Royal Hutt River Legion
(Founder & inaugural Hon. Colonel in Chief - Late HRH Princess Shirley)

Hon. Colonel in Chief - HRH Prince Richard

Headquarters Command has continued this quarter to promote the RHRL and continued to collect and seek out various goods for charity dispersal, these goods include books, magazines and DVD's which are sorted, labelled as donated by the RHRL and then recipients sourced.

Some of the actions carried out this quarter have been:

In HRH Service,
Board of Officers - RHRL Command HQ

1^st Barton Platoon
(Perth, WESTERN AUSTRALIA)

The last three months of 2013 have been a productive period for the First Barton Platoon. We completed tidying and replanting a garden at the Armadale Health Service Mental Health Outpatient Clinic. We donated books, magazines and DVDs to hospitals and libraries, provided food for the homeless, raised funds for refugees and provided Christmas gifts for residents of a woman's refuge.

In the July to September 2013 1st Barton Platoon Quarterly Report eight priorities were established; recruitment; providing food to homeless people; providing books and magazines to libraries and community organizations; completing work on garden adjacent to Mental Health Outpatients Clinic at the Armadale Health Service; donating DVDs to Graylands Hospital; continuing to provide secretarial support for Benevolent Hands; providing toys and children’s books to Benevolent Hands to distribute to Iraqi refugee children in Perth for the Eid al-Adha festival and providing toys to children staying at Starick Services over Christmas.

I am happy to report that all these priorities, except the first, have been fully implemented.

Of our members Sgt Amanda Casselton has proven herself a dedicated member of our team, contributing to all the Platoon’s activities, showing initiative and going out of her way to help others.

Cpl Lisa ‘Aliyah’ Oliver has been dedicated to helping the mentally ill and, in spite of a difficult three months, has made an important contribution to all our major projects.

Jennifer Jenkins has continued to support our efforts, helping with our busy bee at the Armadale Health Service and donating bric-a-brac for a fundraising white elephant stall organised by the Platoon.

Pamela Searle has provided ongoing support, most recently donating gifts to Starick Services and helping to wrap the same.

Activities October to December 2013  

Sgt Casselton rescued a pet rabbit that had wandered onto the road and returned it to its owner.

The Platoon donated household goods to a White Elephant Stall to raise funds for Benevolent Hands. Household goods were donated by Cpt Barton, Sgt Casselton, Jennifer Jenkins and Pamela Searle.

The Platoon donated toys, books, scented candles and toiletries as Christmas gifts to Starick Services woman’s refuge. The gifts were donated by Cpt Barton, Sgt Casselton and Pamela Searle.

Provided food to 13 homeless people in inner city Perth.  

At the initiative of Sgt Casselton the Platoon donated food to St Bartholomew's House homeless shelter.

Sgt Casselton obtained information on how an organization can become a 'Tax Deductible Gift Recipient' for Benevolent Hands.

Cpt Barton provided Benevolent Hands with information on opening a bank account with HSBC.

Cpt Barton placed a notice on WAIN seeking an Arabic - English translator for Benevolent Hands. A person fluent in both languages contacted Benevolent Hands to offer her services.

Cpt Barton posted information on the Annual Silent March Against Domestic Violence on WAIN and the Warren Blackwood Community Services Network email list.

Cpt Barton obtained information on venues for a Benevolent Hands Art exhibition.

Sgt Casselton obtained quotes from printers for producing postcards for Benevolent Hands.

Cpt Barton placed an Iraqi agriculture student in contact with the publisher of a book she required for her studies. She was subsequently able to order the book.

Advertised on WAIN and via the Warren Blackwood Human Services Network for a second - hand laptop for Benevolent Hands. One was obtained from the Greenbushes Community Resource Centre.

The Platoon planted succulents and native plants in the garden of the Armadale Health Service Mental Health Outpatient's Clinic (The Mead Centre) and painted the benches in the garden. Sgt Casselton provided two cans of paint and took charge of painting the garden benches red. Cpl Oliver provided potted succulents and took responsibility for planting two garden beds. Ms Jennifer Jenkins and Mrs Mary Jenkins provided native plants and assisted with planting. Ms Pamela Searle donated potted succulents.  The occasion provided the opportunity to present Cpl Oliver with the insignia of her new rank. All participants received a small Principality of Hutt River flag as a token of appreciation for their work.

The Platoon donated 20 DVDs and 100 magazines, including copies of The Spectator and Policy to the Locked Ward of The Armadale Health Service.

The Platoon donated 100 DVDs to Graylands Hospital Campus .

At the initiative of Cpl Oliver Cpt Barton and Cpl Oliver visited a patient in the Mental Health Ward of Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital.

Cpt Barton and Cpl Oliver, at the initiative of the latter, met with the State Member for Gosnells, Chris Tallentire MLA, to advocate on behalf of a mentally ill person remanded in custody on an assault charge. Cpt Barton and Cpl Oliver were concerned to ensure that he received his medication in custody. Cpt Barton also contacted the Salvation Army Courts and Prison team to arrange for them to contact the person.

Donated a copy of Lobbying in Australia to Benevolent Hands

Donated a copy of Practical Program Development to the Shire of Manjimup  

Donated a copy of The Inquiry into Immigration and Multiculturalism in Australia to the Ethnic Communities Council of WA.

(The three books above were donated by the WA Department of Premier and Cabinet. Thanks to Mrs Maureen Barton for delivering the book to the Shire of Manjimup)

Donated a copy of Amazing Aussie Bastards to the WA Department of Premier and Cabinet

Donated a copy of Short Notes From the Long History of Happiness to Tribal Refugee Welfare of WA as a prize in a fundraising dinner.

Donated ten copies of Australia and the First World War to the Tribal Refugee Welfare of WA for distribution to Burmese refugees

Donated a copy of Australia and the First World War to a fundraiser for the Mae Tao Clinic on the Thai Burmese Border

Donated the November - December 2013 issue of Foreign Affairs Magazine to Manjimup Public Library.

Cpt. Barton and Sgt Casselton provided ongoing secretarial support to Benevolent Hands. This included taking minutes at meetings, preparing agenda and drafting correspondence.

Cpt. Barton and Sgt Casselton donated 33.00 to pay for Benevolent Hands membership of the Ethnic Communities Council of WA.

Met with the Arab Australian Association of WA and distributed Eid al-Adha gifts to 17 refugee children. This was undertaken as a joint project with Benevolent Hands. Cpt Barton and Sgt Casselton donated gifts and RHRL Command provided small Principality of Hutt River flags which were distributed to children and adults as a memento of the occasion.

Cpt Barton and Sgt Casselton, at the initiative of the latter, donated 75.00 to assist an Iraqi refugee in Jordan to obtain medical treatment.

Celebrated Cpl Oliver's birthday with a fundraising picnic to assist Benevolent hands. The event raised $225.00.

The Platoon held a White Elephant Stall to raise funds for Benevolent Hands. Sgt Casselton collected donated goods and worked with Cpt Barton and Maha Mohammed, of Benevolent Hands, to sort and price the donations.   
Cpt Barton, Sgt Casselton and Cpl Oliver, with Firas Al-Moola, from Benevolent Hands, manned the stall. Sgt Casselton transported goods and arranged to borrow a trestle table for the stall. Cpl Oliver helped set up the stall and assisted customers during the busiest part of the day.  It is worth noting that the stall took part on the hottest day of the first half of December, with temperatures reaching 42 C in Gosnells. It is a great credit to Sgt Casselton and Cpl Oliver that they braved an extremely unpleasant day to support those less fortunate than themselves. Sgt Casselton in particular deserves praise for manning the stall during the hottest part of the day and remaining cheerful and enthusiastic throughout. Thanks are due to everyone who donated goods to the stall, to Gosnells Mini-mart who let us use their veranda and to Mark Chown who gave the Platoon a folding table. The stall raised $334.00.
All participants received a set of four Princess Shirley commemorative stamps as a token of appreciation for their work. Cpt Barton also presented copies of the Princess Shirley Celebration of Life book to Sgt Casselton and Cpl Oliver.

 

A meeting of members and supporters will be held in January 2014 to discuss projects for the coming year. In the meantime the Platoon will continue to focus on;

1. Recruitment

2. Providing food to homeless people

3. Providing books and magazines to libraries and community organizations.

4. Providing secretarial support for Benevolent Hands.

Yours in HRH service,
Lt Sir Richard Ananda Barton K.O.W.L.
Royal Hutt River Legion