Welcome to our November Update, we can’t believe it’s our 40th edition, where does the time go!
As we rapidly approach the end of the year, November has been a mixed month. Another busy month for the FWP team, but also a time to traditionally look back in remembrance and reflection, and forwards in anticipation and hope. We were delighted to see our biggest contingent yet march at the Cenotaph Parade and then gather afterwards in the warmth of the Phoenix Arts Club, whilst members of our community paid respects and laid FWP wreaths at other services all across the UK. You can read about some of these occasions in our newsletter’s regional sections. At the Phoenix Arts Club, Ed read out an incredibly poignant poem he’d written for Remembrance, and it feels fitting to share it here in our November message.
Mr Barrett
The village bugler sounds a duff last note,
The Vicar’s face unmoved.
A lonely figure stands apart,
An ancient, shapeless beret twisted in his hand,
Fingers drift across his jacket breast.
Mr Barrett touches the chest
From which that awful Tuesday morning
Both his medals were cut away.
His only real friend, these days, asks why
He even goes,
And why he stands alone.
But only Mr Barrett knows
That he stands there, to remember those
Whose youthful years were
Torn away with spit, and fists, and hateful lies.
The proudly-blazered Legion men
Watch this quiet man who lives in the council flats.
They see he stands apart
Each year,
Standing straight, his shoulders back
Outside the village church,
Mouthing silently the hymns
He clearly seems to know.
And once or twice
They tried to reach a welcome hand,
Surprised to see him turn away
And hurry home, avoiding
Eyes, too scared of comrade smiles,
Too nervous what to say.
Alone, at home: a private ritual of remembrance.
Mr Barrett toasts the medals that he won,
But doesn’t own to wear.
And every year, he sheds a tear holding
A precious fading photograph of a handsome suntanned man,
Laughing in the desert sun.
Ten years ago, the gin would help,
But now his GP says it’s killing him.
Mr Barrett knows that Sergeant Barrett’s
Carefree days are well and truly done.
It’s Tuesday afternoon before he
Feels safe enough to reach the old stone village cross.
He props a modest wreath against the moss
And looks around to check he’s on his own.
Reaching up to touch a name,
He feels the carved stone lines that are the
Closest he can get to get to say,
I really miss you, Jim.
A secret pilgrim now, his collar raised against the sad November rain,
Mr Barrett marches home,
Pausing only once, to wipe a real tear,
And buy some discount gin.
(Written by Ed Hall)
Remembrance comes in so many forms, and we are looking forward to the Autumn of next year to the unveiling of the LGBT+ Armed Forces Community Memorial. We are delighted that over 37 applications for design were received before last week’s application deadline passed, and you can read more on this in the newsletter’s Memorial update.
This month at our Town Hall we were delighted to see many news faces, and many familiar faces, over 100 of you joined us again and we have since held the first of our new regional online ‘Community Cafes’. There are more yet to come but there has already been great interest in holding second events in December and we are looking forward to as many of you joining those as would like to. Details can be found in the regional news sections.
In the newsletter below, and on our website, you will also find details for some of the events that are taking form for the 25th Anniversary commemorations of the ban being lifted, and we will post more details on these as they shape up. Events are being planned across the country throughout the year, and over the weekend of 11th/12th January 2025 they currently range from LGBT+ veterans lived-experiences being told at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in London and Manchester, a related choir event, the Serve With Pride book and the Coming Home comic being launched, a service commemorating LGBT+ service, in St Clement Dane Church, and other events including some informal regional social gatherings.
This month has also been one for change within FWP. We look forward to gaining a Fundraising Officer hopefully soon, but we sadly lose one of our wonderful VCWs, as Alex Meyrick leaves us for a new role with Op RESTORE. Many of you will know Alex from her fabulous organising of our participation in some of our key calendar events, notably Pride in London, the National Festival of Remembrance and the Cenotaph Marchpast, but also our socials in the Phoenix Arts Club and other occasions in London. She has also been our social media lead and we will do our best to keep up with that in the coming months, until we establish another lead. Alex has been an incredible VCW, ambassador and force for change for supporting the LGBT+ Veterans community in the London region and beyond too, and we hope she leaves us with pride, knowing she has made such a positive difference to many in our community and more. Alex isn’t going far though, we look forward to working with her on Op RESTORE and seeing her at future FWP events, but we wish her and Leah all our very best in their new ventures together.
To ensure there is no loss of FWP VCW support for the London region, we have restructured internally and John Beckett has taken on the VCW role there, with Kenny Bryce covering the NW, until our Board’s upcoming FWP 2025 And Beyond strategy review is concluded. Many of you will know John Beckett but his Bio is available on our website, and you will get chance to meet him at events in January, if not before.
December is going to be an incredibly significant month for us all, especially as we anticipate the announcement of the Financial Reparations Scheme. We have meetings coming up in Town and will advise you as soon as we can of any further developments, but please see Craig’s update below, and watch out for our update Bulletins and news. We will advise on any scheme application processes and requirements as soon as we can, and support applications in any way possible. If you have any apprehension or concern, please do reach out to us. You can do that through our website and social media or contact your regional VCW. For the time-being, any enquiries from the Midlands will be received by John Beckett, and East of England or overseas enquiries will go to our Community Team Manager, Kenny.
We look forward to catching up soon, in-person or online, in the meantime take best care.
Best wishes,
Caroline and Ed
You can read the full November Newsletter here.
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