The UK Government will be observing six national and international events to commemorate the Centenary.

4th August 2014 National and international services in London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Belfast and at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission St Symphorien Cemetery in Belgium to mark the 100th anniversary of Brit-ain declaring war on Germany.

25th April 2015 Events to mark the start of the Battle of Gallipoli. The campaign was a disaster, with more than 44,000 Allied soldiers killed.

31st May – 1st June 2016 Events to mark the naval Battle of Jutland. This was the largest naval battle, and the only full-scale clash of battle-ships, of the war.

1st July 2016 Events to mark the first day of the Battle of the Somme. In just 4 months the British suffered around 420,000 casualties, the French 200,000, and the Germans 500,000 casualties.

June – November 2017 Events to mark the Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of the Ypres.

11th November 2018 Germany and the Allies signed the Armistice agreement and fighting on the Western Front ceased at 11am.

WEB SITE

Mr David Brown is our Web Master. (medalchart@live.co.uk) If any Branch has informa on, photographs or anything of interest

please forward to County Office. The website address is h p://www.bri shlegion.org.uk/coun es/greater-manchester

KEY DATES

Greater Manchester

County Newsle er

Spring Edi on 2014

Here’s a selec on of events the Legion is currently involved with to commemorate the Centenary. For full and updated infor-ma on, visit our website: www.bri shlegion.org.uk/ ww1cen-tenary

Every Man Remembered This project, supported by Ances-try.co.uk, aims to commemorate every one of the fallen by the end of the Cen-tenary. The website, www.everymanremembered.org was built using the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s database of every Service man or woman who died during, or as a result of, the First World War. Members of the public can search the site by name, home town, date of birth or regiment. You can plant a virtual pop-py in their memory, as well as upload pictures and share stories.

Lights Out At 10.00pm on 4th August 2014 candles will be lit at Westminster Abbey to launch a commemora ve service of peni-tence and contempla on. Candles will be available from the Legion through our partner M&S to be lit across the country as families and community groups join in.

Centenary Poppy Campaign Inspired by our Greenhithe & Swans-combe Branch the Legion is working in partnership with B&Q to get the whole country covered with poppies for the

Centenary as a living tribute to the fallen. B&Q will donate £1 to the Legion for eve-ry promo onal pack they sell. The Legion is also going to send a free pack of poppy seeds to schools throughout the UK, courtesy of a grant from the Heritage Lo ery Fund.

Only Remembered War Horse author, Michael Morpurgo, has curated an anthology of First World War inspired literature, featuring contri-bu ons from Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, Jaqueline Wilson, Miranda Hart, Joanna Lumley, Anthony Horowitz and Raymond Briggs. 50% of the royal es have been kindly donated by Michael Morpurgo will go to the Le-gion and SSAFA.

The Na onal Memorial Arboretum Family friendly discovery trails will take visitors to memorials linked to the First World War, telling the stories behind these tributes.

Centenary Fields In towns and villages across the country there are war memorial fields given in memory of those who lost their lives in the First World War. The na onal charity Fields in Trust is working with the Legion to protect these fields and create a lega-cy of at least 425 green spaces in the UK preserved in perpetuity for local commu-ni es.

REQUESTING MEMBERS ASSISTANCE…..

Volunteer stories needed: This June is the 30th anniversary of Volunteers Week – we are seeking Mem-bers who have been volunteers for the Legion for 30 years this year. We are also interested in hearing from… Volunteers who turn 30 years old this June/this year. Volunteers who have raised £30,000 for RBL. We are also looking for youngest and oldest volunteers in each region and also anyone with a compelling reason for suppor ng RBL (i.e. was a beneficiary, etc.) Louise Garrahan (PR Officer for the Legion in the North) is looking to secure media coverage for Volunteers Week (1-7 June) and wants to hear your inter-es ng stories. If anyone has any informa on regarding the above please contact: Louise Garrahan, PR Officer Direct: 0161 638 9234 Mobile: 07826 908467

COUNTY NEWS

Greater Manchester have been named as this year’s winner of The Knox Shield, which is awarded to the small County/District who have achieved the best per-centage increase in new members during the previous year based annual sta s cs.

Our new County Secretary is Sarah Gale. Sarah may be familiar to some of you already as she has been the Area Administrator for Greater Manchester & Lanca-shire since September 2012.

Sarah is looking forward to ge ng to know more about the membership side of the Legion and will be looking to sharing more informa on with us via this newsle er in the months to come. Sarah’s contact details are: Tel: 0161 638 9245 Email: sgale@bri shlegion.org.uk

On pages 8 & 9 there is a copy of the first ever ‘Legion at Large’ newsle er for our new Informa on Volunteers. Kerry Smith, Advice & Informa on Officer for Great-er Manchester hopes you find it informa ve. If you have any queries regarding the new Pop-In centre please don’t hesitate to contact her on 0161 638 9246 or ksmith@bri shlegion.org.uk

Just a reminder that the new contact centre number is 0808 802 8080. They will answer a wide range of enquiries such as membership, welfare, poppy breaks, eligibility and benefit and money advice. Please do use this service, it is open 8am—8pm 7 days a week.

Our 1st outreach clinic @ 1 Riverside, Rochdale Council Buildings launched on the 20th March 2014. Advice and Informa on is available every Thursday 10am-1pm.

This service has been widely adver sed and promoted by ourselves and the council.

We are ac vely seeking volunteer(s) to staff this clinic with our support. We are now currently working to se ng up our next outreach clinic which will be in Wy-thenshawe. It will be every Wednesday a ernoon in Wythenshawe Forum from 1pm to 4pm star ng 7th May.

I’m also hoping to start a temporary outreach in central Manchester pending the opening of our Pop-in cen-

tre….. If you have any thoughts about where future out-reach clinics may be placed please let me know.

Linda Fell, County Secretary for Greater Manchester, re red in January a er 36 years service to the Legion. Luckily for our team, Linda is now an Informa on Volunteer!

Out and about—what’s coming up….. We’re giving presenta ons to the several organisa ons including the Stroke Associa on and Age UK about RBL

We’ll be at a ending some Open Days such as Manches-ter Diocese Church schools

Spring has sprung and so that means events such as the East Lancs Railway 1940s bank holiday weekend at the end of May—if you want to help out let me know….

Legion at Large

Vaughan Kent-Payne (Area Manager) with Kate Bohan & Kerry Smith

Linda in purple at the front and Sarah your new County Secretary is 2nd on the le .

newsle er editor!

We’ll be the first point of call for many of our beneficiaries. Our service will point people in the right direc on, whether that’s to statutory bodies, other chari es and or-ganisa ons or our own Legion services.

The opening of our Pop-in centre has been delayed slightly but we’re hoping to be in by June with a very grand opening in July—I’ll keep you posted!

In the mean me, I’ll aim to keep everybody updated via these newsle ers and also ar-range some training. This will also be a great chance for us all to get together and find out more about each other’s skills and hidden talents!!

You can contact me:

Email: ksmith@bri shlegion.org.uk

Tel: 0161 638 9246 (as I’m out and about a

Welcome to the very first newsle er for RBL Informa on Volunteers.

First of all - thank you for volunteer-

ing with The Royal Bri sh Legion. You’re now part of a brand new team that will be providing informa on to our benefi-ciaries within our new Pop-in centre or in one of our outreach clinics across Greater Manchester.

I’m Kerry Smith, one of the Advice & Informa on Officers and will be your

The newsle er for Informa on Volunteers!

Food Bank Benefits—we’re now linked in We are now established as referrers for all Trussell Trust food banks through-out Greater Manchester (except Salford). We have also been accepted as a refer-ring agency for various other food bank organisa ons. This means we hold food bank vouchers and can issue them directly to the clients rather than asking them to contact CAB or DWP.

The vouchers have a value of approxi-mately £28-£32 - the value increases depending upon the size of the family. Most food banks also issue hygiene packs - shower gels, soaps, deodorants etc.

Vouchers can be posted out, handed out by our case officers or collected by our

The Liverpool Pop-In Centre opened December

Legion at Large The Lowdown on the Legion in Greater Manchester! Issue 1

Events To Advertise If you have an event or story from your area, which you would like adver sed, please let David Brown (details on back page) know and we will publish it in the newsle er and on the website. SALFORD: Sunday 22nd June Salford Mayors Parade – The Ceremonial Mayor Elect, Councillor Chris ne Hudson will be holding her Civic Parade on Sunday 22nd June 2014, I would ap-preciate if you will make enquiries if any representa ves of the BL and / or Standard Bearers would be available to a end this event. The basic parade route will start at Cadishead Park, Liverpool Road, Cadishead and will halt at Cadishead Wesley Church, Lord Street, for the Church Service (approximately 15 mins). At the conclusion of the service, the Parade will fall in again, turning le onto Liverpool Road (which is a main thoroughfare) finishing at Cadishead Catholic Club, Liverpool Road (this part of the parade will take approximately 30mins). Any queries for this can be forwarded to Karen Finch, Senior Democra c Ser-vices Officer (Ceremonial Mayor's Office / Member Services) at Salford City Council Tel: 0161 793 2229 Email: karen.finch@salford.gov.uk Sunday 2nd November Opening of the Garden of Remembrance – all Standards welcome and anyone who would like to go along to plant their Cross with me to reflect. This takes place at the Cenotaph on the Crescent, Salford. Be in place for 10:45hrs. Saturday 8th November At 10:45hrs 3 short services will be held, first the Soldiers War Graves, then the Mass Grave of the Vic ms of the Blitz, the on to the Memorial to the Lancaster Bomber Crew. Standards and anyone wishing to a end are welcome. Any interest/ queries re: any of the above please contact Derrick Corfield, Tel: 0161 736 9353 / Mob: 07803 127 162 / Email: d.p.corfield@b nternet.com

CITY CENTRE: I am Rev Dr Richard S Cook the railway and BTP Chaplain for the NW. In Manchester on the 6th June at Manchester Piccadilly in the morning at 10.50am and again in the a ernoon at 14.30pm at Manchester Victoria we are marking the 70th anniversary of D Day. On August 7th at 10.50am we will be holding a centenary commemora on of WW1 at Manchester Piccadilly. On the 6th and 8th November at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria respec vely we will be holding a service of Remembrance. At all these services we would be honoured if you could join us. Yours Sincerely Richard S Cook Tel: 07718 971 915 Email: flyingvicar@talktalk.net ROCHDALE: Saturday 17th May – ABF are holding an evening concert to raise money at Rochdale Town Hall. The Kings Regiment Band will be performing promptly at 7.30pm and there will be a drinks recep on from 7pm. Tickets are £12.50 and are available from RRG Toyota Rochdale, Rochdale Town Hall, online and from the ABF office in Preston. (see poster at page 4) ASHTON UNDER LYNE:

The Black Tie Dinner Thursday 1st May 2014 The Catering Students at Tameside College have to as part of their Course to plan, organize, prepare and hold a Black Tie Dinner for Charity. This year they have chosen to hold it to help The Royal Bri sh Legion Commemorate the Centenary of WW1 . The Tickets for the Event will be £25 per person. The Event will include a Recep on, Dinner, Auc on and Raffle all run by the Students. Please contact Karen Brown for ckets at: 14 Ridgecro , Ashton under Lyne, OL7 9TG, Telephone No 0161 339 5497 (see poster on next page)

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION GREATER MANCHESTER

COUNTY BLACK TIE DINNER In aid of County Funds

Thursday 1st May 2014

At

TAMESIDE COLLEGE

Beaufort Rd, Ashton-u-Lyne, OL6 6NX

6.30pm for 7pm

Carriages

11pm