Page 41 - QARANC Vol 14 No 11 2015

Yorkshire and Humber Branch of the QARANC Association
Chairman Mrs Alison Muir Secretary Mrs Sarah Bainbridge
Well we have had a busy first year, membership is slowly growing and we welcome all new members including our serving members.
The branch held a 1940’s themed tea dance in September that was thoroughly enjoyed by those who attended; thankfully, we did not have to follow the rationing of the time. Salmon and ham, as well as cucumber dainty sandwiches followed by lashings of scones and fresh cream as well as Victoria sandwich and tea bread. Very yummy to say the least! To help the afternoon tea digest we had a demonstration by Kingston swing dance group on how to do the Lindy hop followed by a very energetic dance lesson, much laughter, treading on of toes and fun was had. Some of the more mature of us watched and encouraged from the side lines. We were even visited by Winston Churchill himself!
The branch felt that as most of our members worked and therefore were committed to Christmas events running up to Christmas we would have an informal get together in January at a local pub. Again, we welcomed new members and developed new links.
To celebrate our first year the Branch held a weekend event where we “Dined with the Fishes”. And enjoyed a meal at the Two Rivers restaurant within The Deep Aquarium. The Deep is one of the UK’s largest Aquariums and the huge fish tanks and displays surround the tables so you can enjoy watching the marine life whilst also having a wonderful meal. We were lucky enough to sit by the Shark tanks, one shark was asleep all through the evening, who knew sharks slept on the sea floor!!!!!
The majority of the attendees stayed within the Hotel near The Deep so were able to attend the AGM the following morning. Although the weekend was for the QARANC branch, many partners of the QA’s were ex RAMC so it became somewhat an Army Medical Services reunion. Even those partners who had not served were
warmly welcomed into the fold and became honorary members for the weekend.
Plans for our next year include a coach trip to the National Memorial Arboretum in August, a Christmas event and looking at meeting more regularly in a venue, perhaps on a Saturday afternoon were we can invite speakers etc. on an informal basis.
The Last weekend in July the city of Hull holds a veterans weekend were every branch of the services past and present are invited to participate, they raise funds, celebrate and honour those who have served. There are displays from enactment societies, military display teams including the mounted FANY’s and their involvement in the First World War as well as stalls from all associations. This year our branch has been lucky enough to be given a stall and we intend to participate, using it as a means or information, recruiting for the association and raise funds. We are planning to have a display of old uniforms as well as those worn today.
Our thinking caps are on already as to how we can top our first anniversary; suggestions have been made about having a “Dutch dash” to Bruges, Rotterdam or Amsterdam as the ferries leave from Hull. We would also like to develop events and meetings across the Humber in Scunthorpe, Grimsby or up towards York for those who live further away from Hull.
Alison Muir, Chairperson
Yorkshire and Humber QARANC Association Branch
THE GAZETTE QARANC
Chester Branch
Chairman Col (Retd) Sylvia Short OBE Secretary Mrs Lynn Orfanelli
By the time you read this our 4th reunion will have been and gone on which we will report in the next Gazette.
During the year the branch was saddened to hear the deaths of Olive House, Vera Lee-Wood, Christine Sharp and Margaret Garton-Jones.
During the month of May a group of us went north of the border to stay with our Scottish members. Lynn Ball, Sylvia Hunter were our hosts and boy did they have a packed iterernay. We visited Edinburgh and of course no trip would be complete without a visit on the
Royal yacht (Available for hire = 5th Reunion!) a bus tour round the city, ending with dinner in one of Edinburgh’s well know Chinese Restaurants. We went to Dundee and for those of you that didn’t know this is the home of Desperate Dan. Our final trip before returning home was to St Andrews, no round of golf but we had the best fish and chips in a place called Anstruther. We also celebrated Lynn’s Birthday. Thank you Lynn and Sylvia for a lovely time.
Our next event will be at the end of September when we will hold our Annual Lunch this time it will be at the Liner Hotel Liverpool. Ending the year with our Christmas Lunch at the Queen Hotel.
Lynn Orfanelli, Hon Secretary.
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BRANCH NEWS