Our last meeting took place in November last year. Confirmation that facilities for a May meeting were available came only a few days before the event, leaving little time to contact members. Due to the closure, it followed that the May meeting became a much delayed AGM. The last of subs. were taken at the meeting, leaving the way clear to draw up a new issue of the Branch Member's List, and members and Associates should find a copy included with this newsletter. Please check your own entry (address and phone number etc.) and in the case of error, notify the Branch Secretary who will put the matter right.
Welfare Report
The lack of meetings has resulted in rather less feedback on how members are faring. Things have thankfully improved for some. Edna and Wallis Randall have, at long last, moved from Loughton to Witham in Essex to be nearer to their daughter and family. The run up to a final move was just about as traumatic as these things can be, with potential buyers for their home pulling out twice at the eleventh hour. But they now have a nice place of their own and the latest news from Wallis is that "they are settling down nicely". We all wish them well. Few would have devoted more time to the CFVA over the years than Wallis and Edna.
Jim Barnes contacted the Branch Sec. to see if he had any information about Syd Clifford. Long time London Branch members will know of Syd's many years with the Branch of which he was Chairman prior to moving to the Isle of Wight where his daughter lived, Jim was worried. Syd had just come out of hospital and Jim had spoken to him at home.
Subsequent calls had met with silence. Did we have the daughters phone number on record'? Sadly, no. As a long shot, Sec. rang Ralph Kirby who is in St. Leonards-on-Sea, knowing that Syd had, in the past, attended some of Ralph’s luncheons down there and Ralph might have a number. No luck with the daughter but Ralph had the number of an old oppo. of Syds who, by co-incidence, was a townie, living in Lake, IOW. The telephone number was relayed to Jim who called and explained who he was and within a couple of hours or so Syd had been on the phone to him to say that he was OK. (Jim did say that he did not sound all that great) The ties that bind Coastal Forces together are still intact, in spite of lengthening years.
Bill MacAngus went on a two week respite break. Arranged by the local authority, with ambulance transport provided to and from a care centre, things looked set for a restful two weeks for them both. Unfortunately, Bill spent his two weeks wishing that he was home and Pat probably spent most of her two weeks worrying about Bill.
Dennis Reeve said that he and Sybil "were not too good" — we can take that as an understatement. He said that the Heroes Return' people had again been in contact with him to find out when he and Sybil were going to take up their offer of a return to previous places as the scheme was closing at the end of this year. Sadly, but realistically, Dennis knows that it is not to be.
Doug Elliott is now more or less recovered from the close contact he had with his garage door. Someone did run into the back of his car recently, but as this was not a health matter it became one of minor importance.
Best wishes to all.
ED.
