' THE LEAGUE OF REMEMBRANCE
TRUSTEES' REPORT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2014
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
The Year's Activities
It is with great pleasure that I begin this report with the announcement that General The Lord Richards has agreed to become
President of the League of Remembrance. Lord Richards has had a long and distinguished career in the Army, serving in many
commands and culminating in his appointment as Chief of the Defence Staff from 2010 to 2013. Since then Lord Richards has
worked as Senior Advisor to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He was created a Life Peer in 2014 and sits in the
House of Lords as a crossbencher. We welcome him to the League and hope he will enjoy a long and happy relationship with us.
I have other items of good news to report
Firstly The Rt Hon Sir Tony Baldry was appointed to The Privy Council in November 2013 and Lady Riches was awarded the MBE
in the 2014 New Year's Honours list Our congratulations to them both on these prestigious awards.
Secondly, one of the League's longer term aims has been to expand its services outside the London area. I can now report that,
following a research project undertaken at the end of last year and funded by Sir Evelyn de Rothschild through the Eranda
Foundation, a pilot scheme commenced in Buckinghamshire in August 2014. The League received a £10,000 grant from the
"Awards for All" lottery fund to finance 6 Remembrance Workers for 1 year, with a further grant of £20,000 from the Eranda
Foundation to continue the project Mrs Susan Taleghany has been appointed as Recruitment and Liaison Office. The first
Remembrance Workers in the new scheme were appointed this autumn and placed at Buckingham Community Hospital and the
Florence Nightingale Hospice, Stoke Mandeville. Recruitment continues and we hope to reach our initial target of 10-12 early in
2015.
Remembrance workers
Our present Remembrance Workers continue to give highly valued help to the hospitals they serve and derive a lot of pleasure
from the companionship they receive. None of this would be possible without the help and support of the Voluntary Services
Organisers who provide the placements. I would like to record the League's appreciation and gratitude for all that they do on our
behalf.
The Christmas bonus for the Remembrance Workers last year was once again made possible by a generous contribution from ABF
The Soldier's Charity. This bonus helps with the additional expenses which come at Christmas time and we are extremely grateful
for this continued support.
The Festive lunch was again held at the RAF Club, Piccadilly on Tuesday 14
th
January 2014. The Chairman, Mrs Redman-Brown
and all Members of the Council were present to meet the Remembrance Workers. The lunch was once again sponsored by Mr
Derek Sayer and we record our thanks for his continued generosity.
The 93rd Annual General Meeting was also held at the RAF Club on Wednesday 9th April 2014, followed by a buffet lunch and an
opportunity to exchange gossip! The Chairman presented Miss Jane Gully with her long service badge and thanked her for her long
and valued service to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital over the past 10 years. Happily she plans to continue for another 10!
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