Kate vows to keep up the good work at Legion
New chairwoman to encourage more people to get involved with Kingsclere group
THE new chairwoman of Kingsclere Royal British Legion has promised to keep building on former chairman Mark Holden’s work.
Kate Oldershaw, a Kingsclere resident, has taken over the mantle after Mr Holden stepped down ahead of a move to Dorset.
Husband-and-wife duo Jim and Mary Sanger have taken over as secretary and treasurer after Dudley and Olive Wall reached the end of their tenures in the roles.
Ms Oldershaw, who is a Royal Air Force reservist and former police officer and now works for a not-for-profit company aiming to reduce global cyber risk, said she aims to keep the branch active in the Kingsclere community.
She said: “I very much want to build on Mark’s hard work and the team’s.
“Our key focus is the mission of the Legion, and yes we want to raise the profile of the Legion, but also to continue to be involved in the community – both with Legion work and the annual Spring Clean.
“It doesn’t bring pennies in, but it’s important to be able to say that we’re part of the community rather than something on the side.”
Ms Oldershaw has lived in the village for nearly seven years, deciding that she wanted a taste of country life having spent time in West London.
She said Kingsclere was the “best of both worlds” in terms of the amenities and roads, saying she was “very lucky” and enjoyed being able to chat with villagers when walking down the street.
She got involved with the branch after chatting with Mr Holden and going along to one of the meetings.
She then decided to step up to the role as she “didn’t want all Mark’s hard work to fall”, and is now hoping to encourage more people to get involved with the branch.
Ms Oldershaw continued: “We’re keen to dispel the myth that the British Legion is only for people of retirement age and for people with a military background.
“It’s very important to support the message through the generations and have people not only become members, but who are prepared to give a small amount of time throughout the year.
“We’re asking people to help out on a stand for an hour here or there – a little bit here or there would make a huge contribution to the whole.
“Everybody has something to contribute, whether that’s skills through their work life or hobbies they enjoy.
“Somebody that can make something for an event is a valuable contribution.”
Just like Mr Holden, Ms Oldershaw is keen for the younger generation to get involved too.
She added: “We are keen that we have to plan our sustainability and it would be great to see a younger age group start to get involved.
“Perhaps there could be members where their children are now at school and have more free time.
“With children, it’s about understanding the sacrifices made and raising awareness of it so when they get to an age where they make their own decisions, they’re more likely to step up in some way.”
The branch is now gearing up for its centenary on March 6, where a small celebration will be held for the milestone – although plans are still in the preliminary stages.
Due to prior commitments, 2022 is likely to be a quieter year for Ms Oldershaw and the branch, but she is optimistic about its future.
Everybody has something to contribute, whether that’s skills through their work life or hobbies they enjoy