During the last few weeks, our BCS (welfare) team has all had to retake significant upgrades to support our work within the Armed Forces Community. These encompass changes in GDPR, which is very important for confidentiality, safeguarding in both adults and children, and making sure that we are safe when we are Lone Working. My thanks go to Jane Bazeley (BCS Chair), who has kept us all in the right direction. I'm pleased to say that we have all passed our recent training modules online, and that our Ross & District Branch is now fully compliant with our BCS activities. So, well done to all.

We are entering a busier month as the weather improves and, at last, we are seeing all the wonders of spring. As always at some of our events, we need some extra hands. We try to do two-hour sessions so we can form some kind of rota to make it easier to attend and support the Branch at future planned events. If you are able to give a couple of hours, please let us know. You have been getting our regular update of our Calendar of Events. This changes frequently as confirmation of our plans for the year progress.

Our Branch is constantly active in attending and responding to issues within our County as well as our own town of Ross. Both Jane and I were at the Kindle Centre in Hereford reviewing what the Herefordshire Integrated Partnership was planning. This is a County review of multiagency groups who are making progress understanding the roles of a wide cross-section of all agencies. They are looking at a ten-year strategy and are having some good results. The other bonus of attending these meetings is that we have made some very useful contacts which can help us with future welfare issues.

There is a long-held myth that you can't become a legion member because you haven't served in HM Armed Forces. So just to make it clear that anyone can become a member of the Royal British Legion.

I wish that I could answer why membership numbers are not growing locally. Is it a post-Covid situation because volunteers are not coming forward? Many organizations and charities need members; without them, they will just wither and die. We in Ross have been fortunate to have over 100 years of service to our Armed Forces Personnel, and my hope and wish is that we will be here for as long as they need our support. Please come and join us and become a member if you have a little spare time to support us. (Annual membership costs £25.00 per year or less than 49 pence per week). We have a number of social events, and it is always good to get together and relax with friends.

As you will know, both Jane and I attended the National Conference in Torquay. While we have been busy supporting those in need of our support, we have a few concerns that were voiced at the conference. Membership is not as good as it should be, and many discussions had taken place. The key issue is with the internal organization and training. This has to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Just before the conference, HQ decided that all future training for BCS (Branch Community Support) will be done from HQ, and the County CTOs (County Training Officers) would no longer be able to perform this training.

Welfare is such a key activity for many branches, and they plan to hold two training sessions per month online starting in June 2023. As yet, I have not received any information on its proposed format to date. Other areas of concern are those forces members who are currently in the Criminal Justice System for a wide variety of reasons. Combat Stress is a specialist Forces mental health charity. Sadly, they do not have sufficient funding from outside other than that from the RBL. They have been supported by the Legion for the past three years to a significant amount of £6 million pounds. The RBL has agreed to extend this for a further year as the demand for mental health grows year on year with the reduction of NHS support.

With Membership undergoing yet another re-organisation, we will have to take ownership of Recruitment and Retention of members who will hopefully join our Branch. With this in mind, Nancy Weller has generously taken up the task of Recruiting and Retention Officer and is working on numerous initiatives that should boost our membership. She will bring us up to date with progress at our monthly Committee meetings.

Please contact me if you need any help with joining us. Mobile: 07788-272-500 [email protected]