Newcastle Report to AGM in Goulburn 2011

Hi and welcome to everyone attending the AGM in Goulburn this year especially those attending the National Annual General Meeting for the first time.

Combined with Nelson Bay Branch we have a very busy time on several Coach Trips during the past year with the funds provide by a DVA Grant with many good friendships being formed between the 2 branches and enjoyable times visiting areas like Harrington, Laurieton, Sydney for Christmas Shopping the Woodlands Horse Stud at Denman the breading ground of many of Australia's best racing horses.

During the year we have held Bi‑monthly members BBQ at Stockton near the Surf Club enjoying the scenery watching the large coal ships come and go and the alternate month all you can eat lunch at our host club Newcastle Diggers who look after us very well.

Also we have been busy with our fundraising activities doing BBQs out the front of Woolworths Mayfield and selling Anzac Day Badges and assisting the Ulysses Motor Cycle Club with the parking of bikes for there AGM which was held in Newcastle this year everyone of us was taken back by the bikes and the cost of some of them and with the trailers they towed along behind them with some members even traveling from WA to attend.

This year we have donated $500 to the Hunter Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service $500 to Hunter Medical Research Institute and $500.to Calvary Mater Hospice for terminal ill patients

We have had a representative at all the ex‑service ceremonies held in Newcastle Area in the past year with our branch being represented at 7 Anzac Day Services starting with Dawn Services at Nobbys Beach in Newcastle with 7000 people attending just as the service finished and time with the sun rising over Nobbys Beach and the 6 inch guns firing from Fort Scratchley the only guns to fire in anger on the east coast in the 2nd World War as always very touching and the reason so people attend the service.

We held our own National Service Day Parade and Service in Civic Park in February with both Politicians and the Lord Mayor of Newcastle in attendance lead by Army Band Newcastle and a big thank you to them for giving up there free time to do so and the Cadets from both the Army and Navy. Some our members along with Maitland branch attended the Newcastle Region National Servicemen's Day Service held in March at Maitland Park with NSCFAA members out numbering National Service Members at their own service.
Newcastle Branch was represented at no less than 12 Ex‑Services ceremonies in during the year in Newcastle

Last weekend Newcastle Branch Members along with Nelson Bay Branch members attended the Reserve Forces Day Service in Civic Park Newcastle with the Salute being taken by Air Commodore Richard Owen from RAAF Williamtown with some of the members wives being awarded a RECOGNITION OF YOUR SUPPORT TO RESERVE FORCES MEDAL with some of our ladies wearing them today at our meeting.

Sunday some of our members back up and attended the Reserve Forces Day Service in Sydney with the salute being taken by the Governor of NSW Professor Marie Bashir, Premier OF New South Wales Barry O'Farrell also in attendance.

At our Annual General Meeting in February the members elected two new Life Members to the Newcastle Branch Associate Member Brenda Owen for all her hard work and Brenda was very pleased and taken back with being awarded life membership and President Robert was also awarded Life Membership and was very pleased to see the members appreciate the hard work they both do for the Newcastle Branch.

In closing it would be remise of me not to say sorry to everyone who has lost someone close to them in the past year and fellow members let us not forget our former National Secretary Ken Platt.

Yours in National Service

Robert Owen JP
President

WHAT’S HAPPENING DATES IN 2011