Minutes | Army Dog Unit NI Association

20^th June 2021

The meeting was opened at 20:05 hours.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin).

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), F Lowe (Welfare), A Brown (Events/General) and T Clegg (website admin).

Previous Minutes:

The previous minutes were read to all and agreed that they were a true and accurate record. There were no action points from the minutes.

Chair:

The Chair briefly spoke about the current situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the members and their families at this present time. The ‘unofficial weekend’ in September is gathering pace and it is nice to see the interest from the members. As for the 2021 Cenotaph, it is hoped that this will take place, albeit, on a smaller. If any members are experiencing any mental health issues, please reach out to the membership or contact Mr Frank Lowe (Association welfare Officer). The committee will now be on their summer break until September, however, if any member wishes to contact any of the committee, then please do, however, no business will be discussed until the committee resit at the next meeting.

Vice:

The Vice will continue to carry out legacy work, his email address is now the following: larryjenkins2@icloud.com

Secretary:

Nothing to add.

Events/General:

Nothing to add.

Treasurer / Shop:

Membership is sitting at 196, although the membership number tallies 204, there are a number of ‘retired numbers’ of those members that have passed and their number will not be re-issued. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if you are able to, if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds

Shop Stock:

The shop has been steady, however is running low on some of the more popular items, once the funds are in a better place, JT will source and replenish these items. Those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699. JT has now received copies of the anniversary logo; this will be put on the shop page of the website. JT is planning a clothing order in July, so watch this space.

JT would like to remind all that there has been a price increase in certain items within the clothing range. These items will be costed at the time of JT being invoiced; he will give as much advance notice to the buying member. JT would like to reiterate that the purple wreaths that are ordered by members will be a standard wreath, if they wish to have extra items added i.e., Rope lead / hessian then you must state this and be prepared to pay extra if this is the case. The standard wreaths for the NMA and AAW will have rope lead and hessian on.

Association funds (as at 20/06/21) £3,683.92

JT has been informed by the Nationwide Building Society that all the Trustee Treasurer Accounts will be closing, to that end, he has been advised to open an online business account. He is looking into this, as it may present problems for those members that send cheques etc. He will explore other banks to see if there are any other options available. He will keep everyone updated. Payments are still being taken in the usual way. There are 48 members still required to renew their subscriptions, so please can those members make payment as soon as possible. If there are members that don’t wish to renew, please let the treasurer know, so he can take you off the mailing list. If any members are experiencing any financial difficulties, please contact the treasurer directly, and a plan will be put in place. As per last year’s audit, (sept), JT will again, have this year’s audit at the same time, and then it will revert to April/May for 2022.

Website:

All members will have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter, if members have not received one, then please contact him or JT. All submissions to the website for potential new members will now go to JT directly, and not the Association email, so he can deal with them as they come in. The website has experienced some problems, but those behind the scenes are working hard to rectify this, but this should not impact the members login and use of the site, and we urge all members to at least log on and look. If any members want any details added to photos within the gallery, then please contact Kevin and he will add them for you. It is there for you, please use it!

AOB:

Committee Vacancy:

Due to family and other commitments, the committee are looking for someone to replace Trish as the website administrator, Trish, along with Kevin Potter will be able to carry out an extensive hand-over of the site once we have a replacement. This position will be continuously advertised.

Social Media:

Following on from the previous minutes regarding non-association posts on the members Facebook page, can the Chair please reiterate that all posts are subject to approval, we do not want any information to be missed. Also, that any Association business should not be discussed outside of the Association, especially non-association social media groups. Can members please not copy and paste any shop items on non-association social media groups. The shop is for the benefit of the membership. If a non-member wishes to purchase anything from the shop, please direct them to JT in the first instance. The Chair would also like to reiterate members conduct on social media as per page 15 of the Association Constitution & Rules.

AGM & Reunion 2022:

The committee will discuss this throughout 2021, the membership will be kept informed throughout. The invites will be sent out via Facebook Events to those members that are using that platform, and emails will be sent out to those members not using social media. More details will be sent out in Jan 22. The committee have asked Hargreaves to design an Anniversary Logo, which we now have (we have two which may be slightly altered due to the current and ongoing situation), and JT is going to add this to the portfolio. This is now available – and will last 12 months. After which, the ‘Anniversary’ part of the logo will be dropped, and that logo will then join the portfolio.

The plan (to be discussed and confirmed) is to have the rescheduled Anniversary Weekend, keeping the same format at Melton Mowbray, the weekend of 30^th April – 01^st May 2022. The Committee will stay in post until then, and those that were agreed to carry out reunion specific tasks (blackthorn etc) will also remain as agreed.

The committee are still looking for ideas for some form of memento to commemorate the anniversary that would not break the bank. Any ideas, please forward to the committee for discussion.

Cenotaph 2021:

The RBL have been in contact and the Treasurer has submitted a bid for 40 tickets, however, we may not get this, but if you wish to attend, inform JT asap.

Unofficial Reunion/Catch-up:

The dates for the unofficial weekend will be September 4^th/ 5^th, it will be held at the RBL Alrewas (timings to be confirmed) with a BBQ (payable on day) and just a good old fashioned catch-up, there will be no association business conducted including shop goods, so please do not ask as sometimes the answer may offend! There will be a wreath laying at our memorial, along with the RAFP and RAVC memorials, it has also been agreed by the committee that a bugler will be in attendance for this. JT will order the wreaths. (3x red & 1x purple). For hotel details, the cheapest is the Premier Inn Burton on Trent, Central hotel, Wellington Road DE14 2WD.

Roll of Honour/Book of Remembrance:

An Association Book of Remembrance has now been purchased, it was discussed as to when it should be started from, naturally, those names on the memorial stone will be the first to be added, so, with consultation with Mr Stuart Walker, a timeline is required to be discussed. Once the timeline has been confirmed and all are content, Mr Andy Brown will collate the names and regiments (possibly year) (numbers, ranks and specific dates) will not be added as there will be scope for this information to be incorrect and will be difficult to change once entered.

Kilkeel Dedication:

There will be a dedication parade for the addition of a memorial plaque for Cpl Brian Brown QGM in Kilkeel (dates & timings tbc). If anyone is interested in parading, then could they please let either Mally or JT know.

Proposed Donation:

Mr Phil Cook proposed that a donation be made to Mr Michael McGeouch for his ongoing charity work. As there was only 3 committee members present, it could not be voted on, and will be carried out as soon as possible. The treasurer would like to reiterate that the funds are quite low, so please be mindful of any donation proposals.

Diary Dates:

Kilkeel Dedication – Dates TBC

Unofficial Weekend – 4^th / 5^th Sept 21

Cenotaph – 14^th November 2021 -TBC

AGM & Reunion 2022 – Weekend of 30^th April / 01^st May 2022

With no further business, the meeting finished at 20:30 hours.

The next meeting will take place prior to the ‘unofficial reunion weekend’

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin), T Clegg (website admin).

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), F Lowe (Welfare) and A Brown (Events/General).

The previous minutes were read to all and agreed that they were a true and accurate record. There were no action points from the minutes.

The Chair briefly spoke about the ongoing situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the members and their families at this present time. The ‘unofficial weekend’ in September is gathering pace and it is nice to see the interest from the members. As for the 2021 Cenotaph, it is hoped that this will take place, albeit, on a smaller scale, we will wait and see what happens throughout the year. If any members are experiencing any mental health issues, please reach out to the membership or contact Mr Frank Lowe (Association welfare Officer).

The Vice will continue to carry out legacy work, his email address is now the following: larryjenkins2@icloud.com

Membership is sitting at 195, although the membership number tallies 203, there are a number of ‘retired numbers’ of those members that have passed and their number will not be re-issued. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if you are able to, if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds

The shop has been steady, however is running low on a few of the more popular items, once the funds are in a better place, JT will source and replenish these items. Those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699. JT is still awaiting word back from Hargreaves regarding the anniversary logo, this will hopefully be this week. JT is planning a clothing order in July, so watch this space.

JT has been informed by the Nationwide Building Society that all the Trustee Treasurer Accounts will be closing, to that end, he has been advised to open an online business account. He is looking into this, as it may present problems for those members that send cheques etc. He will explore other banks to see if there are any other options available. He will keep everyone updated. Payments are still being taken in the usual way. This year’s subscriptions are now due however, the treasurer does not want to be chasing members at the latter stage of this year. If any members are experiencing any financial difficulties, please contact the treasurer directly, and a plan will be put in place. As per last year’s audit, (sept), JT will again, have this year’s audit at the same time, and then it will revert to April/May for 2022.

The committee will discuss this throughout 2021, the membership will be kept informed throughout. The invites will be sent out via Facebook Events to those members that are using that platform, and emails will be sent out to those members not using social media. More details will be sent out in Jan 22. The committee have asked Hargreaves to design an Anniversary Logo, which we now have (we have two which will be slightly altered due to the current and ongoing situation), and JT is awaiting to add this to the portfolio. This will be available one JT receives the logos for the portfolio – and will last 24 months. After which, the ‘Anniversary’ part of the logo will be dropped, and that logo will then join the portfolio.

The committee are still looking for ideas for some form of memento to commemorate the anniversary that would not break the bank. Any ideas, please forward to the committee for discussion.

As per the Chairs brief, we will await any confirmation from the RBL, and the members will be informed as soon as JT receives any correspondence.

There will be a dedication parade for the addition of a memorial plaque for Cpl Brian Brown QGM in Kilkeel in May (dates & timings tbc). If anyone is interested in parading, then could they please let either Mally or JT know.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin), T Clegg (website admin) and A Brown (Events/General).

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), F Lowe (Welfare).

The only outstanding action was the postponement of this year’s AGM & Reunion, Both Soldier magazine and the Legion Magazine have been informed of the changes.

The Chair spoke about the ongoing situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the members and their families at this present time. We will be keeping an eye on July, as this will be a huge month for England, to see how normality turns out. If, all is good, then the committee have discussed an option for an ‘unofficial weekend’ in September. As for the 2021 Cenotaph, it is hoped that this will take place, albeit, on a smaller scale, we will wait and see what happens throughout the year. If any members are experiencing any mental health issues, please reach out to the membership or contact Mr Frank Lowe (Association welfare Officer).

The Vice will continue to carry out legacy work, his email address is now the following: larryjenkins2@icloud.com

Membership is sitting at 194, although the membership number tallies 202, there are a number of ‘retired numbers’ of those members that have passed and their number will not be re-issued. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if you are able to, if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds

JT has been informed by the Nationwide Building Society that all the Trustee Treasurer Accounts will be closing, to that end, he has been advised to open an online business account. He is looking into this, as it may present problems for those members that send cheques etc. He will explore other banks to see if there are any other options available. He will keep everyone updated. Payments are still being taken in the usual way. This year’s subscriptions are payable at any time, with no cut-off planned, as in recent years, however, the treasurer does not want to be chasing members at the latter stage of this year. If any members are experiencing any financial difficulties, please contact the treasurer directly, and a plan will be put in place. As per last year’s audit, (sept), JT will again, have this year’s audit at the same time, and then it will revert to April/May for 2022.

JT raised the idea of the association having its own zoom account, this will make life easier for committee meetings and for new committee members – meaning they will not have to have their own account to join a meeting. JT will investigate pricings and get back to the committee in due course. (ongoing- March 21).

The committee will discuss this throughout 2021, the membership will be kept informed throughout. The invites will be sent out via Facebook Events to those members that are using that platform, and emails will be sent out to those members not using social media. More details will be sent out in Jan 22. The committee have asked Hargreaves to design an Anniversary Logo, which we now have (we have two which will be slightly altered due to the current and ongoing situation), and JT is awaiting to add this to the portfolio. This will be available from January 21 – and will last 24 months. After which, the ‘Anniversary’ part of the logo will be dropped, and that logo will then join the portfolio.

The committee are still looking for ideas for some form of memento to commemorate the anniversary that would not break the bank. Any ideas, please forward to the committee for discussion.

As per the Chairs brief, we will await any confirmation from the RBL, and the members will be informed as soon as JT receives any correspondence.

It was suggested that due to the reunion weekend being cancelled, if things were to improve across the UK, would it be viable to hold an impromptu get together at Burton in September? As previously mentioned by the Chair, July will be watched carefully, as this is when we are supposed to be back to some sort of normality. If July goes well, and the UK does not go back into lockdown or tiers, then a weekend in September will be on the cards. No politics, just a good old-fashioned catch up with the possibility of a BBQ – we can collect money for this on the day, and a wreath laying at the memorial on the Sunday.

JT was asked if there was a possibility of the association procuring the above, this was initially taken on by Mr Stuart Walker a while ago. Mr Andy Brown has offered to carry out some research to procure such a book that is fitting for our fallen and passed handlers. This was agreed by the committee; however, Andy is to liaise with Stuart to fact find and source a book.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair) and J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin) and T Clegg (website admin).

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), F Lowe (Welfare), and A Brown (Events/General).

The only outstanding action was the points raised by Mr Steve Yates. There had been no dialogue from members since the last minutes were posted. This was noted and this discussion will go forward to the AGM in May 2022

The Chair spoke about the ongoing situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the members and their families at this present time. The upcoming AGM & Reunion was discussed, and the committee have had no choice but to cancel this year’s Reunion Weekend. The plan (to be discussed and confirmed) is to have the rescheduled Anniversary Weekend, keeping the same format at Melton Mowbray, the weekend of 30^th April – 01^st May 2022. The Committee will stay in post until then, and those that were agreed to carry out reunion specific tasks (blackthorn etc) will also remain as agreed. As for the 2021 Cenotaph, it is hoped that this will take place, albeit, on a smaller scale, we will wait and see what happens throughout the year. If any members are experiencing any mental health issues, please reach out to the membership or contact Mr Frank Lowe (Association welfare Officer).

The Vice will continue to carry out legacy work, his email address is now the following: larryjenkins2@icloud.com

JT has taken stock of new shop items; namely key rings, they are on the website shop page and are now available to purchase. those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699.

JT has been informed by the Nationwide Building Society that all the Trustee Treasurer Accounts will be closing in the next 12 months, to that end, he has been advised to open an online business account. He is looking into this, as it may present problems for those members that send cheques etc. He will explore other banks to see if there are any other options available. He will keep everyone updated. Payments are still being taken in the usual way. This year’s subscriptions are payable at any time, with no cut-off planned, as in recent years, however, the treasurer does not want to be chasing members at the latter stage of this year. If any members are experiencing any financial difficulties, please contact the treasurer directly, and a plan will be put in place.

The committee will discuss this throughout 2021, the membership will be kept informed throughout. The invites will be sent out via Facebook Events to those members that are using that platform, and emails will be sent out to those members not using social media. More details will be sent out in Jan 22. The committee have asked Hargreaves to design an Anniversary Logo, which we now have (we have two which will be slightly altered due to the current and ongoing situation), and JT is awaiting to add this to the portfolio. This will be available from January 21 – and will last 24 months. After which, the ‘Anniversary’ part of the logo will be dropped, and that logo will then join the portfolio.

The committee are still looking for ideas for some form of memento that would not break the bank, and all would be happy to receive to commemorate the occasion. Any ideas, please forward to the committee for discussion.

As per the Chairs brief, we will await any confirmation from the RBL, and the members will be informed as soon as JT receives any correspondence.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair) and J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin)

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), F Lowe (Welfare), T Clegg (website admin), and A Brown (Events/General).

The Chair briefly spoke about the ongoing situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the members and their families at this present time. He would like to welcome Mr Michael Porter and Mr Michael Dwight to the Association. There had been some discussion on social media regarding a contingency plan for the AGM. At this present moment in time, the committee are not able to make such a plan as we do not know what the position of the country will be in, come next year.

The Vice will continue to carry out legacy work, his email address is now the following: larryjenkins2@icloud.com

JT would like to reiterate that the purple wreaths that are ordered by members will be a standard wreath, if they wish to have extra items added i.e. rope lead / hessian then you must state this and be prepared to pay extra if this is the case. The standard wreaths for the NMA and AAW will have rope lead and hessian on.

All members will have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter, if members have not received one, then please contact him or JT. All submissions to the website for potential new members will now go to JT directly, and not the Association email, so he can deal with them as they come in. The website is running smoothly, and we urge all members to at least log on and look. If any members want any details added to photos within the gallery, then please contact Kevin and he will add them for you. It is there for you, please use it!

There are no more details regarding this, the invites have been sent out via Facebook Events to those members that are using that platform, and emails have been sent out to those members not using social media. More details will be sent out in the new year. The committee have asked Hargreaves to design an Anniversary Logo, which we now have. This will be available from January and will last 12 months. After which, the ‘Anniversary’ part of the logo will be dropped, and that logo will then join the portfolio.

Although the parade was cancelled, the treasurer had put a video onto the association Facebook page that was taken by the AAW of Mr Duncan Macintosh laying the purple wreath and Guardians poem at the AAW Memorial.

The Committee would like to wish all the members and families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and hopefully, things might be back to normal come May. The committee will now break until the end of January.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin), T Clegg (website admin), A Brown (Events/General) and S Yates (NMA Liaison)

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), F Lowe (Welfare)

There were two outstanding discussions, which were the plans for the 2021 AGM & Reunion and the proposed NMA changes – Mr Steve Yates was invited to talk about the NMA proposals, everything else was passed as a true and accurate record

The committee raised their concerns about the breeds of dog that have been proposed, however through discussion agreed that the two breeds should be the GSD and Labrador. The committee also voiced their concerns over the proposed prices, Steve explained about the costings and gave the committee ideas over raising the funds to pay for this, this will be done over time and will not be imminent. The committee also raised the idea of a Unit history plaque placed at the memorial, so that visitors would understand the history of the memorial, this was received well and will be investigated. As to the 20yr perpetuity maintenance plan, this will be investigated further down the line, as the association is slowly growing, and the funds are available for annual payments. Steve then sent the committee members a link to view the proposed sculpturers work. The proposal of the sculptures will be down to the membership at the next AGM. If members could email their responses to this, to the association email address

The Chair briefly spoke about the ongoing situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the members and their families at this present time. He would like to welcome Mr Stephen Wrigley to the Association.

The Vice will continue to carry out legacy work, his email will be changing shortly, so therefore will not be collating any information until we have confirmation of his email change. He also added ideas to the NMA Sculpture discussion on behalf of Mr John Corbin.

Membership is sitting at 193, although the membership number tallies 200, there are a number of ‘retired numbers’ of those members that have passed and their number will not be re-issued. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if you are able to, if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds.

JT has taken stock of a limited number of ‘Association style’ reusable facemasks, they will be on a ‘first come first serve’ basis and they will be priced at £10.

JT has now ordered all the wreaths for November. For those members that want to purchase a purple wreath, can they contact Mrs Iris Thompson-Burton directly. They will be responsible for paying themselves. The Association will supply the ADU NI centre piece for these wreaths.

All members will have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter, if members have not received one, then please contact him or JT. All submissions to the website for potential new members will now go to JT directly, and not the Association email, so he can deal with them as they come in. The website is running smoothly, and we urge all members to at least log on and look. If any members want any details added to photos within the gallery, then please contact Kevin and he will add them for you. It is there for you, please use it!

The committee received an idea to boost attendance for next years reunion/AGM in the form of a commissioned 10yr malt, due to cost and the fact that every member would be entitled to receive this, we thought that this would be far too expensive, however the idea hasn’t been totally ruled out, we would welcome ideas for some form of memento that wouldn’t break the bank that all would be happy to receive to commemorate the occasion.

As you will now know, the Cenotaph has been cancelled. Mr Duncan Macintosh has kindly volunteered to lay our AAW Purple Wreath and Guardians Poem at the AAW Memorial. There will be a representative at the AAW Memorial to take pictures of this, which will be great exposure for the Association.

Due to the Statement and Breakdown of the Accounts not being able to copy and paste, please contact the treasurer, who will send you both copies via email

THE ARMY DOG UNIT NORTHERN IRELAND (RAVC) ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Sunday 13th September via Zoom
Mr Casey called the meeting to order and welcomed all Committee members to the AGM 20.
The meeting conducted a 1-minute silence in memory of fallen comrades
Meeting commenced: 19.15hrs
Present: Steve Casey (Chair), Larry Jenkins (Vice Chair), John Tucker (Treasurer/Shop), Trish
Clegg (Website) and Andy Brown (Events/General).
Apologies: Frank Lowe (Welfare) and Mike Newton (Secretary)
1: Minutes of previous AGM – were emailed to remind all members & were passed as a true
and accurate record
Proposed by Mr L Jenkins
Second by Mr A Brown
All agreed: Carried
2: Matters arising from last AGM – Nil
3. Chair’s Report – See attached Ref (1)
There was a Vote of Thanks to the following:
Black Thorn – John Hilson
Wreath Provider – Mrs Iris Thompson-Burton
Memorial Service Officiant – Mr Stuart Walker
Mr Kevin Potter for the continued generous contribution in hosting the Association Website and
providing upgrades & any advice
Mr Frank Lowe for organising bar & mess facilities after the cenotaph parade & continued
support for the ongoing Justice for Veterans NI campaign, following thanks for members who
paraded in support of this.
A welcome was made to new Association members
The final thanks went to all members both old & new in supporting the Association.
4: Secretary’s Report: – See attached Ref (2)
5. Treasurers & Shop Managers report: See attached Ref (3a & 3b)
The Treasurer had circulated a copy of this year’s accounts to Committee, no questions were
raised by them.
Accounts were passed as true and accurate record
Proposed by Mrs T Clegg
Second by Mr S Casey
All agreed: Carried
Shop Managers report (Ref 4)
6. Due to there being no movement within the Committee, there was no officiating required.
Post Nominations Nominated Second by
Chair: Mr Steve Casey Stay in Post
Vice Chair: Mr Larry Jenkins Stay in Post
Secretary: Mr Mike Newton Stay in Post
Events/General: Mr Andy Brown Stay in Post
Treasurer: Mr John Tucker Stay in Post
Website Admin: Ms Trish Clegg Stay in Post
Shop Manger: Mr John Tucker Stay in Post
Welfare Officer: Mr Frank Lowe Stay in Post
Custodians of the Standard UK/NI: Mr Phil Robinson Mr John Tucker Mr Alan
McMillan
To remain Secondary signature on accounts: Mr Dougie Durrant, Ms Trish Clegg
7. Events:
Due to no Official Memorial Service taking place, there was no brief given
Names to the Treasurer for Cenotaph via Website or FB please, Due to the pandemic, Mr
Duncan Macintosh will deputise and was thanked by all members of the Committee
Mr J Tucker as Blackthorn for 2021 – Mr J Tucker proposed Ms Yvonne Hawken for
Blackthorn 2022 – To go forward to next AGM
8. AOB:
Mr S Yates (Ref 5) – Legacy Proposals
Ms T Clegg (Ref 6) – Overview of 2021 AGM
9. Dates for diary’s:
Cenotaph: Sunday 8th November 2020
Date & time of next AGM – Saturday 1st May 2021 Royal British Legion Melton Mowbray
The Chair thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at: 20.55
Chair Elected May: …S Casey………………………………….
Secretary: …M Newton. (not present)……….…………………………….
Minute Secretary for AGM: …J Tucker……………

Report of the Chair: Steve Casey
Army Dog Unit NI (RAVC) Association
Well, this last year has been a real rollercoaster for the association since the last AGM.
The last AGM was a great event, enjoyed by the members who attended, culminating with a
parade at the NMA on the Sunday, honouring our fallen, and remembering members who had
departed since the unit closed down, with wreaths being laid at 2 memorials at NMA, and at the
Cenotaph in London.
Since the last AGM, sadly we have lost a few members who we served with, and some we were
not honoured to have served with, but were members of this fantastic Association, and we feel
the loss.
The membership has increased, and we will hopefully move forward into another year, increasing
in size, and working towards the Associations tenth Anniversary AGM and parade to be held at
Melton Mowbray in May next year.
With the onset of COVID, we had to adhere to strict guidelines issued by the Government, and
after deliberation, it was necessary to move the AGM and parade until later this year, sadly as the
guidelines changed it became apparent that sadly, any chance of the association meeting was not
going to be allowed, so sadly the committee made the decision to reluctantly cancel the event, to
allow members to cancel travel and accommodation arrangements.
I look forward to my next year in office, and will assure the members that we will be working
away behind the scenes to prepare for the next AGM, 10th anniversary parade, facilitating shop
sales, providing support to members where we can, and striving to move forward as government
regulations will allow.
Regards
Steve Casey, Chair.
13th September 2020

THE ARMY DOG UNIT NI ASSOCIATION
SECRETARY’S REPORT 19-20
All members
This has been an incredibly strange year for us all with the current situation and the everchanging guidelines.
Personally, I want to thank the other members of the committee for their tireless efforts in
trying to organise our annual reunion not once but twice this year. Unfortunately, the hard but
correct choice was made to cancel, as people’s health must come first.
Onwards to next year then and back to place where we all started our careers working with our
beloved four leg companions.
The membership has had a steady increase during the lockdown period and hopefully this
continues in the coming years.
Unfortunately, though we have had several members pass, these brothers will be remembered
by us that carry on representing the Association and the Red Paw.
Mike

THE ARMY DOG UNIT NI (RAVC) ASSOCIATION
TREASURERS AND SHOP REPORT 2019-20
It has been a busy year with a lot of spending carried out. The NMA Memorial has been upgraded
to a more befitting standard and is looking magnificent (Thanks Steve Yates!).
There has been a significant surge in Shop Stock with new logos added to the portfolio and several
new items now in stock and on sale. The shop page is working well and is quite easy to navigate
once the members get on to the website.
Regarding Shop sales to non-Association members, as implemented by Mr D Durrant when he was
the Chair, the sale of items to non-Association members is not be done, only Red Paw beret
badges are allowed to be sold if the person(s) can verify having served with the unit.
Although, we have a fixed price list for certain clothing items, the prices may change depending on
the item that has been ordered, Hoodies/Zoodies being a prime example – they are priced at £26,
this is for a normal standard item, some of these go up to £70, so please check thoroughly and
don’t be offended when I come back to you and tell you that your ordered item is considerably
more expensive.
Postage – There have been cases of members ordering large quantities of items, from now on, if
this is the case, an additional postage charge will be worked out and implemented into the final
bill, as for International posted items – a surcharge will be added – If not sure – please speak to
me before you order.
I would like to thank the membership for their continued support and those members that
donated their Reunion ticket money to the Association Funds – It is really appreciated.
Thank you all

AGM PROPOSAL
Mr S Yates
I have 2 proposals for our legacy.
1. The NMA’s perpetuity maintenance agreements are based on costing the work over a 20yr
period, however once agreed the NMA will take on the maintenance for the life of the memorial.
They can include the memorial on the NMA insurance if required and they can tailor the
maintenance to our requirements, as with an annual agreement. An in-perpetuity agreement
based on the current annual agreement with a single annual bench clean would be £4980.96
upfront cost.
The Committee discussed this and agreed in whole, that this would not be financially viable as
this present moment in time, also that this avenue would not be required for the foreseeable
future due to the steady expansion of the Association, membership and funds. So, the
decision made was that the Treasurer will continue to pay the NMA on an Annual basis when
invoiced.
2. Alteration additional statue(s) Life size German Shepard and Labrador Dog in the sitting
position in-black polished Granite Stone. Placed either left side/Right side to rear of the stone
mounted on a 30mm Slate plinth matching surround. The costs in the region of £3,300 plus
VAT per Dog, Total Cost (Inclusive of VAT) is £7920 approx. This quotation has been provided
by NMA’s stonemason and recently carried out the renovation to our Memorial Stone.
When I had my recent meeting with Paul Johnson my contact at the NMA we discussed both
above proposals. He came back re the perpetuity Maintenance Agreement pricing and how it
would work.
He then went onto add;
That he had spoken to Andy Ansell the Estates manager with regards to my proposal of
adding the two life size dogs to the memorial and he very much approves (particularly the
Labrador!), however an addition of this nature will need to be passed across the Landscape
and Memorials Committee. Prior to this Andy Ansell will wish to communicate with yourselves
to ensure that the application has the best chance of being passed. (Nick the Stonemason
would work with the NMA in providing the technicalities in these alterations). So that it would
have the best chance of getting through the Landscape and Memorials Committee.
The Committee discussed this in length, and it was agreed by all, that the breeds above
mentioned would be not be to the satisfaction of the membership, therefore it would be
difficult to get all to agree, as all members had used various other breeds whilst deployed with
ADU. There was a concern that the pricing was relatively inexpensive, and would like to
investigate further as to the quality and workmanship of this particular Stonemason.
Funding I’ve a few ideas re this but I suggest the membership have their say at the AGM and
provide input regarding this.
Following on, it was agreed by the Committee, that they would invite Mr S Yates to the next
committee meeting, so that he could explain in detail his proposed plans.

ADU NI RAVC ASSOCIATION REUNION 2021
As it was agreed at the previous ADU NI RAVC AGM, I have investigated our Association holding next
year’s AGM at Melton Mowbray & as you are all aware this will be the 10th Anniversary of the reformed
Association so I feel should be made special event to celebrate !
Please Note & Because of COVID-19 I have gone ahead & booked the RBL in Melton Mowbray, as
timeline on this has shortened!
Proposal:
My plan to put forward is:
Service:
The memorial service will be conducted at the memorial stones (original stones from ADU NI RAVC HQ)
which were placed after the ADU closed in 2007 at 103 HQ & SP 1MWD REGT, St Georges Bks, Nth
Luffenham at 1pm on Sat 1st May.
Please note: My reason for this time, from Melton to Luffenham is 18 Miles Approx. journey by car and
onto a military unit, I feel strongly that driving that distance after our reunion would not be in the best
interest or safety of our members, the A606 is notorious for its accidents.
We will invite our Padre, Stuart Walker to conduct our memorial service as in previous years.
We will invite & give a donation to our Buglers to attend.
We will invite RAVC Assoc & RAF Police dog handlers with relevant standards.
The ADU NI RAVC Assoc standard will be in attendance.
Dress will be suit, Assoc tie & pin, medals, berets and leads or No2 dress uniform if serving, Ladies smart
dress, skirt, or trousers, Assoc pin, medals, beret.
All the committee agreed with this proposal, the finer details of the parade will come out in due course,
this will include the Handover of the Blackthorn, as the parade will take place before the AGM. Please
note, there is at least 7 months for members to make plans, this is more than enough time!
AGM:
Will be held at RBL Melton Mowbray on Sat 1st May between 3-3.15pm
The etiquette for the AGM will be put forward & members reminded.
Dress will be as per the parade, minus headdress, medals and leads, members will have time to change
(no jeans)
The agenda format will still be the same, any propositions will have to be submitted 28 days prior,
Voting will take place for committee posts. An RBL official will be required & invited.
The Assoc shop will be set up from 4.30pm/ finish of AGM for an hour. (Committee Members to assist)
ADU NI RAVC ASSOCIATION REUNION 2021
All members will have time to sort themselves out before the AGM starts, if partners are present, they
can book into the hotels on behalf of their respective couples if needed to do so. The bar will not be
open during the AGM, as proper etiquette will be observed. The Chair may allow the floor to relax their
dress. There will no toasts at the AGM, these will be carried out at the dinner, although a one-minute
silence will be held.
AGM Dinner:
7.15pm for 7.30pm
The format will run as regimental dinner theme (will be explained nearer the time & at meeting)
A token to mark the 10th anniversary will be presented by the Chairman as all members and guest enter
the venue. (Token to be decided)
There will be a seating plan for the Top Table, once Top Table seated, the membership and guests may
choose their own seating.
I am investigating the menu, of 3 courses with white & red wine at the tables.
Port will be placed & used for all toasts
Members will have time to go back to their respective hotels and change/freshen up. As per the AGM
and Parade, the dress code will be the same, except for leads, headdress, and medals. Please note
anyone wearing jeans will be asked to change accordingly. There will be a strict etiquette regime
implemented throughout, although, the Chair may allow all to relax somewhat. There will be comfort
breaks provided throughout, and as per the AGM, the bar will not be open. As there will be guests
present, it is the wish of the Committee that all members and their guests conduct themselves
accordingly.
It was proposed by Ms. T Clegg that the sum of £200 is to be donated to 103 HQ & SP 1MWD REGT to go
towards a Memorial Wall that will be built in the future.
This was Seconded by Mr. J Tucker (Treasurer) – Carried

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin) and T Clegg (website admin)

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), F Lowe (Welfare) and A Brown (Events/General)

Nothing was required to be actioned and the minutes were passed as a true and accurate record

The Chair briefly spoke about the ongoing situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the membership and hope that all are well in this current situation. The reunion is still on track for the weekend of the 26^th/27^th September, with much of the planning complete. The Chair, on behalf of the Association also passed his condolences to the families of Gordon Shade, Robin Hoskins and Davie Tate who have sadly passed away recently. He would also like to welcome Barry Hudson to the Association.

The Vice passed details on regarding Association Legacy and would like to again remind all members to contact him with their thoughts/ideas. He would prefer this not to be on an open forum at this minute despite the debate that was held on a non-association social media page. His email is as follows: larryjrosyth@aol.com . This will be discussed again at the AGM.

There might be a possibility that Andy may not be able to attend this year’s Cenotaph, if this is the case, the leads will be passed to another member prior to this.

Membership is sitting at 191, although the membership number tallies 199, there are a number of ‘retired numbers’ of those members that have passed and their number will not be re-issued. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if you are able to, if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds. Can those members that are still required to pay their subs please do so before the summer break. If there are any members struggling because of the current situation, please speak to JT direct. Those members that have not paid for their reunion tickets will be asked to do so at the reunion prior to the AGM. (JT has a list)

JT has taken stock of new shop items; they are on the website shop page and are now available to purchase. The Guardian Plaques are now available again now that the supplier has reopened. There are also two new logos, that have been added to the association Portfolio, these logos will also be available in Car Window sticker form. For those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699.

JT would like to remind all that there has been a slight price increase in two items within the clothing range, the Cool Plus polo shirts will now be £22, and the Cotton equivalent will be £17. Hargreaves are now operating again, so JT is now taking clothing orders, please use the information on the website shop page and contact JT with your order. JT will talk in detail about changes that will be coming at the AGM.

JT has now more mugs in stock. ‘Snapper’ style and a limited number of Brigade Wagtail and Groundhog designs, (5 of each totalling 30), the designs have been taken from the association portfolio. He also has 30 Thermal mugs – 15 Silver and 15 white which are available for purchase via the website. JT has now taken stock of 50 ‘Association style’ reusable facemasks, they will be on a ‘first come first serve’ basis at the reunion, they will be priced at £10, Priority will be for those at the reunion, any left over will then go out for general sale to the rest of the membership.

JT is awaiting the RBL warehouse reopening, so that he can purchase wreaths for November. For those members that want to purchase a purple wreath, can they contact Mrs Iris Thompson-Burton directly. They will be responsible for paying themselves. The Association will supply the ADU NI centre piece for these wreaths.

All members will have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter, if members have not received one, then please contact him or JT. All submissions to the website for potential new members will now go to JT directly, and not the Association email, so he can deal with them as they come in. The website is running smoothly, and we urge all members to at least log on and look. If any members want any details added to photos within the gallery, then please contact Kevin and he will add them for you. It is there for you, please use it!

Invitations have been sent out to all via Facebook Events. for those not on Facebook, those members will be emailed accordingly. The AGM will be Saturday 26th September and will be held at 3.30pm in the RBL. The reasoning for the change is that the conference room is now being used for storage, we have been offered the breakfast area, but feel it is not appropriate to discuss association business in front of other hotel guests. Breakfast at the hotel is in the form of a grab bag, however, the Toby down the road does a breakfast service as does MacDonald’s if members want to use that instead, also the RBL will do breakfast also, it just needs prior notice. The Memorial Service will be Sunday 27^th September (timings to be confirmed) at the NMA. JT has spoken to Alrewas RBL and they are happy to accommodate us, as they have measures in place. All planning is complete, we still require a small number of auction items. The agendas will be sent to all within the guidelines of the Constitution and Rules. Once this is done, any queries that members want to put forward to the committee, can then be done. On a final note, AGM etiquette will be implemented this year, all will be explained at the beginning of the AGM, so there is no free for all, and a measure of discipline is upheld. The stick this year will be Mr John Hilson, who has kindly volunteered to take the parade, due to the original recipient not being able to participate due to the ongoing situation.

JT has been in contact in August/Sept with the Manageress of Alrewas RBL to finalise details for the reunion, as the committee are now better placed to make decisions. All is finalised, numbers are complete. The catering will be in the form of a BBQ, as social distancing will be easier, although, as the alcohol increases, I am sure the distances will become decrease, we are all adults and will deal with it.

The NMA has strict protocols and guidelines for parades/events. You would have seen (those on fb) the criteria they have posed. It has made life difficult, but not impossible, so if JT asks for extra details, please bear with him, as the planning must be meticulous. JT will brief all members at the AGM and distribute car passes for all vehicles.

Planning for the 2021 AGM & Reunion at Melton Mowbray has also taken place, this venue has been chosen as it will be the reformed Associations 10th Anniversary. The dates are Saturday 1^st May-Sunday 2^nd May 2021. Locations are being looked at for the AGM and Reunion, and a suitable location for the Memorial Service – all to be confirmed. As it is an anniversary, the committee are looking towards more of a formal regimental style dinner, with the option of dressing down for the evening’s entertainment, at the moment, it is an option, but the committee will engage with the membership at the next AGM to thrash out the finer details, so that we can confirm and book everything that is required for the 2021 AGM. Trish has now received details and will brief all members at the AGM.

JT is still awaiting confirmation of the parade. The association is registered. We can expect a very downscaled attendance this year, so it is a wait out now. Mr Duncan Macintosh has kindly volunteered to lead our contingent as the original recipient is unable to attend. Hopefully, things will be back to normal for next year. JT will also email the Animals at War (AAW) organiser and send them a copy of the Guardians as this is being incorporated within this years’ service. A copy of the Guardians will also be present and read and left with our wreath as we do at our Annual Memorial Service.

28^th June 2020

The meeting was opened at 18:35 hours.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin) and A Brown (Events/General)

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary), T Clegg (website admin) and F Lowe (Welfare).

Previous Minutes:

Nothing was required to be actioned and the minutes were passed as a true and accurate record

Chair:

The Chair briefly spoke about the current situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the membership and hope that all are well in this current situation. The reunion is still on track for the weekend of the 26^th/27^th September; however, the committee will keep an eye on the advice which is now changing daily from the government. It is an individual decision for each member to decide if they still want to attend the reunion (those that are down to attend). The Chair would like to thank Mr Stephen Yates for his continued liaison work with the NMA. He would also like to welcome Glen McCartney to the Association.

Vice:

Secretary:

Nothing to add.

Events/General:

If the reunion goes ahead in September, Andy will be able to attend, so there will be no problem with the leads, if there is a problem then he will put a shout out for assistance. There might be a possibility that Andy may not be able to attend the Cenotaph, if this is the case, the leads will be passed to another member prior to this.

Treasurer / Shop:

Membership is sitting at 190, although the membership number tallies 197, there are a number of ‘retired numbers’ of those members that have passed and their number will not be re-issued. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if you are able to, if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds. Can those members that are still required to pay their subs please do so before the summer break. If there are any members struggling because of the current situation, please speak to JT direct. There is no requirement as this stage to pay for any reunion tickets.

Shop Stock:

JT has taken stock of some new shop items; they are on the website shop page and are now available to purchase. The Guardian Plaques are now available again now that the supplier has reopened. There are also two new logos, that have been added to the association Portfolio, these logos will also be available in Car Window sticker form. For those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699.

JT spoke about purchasing more mugs, he is awaiting another 10 of the ‘Snapper’ style and a limited number of Brigade Wagtail and Groundhog designs, ( 5 of each totalling 30), the designs will be taken from the association portfolio. There will also be 30 Thermal mugs – 15 Silver and 15 white available shortly.

Association funds (as at 28/06/20) £3,236.56.

Website:

All members will have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter, if members have not received one, then please contact him or JT. All submissions to the website for potential new members will now go to JT directly, and not the Association email, so he can deal with them as they come in. The website is running smoothly, and we urge all members to at least log on and look. If any members want any details added to photos within the gallery, then please contact Kevin and he will add them for you. It is there for you, please use it!

AOB:

Committee Vacancy:

Social Media:

AGM & Reunion 2020:

Hopefully, all members that had booked accommodation for the reunion have now rescheduled or cancelled with the minimum of fuss, although we know some members had difficulties with getting through, price changes etc. This should all now be sorted. JT has rebooked the RBL, NMA and buglers and the conference room. Everything is in place; it is just a waiting game now. There is no requirement for any members to pay for tickets at this stage. JT will give members a reminder, if the reunion is to go ahead, if not, then those that have paid can be either reimbursed or their payments carry over to 2021. This will be the same for any members that have already paid their ticket monies and cannot attend in September. If the reunion is unable to go ahead in September, then it will be cancelled.

The committee briefly discussed the option in the event of the hotel being open in September, and the RBL being closed, the AGM can still be held in the confines of the hotel, and there is bar facilities, a bit more expensive, but at least the association can meet and get the politics out of the way. We are hoping all will be open for business, but we will continue to monitor the guidelines.

JT will be in contact in August with the Manageress of Alrewas RBL to finalise details for the reunion, as the committee will be better placed to make decisions. There will be a push for numbers from the start of August.

AGM & Reunion 2021:

Planning for the 2021 AGM & Reunion at Melton Mowbray has also taken place, this venue has been chosen as it will be the reformed Associations 10th Anniversary. The dates are Saturday 1^st May-Sunday 2^nd May 2021. Locations are being looked at for the AGM and Reunion, and a suitable location for the Memorial Service – all to be confirmed. As it is an anniversary, the committee are looking towards more of a formal regimental style dinner, with the option of dressing down for the evening’s entertainment, at the moment, it is an option, but the committee will engage with the membership at the next AGM to thrash out the finer details, so that we can confirm and book everything that is required for the 2021 AGM. This has been put on hold due to the RBL being closed.

Cenotaph 2020:

JT has received notification from the RBL that they are still planning to hold the Cenotaph parade in November subject to government guidelines of course. He has registered the association and applied for 40 tickets, so he will be now taking names. If this still goes ahead and the Reunion does not, then the Stick (Yvonne H) will be loaned one for the parade and will be presented hers at the next AGM. JT will also email the Animals at War (AAW) organiser and send them a copy of the Guardians as this is being incorporated within this years’ service. A copy of the Guardians will also be present and read and left with our wreath as we do at our Annual Memorial Service.

Diary Dates:

AGM & Reunion – Weekend of 26^th / 27^th September 2020 TBC

Kilkeel Parade – (3pm at Fire Station) TBC – Awaiting new dates

Cenotaph Parade – Sunday 8^th November 2020

With no further business, the meeting finished at 19:20 hours.

The next meeting will take place Sunday 30^th August 2020

31st May 2020

The meeting was opened at 20:05 hours.
The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop Admin), and A Brown (Events/General)
The following apologies were accepted on behalf of L Jenkins (Vice Chair), M Newton (Secretary), T Clegg (website admin) and F Lowe (Welfare).

Previous Minutes:

Nothing was required to be actioned and the minutes were passed as a true and accurate record

Chair:

The Chair briefly spoke about the current situation in the UK. He would like to convey his best to all the membership and hope that all are well in this current situation. The reunion is still on track for the weekend of the 26th/27th September; however, the committee will keep an eye on the advice which is now changing daily from the government. It is an individual decision for each member to decide if they still want to attend the reunion (those that are down to attend). He would also like to pass his condolences on behalf of the Association to Gordon Shade on the passing of his wife Pat. On a final note, he would like to welcome 17 new members to the Association.

Vice:

Secretary:

Nothing to add.

Events/General:

If the reunion goes ahead in September, Andy will be able to attend, so there will be no problem with the leads, if there is a problem then he will put a shout out for assistance.

Treasurer / Shop:

Membership is sitting at 189, although the membership number tallies 196, there are a number of ‘retired numbers’ of those members that have passed and their number will not be re-issued. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if you are able to, if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds. Can those members that are still required to pay their subs please do so before the summer break. There is still 30+ members left to pay their subs, if there are any members struggling because of the current situation, please speak to JT direct. There is no requirement as this stage to pay for any reunion tickets.

Shop Stock:

JT has taken stock of some new shop items; they are on the website shop page but will not become available yet. He also has proofs for some potential new items, again, these can be viewed on the shop page. For those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699.
JT asked the committee to consider a slight price increase in two items within the clothing range, the Cool Plus polo shirts will now be £22, and the Cotton equivalent will be £17. He has been in contact with Hargreaves and they are operating with skeleton staff, but not producing anything, but they are still taking orders for when they do reopen fully. There might have to be a price increase within the whole clothing range depending on Hargreaves raising their prices once we return to normality but will keep the members informed on his findings. JT is awaiting the final confirmation on the proofs of the two new logos, once he receives them, they will be added to the portfolio on the website and the members will be shown. He will also contact Atlantic Coast to have Car Stickers made in both logos, adding to our range. JT is hoping to have a shop order in before the end of June, again, awaiting confirmation from Hargreaves.
JT spoke about purchasing more mugs, he is looking another 10 of the ‘Snapper’ style and a limited number of Brigade Wagtail and Groundhog designs, these will be taken from the association portfolio. If anyone wants to see any different designs, please contact him.
JT is awaiting the RBL warehouse reopening, so that he can purchase wreaths for November. For those members that want to purchase a purple wreath, can they contact Mrs Iris Thompson-Burton directly. They will be responsible for paying themselves. The Association will supply the ADU NI centre piece for these wreaths.
Association funds (as at 31/05/20) £3,916.45.
JT has been informed by the Nationwide Building Society that all the Trustee Treasurer Accounts will be closing in the next 12 months, to that end, he has been advised to open an online business account. He is looking into this, as it may present problems for those members that send cheques etc. He will explore other banks to see if there are any other options available. He will keep everyone updated. Payments are still being taken in the usual way.
The Association liability insurance is due (£197.31) as is the web admin laptop (£70). This will be paid once invoices come in.

Website:

All members will have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter, if members have not received one, then please contact him or JT. All submissions to the website for potential new members will now go to JT directly, and not the Association email, so he can deal with them as they come in. The website is running smoothly, and we urge all members to at least log on and look. If any members want any details added to photos within the gallery, then please contact Kevin and he will add them for you. It is there for you, please use it!

AOB:

Committee Vacancy:
Due to family and other commitments, the committee are looking for someone to replace Trish as the website administrator, Trish, along with Kevin Potter will be able to carry out an extensive hand-over of the site once we have a replacement.

Social Media:

AGM & Reunion 2020:

Invitations have been sent out to all via Facebook Events. for those not on Facebook, those members will be emailed accordingly. The AGM will be Saturday 26th September and will be held in the conference suite at the Holiday Inn Express at Burton on Trent at 3pm and then afterwards at the RBL Alrewas. The Memorial Service will be Sunday 27th September starting at 11am at the NMA. JT has spoken to Alrewas RBL and they are hoping that they will be open to accommodate us, however we will continue to monitor government guidelines as opposed to social gatherings. All planning is complete, we still require a small number of auction items. The agendas will be sent to all within the guidelines of the Constitution and Rules. Once this is done, any queries that members want to put forward to the committee, can then be done. On a final note, AGM etiquette will be implemented this year, all will be explained at the beginning of the AGM, so there is no free for all, and a measure of discipline is upheld. Hopefully, all members that had booked accommodation for the reunion have now rescheduled or cancelled with the minimum of fuss, although we know some members had difficulties with getting through, price changes etc. This should all now be sorted. JT has rebooked the RBL, NMA and buglers and the conference room. Everything is in place; it is just a waiting game now. There is no requirement for any members to pay for tickets at this stage. JT will give members a reminder, if the reunion is to go ahead, if not, then those that have paid can be either reimbursed or their payments carry over to 2021. This will be the same for any members that have already paid their ticket monies and cannot attend in September. If the reunion is unable to go ahead in September, then it will be cancelled.
The committee briefly discussed the option in the event of the hotel being open in September, and the RBL being closed, the AGM can still be held in the confines of the hotel, and there is bar facilities, a bit more expensive, but at least the association can meet and get the politics out of the way. We are hoping all will be open for business, but we will continue to monitor the guidelines.
AGM & Reunion 2021:
Planning for the 2021 AGM & Reunion at Melton Mowbray has also taken place, this venue has been chosen as it will be the reformed Associations 10th Anniversary. The dates are Saturday 1st May-Sunday 2nd May 2021. Locations are being looked at for the AGM and Reunion, and a suitable location for the Memorial Service – all to be confirmed. As it is an anniversary, the committee are looking towards more of a formal regimental style dinner, with the option of dressing down for the evening’s entertainment, at the moment, it is an option, but the committee will engage with the membership at the next AGM to thrash out the finer details, so that we can confirm and book everything that is required for the 2021 AGM. This has been put on hold due to the current situation.

Cenotaph 2020:

Diary Dates:

AGM & Reunion – Weekend of 26th / 27th September 2020 TBC
Kilkeel Parade – TBC – Awaiting new dates
Cenotaph Parade – Sunday 8th November 2020

With no further business, the meeting finished at 20:45 hours.
The next meeting will take place Sunday 28th June 2020

19th April 2020

The meeting was opened at 20:15 hours.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins(Vice-Chair), J Tucker(Treasurer/Shop Admin), T Clegg (website admin) and A Brown(Events/General)

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of M Newton (Secretary) and F Lowe(Welfare).

Previous Minutes:

Nothing was required to be actioned and the minutes were passed as a true and accurate record

Chair:

The Chair spoke about the current situation in the UK, as we are now in the second period of lockdown. He would like to convey his best to all the membership, and hope that all are well in this current situation. The reunion is still on track for the weekend of the 26th/27thSeptember; however, the committee will keep an eye on the advice which is changing daily from the government. It is an individual decision for each member to decide if they still want to attend the reunion (those that are down to attend). Finally, he would like to welcome Jim (James) Brown to the association.

Vice:

The Vice spoke about the Association Legacy and would like to again remind all members to contact him with their thoughts/ideas. He would prefer this not to be on an open forum at this minute. His email is as follows: larryjrosyth@aol.com

Secretary:

Nothing to add.

Events/General:

Andy attended an open day with the National Military Working Dog memorial (NMWDM) and they seem to be progressing well with their project, they have offered us the opportunity to have an Association paving stone bearing our crest within the main memorial of which we will consider nearer the time.

Andy also raised the possibility of the committee using the Zoom App to conduct meetings, as it is the latest technology offering on the market and is simple to use. Himself and JT trialed this earlier and got set up, so links will be sent to all committee members via text and email.

If the reunion goes ahead in September, Andy will be able to attend, so there will be no problem with the leads, if there is a problem then he will put a shout out for assistance.

Treasurer / Shop:

Membership is sitting at 173, Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds. Can those members that are still required to pay their subs please do so at the earliest opportunity. There are still 66 members left to pay their subs, if there are any members struggling because of the current situation, please speak to JT direct. There is no requirement at this stage to pay for any reunion tickets.

Shop Stock:

JT has taken stock of some new shop items; these will become available at the Reunion. He will also have proofs for some potential new items, these will be disclosed at the AGM. For those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699.

JT asked the committee to consider a slight price increase in two items within the clothing range, the Cool Plus polo shirts will now be £22, and the Cotton equivalent will be £17. He has been in contact with Hargreaves and they are operating with a skeleton staff, but not producing anything, but they are still taking orders for when they do reopen fully. There might have to be a price increase within the whole clothing range depending on Hargreaves raising their prices once we return to normality but will keep the members informed on his findings.

Phil Robinson has now obtained a new fit for purpose standard carrying case and has been reimbursed, once the company that provides them is operating again, JT will purchase one for the NI Standard. There will be no requirement for the two holdalls, so they will be retained by JT and used for other purposes.

Association funds(as at 19/04/20) £3,073:61.

Website:

All members should have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter if members have not received one, then please contact him directly. There is still some work to be carried out. All submissions to the website for potential new members will now go to JT directly, and not the Association email, so he can deal with them as they come in. If anyone is interested in taking over the website administrators’ role then please message any of the committee.

AOB:

Committee Vacancy:

Social Media:

Following on from the previous minutes regarding non-association posts on the members Facebook page, can the Chair please reiterate that all posts are subject to approval, as the website is still not be used by all members to its full extent, we do not want any information to be missed.

AGM & Reunion 2020:

On a final note, AGM etiquette will be implemented this year, all will be explained at the beginning of the AGM, so there is no free for all, and a measure of discipline is upheld. Hopefully, all members that had booked accommodation for the reunion have now rescheduled or cancelled with the minimum of fuss, although we know some members had difficulties with getting through, price changes etc. This should all now be sorted. JT has rebooked the RBL, NMA and buglers and the conference room. Everything is in place; it is just a waiting game now.

There is no requirement for any members to pay for tickets at this stage. JT will give members a reminder, if the reunion is to go ahead, if not, then those that have paid can be either reimbursed or their payments carry over to 2021. This will be the same for any members that have already paid their ticket monies and cannot attend in September. If the reunion is unable to go ahead in September, then it will be cancelled.

Phil Robinson will be carrying out his Association Standard Bearing duties in the confines of his home on Sunday 3rd May, this is to mark the occasion which would have been done had the Annual Memorial Service not been postponed. This will be videoed and put onto the Facebook members page. Thanks Phil

AGM & Reunion 2021:

Planning for the 2021 AGM & Reunion at Melton Mowbray has also taken place, this venue has been chosen as it will be the reformed Associations 10th Anniversary. The dates are Saturday 1st May-Sunday 2nd May 2021. Locations are being looked at for the AGM and Reunion, and a suitable location for the Memorial Service – all to be confirmed. As it is an anniversary, the committee are looking towards more of a formal regimental style dinner, with the option of dressing down for the evening’s entertainment, at the moment, it is an option, but the committee will engage with the membership at the next AGM to thrash out the finer details, so that we can confirm and book everything that is required for the 2021 AGM. This has been put on hold due to the current situation.

Cenotaph 2020:

JT has received notification from the RBL that they are still planning to hold the Cenotaph parade in November subject to government guidelines of course. He has registered the association and applied for 40 tickets, so he will be now taking names. If this still goes ahead and the Reunion doesn’t, then the Stick (Yvonne H) will be loaned one for the parade and will be presented hers at the next AGM. JT will also email the Animals at War (AAW) organiser and send them a copy of the Guardians as this is being incorporated within this years’ service. A copy of the Guardians will also be present and read and left with our wreath as we do at our Annual Memorial Service

Diary Dates:

AGM & Reunion – Weekend of 26th / 27thSeptember 2020 TBC

Kilkeel Parade – Sunday 3rd May 2020 (3pm at Fire Station) TBC – Awaiting new dates

Cenotaph Parade – Sunday 8th November 2020

With no further business, the meeting finished at 20:45 hours.

The next meeting will take place Sunday 24th May 2020

9th February 2020

The meeting was opened at 20:00 hours.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins(Vice Chair), J Tucker(Treasurer/Shop) and T Clegg (Website Admin).

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of and M Newton (Secretary), A Brown(Events/General) and F Lowe (Welfare).

Previous Minutes:

There was a mistake on the December minutes – Melton Mowbray Reunion 2021 is not the Former Units 
50th Anniversary but the reformed Associations 10th Anniversary.

Chair:

The Chair would like to wish all members a Happy New Year. He has observed on social media that some members are struggling to gain access to the new website, Trish has pointed out that there is a reset password on the home page. Any queries to Mr Kevin Potter please.

Vice:

Secretary:

Nothing to add.

Events/General:

Andy is unable to attend next years reunion weekend, so he will be liaising with Mr Frank Smith to pick the leads up and transport to the Reunion.

Treasurer / Shop:

Membership is sitting at 172, Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds.

Shop Stock:

Association funds(as at 09/02/20) £2,794:11.

Website:

All members should have received new login details for the new website from Kevin Potter, if members have not received one, then please contact him directly. There is still some work to be carried out. If anyone is interested in taking over the website administrators’ role then please message any of the committee.

AOB:

Committee Vacancy:

Potential Print of all Cap badges that served with ADU NI.

Larry had been exploring the potential to have a print commissioned with all the former units cap badges that served with ADU NI. After an extensive investigation with other members and still serving RAVC, it was found to be not financially viable at this moment in time. This has not been ruled out indefinitely, but other avenues will be looked at.

Social Media:

Following on from the previous minutes regarding non-association posts on the members Facebook page, can the Chair please reiterate that all posts are subject to approval, as the website is still not fully active, we do not want any information to be missed.

Reunion 2021:

Invitations have been sent out to all via Facebook Events in January, for those not on Facebook, those members will be emailed accordingly. The AGM will be Saturday 2ndMay and will be held in the conference suite at the Holiday Inn Express at Burton on Trent at 3pm and then afterwards at the RBL Alrewas. The Memorial Service will be Sunday 3rd May starting at 11am at the NMA. Can I remind members that due to the D-Day celebrations; this is not a Bank Holiday Weekend. Planning for the 2021 AGM & Reunion at Melton Mowbray is also taking place, this venue has been chosen as it will be the reformed Associations 10th Anniversary. The dates are Saturday 1stMay-Sunday 2nd May 2021. Locations are being looked at for the AGM and Reunion, and a suitable location for the Memorial Service – all to be confirmed. Trish will be carrying out a recce and meeting the manager of the RBL in the coming weeks. As it is an anniversary, the committee are looking towards more of a formal regimental style dinner, with the option of dressing down for the evening’s entertainment, at the moment, it is an option, but the committee will engage with the membership at the next AGM to thrash out the finer details, so that we can confirm and book everything that is required for the 2021 AGM.

Diary Dates:

AGM & Reunion – Weekend of 2nd/3rdMay 2020.

With no further business, the meeting finished at 21:10 hours.

The next meeting will take place Sunday 15thMarch 2020

15th December 2019

The meeting was opened at 20:00 hours.

The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins(Vice Chair), J Tucker(Treasurer/Shop and T Clegg (Website Admin).

The following apologies were accepted on behalf of and M Newton (Secretary), A Brown(Events/General) and F Lowe (Welfare).

Previous Minutes:

Nothing Outstanding- Minutes read and judged to be a true and accurate record – Passed.

Chair:

The Chair would like to welcome three new members to the Association; Kate Watkins, Peter Clarke and Sarah Clarke. He spoke about the refurbishment work that has been carried out on the Associations Memorial Plot and would like to congratulate Mr Steve Yates on the liaison work that he has carried out. The Chair also conveyed his condolences regarding the passing of Mr Robin Doddimeade, whom will be sadly missed by all and Mr Dennis(scouse) Albiston, although Dennis wasn’t a member, there are members whom served alongside him. He also wished to congratulate Mr Phillip Robinson for his representation at this year’s Birmingham Tattoo, where he proudly paraded the Associations Standard. The Chair also would like to thank all members that represented the Association throughout the various parades in November. Finally, the Chair would like to Thank Mrs Iris Thompson-Burton for providing the excellent Purple Poppy Wreaths. The Committee would like to wish all members a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Vice:

Secretary:

Just to remind Mr S Yates to email him all correspondence regarding the NMA – m_newton@hotmail.com

Events/General:

Andy is unable to attend next years reunion weekend, so he will be arranging for the leads to be picked up and taken to Alrewas.

Treasurer / Shop:

Shop Stock:

All orders are now complete, apart from a couple of plaques to be sent out. Looking forward to next years reunion, JT will have proofs for some potential new items, these will be disclosed at the AGM. For those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699.

Association funds(as at 29/09/19) £2,553:73.

Website:

AOB:

NMA Update:

As you may know, Mr Steve Yates has been liaising with the NMA and overseeing refurbishment work. The work is now complete, and the Memorial stone is looking well and is more befitting of our Association. The Committee would like to convey they’re thanks to Steve for his liaison role.

Social Media:

Following on from the previous minutes regarding non-association posts on the members Facebook page, can the Chair please reiterate that all posts are subject to approval, as the website is still not fully active, we do not want any information to be missed.

Remembrance Weekend:

For those members that weren’t aware, the Association members that paraded in London, attended the Animals at War Memorial Service. It was quite an informal affair, with some colourful characters in attendance, and at times, difficult to keep a straight face!!, however, we were well received and believe that we have helped bridge a gap between the Military and the Civilian population when it comes to Animal Welfare. Next Year, ‘The Guardians of the Night’ will be incorporated into the service and one of our members will read a copy, which will be placed with the wreath.

AGM & Reunion 2020/21:

Invitations will be sent out to all via Facebook Events in January, for those not on Facebook, those members will be emailed accordingly. The AGM will be Saturday 2ndMay and will be held in the conference suite at the Holiday Inn Express at Burton on Trent at 3pm and then afterwards at the RBL Alrewas. The Memorial Service will be Sunday 3rd May starting at 11am at the NMA. Can I remind members that due to the D-Day celebrations; this is not a Bank Holiday Weekend. Planning for the 2021 AGM & Reunion is also taking place, as it would have been the Units 50th Anniversary, we will be holding the Reunion weekend in Melton Mowbray – Saturday 1stMay-Sunday 2nd May 2021. Locations are being looked at for the AGM and Reunion, and a suitable location for the Memorial Service – all to be confirmed. As it is an anniversary, the committee are looking towards more of a formal regimental style dinner, with the option of dressing down for the evening’s entertainment, at the moment, it is an option, but the committee will engage with the membership at the next AGM to thrash out the finer details, so that we can confirm and book everything that is required for the 2021 AGM.

Diary Dates:

AGM & Reunion – Weekend of 2nd/3rdMay 2020.

With no further business, the meeting finished at 21:30 hours.

The next meeting will take place January 2020(date TBC)

30th June 2019

The meeting was opened at 20:05 hours.
The following members were present: S Casey (Chair), L Jenkins (Vice Chair), J Tucker (Treasurer/Shop
The following apologies were accepted on behalf of T Clegg (Website Admin) and M Newton (Secretary) and
A Brown (Events/General).

Chair:
The Chair would like to welcome three new members to the Association; Bernie Evans, Richard Thornby and Barry O’Connell. He spoke about the progress which has been made regarding the NMA and the newly formed Liaison Team. It was discussed about the refurbishment work on and around the Memorials and all agreed that the quotes that we have received are adequate and once a start date is confirmed, payment will be made for all work required. Can he also remind all that the Committee are now on a Summer Break and will be back in business September. Any enquiries will be dealt with at the next skype meeting.

Vice:
The Vice spoke about the Association Legacy and would like to remind all members to contact him with their thoughts/ideas. He would prefer this not to be on an open forum at this minute. His email is as follows: larryjrosyth@aol.com

Secretary:
Just to remind Mr S Yates to email him all correspondence regarding the NMA – m_newton@hotmail.com

Treasurer / Shop:
Membership is sitting at 168, with 5 members still outstanding to pay for their membership. They have been contacted and am awaiting payment. Can he remind all members when paying through PayPal to tick ‘Family and Friends’ if not PayPal will take 3% of that payment, meaning the association will lose funds.

Shop Stock:
John is awaiting back orders from Hargreaves and 2x Guardian Plaques. Once received, he will post out the remaining orders. John spoke about individual shop orders that are larger than others, there will be a bigger postage charge for the individual ordering as their order has to go through Parcel Force and not the usual postage system. The Guardian Plaques have been well received, there have been pictures put onto the Facebook Group page for all to see, so if you require one, please don’t hesitate to order. Can he also remind members that clothing orders are quarterly, any orders outside this will be added to the next coming order as carriage fees are added making the individual order more expensive. The next Clothing Order will be taken 1st September.
For those members still looking to purchase their own leads the details are as follows: Peter Clayton: 01493 701232 / 07919 285699.
Association funds (as at 30/06/19) £4,759.10.

Website:
The new website is being constructed as we speak, however there is no date for completion.

NMA Update:
Mr Steve Yates has been in contact with the NMA and has attended meetings with them. A new Maintenance Contract has been produced and has been signed. We have also received quotes for refurbishment of the area, and the plaque and are awaiting a quote for two new bench plaques. This is ongoing but are definitely heading in the right direction.

Chiron Calling:
The cut-off date for last submissions of articles for the RAVC magazine is 9th September

Social Media:
Following on from the previous minutes regarding non-association posts on the members Facebook page, can the Chair please reiterate that all posts are subject to approval, as the website is still down, we do not want any information to be missed.

Remembrance Weekend:
John is awaiting the confirmation of tickets (40). Once received he will be able to start submitting names and details. We have only got 22 names so far, so if anyone else wants to attend this year, let him know asap. All wreaths have been ordered and received, apart from the Purple ones, which are being made. The committee will be looking at reducing the number of wreaths for November. This will be discussed at the AGM.

Diary Dates:
DAC Open Day – Saturday 20th July. Trish has confirmed timings – 10:00-16:00
Op Banner 50 – NMA-Wednesday 14th August
Op Banner 50th Anniversary weekend-Lisburn – Saturday 17th August
NIVETS – Saturday 14th September (from 11.30hrs)
Cenotaph – Sunday 10th November.

With no further business, the meeting finished at 21:30 hours.
The next meeting will take place on Sunday 29th September

Reset Password

Due to the Statement and Breakdown of the Accounts not being able to copy and paste, please contact the treasurer, who will send you both copies via email

28th June 2020

31st May 2020

Previous Minutes:

Chair:

Vice:

Secretary:

Events/General:

Treasurer / Shop:

Shop Stock:

Website:

AOB:

Social Media:

AGM & Reunion 2020:

Cenotaph 2020:

Diary Dates:

19th April 2020

Previous Minutes:

Vice:

Secretary:

Events/General:

Treasurer / Shop:

Shop Stock:

Website:

AOB:

Committee Vacancy:

Social Media:

AGM & Reunion 2020:

AGM & Reunion 2021:

Diary Dates:

Previous Minutes:

Chair:

Vice:

Secretary:

Events/General:

Treasurer / Shop:

Shop Stock:

Website:

AOB:

Social Media:

AGM & Reunion 2020:

AGM & Reunion 2021:

Diary Dates:

Previous Minutes:

Chair:

Vice:

Secretary:

Events/General:

Treasurer / Shop:

Shop Stock:

Website:

AOB:

Social Media:

Reunion 2021:

Diary Dates:

28^th June 2020