As I write up these few notes the four months since the 2009 Poppy Appeal and Remembrance Week have been particularly busy for the Royal British Legion Scotland Headquarters due to a number of situations, including vacant posts, priority work required, to continue the up grading of various points set out by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator in their letter to me at the beginning of June 2008 and the organisation of milestone and commemorative events soon to take place including, the Piping Miniband Competition, ANZAC and Gallipoli Day Service, Solo Piping Championship Competition, Beating Retreat and the Annual Conference.
Looking ahead to the future, the RBLS safeguards the welfare, interest and memory of those who are serving or who have served in the Armed Forces. We are
In order to remain one of the leading veterans’ charities in Scotland and safeguard the welfare, interests and memory of those who have served in the Armed Forces, the Legion must evolve and take our best practices and ideas and combine them with those we have found in other organisations such as the Royal British Legion over the Border. We must also take into account the requirements of regulatory bodies, such as the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator of whom we have been well aware for some considerable time. The present thinking within OSCR is encouraging and I believe that we can satisfy most of the issues given time. However this objective requires the complete support of the National Executive Committee (who are also RBLS Trustees), the Nine Area Councils and all Branches, large or small. But, unless the Legion is prepared to change, and not for change’s sake alone, but for the good of the organisation and to move on with the times, it will not go forward, I’m afraid.
There is one change that is now proving it’s worth and true potential; the introduction of our own Royal British Legion Scotland Accounts Department. This is not only of service to Headquarters, but also of benefit to all Areas and Branches and in fact the Board of Trustees as well. Another sticking point over the years has been the reluctance of members to accept and update our Constitution. The Constitution has stood us in very good stead since 1921 with few changes, but unfortunately required considerable reconstruction lately and it was accepted, by a fairly large majority of the members, last September, and thankfully also by the Charity Regulator.
One very worrying item is the falling membership numbers and the rate of decline of Ordinary members is a lot faster than the Associate members. This could in reality question the future of the membership organisation, if nothing is done.
Therefore as a short summary; a considerable amount of extremely hard work will be required looking into the impact of new charitable legislation; an extensive recruiting drive towards young people and members of the Armed Forces; to ensure the ongoing effective governance of the Royal British Legion Scotland on those holding office at National, Area and Branch level and indeed Legion business in general and this includes the Branch Social Clubs; to make sure good governance is cascaded down to the grass roots level, throughout the Legion. All acts must therefore be in the interest of the charity and in furtherance of its purposes. As most Legion Branches have their own Charity number it is vital that all Area and Branch trustees understand the operating environment face of the parent body, that being the Board of NEC Trustees and the implications this will bring, if the charity is not run properly.
Finally my congratulations to George Ross on becoming the new General Secretary, after the final interviews were held on
George R MacDonald