Association of Wrens

Standard Bearers Competition
2022-05-07 00:00 (Europe/London) | HMS Collingwood, Newgate Lane, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 1AS, United Kingdom
RNA/AOW Standard Bearers Competition.
Apply to Andy Christie (RNA Ops Manager) andy@royalnavalassoc.com

ANZAC and Gallipoli Day Service
2022-04-25 11:00 - 13:00 | Edinburgh Castle, Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG, United Kingdom
Annual service of Remembrance for ANZAC Day, held at the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle.
There will be a limited number of tickets for the general public which will be available on a first come first served basis from the Castle Esplanade.
Full details to follow.
If you have any queries on this event please contact Brian Ward on 0131 550 1562 or email b.ward@legionscotland.org.uk

Start: 25th April, 2022 at 11:00am

AOW Centenary Finale Dinner
2022-03-26 18:00 - 23:30 | Fleet Air Arm Museum, Ilchester, BA22 8HT
We are pleased to announce the new date for our AOW Centenary Finale Dinner!
All dates and timings subject to Covid rules, and will be confirmed at a later date.
Please return your forms that have been sent (only applicable to those who had registered and confirmed their attendance for the 2020 event)

Programme of Events
1800 – 1845 drinks reception on the Flight Deck
1900 – Dinner under the wings of Concorde
Carriages at 2330

AOW Trustees Meeting
2022-03-19 13:00 - 17:00 | Union Jack Club, Sandell Street, London, SE1 8UJ, United Kingdom
Trustees Meeting.
Please contact a Trustee if you would like any items considered for tabling.

Non Branch Member Zoom Meeting
2022-03-07 19:30 - 20:30
All members of the AOW who do not belong to a branch are very welcome to join our monthly Zoom meeting.
We have a Chair and a “duty wren” to ensure the smooth running of the meeting.
We have a quick catch up on any news items, or any feedback from the Trustees, and then we just have a chat and a catch up – normally with lots of laughter and “dit spinning”.
Please contact the AOW office for log in details.

Portsmouth AOW Service of Standard Dedication
2022-02-26 11:00 - 16:00 | Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, High Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2HA, United Kingdom
Portsmouth Branch Association of Wrens and Women of the Royal Naval Services portsmouthaow@gmail.com
Service of Standard Dedication
Portsmouth Branch of the Association of Wrens invite AOW Branch/IG members to join them for the Service of Dedication of their new Branch Standard at the Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, High Street, Portsmouth, PO1 2HA on Saturday 26th February 2022 at 11.00am and afterwards for lunch at The Royal Maritime Club, 75-80 Queen St, Portsea, Portsmouth PO1 3HS. Following the service, lunch will be served at the Royal Maritime Club in Queen Street, Portsmouth at a cost of £25 per head.

Members wishing to attend to please email direct the Portsmouth Branch at above email address with the name of their Branch/IG and advise whether they would like to attend a) The Cathedral only or b) The Cathedral followed by lunch.

Closing date for names is the 1st February 2022

Tickets will be sent to the branches and informal groups accordingly

Payment options for lunch
BACS Transfer
Sort Code 56-00-64. Account Number 97306738.
Account Name Association of Wrens Portsmouth Branch
Reference: XXSurname
Cheques Payable to AOW Portsmouth Branch – once attendance confirmed a postal address for the cheque will be provided.

Inaugural Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Carol Service
2021-12-16 19:00 - 20:30 | The Royal Military Chapel, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ, United Kingdom
On Thursday 16 December 2021, we will be holding our first ever carol service in the magnificent Royal Military Chapel in London in aid of the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation.
With a theme of Commemorations at Christmas, join us and the wonderful Choir of the Guards’ Chapel for carols, readings, and new music from some of the best young musicians of the Commonwealth. With some very special guests attending, including Barbara Dickson OBE – multi-million selling recording artist with an equally impressive Olivier Award winning acting career – and an original, specially commissioned carol by the pupils of the Purcell School for Young Musicians, this promises to be a unique evening of reflection, remembrance and thanks for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the two World Wars.
Tickets start from £25, with the option to join us for a special private reception including prosecco and canapés in the Guards’ Mess after the event. Capacity is limited to ensure safe distancing, so grab your tickets while you can!

Get your tickets now

On Thursday 16th December at 7pm, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will hold our first ever Carol Service in the magnificent setting of the Royal Military Chapel in London.

We invite you and all your family to share the magic of the season at the Royal Military Chapel for ‘Commemorations at Christmas.’

Join us and the wonderful Choir of Guards’ Chapel for carols, readings, and new music from some of the best young musicians of the Commonwealth. With some very special guests attending, including multi-million selling recording artist with an equally impressive Olivier Award winning acting career, Barbara Dickson OBE. It promises to be a unique and enchanting evening of reflection, remembrance, and thanks for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the two World Wars.

All profits from the event will go the CWGC’s charity, the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation (CWGF).

Capacity has been capped to ensure safe distancing at the event, and tickets are strictly limited. You can also choose to join us for a very special after service reception with some bubbles and canapes.

The CWGF, through a range of innovative and inspiring projects, engages and educates people – especially the young – with the work of the CWGC, and the stories of the men and women who died whilst fighting in the two World Wars.

Tickets are non-refundable and limited to a maximum of ten per purchaser. Please note tickets are sold subject to our Terms and Conditions which are available via our website here.

RBLS Christmas Carol Service
2021-12-12 16:00 - 17:30 | Canongate Kirk, Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH8 8BN, United Kingdom
RBLS Christmas Carol Service
Link: https://www.legionscotland.org.uk/Event/legion-scotland-christmas-carol-service
Join Legion Scotland on the 12th of December 2021 at Canongate Kirk at 4pm for our annual Carol Service.
Cancelled in 2020 due to COVID restrictions we look forward to being able to invite everyone, once again to gather to enjoy a service of thanks with lessons and carols.
Planning for this event will be kept under review throughout 2021 should COVID continue to impact restrictions on events in the latter part of the year.
If you have any queries on this event please contact Brian Ward on 0131 550 1562 or email b.ward@legionscotland.org.uk
Where: Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, EH8 8BN
When: 12th December 2021, 4:00pm to 5:00pm

Annual Fundraising Dinner 2021
2021-12-11 19:00 - 23:00 | Union Jack Club, Sandell Street, London, SE1 8UJ, United Kingdom
Join us for our Annual Fundraising Dinner!
Download the application form HERE
Venue: Gascoigne Suite, Union Jack Club, London.
Bar opens at 1800 (also available during dinner)
Dinner Served 1900
Dress Code: Smart
Maximum attendance 100 (10 tables of 10)
Enjoy this fantastic opportunity to have a get together with fellow AOW comrades whilst helping to raise funds for the Association.
The raffle provides great prizes – some made from our very own crafty wrens, making them unique and extra special!
Please do contact AOW HQ if you would like to offer a raffle prize.
£46 for three course dinner

Annual Carol Service
2021-12-11 13:30 | St Mary Le Strand Church, Strand, Westminster, London, WC2R 1ES, United Kingdom
All welcome to the Annual Carol Service in the WRNS Church, St Mary Le Strand. 1330 Start
In accordance with Government COVID Guidelines, please would everyone take a Lateral Flow Test before attending. Face masks must be worn upon entering the church, and be worn for the duration (unless exempt).
There will be a “Pop Up Coffee Cart” in the Church forecourt selling tea, coffee and mince pies after the service.
Anyone wishing to watch the Carol Service from home, can do so by clicking the link HERE

Remembrance Sunday, Edinburgh
2021-11-14 11:00 - 12:30 | City Chambers, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ, United Kingdom
We hope to mark Remembrance Sunday this year at the Stone of Remembrance, City Chambers, Edinburgh . Wreaths will be laid by the Lord Provost, representatives from the Scottish Government, UK Government and the wider Armed Forces and Veterans community to remember our fallen at 1100 hours on Sunday 14th November 2021.
Plans were adapted in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID restrictions and we will monitor and review the situation closely throughout 2021 to allow as much planning as possible for our normal larger scale event. If this is not possible we will revert to a similar programme as last year with a service at the SNWM and live broadcast.
If you have any queries on this event please contact Brian Ward on 0131 550 1562 or email b.ward@legionscotland.org.uk

Start: 14th November, 2021 at 11:00am

Cenotaph March Past 2021
2021-11-14 09:00 - 13:00
THE APPLICATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS NOW CLOSED
The annual Service of Remembrance and March-Past at the Cenotaph will take place this year on Sunday 14 November 2021.
Tickets to take part are available for current Association members only. The list to apply for a ticket will open on Monday 5 July and close on Monday 23 August. During this time application forms will be available here via the website (www.wrens.org.uk) or by calling the office on 02392 725141.
Completed forms, together with an A5 sized SAE (minimum please) should be returned to office to arrive no later than 23 August. Please send to:
The Association of Wrens
Building 1/87 Scott Road, HM Naval Base Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3LU
Availability of tickets will depend upon the Association’s allocation from the Royal British Legion. In the case of tickets being oversubscribed they will be awarded on a lottery type basis. Please note that priority will be given to those members who have not previously attended this event.
You will be notified of the outcome of your application via email by 3 September 2021. If you do not receive an email (or do not have an email address) please contact the office after 3 September to find out if you have been allocated a ticket.
Tickets and joining instructions will be sent out in October.
The event is subject to any Government restrictions which may be in place at the time.
Members who wish to represent the Association must have a ticket and photographic ID.
Any queries from our members should, in the first instance, be forwarded to HQ: office@wrens.org.uk

Glasgow Garden of Remembrance Opening Service
2021-10-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Glasgow Garden of Remembrance, George Square, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Glasgow Garden of Remembrance Opening Service
George Square, Glasgow
Tuesday 26 October 2021, 11am

Garden and Field of Remembrance, Edinburgh
2021-10-25 11:00 - 12:00 | Edinburgh Garden of Remembrance, Scott Monument, Edinburgh, EH4 5JU, United Kingdom
Cancelled in 2020 due to COVID restrictions we look forward to being able to invite everyone, once again, to gather to pay their respects as we dedicate the Edinburgh Garden and Field of Remembrance.
If you have any queries on this event please contact Brian Ward on 0131 550 1562 or email b.ward@legionscotland.org.uk

Start: 25th October, 2021 at 11:00am

Church Service
2021-10-03 10:30 - 11:30
There will be a morning church service at Canongate Kirk.
All welcome as this will be the usual Sunday morning service.
Our National Standard, together with others will be paraded.
Association prayer and readings will be included.
Hopefully tea and cake afterwards!

2021 Dinner, Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh
2021-10-02 19:00 - 23:30
*This Event is sold out and there is a waiting list in operation*
Association Member Only Dinner on Saturday 2nd October 2021 to celebrate the AOW Centenary.
1830 for 1900 With drinks reception
Guest of Honour: The Right Honourable Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh (Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh, Admirable of the Forth) Frank Ross.
Dress: Formal
Drinks reception and a half bottle of wine per person is included in the ticket
There will be a cash bar available during dinner
There will be Raffle tickets sold during dinner.

A seating plan will be available in the Princess Royal Suite. In order for the caterers to manage our menu choices smoothly, we would ask that you don’t rearrange the seating plan. Every effort has been made to seat you with those you requested to be seated with.

Association of Wrens Annual General Meeting
2021-10-02 13:30 - 15:00
The AOW Annual General Meeting will take place in the Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh.
1330 start. Arrival from 1230.
An Association sales table will be located in the meeting room.
Guest Speaker: Naval Regional Commander Scotland and Northern Ireland Brigadier Andy Muddiman ADC RM

Evening Reception, The Great Hall, Edinburgh Castle
2021-10-01 19:00 - 23:30
By kind permission of Major General Alistair Bruce of Crionaich OBE VR DL, Governor Edinburgh Castle:
Evening Reception in The Great Hall, Edinburgh Castle
Followed by Beat Retreat by the Royal Marines Band Scotland
Open to Association members only
Dress: Cocktail Dress (plus warm coat for Beat Retreat)
Access to the Castle is via the Castle Esplanade. The gate will be opened at approximately 1855.
Please arrive by foot or be dropped off by car or taxi at The Esplanade.
There is NO parking available adjacent to the Castle but a shuttle service will be provided for those unable to walk the distance. If you require this service, please contact HQ by Tuesday 28th September 2021.
A Piper will welcome guests to the Castle from 1855 – 1905.
There will be someone to direct you to the Great Hall.
Wine and soft drinks will be served with a selection of canapés.

Centenary Weekend Events, Edinburgh 1st October - 3rd October 2021
2021-10-01 08:00 - 2021-10-03 14:00
Rolled over from our centenary year, 2020, the weekend in Edinburgh (including the AGM) will take place weekend 1/10/21 – 3/10/21.
This will include:
Friday Evening Reception in The Great Hall, Edinburgh Castle
Saturday Afternoon Annual General Meeting, Royal Scots Club
Saturday Evening Dinner, Royal Scots Club
Sunday Morning, Church Service, Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh
**Please remain aware of Covid regulations which apply in Scotland and have masks available for use when required.
We suggest taking an LFT prior to travel and not to travel/attend if feeling unwell.
Throughout the weekend, photographs will be taken to record this special event and may be used in our magazine, Website and Facebook. Should you not wish your photograph to potentially be displayed on these media platforms, please notify HQ by Tuesday 28th September 2021**
We hope you will enjoy every moment of your weekend in Edinburgh.
Enormous thanks to all who have helped with the organisation of this event, but special thanks go out to Karen Elliot and Rita Hoddinott.

East Anglia Wrens Lunch
2021-09-25 12:00 - 14:00
“LUNCH AT THE GONVILLE HOTEL, CAMBRIDGE, SATURDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER 2021

The Cambridge Informal Group will now be holding a Lunch at the Gonville Hotel, Gonville Place, Cambridge on Saturday 25th September 2021 (postponed from last year) to belatedly celebrate 100 years of the Association of Wrens. Anyone interested in attending please contact Jenny Hannah either by email: jennyhannah@protonmail.com (Note: new email address) or by phone 01954 214488. (All those who kindly contacted me in 2020 – please contact Jenny again if you wish to attend.)

Naval Veterans Biennial Parade
2021-09-12
The Naval Veterans Biennial Parade will be held on 12th September 2021 at Whitehall.
We would like to put together a WRNS group. Anyone wishing to march, please contact Office@wrens.org.uk before 16th August 2021, and further details will be disclosed.

WOW Dover to Deal Walk
2021-07-04 10:00 - 15:30
We are delighted to announce that this walk will take place, as we want to kick start the Wrens Out Walking events, as and when restrictions allow us to.
This event was due to take place last year, but sadly, as with many things, Coronavirus stopped this happening.
To ensure the safety of our members, and to keep in line with the COVID rules, the decision has been made to limit this trial walk to just 12 walkers. To date, all the spaces have been filled. However, if restrictions ease, we will look see if it is possible to increase the number of walkers. Keep an eye on this page!
We will of course post up some photos and we hope that if all goes well with this “trial” walk, we can pave the way for future years where we can fully embrace the previous plans to meet with the Admiral of the Cinque Ports and the RM Band celebrations at Deal.

Armed Forces Day (Virtual)
2021-06-26
BINGO? BAKE OFF? A VIRTUAL TEA PARTY? WAYS TO CELEBRATE ARMED FORCES DAY ONLINE THIS YEAR

Armed Forces Day is a great opportunity to show your support for our Armed Forces and their families.
This year our sailors, marines, soldiers, airmen and airwomen have been busy supporting the response to the Coronavirus pandemic and have continued to deploy on operations at home and abroad.
Join the nation in coming together to celebrate and show appreciation to the Armed Forces and the work they do.
There are lots of events planned for 2021, find your local event here.
Whilst some events may be affected by the pandemic, there are still many ways in which you can show your support. The Armed Forces Day website has been updated to include a Virtual Toolkit, with lots of ideas for how you can show you support from the comfort of your own home.
These include:

Attending an online event.
Flying a flag for the Armed Forces.
Printing off Armed Forces Day colouring pages.
Using the hashtags #ArmedForcesDay or #ReservesDay on social content.

Alternatively, you could organise your own virtual event for your friends, family and local community.
Ideas include:

Inviting attendees to take part in an Armed Forces Day themed quiz, bingo or bake-off.
Organising a virtual ‘tea party’ with family and friends.
Inviting a local historian to speak about the history of the Armed Forces.
Challenging others to take part in a ‘Build your own’ competition, for instance build your own Spitfire or Tank.
Arranging a virtual watch party for your community to watch a military themed film or military-history documentary online at the same time.

Download the Toolkit for a range of ideas.
If you’d like to tell the public about your event and encourage more people to attend, don’t forgot to register your event here.

FIND EVENTS

AFD NATIONAL EVENT

ORGANISE YOUR OWN EVENT

NEWSLETTER

https://www.armedforcesday.org.uk/bingo-bake-off-a-virtual-tea-party-ways-to-celebrate-armed-forces-day-online-this-year/?fbclid=IwAR2W2t6ASlYYx75UMURpE-QxNCYHSr9bh0vy6UCk5KygEdQA8tWI8dBuQnI

Commissioning AOW Centenary Stone At NMA
2021-06-22 10:00 - 17:00
We are hoping that the “unveiling” of the AOW Centenary commissioned stone at the National Memorial Arboretum will take place on Tuesday 22nd June 2021 in the WRNS Garden, followed by Lunch.
We hope to be honoured by the presence of HRH The Princess Royal.
All applicants have been contacted by email or post of the new arrangements for the event and do not need to apply again. If places become available they will be advertised vis Branches and on Facebook and the Website.

AOW General Meeting Via Zoom
2021-05-14 14:00 - 16:00
The Association of Wrens and Women of the Royal Naval Services are proud to announce a General Meeting via Zoom.
To register for this event, please email AOW HQ office@wrens.org.uk
Log in details will be forwarded nearer the date.

**CANCELLED** Out Of Town, Exeter
2021-04-24
**Event Cancelled**
Refunds will follow in due course. Please let the office know if you would like to forego your refund and transfer it as a donation to AOW (we have been asked several times to do this).
The Out Of Town, Exeter will now take place on Saturday 24th April 2021 at the Southgate Hotel.
Further details to follow.
All those who booked and paid for dinner on the May date in 2020 will be contacted to ascertain whether they wish to attend a dinner on 24th April 2021 or be given a refund.
A booking form for the rescheduled event will be available in due course.

**EVENT CANCELLED** Dauntless Reunion Weekend
2021-04-16 15:00 - 2021-04-19 10:00
**EVENT CANCELLED**
Bi-Annual Dauntless Reunion Weekend.
Open to all ladies who have served or are currently serving. Serving at HMS Dauntless not a necessity.
A weekend of fun and friendship!
To book accommodation, please contact Mill Rythe direct.
Saturday night is optional fancy dress. Theme: TBC
