My Lords, Ladies & Gentlemen – Patrons, Vice Presidents, Members and Registered Supporters of the UKNDA…..

Herewith your regular monthly update on UKNDA affairs. But first a request:

As at 3 Feb 08 we had 909 active (i.e. paid up) members, 257 inactive (still to pay) members, and 676 registered supporters; a total of 1842.  I did not write ‘Grand total’ because we can, and will with your help, do very much better than that.  Indeed we must if we are to exert sufficient influence (potential votes) on our politicians for them to raise ‘Defence & the Armed Forces’ much higher in the Nation’s list of priorities and provide us with sufficient, appropriate and fully funded Armed Forces… which we do not now have.

Our immediate target is for a total of 10,000 UKND members/registered supporters – and then, to achieve REAL effective influence, 100,000.

If, immediately you have finished reading this, every one of you would take just half an hour to send out a very brief e-mail to all of your friends and colleagues whom you have not yet contacted – then we could double our numbers in a week! 

I suggest that you merely use the following words:

Dear ……    I believe you would wish to know about the United Kingdom National Defence Association (UKNDA) – of which I am a member/supporter.  I attach a one page article about the Association (attached to this e-mail) for you to consider if you would care to join us, which I hope you will because our Country and our Armed Forces need our active support now, and for the future.    Yours sincerely……

PROGRESS REPORT:

The following activities and ‘projects’ are underway or being planned:

First (pilot scheme) UKNDA Regional Branch meeting – Warminster (Wilts) Assembly Rooms 1900 for 1930 – Wednesday 13^th February

As previously announced, and following requests from a number of members throughout the Country, as an initial ‘pilot project’ we are holding the first ever Regional Branch meeting of the UKNDA in Warminster (details above) on 13^th February.  All local UKNDA members and supporters (and their friends and colleagues) are invited to attend. Please contact the local branch Chairman, Grant Chamberlain ( grant@eagle-electrical.co.uk ) if you wish to attend so that appropriate seating arrangements can be made. Dr Andrew Murrison, MP for Westbury will attend and speak, as will I and others to publicise the UKNDA and plan the ‘way ahead’ for similar branches throughout the whole Kingdom.  Do come - the more the merrier (the bar will be open after the meeting!)

TV Series?   This is just to tell you that the possibility and concept of a TV programme (or even series) about the UKNDA is being actively explored.  I will keep you advised in future Newsletters as to our progress.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED!  We have an urgent need to fill the following part-time voluntary posts to join the ’Executive’ of the UKNDA.  If you can spare just a few hours each week and have the necessary interest, enthusiasm, appropriate general background (you do not need to be an ‘expert’ – you can learn on the job) and really want to DO something practical to help us….. e-mail me now with brief personal details and your telephone number:  ceo@uknda.org

UKNDA In-house Public Relations Officer. 

UKNDA In-house Marketing Manager.

At least 3 new Board Members to represent ‘Army Interests’

POLL/SURVEY OF ALL MPs.    Progress is being made towards sending a letter and a short questionnaire to every MP in the UK to find out what their views are regarding ‘Defence & our Armed Forces’. We shall then analyse and publicise their replies throughout the media – and thus to their constituents.  We should then have a broad overall picture of the ‘views of the House’ and know more accurately how high a mountain it is that we have to climb.

INCREASE ‘LINKS’ & ASSOCIATIONS.  In the next month we plan to start contacting all of the hundreds of Service Charities and Military Associations and Clubs inviting them all to exchange LINKS with the UKNDA and join us, either formally or informally, in our campaign to “Support Our Armed Forces”.

“SUPPORT OUR ARMED FORCES” CAMPAIGN.  We are initiating a ‘Support Our Armed Forces Campaign’ and before the end of this month should have a new web-site (inter-related to and inter-woven with our existing web-site) with the address: www.supportourarmedforces.org.uk    Please note that address is NOT yet live/active – but you will all be sent an e-mail when it is.

CAR STICKERS   A UKNDA Board Member, Paul Medhurst, who lives and works in Vienna, is designing a car sticker “Support Our Armed Forces”.  This sticker will display that slogan, our logo and our web-site address.  We intend to send one sticker out FREE to every member (which will cost us at least £1 a head) and members and supporters will then be able to purchase more stickers for further onward distribution.

The ‘COVENANT’.  Although not initiated by the UKNDA, Gary Blackburn, a UKNDA Board member, is leading on arranging a Conference to discuss and debate the ‘Covenant’ – this conference to be held at Hull University, probably on 29^th May. More details will be promulgated nearer the time.

FUNDRAISING   Planning for various Fund raising events is progressing, and appropriate details of such events will be publicised when arrangements, dates, venues etc are firmed up.

WEB-SITE.   You will very soon see a revised/updated HOME PAGE to our existing web-site.  Also, while we already try to post ‘latest news items’ on the front page, we know that we must develop an organisation whereby we keep on top of latest developments.  There is still room for improvements and let me assure you that we are working to make them. Not only will we soon ‘bolt on’ the new Support Our Armed Forces’ web-site (as already described) we will then move on to develop the long promised Members-Only Forum/Chat Room.  Watch this space, or rather - watch the web-site.

After the excitements of our launch followed by the House of Lords’ Debate on Defence, if it might appear to you that perhaps things have ‘gone a bit quiet’ on the UKNDA front – you would be both right and wrong.  A lot of action is going on ‘behind the scenes’ to ensure that we have the very sound management and administrative organisation needed to drive the UKNDA onwards and upwards.  I was asked the other day “How long do you think there will be a need for the UKNDA -  Five years?”….. and my reply was – “We will be needed for a generation at least”.   This is a long and hard road that we have to travel and it is absolutely crucial that we make haste slowly and steadily to ensure that we get things right. 

It’s going to be a busy 2008 which will go quicker and more productively if you will all now send out your message and the page below to all your friends and colleagues:

WE ARE THE UKNDA – DO JOIN US –

YOUR COUNTRY & OUR ARMED FORCES REALLY DO NEED YOU.

Sincerely –

John Muxworthy

CEO UKNDA