Page 37 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

Talgarth Table Top Sale
On a sunny day at the beginning of June a few members congregated in Talgarth Town Hall for our annual fundraising sale of bric-a-brac, old & new, contributed by members. The sale was fairly successful and we raised a reasonable sum to boost our branch funds to help with our visits and gifts to our older members that we no longer see at our outings. We also had the opportunity to visit the working mill next door, and enjoy coffee & home baked produce. We rounded up the day with lunch at a local garden centre.
Armed Forces Day
The day started fine for the South Wales annual celebration of Armed Forces Day, which this year was held in Caerphilly. Sadly the rain started just in time for the Parade through the streets, our Welsh Branch Standard being carried proudly by our Chairman, Marilyn Williams, to the music of the Royal Marine Band, Collingwood. This was followed by a Drum Head Service in Caerphilly Castle Grounds.
Through the intermittent showers we had a very enjoyable event, and were able to advertise and promote the QA Association from our brand new Branch Gazebo, which acted as a focal point for members to meet and chat, and give information to interested members of the public. We hope to have enrolled new members from this day’s events. We even had a visit from the Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Secretary of State for Wales. Other activities
Welsh Branch Armed Forces Day With Secretary Of State For Wales
to observe were displays of the Sea Cadet Gun Run, Sea Cadet Semaphore, the ATC synchronised drill and a gymnastic display. The highlight of the day was the RLC Parachute Jump.
Mametz Wood
Earlier this month we went on an amazing & heart- wrenching Battlefield Tour to Mametz Wood to celebrate the centenary of the Battle where so many of our Welsh Soldiers died in WW1 – see separate article.
Rosy Hubbard Branch Secretary
National Corps Day, Cardiff 2016
In October we heard that Wales was to be given the great honour of hosting the 2016 National Corps Day,
After attending the Northern Ireland Corps Day in 2015 we knew that we had to pull out all the stops and get ourselves organised. We formulated a very small group of Association members and members of 203 Field Hospital. Lt Col (Retd) Ruth Smith from N.I Association and Maj Kerry McFadden-Newman RNO 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital were very helpful in giving us pointers to start the process. Our first tasks were to find a church, a lunch venue, identify the guests and the
necessary finance to suit our budget. Funds were gratefully received from HQ Mess, the RCN, RFCA and the University of Glamorgan.
We were very fortunate in obtaining the support of the Revd Canon Sarah Rowland Jones, Vicar of The City Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Cardiff, which is set in the heart of the City of Cardiff and has been the centre of worship for more than eight centuries. During the year many special services are held there which include the services for the Order of St John (Priory for Wales), George Thomas Hospice, Kidney Wales, the Welsh Livery Guild and the Lord Mayor’s Annual St David’s Day Service. St John’s has a very colourful history with royal connections. We were equally fortunate in securing a booking at the Royal College of Music and Drama, which is a most prestigious building, often hosting events where they have Royalty as guests.
Being such a high profile event the guests included local dignitaries: the Deputy Mayor, Lord Lieutenant of South Wales, various Hospital Board
hierarchies and the new Chief Nurse, Col Karen Irvine. All the medical Regular and TA units and QARANC Associations were also invited. On the day they came from far and wide, and included representatives
from the four countries of the UK. After much hard work by many, 2 April arrived as a beautiful sunny day. The Revd Canon Sarah and Rev Martin Spain, Padre of 203 Field Hospital, officiated at the service which was bilingual and very moving, and the singing certainly came up to the high Welsh expectations. The Millbank Branch and Welsh Branch Standards were proudly paraded by Maj (Retd) Allison Johnson and Maj
(Retd) Kip Hall.
Following the service, transport
had been organised to take guests the short distance to the Royal Academy of Welsh Music & Drama for the reception. This was a spectacular venue, backing out on to Bute Park and Cardiff Castle grounds, where the daffodils were just beginning to bloom.
The room had been tastefully decorated by Janet Smith and her
THE GAZETTE QARANC
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BRANCH NEWS