As the year comes to a close Coin Branch looks back proudly on a year of activity and fun. This has been the year of our first trip to Morocco, our discovery of a local “Anne Robinson” and a huge range of weekly events to keep us all amused. We have many new members who have joined this year.  We welcome them, and thank all our members for their support and active interest in 2008.

We were proud and honoured to have Alhaurin el Grande and Alhaurin de la Torre Branches join us for our Remembrance Service, and Coin and Alhaurin el Grande had their Standards dedicated the same day.  These Services are always poignant occasions, but they serve to remind us of our solemn commitment to Remembrance and to the supporting of our beneficiaries.

The designated Poppy Appeal time for 2008 has now come to a close. We are pleased to have made a satisfying collection of over 4400 Euros in this last year. Poppy Appeal funds support nearly 11 million Legion beneficiaries. 1 in 6 people of the UK population is eligible for support from the British Legion.  Support ranges from relieving financial need; furthering education of beneficiaries; resettlement; rehabilitation, retraining; small business loans and sheltered employment.  We in Coin have contributed towards relieving need, suffering, hardship and distress.

These days are thoughts are often with our Service people in places like Afghanistan, and we are happy that the money we raise through our events and Poppy collections goes towards supporting them and their dependents, as well as all ex-service people.  I thank everyone for their generosity.

We now approach Christmas and the New Year with anticipation and excitement, and I wish everyone all the joy that this season can bring. I pray too, that our Legion funds can go towards making this time a happy one for all our beneficiaries too.