| I hope that many of you will recall that last year, The Order’s UK Charitable Trust made a donation to the Mirfield Rifle Volunteers, based in West Yorkshire.
 Our member, Chevalier Pinder KJ, has been in touch with an update on our donation. He says: “The generous donation received from The Order last year was used to give a Christmas lunch to recently bereaved Veterans and their wives and to carers at a local Alzheimers’ group.” Although our donation was relatively small, it is clear that by contributing to a small, local charity, the money has done much to alleviate the isolation experienced by those who lose their near ones.
Chevalier Pinder was instrumental in re-constituting the 1865 Mirfield Rifle Volunteers a few years ago as a Services Charity. Through various endeavours, the Volunteers have raised over £30,000 both for local and for service charities. They also provide a meeting place for veterans where they can relax among friends who understand service people. Chevalier Pinder is an honorary Lt. Col. with the Volunteers.
An invasion scare in 1859 led to the creation of Britain’s Volunteer Force and there was huge enthusiasm for joining local Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs). The MRV was merged with other RVCs to become part of the 6th Yorkshire West Riding RVC in 1880 and then part of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment in 1883. They went on to fight valiantly during the First World War. The current Mirfield Rifle Volunteers was formed in 2013, building on the traditions of the past, to raise money for local and service charities.
In closing, I trust that everyone is keeping well and I do hope circumstances will improve so that we will be able to meet at our investiture ceremony in King’s Lynn in October.
With warmest fraternal regards
Trevor
H.E The Chevalier Trevor Haynes GCJ
UK Commander
The Order of Saint Joachim |