Dear BRA Members,
This Bulletin 247 has been produced by the new editing team, myself and Beverly Ortelli. As this is our first publication, we have tried our best, so, if you have any comments or complaints to make, please let us know!
The North-West Region has gained a new co-opted Council member, John Pickett, to join Alan Chalmers. John will also be helping with the Website.
On Anzac Day, Thursday, 25th April, on behalf of the Members of the British Residents’ Association, a wreath was laid at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at St. Martin’s Church, Vevey. May these traditions never die.
The AGM will take place on Friday, 31st May, 2024, starting at 12:00, at the Hotel Bern (Best Western Hotel), Zeughausgasse 9, 3011 Bern.
We are delighted to say that our Patron, His Excellency the British Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, James Squire will be joining us, together with our lead sponsor James Day from Peritus Investment Consultancy.
We have selected an interesting choice of menus. The BRA is sponsoring the lunch after the AGM, bringing the cost to members down to a very reasonable level and keeping the prices as low as possible, CHF 59 for members and CHF 89 for guests. These prices include the menu, apéro and all wine, coffee and soft drinks. It will be a pleasure to see as many of you as possible and a great chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones from all the different regions. Bern is a very interesting city and well worth the visit.
This year we will be thanking Joanna Koch for all her years as Chairwoman of the North-East region not forgetting she was Chairwoman of the BRA from 2002 – 2004; and Deborah Gorsatt for her editorial work and serving on the Council for the Romandie-East region.
Full details of the AGM can be found on pages 7 and 8. Looking forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.
Each of our Regions has a certain amount of money to share between their various events every year so when you see the wording
“subsidised by the BRA”
that means that some of the allocated funds for your region are being spent to reduce the price of a meal or pay for an apéro.
As you will see we have many events planned over the next three months. Thank you Bernard Uttley for all the time you took to contact members in the North East and to plan events over the region.
Our Kings Birthday Celebrations will take place mainly in June. These events, whether they take the form of a luncheon or a cocktail party, are a tradition we like to keep going and one of the core reasons for the BRA’s being. The confirmed date for the Kings’ Birthday Parade in London (Trooping of the Colour) is Saturday, 15th June 2024.
Looking forward to seeing you at a few of these celebrations to raise a glass to HM King Charles III.
We still welcome a report or an article from you about your part of Switzerland or places to visit or things of interest. Articles should be about 300 words long with a photo. Just send to editors@britishresidents.ch
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Angela S. Meier-Jones
Hon. BRA Chairwoman