The National Service Foundation Day is held every year on the last Sunday of June at the National Memorial Arboretum. All of the Armed Forces and their Associations are represented along with The Royal British Legion, the Merchant Marine, the Bevin Boys and youth Organisations.
The Masonic Provinces of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire have been invited to send Standard Bearers for the last 3 years. Last year we in Derbyshire only paraded one standard with a small contingent headed by The Provincial Grand Master RWBro Steven Varley.
This year Derbyshire paraded both of our new standards carried by WBro’s Wood and Greenway. The Assistant Grand Master WBro Ian Copestake who also attended with his wife Sue, represented The Provincial Grand Master.
In addition to the Masonic and Armed Forces Associations there were a number of Mayors representing the local populations that surround the National Arboretum. The Senior Officer present was Major General Patrick Cordingly DSO DSC FRGS who took the salute. Major General Cordingly is also currently raising funds for National Memorial Arboretum.
The National Service Veterans Foundation which incorporates the Malayan, Borneo and Far Eastern Veterans and the British Army Gurkha Veterans is a non- subscription organisation and exists entirely to support its members and associate members. The National Chairman WBro Gerald Rose would be delighted to receive any contributions which he tells me will be gratefully received and faithfully applied.
Those of us who attended had a wonderful time and unusually the weather was good not too hot or cold. Some of us also met old comrades including the General who was also a Inniskillen Dragoon in the 70’s.