Royal British Legion District of Germany News

Royal British Legion

District of Germany

News

District of Germany Annual Conference 2012

This year’s Annual Conference and accompanying proceedings took place at the Divisional Conference center inWentworth Barracks Herford on the 21st of January 2012. As usual delegates attended from far and wide throughout the BFG area.

This Year's main guest speaker was Leiutenant General Kiszely KCB MC who enlightened everyone attending with a snapshot of achievements made by the Royal British Legion throughout the 2011 calendar year.

Standard Bearers Competition

This year’s Standard Bearer’s Competition was one of the most closely run contests witnessed and the standards being even higher than previous years. With six male and one female competitor’s the number of competitors was even higher than the previous year.

The competition was carried out under the instruction of the District Parade Marshall Mr John Hegarty, the judging of the competition once again was carried out by Mr Eddie Hefferman MBE. The competitors scores and results sheets were collated and totaled up by Mr Ken Adams.

The standard of turnout was considered very high also the bearing and drill movements of the Standard Bearer’s was also of a high standard with the results being a very close run thing. This year's winner was Mr Robert Thompson representing the Bielefeld Branch, the runner up was Mr Robert Adams from Osnabruck but representing the Paderborn Branch and worth a mention in third place was Mr Dale McMahon from the Gütersloh Branch who was competing in his very first Standard Berer's Competition. This year a new version of "The Eddie Hefferman" trophy was presented as pictured below.

Winner Mr R Thompson

Runner Up. Mr R Adams

3rd Place. Mr D McMahon (Not present for the presentation)

Conference

This year’s conference itself took place in the Divisional Conference Centre, Wentworth Barracks in Herford and commenced at approximately 2 O’clock in the afternoon. Lt Colonel (Ret’d) David Wilkinson the RBL District of Germany President presided over the proceedings.

District Awards

This year saw only one award being presented to Mrs Helen Hefferman who's dedicated contribution to the RBL for her work in many fields such as welfare and hospital visits, she also is the Treasurer of the Womens Section of The District of Germany and also their dedicated Standard Bearer. Helen's award as pictured was presented by the District President Lt Colonel (Ret’d) David Wilkinson.

The Standard Bearers & Parade Marshal

Many more photos of the conference, posted by our Public Relations Officer can be seen on Skydrive.

District's Representatives at the National Festival of Remembrance 2011

On Thursday 10th November a party of 25 people from the following Branches, Herford, Minden, Sauerland, Dortmund, Rheindahlen and Fallingboestel/Heide left Germany to attend the Festival of Remembrance weekend. The picture is taken of us all prior to attending the royal Albert Hall in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen. The weekend finished off with members attending the Cenotaph Parade and the following morning returning to Germany and our home destinations.

Presentation of National Volunteering Award to Mrs. Gail Campbell

When Gail received a telephone call and was asked to attend the recent Royal British Legion sponsored Health and Wellbeing Seminar in Telford she thought that it was a mistake, however as the request had come from the Welfare Department at 199 Borough High Street she accepted and upon arrival she received such a warm welcome from all the Headquarters staff she encountered that it made her feel both humble and special. This feeling returned at the Gala Awards dinner on the Monday Night when it was announced that she had been given the ‘Making a Difference’ Award. The Award was presented by Mr. John Farmer, National Chairman.

When Gail first took on the role of Welfare Coordinator for the District of Germany she did so to answer a need and as she grew in knowledge and experience she began to realise the importance of the role of the caseworker and how this can help in so many ways, not solely in the granting of financial assistance but sometimes just providing a shoulder to lean on may prove to be enough, or by being able to point the client to areas or in directions where there is help ready and waiting for them.

To her being a member of the Royal British Legion is exemplified in the statement “Service not Self” and she has always only tried to behave in a manner that reflects credit upon the organisation and not the individual.

David N Campbell

Bergen-Hohne Branch TRBL

Honorary Treasurer

Knox Trophy

The Royal British Legion Germany was awarded the Knox Shield at the Royal British Legion Conference. Leiutenant General Kiszely KCB MC presented the Shield to Steve Reid, District of Germany Chairman in the Telford International Centre. The Award is for the small County/District (under 5000 members) with the largest increase in membership in a given year. Steve, who was the District Delegate at Conference said that he was honoured to collect the award. He thanked all those responsible for the increase in membership. The increase is not due to any particular individual. It is a result of a team effort from many members within the 15 branches of the District.

District Conference 2011

This year’s Annual Conference and accompanying proceedings took place at Wentworth Barracks in Herford on the 15th of January 2011.

Standard Bearers Competition

This year’s Standard Bearer’s Competition was one of the most closely run contests witnessed for many a year. With five male and one female competitor’s the testosterone was charged and the standard of turnout, bearing and quality of drill displayed was exceptionally high.

The competition was carried out under the instruction of the new District Parade Marshall Mr John Hegarty, the judging of the competition once again was carried out by Mr Eddie Hefferman MBE. The competitors scores and results sheets were collated and totaled up by Mr Ken Adams.

The standard of turnout was considered very high also the bearing and drill movements of the Standard Bearer’s was also of a high standard with two competitors standing out above the rest. The two competitors in question were last year’s winner Mr Keith Smith of the Paderborn Branch and another former winner and ex District Parade Marshall Mr Robert Thompson of the Bielefeld Branch.

All Standard Bearer’s received well deserved certificates for their participation in the competition and the District of Germany Standard Bearer’s competition and accompanying shield was presented to Mr Keith smith for the second year running. Keith was once again sworn in as the District Standard Bearer for the forthcoming 12 months.

Conference

This year’s conference itself took place in the Globe Cinema Wentworth Barracks in Herford and commenced at 2 O’clock in the afternoon. Mr Eddie Hefferman MBE stood in for Lt Colonel (Ret’d) David Wilkinson the RBL District of Germany President due to David having other commitments. This year’s guest speaker was Mr Nik Epton from HQ RBL from the UK. Nik’s address to the conference covered such items as membership fees their increase and how the Royal British Legion would probably have to change its way of gaining members and retaining them to afford continuance as a membership organisation in the future.

Guest Speaker Mr Nik Epton

District Awards

This year saw several District Awards being presented and rightly so to those well deserves recipients for their outstanding and loyal service to the Royal British Legion District of Germany and their respective branches over sustained periods of time. All awards this year were presented by Mr Eddie Hefferman MBE, Overseas Representative of the Royal British Legion Board of Trustees.

Ron Pearson

Mary Jansen

Udo Jansen

Robert Millar

Follow these links to see photos of the Conference, the Standard Bearers Competition and the evening party.

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