|
NEWSLETTER NUMBER 2
Newsletter Editor - Annual subscription - Donations & Raffle - Membership lists - Alterations and extras - Volunteers required - Letters to newspapers - Group meetings – Association, where it is going and where it can go? H.M.S.Collingwood Field Gun Run Day - Best Draft request - Email Address coordinator - Any ideas
Dear Shipmates
I trust that all the wet weather is behind us and we can now look forward to a decent Summer.
Once again I have to report lots of things happening and the Association is well and truly up and running.
Newsletter Editor I think the most important event, is the appointment of a Newsletter Editor. Please welcome Iain Crawford,who you will find on List 1. Iain volunteered quite some time ago but I have not been able to
A) Have sufficient material to feed him to make a Newsletter and
B) I was not in a position to justify a mailing to you all just to inform you of his volunteering.
But we have now in the form of another membership list, this time number 4 so things really are happening. I feel quite excited as I have just posted off to Iain some of the interesting articles and stories you told me, so ‘watch this space’ as they say. You may be in print soon.
I asked Iain to write a few words asking how he wanted to run the newsletter and here is his contribution.
Gents, My name is Iain Crawford and I have volunteered (honest, I did) to be the editor of the branch newsletter. Initially I plan to send out the newsletter every 2 months, but this may change depending on the quantity of articles I receive for publishing.
Your input to this newsletter would be very much appreciated. If anyone has anything they would like published, please send it on to me. Stories, old / new photos, jokes, anything at all.
You can mail them to my home address, shown on List 1, (I will return any photos) or you can send items via e-mail to newsATrneba.org.uk anti spam measure, replace AT in the E-mail address by @
Also, if anyone would like to receive the newsletter via e-mail you can let me know. This would save on postage. I look forward to receiving loads of stuff from you all.
Thank you and best regards Iain.
May I add to Iain’s note there that original photos are much better reproduced than photocopies so please send the originals. They will be returned.
Annual subscription This now brings us to a regular financial commitment and I feel that we should have an Annual subscription as in most other Associations and Clubs.
The subject has been suggested by many of you and the most favourable to start with is £5.00. I intend to propose this at the Reunion and Inaugural Meeting.
On the assumption that this proposition is seconded and passed, I have inaugurated a system of telling you that you have paid your subscription and when it expires. If you look at the address label on this mailing, there is a number after your name. That is the list number on which your entry appears, this will be followed by a /08 which for example shows you are subscribed until December 31st 2008.
I have already added this, or an even later date, to a few members who have made very generous donations “Above the call of duty”.
Donations & Raffle This gives me the opportunity again to thank everybody for their donations of cash, cheques and stamps. The two former are recorded for the Treasurer’s report.
To help Association Funds, I propose to run a Raffle at the Bournemouth Reunion and would ask those attending to support it with a prize and to buy tickets. Most of you are very familiar with the process being members of Ship’s Associations and/or RNA Branches etc.
Membership lists, alterations and extrasI mentioned above membership list number 4. I have also added all of the alterations and extras to your entry on the other lists so you now have a complete and up to date list of all members. Please scrap any others you have. I regret that in one case it is a wrong address, my error, and another couple where people have moved. From now on, alterations and additions will be notified to the Editor and you can alter the enclosed lists from there
Volunteers required We are still looking for some volunteers as follows
- Secretary. To deal with the general run of the Association, answer letters from outside the domain of the Electrical Branch, write agendas etc.
- Treasurer. To keep the Association’s accounts in order.
- Membership Secretary. To keep the membership lists up to date and add new members, changes of address and regretfully remove members when they Cross the Bar.
- Address Label co-ordinator. Requirements here are Excel and Avery Label Design Pro 5, (the latter we can provide the programme). To keep the address label lists up to date and print off the labels and send to the Editor a few days before publication.
- Slops Manager. We have a Blazer Badge, Beret Badge and Tie. Any ideas for anything else? (And from newsletter Number 1 Blazer Badge Gold Woven with Green Backed Scroll “R.N. Electrical Branch Association” in Gold at £10.00. Association Tie with badge woven in £10.0.0. Cap or Beret Badge £5.00. Send your order to me and please make your cheques payable to the R.N.E.B.A where we have our own account.) [badge picture is here]
Letters to newspapers My recent letters to the local newspapers mentioned that we have ‘Area Group Meets’ in “Establishments which are not dry and lead to a convivial atmosphere” This led to replies and offers, a couple or so replies and offers as follows
Dear Mike, I read your letter in Tuesday's local newspaper and if you are looking for Club rooms for your association I am sure that we could accommodate you in the British Legion club in Perth. If you are interested let me know. Roy Whitehead (Club Secretary)
And the other, a lovely long letter from Merton 368 Unit Sea Cadet Corp Training Ship Trafalgar who are at present in Wimbledon but are moving into purpose built accommodation in Mitcham. The President who wrote to me explained that they already host area meetings of the Coastal Forces Association and feel we would love to hold meetings in a “Navy” atmosphere
And an email in just before this letter went to print, ”Mike, Read your letter in the Tamworth Herald this morning. We have a very active RNA in the centre of Tamworth and can take up to 60 visitors. The Aircraft Handlers Association was created at Tamworth and hold their AGM at our Club every year.
We have also hosted other H.M.Ships Association and had visits from as far as Liverpool. The Fleet Air Arm Association with fitters and air mechanics (L) (Electrical) are present here as well.
Look forward to seeing some of your members at an RNEBA Meet.
Yours Aye. Doug Heath Vice Chair Tamworth RNA.
Group meetings Which leads me on the group meets. If you want to organize something, put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard and let the Editor know who you are and where you are.
Association, where it is going and where it ‘can’ go And so to the Association itself and where it is going and where it ‘can’ go.
An Association or Club is only as good as its members. I am very encouraged by the response and where it has gone already, thank you. Your kind words of encouragement and donations have not only spurred me on, but the volunteers in office already. Every single one of us has something to do to make the Association a good one.
Talking about it in the local club, pub or wherever and getting ex RN Electrical Branch to join.
Putting the posters up in the Village Hall, Supermarket Notice Board, local Post Office and Village store. Writing a letter to the local church newsletter, local Golf Club secretary etc and finding ex RN Electricians on your doorstep!!
Writing a story or article and sending it to our new Editor; to the ultimate of applying for one of the posts on committee.
H.M.S.Collingwood Field Gun Run Day You may recall in the last newsletter I spoke of H.M.S.Collingwood. “A Field Gun Run Day is held every year and it is featured as a ‘Family’s Day’. About 8 Field Gun Teams competing for various trophies, Amusements for the kids, Hot Dog and Beer Tents and all sorts of attractions making it an ideal day out for the Family. I have applied for a stand there to give the Association a public airing”.
Some of you who live locally kindly volunteered to man the stand. Thank you.
I regret that it all fell apart when they wanted a fee of ‘at least £100.00’ as it was put to me, and that we would be in the ‘Commercial Marquee with the Car Dealers’ etc and this would be away from the activities. “There will be a Charities Area near the Church”, but with the weather as it has been and the ‘Charity Area’ being in the open, I declined this year.
Best Draft Finally from me, the aim of the Association is to get you back together with your old shipmates. This is already starting to happen and I feel that the most important element of the membership lists is the ‘Best Draft H.M.S’ bit.
As you can see I can only include one, but some of you have listed none. Put your thinking cap on and send me which one you want posting and I will modify your entry on the next reprint and make a notice in the newsletter.
And what about a contact telephone number? Your Service Number will help others to find you from your joining class, so don’t forget that.
Email Address coordinator I have been asked if I would put email addresses on the list.
A) Some are too long and there is no room for them and
B) People change these more than they change their telephone numbers.
However how about a position of Email Address coordinator? All they need to do is gather the addresses in membership list order and email them as an address book to everyone else. Any takers?
Any ideas to make a great Association even greater? Any ideas to make a great Association even greater let me know, and if you want to volunteer for even the smallest post, it will be appreciated by everyone. Look forward to seeing you at Bournemouth.
Very best wishes and thank you for your great support
Michael ‘Mike’ Crowe
|
