Notes of a Meeting of the RGJRA Executive Board
on Friday 26th September 2008 at RHQ Rifles
Attendance
Members:
Maj Gen Jamie Balfour
Brig David Homer
Major Hugh Dumas
Capt Bill Shipton
In attendance:
Brig Hugh Willing – Chairman RGJRA Officers Dining Club
Lt Col John Poole-Warren – Chairman RGJRA Branches
Lt Col Jan-Dirk von Merveldt – Secretary
1. RGJRA General.
- It was agreed that now the RGJRA had settled down after the formation of the Rifles, it was only necessary for the Executive Board and the Management Committee to each meet twice a year from now on.
- Maj Hugh Dumas, a long standing RGJ Trustee has replaced Capt Patrick Mitford-Slade on the Executive Board and Management Committee.
- The RGJ Trustees were formally dissolved on Friday 26th September, with the completion of the transfer of RGJ Funds and property to The Rifles. The RGJ Management Board would now assume responsibility for the RGJ Ladies Guild, and any RGJ property subsequently not required by The Rifles.
2. RGJRA Reunion.
- The 2008 Reunion was considered a success, with 1560 attending, many more than expected which helped to reduce costs. Various improvements required for 2009 were noted for discussion at the RGJRA Branches meeting am 14 Nov, especially in terms of an enhanced presence at the gate.
- The 2009 Reunion was confirmed for Saturday 11th July 2009.
3. RGJRA Membership.
- Currently only 33% of officers and 40 % of other ranks on the data base were RGJRA members, which meant that the Association was missing out on a lot of potential income as well as many individuals not having full access to all the benefits.
- It was agreed that our priority for action was to increase the all ranks membership of the RGJRA with a major campaign to start before Christmas by both email and by post. This would also offer additional benefits for membership which could include a new newsletter, reduced rates for entry to the Museum, free website addresses, and half price purchase of the Regimental Account “Swift and Bold”.
4. RGJRA Newsletter.
- There was considerable discussion over the need for a RGJRA newsletter along the lines of the previous “Swift and Bold”, based on the proposals submitted by Ken Ambrose. These had the potential for a 64 page version including 12 pages of advertising which would ensure a free copy. It was agreed that any newsletter must maintain a link to what The Rifles are doing, but should not unnecessarily duplicate The Bugle etc. If there was to be a newsletter a volunteer had to be found to assemble and edit it, as this could not be done by RHQ The Rifles. If a newsletter was agreed then an honorarium should be available for the editor.
- It was agreed that the requirement should be discussed at the RGJRA Branches and Management Board meetings on 14 Nov, and that if a need agreed we should start with an email edition available to members who had access to the data base.
5. RGJRA Website/Data base.
- The latest report from Kevin Stevens was discussed and approved. The website team was congratulated for all the recent developments which had resulted in a superb and forward looking site. The improvements to the historical section and home page links to events etc were particularly commended.
- The value of the database had been proved in the recent “all stations” appeals which had been very successful, but needed to be used sparingly.
- The proposals for future expenditure were approved of approx £650, to include 3 copies of a Vista 64 Bit upgrade and one replacement hard drive. Annual cost of the new data base was likely to be approx £200-250.
6. RGJRA Officers Dining Club.
- The 2009 dinner was confirmed for Thursday 23 April, with two months separation from The Rifles Officers dinner in June. It was agreed that given that 2009 was the 200th anniversary of the links between the Chestnut Troop RHA and the RGJ, that a representative would be invited to the dinner.
- Costs would be £50 for ex RGJ serving Rifles Officers, £60 for RGJRA Officers Dining Club members and £70 for non RGJRA members.
- Officer member subscriptions payable by direct debit would remain at £50 which includes membership of RGJRA and Rifles Officers Club, two copies of The Bugle and The Rifles Chronicle annually.
- RHQ (Lt Col von Merveldt) would take on the remaining GJ Club membership/subscription list to ensure that there were no duplications in payment, and that they would be included in the membership campaign to get them to switch to RGJRA Officers Dining Club membership.
7. RGJRA Budget. The Board discussed the 2008 and 2009 budgets, details of which would be circulated separately, which would be an agenda item at the Management Board meeting on 14 Nov. Increased membership would reduce the need for the Reunion to be subsidised, but there was a continuing requirement to provide some support to the Museum, until its long term future was resolved.
8. AOB. Rifles Direct was due to move into the RGJ Museum building in the New Year, replacing the Light Infantry museum, which would benefit the Museum and allow counter sales.
