Hello All,
My name is David (yes, another one!) and I have the privilege of being your Branch Co-Ordinator. I am also the Secretary of the Northumberland branch and, like most of you, one bitten by the Western Front bug (not to be confused with ‘cooties') many years ago, life was never quite the same again. The highlight of my year is undoubtedly the week our group spend in France and Belgium late each spring, when we ‘poke around', make a few personal pilgrimages and get lost quite a lot!
But enough about me: I am anxious to learn all about you. By ‘you' I mean the 48 ‘official' British branches, the seven overseas ‘affiliates'- and the thousands of ‘one member branches': those of you who cannot (or choose not to) attend the formal Branch meetings. Your views are all equally important, your experiences invaluable, your knowledge immense. Imagine if we could all share in this glorious diversity and huge fund of learning: we could strengthen the branches, increase the WFA membership and more effectively spread the word to the next generation, ensuring the ‘torch' is passed on. It is only four years until the ‘one hundred years ago today' milestones will start to appear: we must be fully equipped and ready for this expedition.
So please, share your thoughts with me (or the ‘Listening Post' on the ‘Front Forum') on: http://frontforum.westernfrontassociation.com/viewforum.php?f=53.
What you want, and what you actually get, from your membership.
What the WFA does well, what can be improved and how.
What strategies you/your branch have used successfully, to what aim. What did not have such positive results, what can be learned?
Places you have visited, events you have been to and what the experience was like.
Tips can you pass on, both dos and don'ts.
By sharing such information we can, I know, strengthen the association, the branches and the positive membership experience.
On this topic of sharing: how do you, the members, feel about having your contact detailed passed (with certain safeguards) to other members of the organisation who may be trying to form new branches or organise events? Is this acceptable, should it be standard practice, or should you be contacted (where/when practical) as individuals with information that you can contact Tommy Atkins on **** if you are interested in what he/she proposes? This is an important issue, and your feedback will shape future strategy - so please share your thoughts with me (or the Listening Post).
With your help, my next column will share some handy hints and cunning wheezes - you can find my contact details in the Northumberland section of ‘Branch contacts' or in the WFA Branch Co-ordinator page. Email is preferred (but if that's not your thing, use the phone or snailmail)- please refer to ‘WFA' in the subject box in case it accidentally gets ‘spammed'.
Toodle-oo and pip-pip for now.
David Easton
