NEWSLETTER JUNE 2020

Newsletter for ‘Keeping in Touch’ June 2020  

Please note any information for the newsletter to be passed on to Jan Bridle anytime; also if anyone has changed their email address or set up a new one could they please let Jan know.

Branch subs   

This year they are reluctantly increased to £17 and are due to be paid to the treasurer now if not already paid. Please send any cheques, made out to REA Bournemouth, to the above address for John Cusack. Thank you to those who have already paid,  but there are still many members who have NOT paid their subs. So could we ask if you are not sure PLEASE, PLEASE check with John. We now have internet banking so anybody wishing to pay on line just ring John or email him and he will give the details.  At the end of the day we have to carry on the best way we can and we still have to pay the room hire as we do not want the club to go under.

Birthdays of Note

None this month but congratulations to Peter and Janet Bridle who celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary on 13^th June.

Messages

Well Hello Sappers, what a strange time we are going through at the moment. I hope you are all as well as can be and are all coping with the lockdown and how it may be affecting you. I guess we are sadly of an age where we have to be super vigilant with regards Covid 19 and trying our hardest to avoid it!! This in turn means having to go without seeing loved ones, family and, as in my case, Grandchildren!! However thanks to modern technology I can at least see them and talk to them on Zoom or WhatsApp. It’s not the same as a hug though!!

A big shout out at this time to Jan for keeping us all in touch with each other through the Newsletter, sparse as it may be at the moment, and also to Dot Martin who I know rings us all up to keep track on how we are all doing, thank you ladies.

I rang Bob Hucklesby a few weeks back to see how he was and he seemed in good spirits, of course the lockdown has not affected him too much as he was almost on lockdown anyway. He still gets his home help and nurse visits which is good. The sad thing on Bob's horizon is really whether the VJ Day celebrations will go ahead and, even if they do, will he be able to attend. Sadly I think that may be unlikely at the moment. 

A big thankyou also to my mate John McDermott who very kindly did my click and collect shopping for 4 weeks while I got myself on the confirmed vulnerable persons list at ASDA, thanks mate, you were a legend.

As for the lockdown I hope you have all found things to occupy you. For me this has been doing French language study for three hours a day, one hour of indoor cycling/fitness and also a new hobby of baking bread!! I have been baking bread most days and giving it out to my neighbours. So far, as well as normal bread, I have ventured into French Baguettes, Sun-dried Tomato and olive bread, Foccacia and naan bread (all with varying degrees of success it has to be said). I have however found the whole process very therapeutic. I hope you all have found something new to do or get interested in.

As for our REA, well who knows when we will be back together. I guess we need to await any new guidelines  and take it from there. Thinking about our ages!! we will have to think carefully about when, where and how we meet up again.

On that note, for those of us on the internet, I am happy to host a Zoom meeting for the June meeting if anybody is interested. I could arrange it for Wednesday 17th June at 1900hrs. If you are interested I need your email address so that I can send out the invite. Just drop me a line on my email and I will invite you in.

Best wishes to you all,  Bob Perry, Chairman

Ken and Lily Easthope, who moved to Droitwich, wish to be remembered and send their best wishes to everyone.  Edie Osborne spoke to Hazel recently. She was remembering the trips out and Barbeques at Tidworth and sent her regards and best wishes to all her old friends.

Bournemouth Branch REA   --  Memory Lane 2005

January          The branch voted to make a donation to support 49 Fld Sqn (EOD) on their 151 mile footrace across the Sahara.

May                Five members and four ladies attended the REA Spring Reunion held at Seaton.

June                There was a Branch outing to Highcliffe castle.

July                 Bert Martin won the SW Group Standard bearers competition and twelve members attended the group barbeque at Tidworth.

October          The branch meeting at Boscombe got off to a bad start. My goodness – no club staff to run the upstairs bar, and members had to trail downstairs to get a drink!!

                        I quote “steps are being taken to try and ensure this does not happen again.”

Departed friends      Lionel Randall                      Albert Hicks              Derek Hinton

                                    Peter Allen                            Richard Lomax         Charles F Brett

                                    Maj R C Woodrow               Barrie King                Carl Preston

Again we ask if anyone has any copies of the Newsletter pre 2001 Peter would like to copy them for our archive.

Forecast of National Events 2020.    

Many of these, if not most, will not now take place

12 - 13 September Corps Memorial Weekend*

10 October REA AGM and Annual Dinner *

11 October Sapper Sunday at Royal Hospital Chelsea

05 November Field of Remembrance, Westminster Abbey

08 November Remembrance Sunday