In the run up to Christmas, we had a small gathering when Terry and John Chambers and myself provided a little light (sometimes Christmas) music.

After the traditional New Year’s Eve Party, the year began with the Branch once again hosting the Annual District Conference in the DCC, in the presence of our National President, with an evening of live music from BAV plus in the Branch afterwards.

February saw the Valentines Disco on the 11 th and a table top sale in the Branch on the 26 th. On the 3 rd of March we celebrated the Branches 20 th Birthday with a Poppy Party, live music being provided by my own band. The 18 th March was Mother’s day, with coffee & cake in the Branch.

On into April, after a rather damp Branch spring clean on the 31 st March, and the 8 th saw our Easter celebration. On the 22 nd, we held our first Car Boot sale of the year which unfortunately turned out to be a cold damp day.

The beginning of May saw us attending the freedom day Parade in Wageningen Holland on the 5 th, with our attendance in the village of Nieuw Dordrecht the evening before.

The 19 th & 20 th May was annual Conference in Scarborough, where at the overseas Branch Meeting before the main conference, our own Eddie Hefferman was presented with his Life Membership by the National Chairman. I think that was the first time I have ever seen Eddie speechless!!

Back in Germany, The 2 nd June saw our Golden Jubilee Garden Party, with all the usual attractions, music being provided by local band Riskey Business. The 30 th June was Veterans Day with this year’s being hosted by Hohne Garrison.

July saw a much better attended Car Boot Sale, with the weather gods smiling on us. After the normal summer break in August, we started back with a second Garden Party, which was very well attended and received, music this time provided by a band which was put together just for the day.

That brings us full circle as far as events go, but there was also a lot of other work going on in fundraising and welfare. The fundraising started back in January when a small team did a three peaks run involving running up to the Kaiser Wilhelm Denkmal, the Sparrenburg and the Bismarck Turm. March saw a simulated Triathlon covering the distance from Herford to Royal Wooton Basset and we had sponsored runners in the Bismarck Challenge only last month. Thank you to all involved.

We have over the last year hosted a number of Squadron Parties, which help us to maintain our high profile within Herford Station, and of course also bring in a lot of money to the Poppy Appeal. We also had a visit by members of the Herford Association in October.

Finally, thank you to all of you who have made the effort to attend this evening, and before I ask our President to make some presentations, I would like to say a BIG thank you to all the Branch Officers, Committee Members and Members who have worked so hard over the last year and for their unfailing support. An extra thank you to the Kitchen Staff who have once again produced some wonderful food for our functions.

Looking forward, I would like to see the Branch build on the success of the past 12 months, but I would also like to attract members back into using the Branch, and to attending Branch Meetings, as many times the bar has been closed early due to no-one being there. I would also like to see a few more Committee Members, so if you would like to be more involved, please contact me or Dave Jobson.

In closing, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year 2013.

Terry Salmon