Page 148 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2016/17

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RAPTC Senior Team RAPTC Master Team Stoddart Headlock
‘Espirt de Corps’ and backed the RAPTC Road and XC Teams during my tenure as the RAPTC XC Secretary.
Lastly, on behalf on every athlete, past and present, I would like to thank Major Stoddart for his commitment, devotion and loyalty to the RAPTC Athletics, Road and XC Teams. Major Stoddart
has distinguished himself not only as a phenomenal athlete but as a coach, organiser and mentor and is the ultimate role model for any aspiring sportsman or woman. Major Stoddart has been an excellent ambassador for sport whether at Corps, the Army or Combined Services level and will be greatly missed.
Introduction. This edition of the MBS covering the period Apr 2016 to Mar 2017 is the 100th publication and has, over the years provided an invaluable source of history for the Corps and the Army. When looking back at previous copies of the MBS it quickly becomes apparent that change is, has been, and will continue to be a constant in all aspects of life in the Corps. The very nature of our business and lifestyle means we learn very quickly to adapt to change and work with it throughout our lives and careers.
This year has been no different for the Association as we said goodbye to Brig John Donnelly CBE after four years as the Corps Commandant (2013 to 2017) and chairman for the Association Executive Committee. Working tirelessly for the Association during his tenure his enthusiasm for the Corps was un-bounding and I will take this opportunity on behalf of all members of the RAPTC Association to thank him for his commitment to the Corps and his invaluable contribution. Following a presentation of a Corps print at the Aldershot Biennial Reunion we received a thank you letter from Brig John which can be found at the end of my report.
We have also said farewell to another stalwart of the Corps, Lt Col (Retd) Phil Watkins MBE who has decided to step down as an Association Trustee. His contribution to the Corps and Association over more than 40 years has been outstanding; his positive in uence on the Corps cannot be underestimated and it will be felt for many years to come. Phil has been under the weather recently and we wish him and Maureen well in their retirement and hope they both return to full tness in the near future.
There it is again ‘Change’ and in comes the new Corps Commandant - Brig Paul Cain who I am sure will lead and guide the Association throughout his term and continue the long line of excellent Corps Commandants. A copy of Brig Paul’s biographical notes can be found at the front end of the MBS. Maj (Retd) Geoff Chapman has also come on board as a Trustee for the Association and again, I am sure Geoff will use his experience to help the Executive Committee steer the Association in the right direction.
Governance. The RAPTC Association is a registered charity and we are required to submit an annual report and audited accounts to the Charities Commission of England and Wales. This means we are of cially scrutinised to ensure we are meeting our objectives and continuing to comply with our governing document (RAPTC Constitution); it also provides transparency for the public and our Association members. The RAPTC Association submissions for the nancial year 2016 / 2017 can be viewed on the Charity Commission website.
Association Finances. The Days Pay Giving scheme from our serving members continues to provide the main source of income for the Association without which we would nd it impossible to support the Association members in the way we do and for these contributions we are most grateful. In addition to this, we have received an increased number of donations this year; all donations are very much appreciated and these kind and thoughtful gestures will go towards helping those members of the RAPTC Association who have fallen on hard times, so thank you very much to all those who thought of the Association when donating or raising money.
Association Investments. The Association Investment pot is held within the Armed Forces Common Investment Fund and managed on behalf of the Association by BlackRock. Through careful control and due diligence over a number of years coupled with an investment strategy of ‘investing for growth’ the Association funds have been growing. With the funds now at an appropriate and sustainable level the Trustees decided to change the investment strategy from ‘Investing for Growth’ (interest gained was automatically reinvested into the fund) to ‘Investing for Income’ (the Association now receives a quarterly cash dividend); this means the Executive Committee will have access to additional annual funding to be used for the good and bene t of Association members. The Investments are monitored on a regular basis and reviewed at the Executive Committee Biennial meetings ensuring we remain diligent and get the best return from our investments for the members of the Association.
REGIMENTAL SECRETARY’S REPORT 1 Apr 2016 to 31 Mar 2017
Lt Col (Retd) G B Jones