Page 42 - QARANC Vol 20 No 4 2023

42 The Gazette QARANC Association
NEWCASTLE BRANCH
‘An enjoyable
update from the
Brigadier ’
We have had a rather busy few months what with our AGM, Christmas Ball and our first meeting of the year in January. We continue to try to meet up for coffees and chats - including Zoom on a Sunday - for those who enjoy a natter.
The Christmas Ball, held at the Newcastle Airport Britannia Hotel, brought us all out into our fancy clothes once more and allowed us more freedom to enjoy meeting up and dancing. We certainly can “scrub up well”.
Two branch members were fortunate to attend the Not Forgotten Christmas lunch - very enjoyable and they work so hard to ensure everyone has a good time.
Our first meeting of the year included a talk by our very own Brig. Ben Bannerjee, (formerly CO of 201 Fd Hosp), who gave us an overview of the present and future changes to the Army Medical Service, as well as some very fine anecdotes from his past. He managed to commence the talk with reminiscence of an exercise in Belgium where he was given a gift of a “p*** pot” which he has had since 1991, when he played the bugle and was awarded said pot for “noise beyond the call of duty”.
He then went on to inform us of multi-role regiments and the responsibilities of the head of the AMS Reserve Forces. He ended his talk with a questions and answers session and provoked the thought of a new aspect of improving career management, by “talent management”, whatever the rank might be.
Our thanks go to the brigadier who gave us a very enjoyable update.
Ann Clouston, our very own city guide, took a
...he was given a gift of a “p*** pot” which he has had since 1991, when he played the bugle and was awarded said pot
for “noise beyond the call of duty
group of us on a very interesting walk around South Shields last Summer. This July she took us round parts of Newcastle we hadn’t been to, including the Helix. This is a 24-acre area of Newcastle University that is working on renewable energy and how to incorporate it into everyday life. As I write we are looking forward to her next one in August.
Jacqui Hall (Secretary Newcastle Branch)