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**To qualify for this ticket price pensioners must be receiving State Pension. Dress Code: Lounge Suits - medals optional We do hope you will be able to join us at our annual dinner this year and a big thank you to the Dinner Subcommittee for organising the dinner for us again. Dinner Accommodation 
For those of you wishing to stay overnight at the Victory Services Club, accommodation will be available for 10% of our party, providing vacancies exist at the time of the booking.
The cost is £34.00 (single basic room) / £45.00 (ensuite) per person per night (for Members) and £43.00 (single basic room) / £55.00 (ensuite) per person per night (for non-Members), which includes £5.00 for breakfast. Bookings will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, so book early by writing directly to:- The Reception Manager The Victory (Services) Association Limited 63/79 Seymour Street London, W2 2HF Tel No. 020 7723 4474 Extension: 241/200 Please indicate your requirements and the function you are attending, enclosing a cheque for the full amount payable to The Victory (Services) Association Limited, together with a stamped addressed envelope for dispatch of receipts and confirmation (otherwise receipts will be held until your arrival). Coaches From Hayes As usual, we expect to be providing a coach service to and from the Victory Services Club from the Hayes offices. There will be a small charge of £5.00 to help offset the cost and this will be collectable on the coach. Please mark on the attached form if you wish to book a place on the coach. Annual Dinner Application Form Please complete and return the attached Annual Dinner Form as soon as possible, enclosing your remittance. Just a reminder, the dinner is open to everyone, however if you have not paid your subscription you will have to come and pay as a Guest rather than as a Member.
 Poppy Appeal: Week Commencing Monday 3rd November
We are always eager to add to our number of Poppy Sellers during this week. Monday to Thursday we may collect around St. Paul's and on private land where permission has been granted. On Friday we may collect anywhere and also on Saturday, 8th November when we have the added enjoyment of The Lord Mayor's Show as entertainment. For information call David Williams on 020 7582 5929 or Richard Browne on 01276 22412. FUNDRAISING Poppy Appeal - Safeway Branch Car Raffle 
As you are aware, Safeway fully support the Poppy Appeal and this year is no exception. We are aiming to raise in excess of £50,000 this year and one of our fundraising initiatives is a "Car Raffle" - the first prize being a brand new 5-door, metallic Volkswagen Polo "S", which has been kindly donated by our company car leasing partners, A.L.D. We also have excellent second and third prizes up for grabs.
The raffle is open to all Safeway employees, Safeway Pensioners and RBL Safeway Branch members and tickets cost £1.00 each or £5.00 for a book of 5. Tickets will be on sale soon. If you would like raffle tickets - please complete the enclosed ticket application form and return it as soon as possible. To help with ticket administration it would be helpful if you could also enclose a self-addressed envelope (no stamp required). The draw will take place during November. We do hope you agree that this is a fabulous chance to win a car!  RBL Quiz Night
Our last Quiz Night was held on Wednesday 10th September and raised £800 for the Legion. Unfortunately our regular Quizmaster, Bill Dawson, was unable to join us, so John Kane did the honours for us. Our thanks to John for volunteering his services! Congratulations to "The Double Entry Boys" who successfully defended the winners shield. 
Scratch Cards
Poppy Appeal Scratch cards went on sale in selected Safeway stores from the 18th September for a period of 8 weeks. You can get your cards from the following Safeway stores:
20% of the proceeds go directly to the RBL, and Safeway will also be donating their 10% commission to the RBL. Derby Draw 2003 Our Derby Draw took place on Friday 30th May and raised £1000 for the Branch. Thank you to everyone who had a flutter. Our thanks also go to Gerry Martin and Barry Martin for all their hard work in organising this for us. OBITUARIES 
Our thoughts and condolences go to the families of Mr. J. Gale and Mr. S. Fairminer who both sadly passed
away in June of this year. Also, to the wife and family of Lt. Colonel Roderick (Rodie) Suddes who died on 16th July after suffering a severe stroke some seven years ago.
We are thinking of them at this sad time. RBL NEWS RELEASE The Royal British Legion Welcomes Award of General Service Medal to Canal Zone Veterans 
The Royal British Legion welcomes the announcement made by the Prime Minister on 11th June, that veterans of the 1951-1954 Suez Canal Zone operation are to receive the General Service Medal.
Over recent years the Legion's members have voted several times at their Annual Conference for a medal to be awarded for the very unpleasant operation, during which many British servicemen were killed or wounded. But their requests were not heeded by the Governments of the day.
This award brings recognition to the survivors, a large part of whom were National Service conscripts, who have had nothing to show for their service to this country. It is sad that many have already passed away.
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION EVENTS Festival Of Remembrance - Saturday 8th November - Evening The allocation of Festival of Remembrance tickets at the Royal Albert Hall for our Region has been reduced somewhat. However, our Branch has managed to secure six, so if you are interested in attending please let us know as soon as possible. Tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis - and these will be at a cost of £10.00 each. Please contact Gabrielle Williamson for further information.
Chepstow Race Day - Saturday 8th November The RBL's third race day of the year will take place a Chepstow on 8th November - if you would be interested in attending please contact Gabrielle Williamson, Branch Secretary. If we have enough members interested we may be able to lay on a coach from Hayes. Operation Normandy - 2004 
The Legion is planning a cycle ride to Normandy to commemorate the anniversary of the D Day Landings (Operation Overlord) in 1944.
To mark 60 years since this turning point in European history, the Legion are hoping to take a group of cyclists in July 2004 to visit some of the beaches involved in this extraordinary operation. The ride will be open to keen cyclists of all abilities who will cover about 40-50 miles per day over a four-day period. Everyone will have the chance to explore this famous area of northern France but at a leisurely pace and on two wheels whilst, at the same time, raising sponsorship for the Legion. If you would like further information please contact Gabrielle Williamson, Branch Secretary. Well, I'll sign off for now. I trust you have enjoyed this edition of our Newsletter - please feel free to give us any comments you may have or items you'd like to see included in our next edition. The Committee looks forward to seeing as many of you at this year's Annual Dinner in November and I do hope you will consider supporting our Car Raffle by purchasing tickets in aid of the Poppy Appeal. Thank you all for your continued support Kind regards 
Lawrence Christensen CBE Branch Chairman |
NEWS FROM THE CENTRE
In our April Newsletter we reported that Peter Collins was recovering from a hip replacement operation. Well I am pleased to tell you that after making such good progress, his surgeon was so pleased with him, he had his second hip replacement at the beginning of August and has made a good recovery.
As you are aware, the poppy factory is in Richmond and the RBL have taken up our offer of providing help with the transportation of poppies from their factory to the Royal British Legion Village in Kent, which is only a short distance from our own RDC in Aylesford.
2003 BIKE RIDES IN SUPPORT OF THE POPPY APPEAL
Many of our riders took a well-earned rest this year, but I am pleased to report we had 5 riders (3 Safeway and 2 colleagues) take part in this year's Pedal to Paris ride earlier in the month. Matt Sinfield, more accustomed to four wheels than two, had only cycled for pleasure in the past, with his longest ride being 26 miles. But after months of training, he and the rest of the Safeway team, joined 200 cyclists on the four day, 280-mile trip in aid of the Poppy Appeal.
This year, we felt it very fitting to invite a Speaker from the Royal Air Force, which, once again, has played a vital role in recent military campaigns and I am delighted that Group Captain Jon Fynes will be our keynote speaker for the evening. I am sure you will all be fascinated to hear of his extensive experience throughout his distinguished career and, in particular, his latest posting in the Gulf earlier this year, when he was "in-theatre spokesman" in Kuwait.
