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RAPTC ASSOCIATION NORTH EAST BRANCH
Maj (Retd) Geoff Chapman - Branch Chairman
CHAIRMAN’S NOTES
Maj (Retd) Geoff Chapman
In my first year as Branch Chairman, it gives me great pleasure to provide the opening comments for our Annual Branch report. I must begin by expressing my admiration and offering my most sincere thanks to Dave Smith and Dave Warburton for their dedication, commitment, passion and sheer hard work in every aspect of all that they do on behalf of our RAPTC family residing within the North East area. It is abundantly obvious to me that I have much to learn and familiarise myself with over the next 6 months or so in order that I can contribute effectively to the workload of the Branch’s day to day business and provide whatever support I can to our wonderful Association and its Members. I will now hand over to the Branch Secretary Dave Smith for an overview of the highlights of this year’s Branch activities.
SECRETARY’S REPORT
Dave Smith
With life back to some kind of normality as we emerge from the shadows of Covid, I am pleased to be able to report a far more positive picture of events and activities
Barry and Sonia Statham’s Wedding on the Ruby Princess Cruise Liner March 2022
within the North East Branch during the period April 2022 to March 2023. That said, after the hugely successful post- Covid Branch Reunion gathering in March 2022, the spectre of Covid lingered on with a number of attendees falling ill after the event, though thankfully none too seriously affected.
This year has seen a reshuffle of the Branch Committee with Ian Dean stepping down from the role of Chairman, being succeeded by Geoff Chapman. Ian had been in the chair for 9 years from a time when the Branch had been struggling to find Committee volunteers and with the drive, energy and enthusiasm of the two Dave’s (Warburton and Smith) presided over the remarkable growth and success of the Branch in the years to date. We are fortunate to have such an able successor in the quiet, demure and understated Geoff Chapman, who is already making a great contribution to the operation of the Branch. The other change saw Dave Smith officially taking on the role of Branch Secretary with Dave Warburton continuing as Treasurer and Assistant Secretary. We are fortunate to have a very strong and loyal membership with many
Pete Harburn - Standard Bearer at the Funeral of Andrew Horn
willing helpers including of course our lovely ladies who support us so well.
Two of our most loyal members and great personal friends of mine Barry Statham (we were on Probs together) and Sonia Dudley were absent from our 2022 Reunion as they had planned to go on a cruise to Hawaii. Little did we know that they had a cunning plan for Sonia to go away as a Dudley and come back as a Statham. On 31st March 2022 this perfect couple were married on board the Ruby Princess Cruise Liner and on behalf of the Branch I extend my congratulations and warmest wishes to them both.
North East Branch Remembrance Wreath Laying in York 2022
Dave Smith - Branch Secretary
Farewell to Maureen (and John) Nicholas