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City of Newcastle Announced as Location for RSL NSW 2020 State Congress

16 Jan 2020

Newcastle, NSW – Thursday, 16 January 2020

RSL NSW Acting State President, Ray James, has today announced that the City of Newcastle has been selected as the location for the RSL NSW Annual State Congress for 2020. This followed a comprehensive review of applications from across NSW and is great news for the local community who will welcome up to 700 RSL members to town in late October.

“I’d like to thank the City of Newcastle sub-Branch for their input into this process” said Ray James. “The city has a strong connection with the defence and veteran community, including the RAAF Base Williamtown, one of the state’s largest ANZAC Day Dawn Services, and the Newcastle Memorial Walk was also the exact location that we launched the 2018 Poppy Appeal, in the same year as the Centenary of the Armistice.”

“We’re very happy to know that congress will be in Newcastle this year, and I hope that we are successful in requesting to host it again from 2021 through to 2023” said City of Newcastle sub-Branch President, Ken Fayle. “There is a great community here with strong support for the RSL and all veterans.”

Following the successful constitution vote at the 2019 AGM, this year’s congress marks a step forward for the century old veteran’s charity. With plans to undertake a new strategic plan, and the introduction of the ‘one member one vote’ process for electing the RSL NSW Board there is a strong focus on how RSL NSW can continue to support veterans across the state.

While the strategic plan focuses on how RSL NSW supports veterans in the future, the charity, through its service arm RSL DefenceCare, and sub-Branches across the state, is currently helping veterans and their families impacted by the devastating bushfires.

Over $70,000 in financial assistance has been provided to veterans and their families so far. Sub-Branches are assisting families in their local area, and several RSL members have joined the ranks of volunteer firefighters battling across the state.

“I am so proud of the response of our members to the devastating bushfires” said Ray James. “Several sub-Branches have put up their hands to help those struggling, either by supporting efforts on the ground, or by providing financial contributions to support those who have lost homes, property, and in the worst cases, loved ones. It is through the strength of mateship that Australian families will come through this tragedy and rebuild.”