Page 82 - MERCIAN Eagle 2020

The Sherwood Foresters Officers’ Club (SFOC)
Roger Stockton, Chairman
It has been a very strange 2020 for us! The annual Badajoz Day lunch was planned to be held in The Rag in Pall Mall in early April but was cancelled in line with COVID-19 restrictions. It was a great shame as it is normally a wonderful opportunity to meet with friends from days gone by. There remains a healthy turnout for this annual gathering in London so it was with great disappointment that we had to cancel. Nevertheless, in April
we were planning to meet for an Alma Day lunch in the Foresters
in Donhead St Andrew later in the year - or so we thought! Towards the end of August, it was apparent that further restrictions and rules on social distancing meant that our favourite pub would be unable to host a meaningful gathering. However, John and Lexi Cook generously offered to open their home in Blandford for an outdoor gathering on Alma Day. Plans were made, invitations were sent out, the marquee was booked, wine was bought and food was cooked. Then it happened again... and
yet another event was cancelled. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to both John and Lexi for all their efforts, and to make it worse the planned day was lovely and sunny and that would have made it an exceptional event.
It has been a particularly sad year as we lost fellow Forester members who all leave widows: Capt Timothy Dickerson, Brig Antony (Tony) Peter Wright MBE, Capt Keith Brian Whittle and
Lt Col John Caiger MBE (The Staffordshire Regiment, who served as Ops Offr with 1st Bn The Foresters.
Last but not least Andy McDougall has handed over as our Secretary and Treasurer. Andy has been exceptional in these roles and we shall miss him greatly. Thank you, Andy, from us all. Mike Tulloch has taken over as both Secretary and Treasurer - again many thanks Mike,
We now hope that 2021 brings better news and Badajoz 2021 on Saturday 10 April can go ahead as normal in the Rag in London.
Worksop Branch
Mark Butcher, Secretary
Like everyone else in the country
the branch has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and as such our last meeting was held in January, with the March one being cancelled as the lockdown came into force. Although we have had to suspend usual branch activities, members have kept in touch by phone etc. and for those who
were able, have still met up for walks and exercise- with appropriate social distancing of course.
On a sad note, one of our members Ian ‘Duke’ Middleton was diagnosed with terminal cancer, aged only 59. In his role as our 2nd Standard Bearer, Ian has represented the branch numerous times, as well as acting as Standard Bearer for the Worksop branch of the British Legion. Earlier this year one of our members Simon Kirkham arranged for Ian to visit the Vulcan Bomber
which is stationed at Doncaster airport. Regardless of his deteriorating health, Ian also laid a wreath by the WFR trees at the National Memorial Arboretum and at the Crich memorial; such is his devotion to the
Regiment. Ian has now moved to a care home and is visited
by our Welfare
Ian Middleton and his daughter with a member of the Vulcan maintenance team
Officer, Stuart Gullen, and other branch members, who offer support in this difficult time.
The official Remembrance parade in Worksop was cancelled this year and so many of our members paid their respects at their local village memorials. However, a handful of our members
still attended the Worksop memorial on Remembrance Sunday, along with a
small party of local officials from the Town Hall. Well done to the guys for maintaining our strong links with Bassetlaw council.
The branch thoughts are with all those still serving
and supporting the COVID-19 fight. Hopefully, with promising news of vaccines on
the horizon, we may be able to re-start meetings in springtime next year and get back to the branch social life that our members enjoy.
Remembrance Sunday (left to right), Wayne Smith MBE, Lee Simcox, Tony Jones, Stu Jepson (standard bearer) and Andy Bowker
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