to put coffers in the pot than to go and have a cheap pint. Not even sure where the nearest branch is to me in Leeds anyway, assuming there is one. I always thought the RBL missed a trick with raising money, obviously there's the poppy but I think they could learn a lot from H4H with how they promote them selves and the merchandise they sell. I suspect if you asked anyone under 35 today to name a military charity and they'd say H4H's first. I suspect many would also associated RBL with WW1 and WW2 and H4H with a younger generation of service personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan when the reality, as far as I'm aware, both charities help any current and ex service personnel regardless of age or where they served.
The Royal Canadian Legion is still a major focal point especially in smaller communities in Canada. While the Veterans of WW2 diminish in numbers the legion is still a place that serves the community.
Interesting article Clive, I presume that is from a newsletter, and would be interested to see what else they had in it! I am a member of the most recently formed branch in Essex, and possibly in the UK, and got myself involved on the committee, together with Mrs ABE (and I am the webmaster of the branch site for my sins!). The branch was only formed in July this year and we are already involved in a small way in the local community. I did not serve in the Military and you no longer have to be serving or have served to be a member, however anyone who wishes to uphold the ideals etc of the RBL is welcome. Some around here have that attitutude, old men in pubs talking about the old days, but I think that is down to ignorance and so education is the order of the day. Unfortunately around here a lot of the population are apathetic about anything so it is possibly going to be a struggle to recruit, but hopefully not retain, new members. If anyone wants to 'pop' in and say hello, here's the linky thing to our Branch page. http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/manningtree Regards to all Andy PS. I will bring the article to the attention of the committee when we meet in two weeks time.
I popped into a British legion (in paddington) for the first time in 40 years last week. Granted it was a Saturday night, and there had been a function that day, I was surprised how busy and relaxed it all was. There was a crooner.,,And given that I don't have a military bone in my body, a very "non military" atmosphere. Looking forward to being invited back. Best
Hello Andy, it is the St James branch newsletter of which I am a member,General news letter with standard RBL news items. I have attached the article Why we are RBL members. regards Clive
I also would like to add that h4h heroes isn't getting as good as reception in scotland as it was found out they do not put any money above the English/scottish border
Interesting discussion. I have been Secretary of Hornchurch Branch for a few months now and my Father has been Chairman for many years so I think I have a fair bit of experience. There is a feeling of some animosity between the 'rank and file' members and the 'big wigs' at Legion HQ and Trustee level, and to some extent the more you become involved in the organisation the worse it can seem. A lot of people do not understand the structure of the organisation and the difficulties it faces. In most cases the Branch is part of the overall National Charity, with the Branch Committee operating as 'local trustees' under the umbrella of County offices and HQ (now in Borough High Street). The Branch Committee sometimes feels like it does all the everyday work with County/HQ telling them if they have done something wrong but without drawing a clear line for where Branch/County/HQ responsibilities actually lie. The top jobs are often seen as 'jobs for retired officers'.There is a great deal or reorganisation going on at HQ and County level and some of the changes and masses of additional paperwork have been criticized at local level. In most cases the Club is a limited company with no direct link to the Charity. The Club Committee HAVE to run it as a business but that can be difficult when pub chains like Witherspoons can buy and sell alcohol cheaper than the Club can negotiate with the breweries. It is true that the Legion as a whole has a perhaps unfortunate image as a smoky bar occupied by old soldiers sharing their war recollections but, in truth, most Clubs have very few WW2 veteran member 'regulars' due to their age. HQ is I believe trying to create a slightly different image for the organisation but the fact is that the Charity objectives remain the same and if the status of the Clubs was better understood perhaps this would change public opinions. A subject I am deeply involved with and quite passionate about - I could go on for ages. But I won't!
