News Letter

NEWSLETTER - MAY 2012

Normally by now we'd be extolling the arrival of Spring and seriously considering turning off the heating. It may be called Global Warming, but if it is, it has an odd way of showing it. All we can hope is that you are able to keep warm and don't have to get out into the cold and wet too much.

The saga of the English annoying the French continues. Did you know that at Crecy (1346) theEnglish/Welsh archers, pouring over 10,000 arrows per minute into the French, killed an estimated 5,000 knights and footsoldiers in the first French attack. The official French version of the battle says that their knights and men at arms had some difficulty in this part, and because the sun was shining in their eyes and the heavy mud the assault failed.
What really annoyed the French was not that they lost over 10,000 men in the battle (the English lost under 800) but that their knights - the flower of France - had been killed by
'ignorant peasants' gens de null valeur !

Branch Committee

At the last Committee meeting, Dan Fisher was co-opted onto the Committee. Dan has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Poppy Appeal and has volunteered to specifically
help whenever we have an event requiring the Gazebo to be erected - it takes at least 4 fit and able-bodied people to get it installed. Many thanks Dan (who must be at least 20 years younger than most of us !). Also, many thanks to Theresa Moorin (Committee Member) who has taken on the duties of Minute Secretary.

Poppy Appeal 2011-12

The Torquay Poppy Appeal has now raised £41,890.63, and with still some further donations due from sponsorship of Chris Milford's splendid abseil down Cannonteign Falls on 21 April, we might indeed make it to the £42,000. Well done everyone and special thanks to Chris, who apparently thoroughly enjoyed it despite getting soaked to the skin.

Table Top Sale

This raised the very welcome sum of £140 for Branch Funds and a further £25 was raised from the sale of surplus furniture. Our thanks must go to Geoff and Jan Bradley for organising this.

Coffee Morning - 29 March

Our thanks to our Chairman and Jennifer for hosting the coffee morning. Despite a somewhat sparse attendance, £25 was raised for Branch Funds, and those that did attend enjoyed some excellent refreshments and a raffle at which no one went away without winning something !

Sunday Lunches

As many of you will be aware, due to Viv no longer doing the catering at the Sailing Club, we have been unable to have the very good value lunches that we have previously enjoyed. We have been scouting out a number of other possible venues, which have ranged from a very good value meal at £5.49 but with the drawback of not being able to book in advance and a rather noisy environment, to spending quite a bit more - £15 - but getting a really good three course lunch (with choices), able to book and ample parking. There are still a few more venues to be checked, but we would like to know your views on how much you would be happy to spend, and if you would be prepared to support this on a regular basis of approximately once per month - some establishments are prepared to give a discount for regular bookings.

Please let us know, and with enough support we ought to be able to once again have a good social lunchtogether again. Call Jerry on 326515 or on his e mail: w.yeoman755@btinternet.com