26/12/2025
RBL Arundel & District Branch
December 2025 - Branch Chair’s End of Year Message
Dear Members
Just a few words at the end of what has been quite a busy year for the Branch. On behalf of your Committee I wanted to thank you all for your support and for continuing to be members of our Branch. As you may know some other Branches in the Southeast have had to close recently but we seem to be relatively healthy in membership and I’m happy to report our strength now stands at 112.
We have had a very positive experience with our RBL branded Branch Gazebo which we purchased at the beginning of the year and started using at the monthly Arundel Farmers’ Market in January. This enabled us to engage with the public and connect with our Veteran community on a regular basis. We started in Tarrant Square but have recently been given approval from our President the Duke of Norfolk to use the spot outside the Norfolk Centre by the main entrance to Arundel Castle. We have also had opportunities to set up in the High Street and will continue to do this when we can. We’re always in need of members to come and help at the stand for an hour or two, so please keep your eye out for news on when we’re going to be there – usually the third Saturday of each month.
Two other public events during the year allowed us to represent the Branch and RBL, namely the Arundel VE Day Commemoration in May and the Chichester Emergency Services Fair in August. Like the Farmers’ Market, these events enabled us to both generate funds and provide support to local veterans. For the coming year, we are planning to attend the Battle of Britain Commemoration in Arundel, Littlehampton Armed Forces Day and return to the Chichester Emergency Services Fair. If anyone is able to help with these please feel free to get in touch.
The other main event of the year was our Poppy Appeal campaign, managed and organised by Angela. The results this year were once again incredible, with over £18,800 being raised. This was a brilliant achievement for all those involved including several Branch members. Of course, the Poppy Appeal will be featuring in our plans for 2026.
Branch meetings for the coming year will be announced soon and we have been able to secure a new venue for these, namely the Arundel Football Club clubhouse. This will provide a chance for members to have a social drink at the bar after the Branch meeting. We're also planning to have some interesting speakers to give a short talk on a subject of interest as part of the meeting’s agenda. Your Committee recognise the value of members’ time to attend Branch meetings and hope that while there is a fair amount of RBL information and Branch business to tell you about, we will make sure that we don’t keep you for too long.
As ever I must thank all members of the Committee for their individual and collective efforts in keeping our Branch active. Without their help the Branch could not survive and many of the successes we have had this year would not have been achieved without them.
RBL General
By way of a reminder, I need to make you aware that the RBL Membership fees will increase to £24 in 2026. The need for this was expressed at the RBL Annual Conference and I can assure all members that the Committee will consistently press the RBL Head Office to demonstrate the justification for this in their output.
We were joined at the Branch Christmas Social by RBL National President Vice Admiral Paul Bennett CB OBE the National President. At the event held at the Red Lion, he spoke to several members and told me that he had enjoyed the evening. He remains committed to improving messaging between Head Office and us at the Branch level.
RBL County Update
As Branch Chair I will be representing the Branch at the West Sussex County Conference next month on the 17th of January and as you will have seen from the Secretary, the Branch is sponsoring one motion for consideration. This is to request a change of Sussex RBL Annual Conference scheduling from the winter to a summer date to encourage attendance by Branch members.
Breakfast Club
The Branch supports the Arundel Armed Forces Veterans’ Breakfast Club and this continues to benefit from a great discount on breakfasts at the pub. There is free tea and coffee for all veterans.
I think it is fair to say that our Branch is in quite a good position compared with some others and in particular our administration is on very firm ground. Thank you to Renford our Secretary for keeping the wheels turning.
Finally, on behalf of the Committee I wish all our members a very Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
The Exhortation:
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them.”
KOHIMA Epitaph
“When you go home, tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow, we gave our today”
Cdr Chris Baldwin RN
Chair of RBL Arundel and District Branch
