members
This page has been added to keep members with access to the Internet up to date on events and other matters between issues of the Newsletter.
Events
Battle Day Ceremony and Annual General Meeting - Saturday 5th December 2009.
Members and friends of the Falkland Islands Association gathered at The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London on Saturday 5 December 2009 for the annual Battle Day Ceremony. The police closed the road to traffic for the ceremony and at 11.00am, in golden sunshine, Big Ben rang out and the two Royal Marine buglers sounded the Last Post. The colour party from the Royal Navy, supported by the Naval Cadets from Pangbourne College, lowered their standards for the silence. After Reveille was sounded, Commodore Peter Thicknesse RN, representing the Armed Services, laid the first wreath, followed by Mr David Tatham CMG, Chairman of the Falkland Islands Association, Mrs Sara Jones CBE and Mrs Paula Shear of the Falkland Families Association, Mr Zoran Zubic (FIDF) representing the Falkland Islands Government in the absence of the London Representative, Ms Sukey Cameron, Captain Martin Reed of the South Atlantic Medal Association 1982, Mr Andrew Rosindell MP, representing the UK/FI All Party Parliamentary Group, Mr Maurice Jones representing The Association of the Men of Kent and Kentish Men, Mr Doug Harris representing the HMS Protector Association and Miss Nadia Smith representing the young people of the Falkland Islands. The Chaplain, the Rev’d Peter Millam then led a short service of remembrance and dedication.
Following the ceremony members moved across the river to the Gascoine Room in The Union Jack Club, Waterloo for the Annual General Meeting where the Chairman, Mr David Tatham, welcomed members of the Association and their guests, especially Commodore Philip Thicknesse, the newly appointed CBFSAI, who had earlier laid the wreath on behalf of the Armed Services, and Mrs Thicknesse, offering them the best wishes of the members for their time on the Islands. He said that the Association had been saddened to hear of the death of Lord Buxton, a devoted supporter of the Falkland Islands.
The Chairman then presented the Report of the Executive Committee. (Click here to see a copy)
Mr James Wallace (Hon Treasurer) then presented his report and Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2009.
The election of Officers then took place and the following were appointed: Mr David Tatham as Chairman, Mr Saul Pitaluga as Vice Chairman, Mr Colin Wright as Hon Secretary, Mr James Wallace as Hon Treasurer and Mrs Lisa Johnston as Editor of the Newsletter.
Mr D G Ainslie, Air Commodore P Johnson, Mr M Jones, The Hon A. Shackleton, Mr R Wager, Mr Z Zuvic and Col. Michael Bowles were elected as members of the Executive Committee. Mr Paul Freer was elected as Honorary Inspector.
The “Bill Hunter-Christie Memorial Prize” had been won by Falkland Islands student, Krysteen Ormond, but she unable to be present to receive her prize.
Members then raised points to be considered by the Executive Committee and Mr Andrew Rosindell MP brought greetings from all members of the UK/FI All Party Parliamentary Group. Mr Doug Harris of the HMS Protector Association informed members that his Association will be holding a memorial church service at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire on 21st April 2011 when it was hoped to have a live link between the chapel at the Arboretum and Christchurch in Stanley.
Photographs of these events can be viewed on the ‘photos’ page of this website.
Other News
Subscription payments for overseas members
The high cost of converting other currencies to UK pounds causes problems for both overseas members and the Association. To help overcome some of these difficulties we have set up a PayPal account to enable members living overseas to pay their initial or renewal subscriptions by this method. Please click on the “Donate” button on the ‘join us’ page to pay or renew your subscription. You will be taken to the PayPal website where you will be able to make your payment using your credit card or via your personal PayPal account if you have one. If you use this method of payment to renew your subscription please provide your name and address using the message form on the ‘contact us’ page so that we can correctly identify the member payment. New overseas members should still print out and complete the form as indicated above remembering to tick the box at the bottom of the form to indicate that you have used PayPal to pay your first subscription.
We would prefer UK members to continue to use cheques or Bankers Order to pay their subscriptions as this remains the most economical method within the UK.
Annual Subscriptions
Our financial year ends on 31st March and subscriptions for the coming year fall due in 1st April. A ‘Subscription Reminder’ form will be circulated with the Spring Newsletter but this does not apply to those members who pay by Bankers Order as their bank remembers to pay the subscription for them – if you pay by Bankers Order you can ignore the reminder and leave payment to the Bank.
Changing address?
We are concerned by the number of Newsletters that are returned to the office marked “Gone Away” – we always hope that this means the member has moved to a new address and has forgotten to notify us although, sadly, it may mean that a member is in hospital or has been “called to higher service”. Whilst we cannot expect members to let us know that they have passed away may we encourage the living to advise us of a change of address? Without that information we cannot send you a Newsletter.