We are delighted to announce that our annual training day will be held once again at St Marks Church Hall, Heyside, Royton, Oldham, OL2 6EF.

Start time 09.30, Finish time 16.30.

Please bring a packed lunch.

There are various topics covered, see poster, but be sure to book in with John Corbishley, to ensure we have the spaces on each session.

As the nation’s custodian of Remembrance, the Royal British Legion strives to ensure that all who serve and sacrifice to defend our democratic freedoms are always remembered.

An important part of the RBL’s work is to encourage younger generations to engage with Remembrance. Its free Teaching Remembrance Learning Programme – a comprehensive range of resources for children and their teachers, youth groups and families across the UK – is integral in achieving this.

The programme provides free downloadable learning resources that are available on the RBL’s website all year round and include Remembrance lessons, assemblies and book club activity packs. Linked to the National Curriculum and aimed at Key Stages 1 (ages 4-7), 2 (ages 7-11), 3 (ages 11-14), it reaches hundreds of thousands of children every year. It explores the reasons why we remember and who we remember, and encourages young people to make their own connections to Remembrance.

Details about the free resources for the Teaching Remembrance Learning Programme are available from rbl.org.uk/teachingremembrance

There are also online and in-person events, which include the Remembrance Live Assembly every November and the Teaching Remembrance Days held at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire over the summer. In addition, resources are available for youth groups and the various uniformed organisations.

With few exceptions it is acknowledged that most Church Lads’ & Church Girls’ Brigade units are located more than thirty miles from the National Memorial Arboretum. Nevertheless, units might consider an occasional day out to visit the Arboretum, possibly including family and friends or perhaps the church community, to explore over four hundred memorials at this wonderful parkland site which is our nation’s year-round centre for Remembrance. Such visits may be arranged formally or informally except that the Arboretum would like to know if groups are coming in advance. At the heart of the Arboretum, next to the Millennium Chapel is the CLCGB Memorial Garden and in the chapel itself you will find the Lectern Bible donated by the former CLCGB Brigade Association. Every year the Brigade holds its annual Service of Remembrance in the Millennium Chapel on the 1st Saturday in November and the next service will be held on 2nd November 2024. Full details are available about the Arboretum at thenma.org.uk and about the Brigade Annual Service from NHQ. The National Memorial Arboretum is part of the Royal British Legion family of charities. When teaching Remembrance it is important for units to learn about the Brigade’s own military history over two world wars. Our Brigade Historical Group has all the information you need on this.

The next Remembrance Live Assembly will be broadcast virtually on Monday 11th November at 10.20am. The RBL has partnered with the National Literary Trust to create a free Remembrance Live Assembly for children aged 9-14 (Years 5-9). This live-streamed event brings students from across the UK together to engage with Remembrance through art, music, poetry, veteran interviews and more. The event takes place on Zoom and includes a two Minute Silence. To register for the assembly, fill out the form at rbl.org.uk/liveassembly.

Maynard Scott
Former Deputy Governor
October 2024

NHQ were pleased to welcome Bishop Dale Bowers from St Helena, where we have an active Brigade Unit.  Canon Nicholas Turner of Barnsley also attended, and Governor Andrew, and National Coordinator Perry held a meeting to discuss Growth, Activities and Training amongst other topics.  Helen also met the visitors and welcomed with coffee and biscuits.  To mark the visit we flew the St Helena flag from our roof at NHQ.