SOLENT NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2013

Solent News

RFAA SOLENT BRANCH NEWSLETTER                    

Summer 2013

Dear Friends,

I have just had a look up over Old Sarum Castle (HERE and HERE)from our new but mature garden and I think I can see enough blue sky to warrant calling this a summer newsletter! Here goes… first off, on a personal note can I just express our sincere thanks for all the cards and emails we received on moving house. We were truly overwhelmed by so many good wishes. We are now box-free, but heaven only knows where anything is. “Word” is up and working though!

I am pleased to note that BJ & SC Waters were missed at the Reunion! The reason is in the paragraph above, but I’m delighted to see a healthy sum was raised for the Association and a good time was had by all who did get up to Liverpool. (Memories of Blue Flu days for me).

We are very much looking forward to the Solent Banyan BBQ next week. I understand from our organising stalwarts Maureen & Alan and Ivor & Maggie that numbers are up around the mid-50s. Many thanks to them and the rest of the team who pull it all together for us to enjoy. Thanks too to Stuart and Margaret Pearce for letting us trample all over their garden!

Your committee are pleased to be able to announce yet another waterborne extravaganza this August… on the 20th to be precise. It will be a canal-barge trip starting at Chichester (and ending there too). Please book the date on your calendars NOW and more details will appear in a flyer in due course (Download the flyer here Solent Canal Trip (151.63 kB). We are looking at the most cost-effective option…it may involve that old picnic hamper up in the loft! (but fewer silverfox boghammers).

September 11th will bring us round to the Solent AGM (our only formal gathering) which will be in our old favourite the Ship Anson, who have looked after us so well since the Branch was founded in 2005. Please come along and have a mank or sing praises….it is your branch and we decide how we want it to run at our AGM. It is your chance to have your say.

Looking even further towards autumn, we are planning a Social Lunch at the Sir Walter Tyrell, a New Forest pub, on October 16th. This is to the west and is part of our overall plan to move around the parish to open opportunities to all members to attend our gatherings, E, W, N or S, with more, or less, travel. We know we cover a large patch. More detail in due course; it is popular with a number of members, so should be good.

Did you see the Duchess of Cambridge naming the “pazzy liner” in Southampton the other day, and Captain Tony Draper all over the media? He was trained as an RFA Officer, (my NO in the [new] Sir Galahad in 1991). Good man, bearing out what we always knew about our quality people. As we welcome the announcement of the new Commodore RFA, Captain Rob Dorey, and send him our congratulations, we invite him to note and reflect on the national value of quality sea-goers, and the RFA’s part in ensuring competent seafarers for the future. We never like to lose the good guys; we hope they might be in the ship coming the other way though.

Please be sure to let us know about any members (or wider MN/RFA/RNSTS/RN family) who you feel might welcome a friendly contact without any obligations on them. It is what the Association is here for. Meanwhile enjoy the summer (I can still see a wee patch of blue up there).

 

With best wishes to all,       Aye,         Brian