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Formation
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The Grenadier Guards Old Comrades Association was formed as a result of a suggestion made after a review of the Brigade of Guards held by His Majesty The King in April 1913.
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First Meeting
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HRH The Colonel, having approved the formation, and the then Lieutenant Colonel Commanding The Regiment having been assured of generous financial support, called an inaugural meeting of all ranks. This was held on the 14th November 1913. At this meeting, office bearers and a Committee were elected and rules were drawn up.
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By April 1914
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On the 17th April 1914, five months after the first meeting, the membership had reached 1,000. Immediately prior to the outbreak of the Great War, branches had been formed at Bristol, Cardiff, Derby, Manchester, Nottingham and Reading.
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First AGM
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The first Annual General Meeting was held at Chelsea Barracks on 26th March 1915.
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In 2024 we now have 25 Branches
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From then on and up to 1949 many other branches were formed. Today, after some re-organisation, there are now 25 Branches (and one in North America), the Life Membership Roll now gives a total of about 1000 members of branches and 3000 General Members.
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New Name
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The title of the Association was changed to the "Grenadier Guards Association" at the Annual General Meeting held on 1st April 1967.
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Registered Charity
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The Association is Registered under the Charities Act 2022 (No 287265)
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Rules
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The Association Rules and By-Laws for Branches were revised as recently as April 2024 but the Objects of the Association have not changed since the beginning in 1913 and these are:
To promote the efficiency of the Grenadier Guards (hereinafter called “The Regiment”) and to maintain its history, traditions and esprit de corps.
To relieve either generally or individually, persons who are serving or who have served in the Regiment and their dependants who are in conditions of need, hardship and distress.
In furtherance of these Objects the Association through its Trustees shall have the following powers:
(a) To take all necessary action to publicise and disseminate information concerning the Regiment’s history, deeds and traditions and to encourage recruiting.
(b) To execute and administer charitable trusts.
(c) To receive, take and accept any gifts of property whether subject to any special trusts or not.
(d) To receive and accept contributions by way of donations or otherwise and to raise funds for the said Objects provided that the Trustees shall not undertake any permanent trading activities concerned solely with the said raising of funds.
To assist distressed and needy beneficiaries or their dependents by way of grants, gifts, supplementary allowances or otherwise and where necessary to promote their education and advancement in life.
To pay for such items, services and facilities by way of donations or subscriptions to charitable institutions or organisations which provide or which undertake in return to provide such items, services or facilities for distressed and needy beneficiaries.
Subject to such consents as may from time to time be required by law to purchase, take lease or exchange any property required for the purposes of the Association and lease, exchange or otherwise dispose of the same.
Subject to such consents as may from time to time be required by law to borrow or raise money for the purposes of the Association on such terms and such security as may be thought fit.
To invest funds and property of the Association for use for purposes of the Association in such investments as may from time to time be authorised by law.
To accumulate funds of the Association for such periods as may from time to time be authorised by law.
To constitute and form branches of the Association to further the Objects of the Association in accordance with the By-Laws established by the Association for its Branches.
To do all such other things as shall be necessary for the attainment of the said Objects.
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Terms of Membership
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There shall be four categories of membership:
- Serving Members. All serving Officers, serving Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Guardsmen who have completed recruit training.
- Members.
- All Officers who have formerly served in the Regiment.
- Officers and Soldiers of other Corps or Regiments who have formerly served in the Grenadier Guards and the Regimental Band prior to the advent of CAMUS.
- Discharged Soldiers, provided that they have completed their recruit training in the Regiment and have been awarded a character assessment of not less than “SATISFACTORY”.
- Associate Members. Members of Associations of other Regiments of the Household Division and members of the Regimental Band of the CAMUS era are known as Associate Members.
- Honorary Members. Ladies (including Grenadier widows) and Gentlemen who have not served in the Grenadier Guards, but who have given outstanding service to the Regiment (e.g. Medical Officers, Chaplains etc.) and others in line with the By-Laws for Branches, Section 2, paragraph 2.
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Subscriptions
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Subscriptions into the Headquarters Fund are not payable by any member. At a local level and at the discretion of Branch Committees with the agreement of members, local rates for subscriptions may be set, collected and retained by Branches to support their general expenditure.
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Magazine - "The Grenadier Gazette"
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The Regimental Journal titled ‘The Grenadier Gazette’ is published each year in March and copies, with payment, can be ordered through Local Branch Secretaries or direct from the Association NCO at Regimental Headquarters in London.
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