Durham PRA has made its latest donation to a charitable cause, namely the Regiments Afghan fund. This donation was to the tune of £350 and was raised during our latest trip to Arnhem and by some collection boxes placed in some busy local public houses. Now £350 might not seem a huge amount of money but if each of the PRA's Branches raised similar amounts then this would amount to over £30 000! Of course the other branches do raise money also but lets keep the smaller amounts coming in, particularly as both 2 & 3 Para are getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan once more.
To all those that contributed thank you and to those who rattled the tins well done!
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Arnhem 2010 in pictures
Ok then, as promised some imagery from the branch taken on their recent trip to Arnhem. For more photographs from this trip and other past Airborne experiences visit our Airborne Pictures page!
Friday, 24 September 2010
Regimental Asscoiations in the News!
Regimental Associations are something that i wholeheartedly believe in, i attend my own and actively encourage others to attend theirs regardless of what Regiment or indeed arm of the service they are from. I have noticed from my own local branch that there is somewhat of an age gap when it comes to the members and this is something that i actively try to help out with even if it is only at a local level. So, when the opportunity came to voice my opinion in a magazine that reaches out to many serving and ex-servicemen i thought why not? It could give the various organisations some much needed new impetuous and help secure the future of a whole host of regimental Associations.
The Circuit Magazine suggested that i pen an article on just this subject then i readily agreed. I used my own experiences to suggest why i had not attended my local PRA as soon as i left the Battalion, others will be in the same situation that i was, many will have other reasons for not attending but for me it has to start at a battalion level. We need greater and greater awareness so that the serving soldiers know that the PRA exists and there is highly likely to be one in a town near them; the PRA has close to 100 different branches in the UK. Once i got in to the groove of attending the meetings [once a month on a Saturday in our case) it just became something that i do on a regular basis, not only that but i enjoy them and the fact that i feel that i am giving something back to those Airborne soldiers or their dependants that have fallen on hard times.
One way to increase awareness levels is by having a strong online presence which is why we at The Parachute Regiment Association Durham Branch are now developing our website along with other ways to network so that people become more aware of us. This is the way, 2010 is the year and the you have to look forward and not back.
To read the full article then just click on the link.
Regimental_Associations_Durham_PRA
The Circuit Magazine suggested that i pen an article on just this subject then i readily agreed. I used my own experiences to suggest why i had not attended my local PRA as soon as i left the Battalion, others will be in the same situation that i was, many will have other reasons for not attending but for me it has to start at a battalion level. We need greater and greater awareness so that the serving soldiers know that the PRA exists and there is highly likely to be one in a town near them; the PRA has close to 100 different branches in the UK. Once i got in to the groove of attending the meetings [once a month on a Saturday in our case) it just became something that i do on a regular basis, not only that but i enjoy them and the fact that i feel that i am giving something back to those Airborne soldiers or their dependants that have fallen on hard times.
One way to increase awareness levels is by having a strong online presence which is why we at The Parachute Regiment Association Durham Branch are now developing our website along with other ways to network so that people become more aware of us. This is the way, 2010 is the year and the you have to look forward and not back.
To read the full article then just click on the link.
Regimental_Associations_Durham_PRA
Sunday, 19 September 2010
Brothers In Arms, Great North Run
Brothers In Arms is a charitable organisation based in the North East of England which is run by the parents of many of the fallen. One aim of this organisation is to build a permanent memorial to honour all those that have given their lives since WWII. Ideally, this monument should be in place by November 10th 2010. Today, Jake Scott, author of 'Blood Clot' tabbed the Great North Run carrying 51lbs in order to raise money for this extremely good cause. Have you donated? There are many charities out there all doing good jobs such as Help For Heroes but do not forget the smaller, more local charities as they still need our help.
Tom Cuthbertson, himself a former Para and Vice Chairman of Brothers in Arms said "it would be a fitting tribute to recognise the people of the North".
For more information about Brother in Arms please visit:
http://www.brothers-in-arms-memorial.co.uk/
Please give as generously as you can.
Tom Cuthbertson, himself a former Para and Vice Chairman of Brothers in Arms said "it would be a fitting tribute to recognise the people of the North".
For more information about Brother in Arms please visit:
http://www.brothers-in-arms-memorial.co.uk/
Please give as generously as you can.
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Yearly Pilgrimage to Arnhem
2010 sees the usual suspects from The Parachute Regiment Association Durham Branch make the pilgrimage to Arnhem to pay respects to our fellow Airborne Brothers. Fess, Billy & Bobby are travelling together as usual [well they are known as the 2 Para Mafia within DPRA] but there are other members making the trek which from a branch the size of ours is an excellent effort! Some by plane and some by car/ferry but all will RV in Arnhem with many others from across the country and indeed the world. There will be serving members, those recently left and others who were at Arnhem when it was all happening!
We will ensure that we get some pictures up once the guys return..........clean ones please!
We will ensure that we get some pictures up once the guys return..........clean ones please!
Monday, 13 September 2010
Paras' 10
The Parachute Regiment Association Durham Branch wholeheartedly supports the fundraising event The Paras’ 10. This event was started by WO1 JJ Wilson (PARA) and was hosted by The Parachute Regiment in Aldershot from 1982 - 1993. When the Paras Training Depot left Aldershot in 1993 and this legendary event lay dormant until it was revived by Major Sam McGrath in 2008, the event is now run by Pegasus Company, The Parachute Regiment's own training and selection wing. 2010 is the third year of the PARAS' 10 ‘comeback’ and it is fast becoming as well established as one of the UK's "must do" endurance challenges.
The amounts raised so far are impressive to say the least and no doubt 2010 will be another great effort [we will let you know]
14th September 2008: 650 runners raised £40,000 for service charities.
13th September 2009: 2500 runners raised £100,000 for service charities.
For further information www.paras10.com
The amounts raised so far are impressive to say the least and no doubt 2010 will be another great effort [we will let you know]
14th September 2008: 650 runners raised £40,000 for service charities.
13th September 2009: 2500 runners raised £100,000 for service charities.
For further information www.paras10.com
Sunday, 12 September 2010
The PRA - Durham Branch
The Parachute Regiment Association Durham Branch has entered the 21st Century and now has a blog! Whatever next? We will use the Airborne Blog to keep you up to date with our Durham Branch news along with news from the rest of the Parachute Regimental Association, Regimental news along with news from the wider Airborne Brotherhood. It goes without saying that anything that we blog will have OPSEC & PERSEC at the forefront of our minds.
The Durham Branch is a registered charity and will gratefully receive any donations that you may be able to make no matter how small. We use these donations to support our Airborne Brothers and their dependants when they find themselves enduring hard times. We also support those who themselves set out to raise money for other charities that benefit servicemen and their dependants such as SSAFA, Help For Heroes, Brothers In Arms, Cuthys200 and many, many more.
The Parachute Regiment Association Durham Branch holds its meetings on the 1st Saturday of every month in Consett, County Durham and welcomes any former or currently serving members of Airborne Forces to join our little group and help keep alive the Airborne tradition. We also hold social functions throughout the year in order to raise money for the branch; these are supported by our members, the other local PRA branches, family and friends and members of the public.
We hope that you enjoy our Airborne Blog and come back again and again! Why not subscribe to our RSS feed?
Until next time, Utrinque Paratus!
The Durham Branch is a registered charity and will gratefully receive any donations that you may be able to make no matter how small. We use these donations to support our Airborne Brothers and their dependants when they find themselves enduring hard times. We also support those who themselves set out to raise money for other charities that benefit servicemen and their dependants such as SSAFA, Help For Heroes, Brothers In Arms, Cuthys200 and many, many more.
The Parachute Regiment Association Durham Branch holds its meetings on the 1st Saturday of every month in Consett, County Durham and welcomes any former or currently serving members of Airborne Forces to join our little group and help keep alive the Airborne tradition. We also hold social functions throughout the year in order to raise money for the branch; these are supported by our members, the other local PRA branches, family and friends and members of the public.
We hope that you enjoy our Airborne Blog and come back again and again! Why not subscribe to our RSS feed?
Until next time, Utrinque Paratus!
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