Guidance

VAPC London: meeting minutes 8 April 2019

Updated 22 March 2024

Venue: RAF Benevolent Fund, 67 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AR
Date: Monday 8 April 2019 at 11 am to 2pm

Present:

Lynn Verity (LV) Chairman
Ken Courtenay (KC)
Julie Thain Smith (JTS)
Paul Clabburn (PC)
Bob Money (BM)
Andrew Ross (AR)
Roger Hood (RH)
Heather Betts (HB)
Jim Evans (JME)
Marion Knight (MK) Secretary

Apologies:

Jim Blake (JB) Deputy Chair
Alex Jablonowski (AJ)
Penny Long (PL)
Lynne Calame (LC)

Observers / Guests:

Paul Cartwright – Chair SW VA&PC

1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

1. The Chairman welcomed Paul Cartwright, the Chairman of the South West VA&PC Committee.

2. The Chairman explained that as a result of a new booking system used by the RAF Benevolent Fund the meeting planned for the 27th March 2019 had to be postponed until the 8th April 2019. The Chairman confirmed the dates of the next 3 meetings were the 12th June 2019, 4th September 2019 and 2nd December 2019.

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

1. Apologies for absence were accepted from committee members JB, AJ, PL, LC.

2. Dave Luscombe from VETS UK had previously indicated he would be attending the meeting but was not present

3. DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The Chairman reminded Committee members that they must declare any interest arising out of their personal/business life which could conflict with VAPC business.

4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

Minutes of the Previous meeting were adopted, and MK was instructed to send the minutes to Norcross for publication.

5. CHAIRMAN’S CONFERENCE

The Chairman had circulated both her report of the recent Chairman’s Conference and the report from Flick Drummond (Chairman of SE Committee) prior to the meeting. The conference was under new management led by Kingsley Donaldson. It was a positive meeting and the presentations from Tobias Ellwood and General Nugee were well received.

6. HOUSING SEMINAR UPDATE

1. PC had circulated his report before the meeting. The housing sub group have been working hard organising the housing seminar. The date for the seminar is confirmed as the 3rd June and PC explained some of the logistics of the seminar. key stakeholders the RBL and Kent University will also co-host the tables. The group will require the support of the committee.

2. Note takers for the tables are being provided by Kent University.

3. The seminar will be held at the RAF Club and will start at 9.00 am. PC explained there will be a 45 minute briefing for everyone involved before invited guests arrive. LV will introduce the seminar and PC will facilitate.

4. The housing sub group have another stakeholder meeting during the 1st week of May to make final preparations.

5. An alphabetical list of attendees needs to be provided to RAF Club before the meeting.

6. BM explained that it is important for committee members to contact the London Borough Councils who have not yet responded with regards their attendance at the housing seminar. A list of Councils who have not responded and affiliated committee members was circulated at the meeting. PC will draft an email for committee members to use for this follow up contact and will ask MK to send out. PC, MK & ALL to action.

7. The committee had a discussion with regards to other attendees and the following were suggested COBSEO, Shelter, BIG issue, Veterans and Families Group, as well as Tesco, Stoll, SSAFA, Veterans Gateway, Haig Housing, Veterans Aid. The Sub group will make the final decision when all the final numbers with regards London Borough Council attendance have been confirmed.

7. REPORTS FROM SUB GROUPS:

Policy and Government Affairs:

JB was not able to attend the meeting, he will submit a report for the next meeting on the 12th June 2019

Health and welfare: (JTS report circulated prior to the meeting)

1. JTS discussed the main points in her report with the committee. She specifically requested Committee members make contact with London hospitals which are not currently accredited under the ‘Veteran Aware’ initiative to enquire if they were considering this.

2. PL has attended the War Widows’ Association meeting in Scotland. PL had remarked that whilst in Edinburgh, the Lord Provost provided his full support, takes a lead in supporting the Armed Forces Covenant and had attended their reception unlike civic leads in other cities.

Employment: (AJ report circulated prior to the meeting)

JME explained there had been very little activity in the last 3 months, the programme was still active and the mentoring programme was working well. Barclays continue to fund the work.

Centenary: (RH report circulated prior to the meeting)

1. RH updated the committee on the current progress. RH had been to the Chairman’s Conference with regards the suggested plans for the Centenary. Kingsley Donaldson agreed with the overall structure of the events planned. He agreed there should be a Centenary link for all VA&PCs and this would enable a closer working relationship between committees.

2. The London Guildhall event would be the main focus of the London VA&PC. RH explained the Guildhall would not commit to the event until 2020. It would cost attendees approximately £100 each. RH suggested that representatives from other VA&PC regions would be invited to attend the event. The Committee believed it would be of value to have a sponsor for this event and a discussion ensued amongst committee members as to who were possible candidates.

3. National Arboretum event will be a national activity and the Regional Chairman have endorsed this idea. Kingsley Donaldson is very keen that the West Midlands VA&PC Committee should be leading on this. This will be a June 2021 event.

4. LV suggested a Royal Patron should be sought for VA&PC’s as part of the Centenary celebrations, the Committee members acknowledged this was a great idea, however KC suggested this may bring it owns challenges as VA&PC’s are not generally effectively recognised.

5. PC informed the committee that he has agreed in principle an online article with the Imperial War Museum and RH welcomed this. Pc explained that BBC are likely to have an interest if the VA&PCs can find some personal stories of where VA&PC’s have helped individuals over the last 100 years. RH to action.

6. RH asked for time at the meeting on the 12th June 2019 to agree a mission statement for the Centenary and to debate the next 10 years of VA&PC’s and the value they can add. (Future agenda item)

8. TREASURER’S REPORT (AJ)

1. £30.00 in bank account

2. RBL and Tesco are helping to fund the housing seminar as they are sponsors.

9. PANEL CASE (JB)

1. LV explained there was now a second panel case the committee had been asked to review which she had recently passed on to JB. LV will follow up with JB on progress. The committee felt strongly that as the individual who had brought the case was not from the London area the committee should not have been asked to review the case and provide a response when other regional committees were more directly involved. LV & JB to action.

2. JTS told the committee that she had responded to the other recent case. JTS explained she had looked at all information and she had made recommendations. The complainant had now resigned from the services.

10. AOB

1. As MK had now retired from Marks and Spencer PC will pursue the names she had provided to PC for ongoing voluntary support from Marks and Spencer.

2. Housing Seminar: 3 June 2019.

3. Date of next meeting: 12 June 2019.