A number of branches of the Royal British Legion's women's sections have dissolved in an ongoing protest at plans to merge the volunteer body back into the wider charity.
The RBL women’s section is a semi-independent part of the RBL and has been in existence for over 90 years. According to its website, it has over 30,000 volunteer members and 700 branches across the UK.
At a trustee board meeting in December 2015 the decision was taken to merge the women’s section back into the wider RBL – a decision that has since sparked anger from section volunteers and seen many section branches across the UK dissolve in protest.
According to The Guardian, 15 of the section’s 26 branches in Norfolk have now closed. The newspaper also quotes Hazel Kingswood, chair of the Aylsham, Norfolk women’s section branch, who slammed the board decision as being akin to a “dictatorship”.
“We are all volunteers,” she said. “When [the charity] starts telling us what we have got to do, we will not stand for that kind of dictatorship”. There are also concerns that the women’s section would lose its automatic place on the board of trustees.
For its part though, the RBL has said that it will continue working towards merging the women’s section into the wider charity by 1 October 2017.
“As set out in proposals earlier this year, it remains vitally important to integrate The Royal British Legion Women’s Section into the main body of the organisation to comply with charity regulation and governance arrangements.
“Following discussions in June 2016, which took into consideration feedback from the 2016 Annual Conferences of both the Women’s Section and the Legion membership, a joint team representing the Legion and the Women’s Section has been formed to develop a plan for integration.
The team will work together to identify potential issues brought about by the change, and the aim will be to complete the integration of the Women’s Section by 1 October 2017.”
A spokeswoman from the women’s section also gave Civil Society News a statement, distancing itself from Hazel Kingswood.
“Our position on this matter has been communicated to all Women’s Section members, therefore I am unsure where misinformation from our acting Norfolk County Chairman is originating. No changes have been agreed as the plan is still under discussion.
“Regrettably Mrs Kingswood's actions are neither helpful nor in the interests of the Branches within our organisation who wish to continue with their fundraising activities in support of Women's Section schemes. We are in a position where the Trustees are listening to our concerns and I would not wish to see this jeopardised in any way.”
She also said that the RBL and women’s section were working closely together to ensure the best possible outcome for both parties.
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