Due to various factors, the old Whyteleafe British Legion club in Godstone Road had to close down four years ago but last night, Thursday 8th November, a public meeting was held in the Function Room at the Whyteleafe Tavern to begin the process of forming a new branch of the Royal British Legion in Whyteleafe. County Councillor Sally Marks, District Councillor and landlord of the Whyteleafe Tavern, Tom Dempsey, Col. John Lowndes TD, CPO Michael Bromley RN retd., and Mr. George Gadd have joined together to form the new branch and needed at least 15 people to sign up in order to proceed. There was a good turn out for the meeting and by the end of the evening the figure had been exceeded and and the formal process to launch the new club will go ahead.

During his speech at the start of the meeting Cllr. Tom Dempsey said: " I am delighted to be involved with the new British Legion. I welcome you all and I hope it is the start of something very good for Whyteleafe."

Cllr. Sally Marks will be the joint President of the new branch with Col. John Lowndes. She said: "I am enormously honoured to be joint president with John Lowndes. Whyteleafe has had such a strong military covenant with the armed forces. Losing the British Legion in Whyteleafe four years ago was a huge loss but this new Branch is more than being about a new club. It is a significant new organisation for the whole community of Whyteleafe."

Tom and Sally helped to restate the covenant that Whyteleafe has with the Armed Forces by organising a Help for Heroes event in Whyteleafe Recreation Ground in September. The event gave the local residents the opportunity to show their support for the Armed Forces and raised over ￡5,000 for Help for Heroes.

Following yesterday's meeting, Royal British Legion member for over 60 years and D-Day veteran, Mick Bromley, said: "The formation of the new branch is the best news I have had in a long time. Let us hope we get plenty of members. I think it would be nice to go on trips to other branches – you never know when you are going to meet an old shipmate!"

Members of the new Royal British Legion branch in Whyteleafe do not need to have any personal connection or history with the Armed Forces, just a desire to show support for the work of our servicemen and women. If they wish to members can help with organising fundraising activities or with providing assistance to ex-service personnel in need living in the Whyteleafe area. Members will automatically become associate members of the RAFA (Royal Air Forces Association) Club based at the Portcullis Club in Kenley Aerodrome and vice versa.

For more information on how to join the new Branch please telephone Sally Marks on 01883 653134, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Tom Dempsey on 07932 158931, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The photo above shows Cllr. Sally Marks with D-Day Veteran Micky Bromley at the Whyteleafe Tavern yesterday evening.