The Royal British Legion Women Section of Newbury celebrates 80 years of service

On the 31st of May 2026 Newbury's Royal British Legion Club (RBL) hosted the honourable celebration of its local Women's section (WS) which was formed on the 1st of June 1946. A benchmark of accomplishing 80 years in service for the community of the Armed Forces. A re-dedication service was held and present on the day were members and supporters of the WS including the national vice chairman, the branch secretary and the standard bearer of Newbury’s WS.

Re-dedication service in Newbury.

The WS (originally titled Women's Auxiliary Section) was founded back in 1921. It was initially established to support the women and families of ex-servicemen. It also meant that women were for the first time allowed to take a more formal standing in the RBL Campaigns. By 1930 the WS had experienced a highly successful development and growth of its members to around 113,00 spread across around 1,000 branches. With support from Princess Mary as Patroness and a committee with royal status, the WS became amongst the fastest growing charitable organisations in the UK after WWI.

In its formative years, the WS became vital to the ongoing success of the Poppy Appeal. Together with volunteers, the fundraising committee and the women they made such a significant contribution to the campaign's success that many branches had sold out of poppies before lunch time. They also ran support and welfare programs for widows and children for those who had been affected by the war. Seeking to help women with employment and making ends meet by providing clothes and other necessities and kids were able to go on funded holidays between the wars.

At the start of the second World War they saw a rapid increase in membership and again they began undertaking significant responsibilities in a time of war. Efforts that demonstrated their determination and strength as an organisation both financially and for their practical measures.

With over 3,000 branches by the mid 1950s the WS continued to thrive and during the Festival of Remembrance in 1953 its standard was paraded for the first time, an important milestone which represented unity with the broader RBL family. The WS work continued to evolve alongside social transformation and post war needs, developing children's homes to education grant schemes, welfare programmes and continued support for widows.

This standard is believed to be the first of two standards the Newbury RBLWS has ever had. It was in use for over 65 years and has been carried by every Newbury Women’s Section Standard Bearer to date.

Laura Hayworth (National Vice Chairman of WS).

“The Women's Section is the best kept secret of the Royal British Legion” says WS National Vice Chairman, Laura Hayworth who has been a member since 1990. She originally joined for the social atmosphere and playing darts with the occasional tea time. Throughout the years, she has worked as Surry county treasurer before being voted to National Vice Chairman in 2024.
As fundraising is a major part of the WS work, from putting on raffles, to hosting charity concerts, skydives and sponsored hikes. Laura believes putting the “fun back into fundraising" is the key in order to continue bringing in revenue to fund its two grant schemes.

A major turning point was around 2015-2016 when the membership went from 29,000 to around 3,000 in an attempt by the RBL to amalgamate the WS. Since then they have been working on rebuilding the membership status whilst also managing a broad age demographic. Laura notes on the challenges of accommodating support for long term members of the older generation whilst also bringing in “new blood”. Laura means that they are not to neglect the potential of younger members in order to evolve.

Helen Mannerings has represented the WS in historical national events such as the late Queen’s funeral and the King and Queen’s Coronation.

Helen Mannerings (36) who is one of the younger members of the WS attended her first Remembrance Sunday at only three months old and sees her dedication to the WS as a “way of life”. Coming from a family heritage of where 36 members of her family have served in the military. Unable to join the military herself, her aspirations and pride for service did not hold her back. Now as Chairman for Newbury Branch and Southwestern regional standard bearer she sees it as a way to “pay a little bit of a debt” to the veterans community and those who are currently serving.

As Chairman one of the main needs she is pushing for the organisation is the evolution of membership for more diverse needs in supporting veterans in their 30s and younger. Meaning that veterans in conflicts such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Korea should be taken into more consideration. Helen explains that they have different needs than veterans of the world wars, yet she is considerate that change can be tricky for the older generations. It is clear that Helen leads with full confidence of the membership to progress the WS forward whilst still “carrying the torch of remembrance”.

In retrospect, “She saw something in me which I didn't recognize in myself,” (Helen) describing how senior member Angela Logue (78) had a huge influence on her, acting as a mentor and a teacher in her becoming a standard bearer. Angela herself was a standard bearer from 1984 - 2002, including spending 15 years as a parade marshall for the Festival of Remembrance. A task of managing up to a thousand people at a time, requiring discipline, confidence and decades of knowledge. Qualities which are evident from her previously serving in the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) and her work with remounts, training horses fit for service duties. Later she served as a national judge at standard bearer competitions, but has more recently retired from it due its physical strain.

Angela Logue.

She is now the Newbury WS Treasurer, a responsibility she has held for the past 25 years. When asked about retirement of her voluntary work and involvement in the WS, she plans on moving towards retiring next year at 79. Although her grandson James (sixth-generation service personnel) in response to her answer says “Like hell, she will stop working with the legion and WS when she dies, she has said she is going to retire for the past decade”.

Angela's daughter Sarah, served 5 years in the British Army making her a second-generation female soldier as well as fifth generation army in her family lineage. After many years as a member in the WS Sarah saw the Newbury RBL struggling, she took the leading initiative and together with the committee's support it still remains a welcoming community environment for everyone and a home for the WS. From her perspective as a service wife, she understands that “it can sometimes be a lonely path you walk. So having that community behind you is everything”.

With a membership base ranging from the ages of 16 to over 100, the value of face to face interaction and the legion club is significant to the older generation to combat isolation “you may be that one face they see, that one conversation they have” says Sarah.

The 80th celebration took place at the RBL Club in Newbury, where it welcomed the Lord Lieutenant, the Mayor, the High Sheriff along with WS members to perform the re-dedication service for the standard.