11/10/2026
🇬🇧 POST-BREAKFAST REPORT
Small in numbers, big in character – but where is everybody?
Another Sunday breakfast at The Pride of Shipley, where our wonderful hosts, Scott and Louise, once again pulled out all the stops to look after us. Their hospitality was exceptional, as always, and we really couldn't ask for better hosts.
Sadly, the turnout was disappointingly low, particularly given the calibre of our very special guests.
We were absolutely delighted to welcome two Deputy Lieutenants of West Yorkshire, Vicky Reynolds JP DL, a firm favourite with our Ilkley members, and her colleague Gill Arnold MBE JP DL, both representing His Majesty The King.
The ladies certainly brought a touch of class to proceedings and spent the morning chatting, laughing and engaging with everyone present. Mind you, with our numbers, getting around everybody wasn't exactly an endurance exercise! 😁
Both were genuinely interested in our members, their service and their stories. We are extremely grateful that they gave up part of their valuable Sunday to support our little veterans' community. Vicky and Gill, thank you both. It meant a great deal to us.
We were also pleased to welcome Cllr Chris Howlett, Armed Forces and Veterans Champion for Bradford Metropolitan District Council. Chris continues to demonstrate his support for our Armed Forces community, and it was great to have him with us.
Despite the modest turnout, we did manage a little successful recruiting!
One former Chief Technician, Peter, may have been subjected to a spot of good old-fashioned press-ganging, but once aboard he thoroughly enjoyed himself! Welcome back to the tribe, Peter. You've been missed, even if you didn't know it!
It was also fantastic to welcome Chris Breen to his first Shipley breakfast after our chance encounter at the last Ilkley breakfast. Great to see you again, Chris, and hopefully the first of many visits.
NOW FOR THE SERIOUS BIT...
Our administrators and our hosts are genuinely pulling out all the stops to make these breakfasts welcoming, enjoyable and worthwhile. We have excellent venues, fantastic hosts, distinguished guests and, most importantly, the opportunity for serving personnel and veterans to enjoy the company of those who understand what being part of the Armed Forces family means.
But we cannot ignore the fact that interest and attendance appear to be waning.
These clubs exist for YOU. They are not about the administrators, the guests or the number of photographs we can post on Facebook. They are about friendship, camaraderie, shared experiences and ensuring nobody feels they have been forgotten after leaving the Services.
We don't expect everyone to attend every breakfast. Life gets in the way, and we understand that. But we do need your support if we are to keep building something worthwhile.
So here's a genuine question to our members:
👉 What can we do to encourage you to come along?
Is it the venue? The timing? The format? Or is there something else we could do differently?
Please tell us. We welcome honest, constructive feedback and fresh ideas. There is little point in us second-guessing what our members want.
To everyone who attended today, thank you. The numbers may have been small, but the conversation, laughter and camaraderie were certainly not lacking.
And finally, another heartfelt thank you to Scott and Louise, Vicky and Gill, and Cllr Chris Howlett for supporting us.
The breakfast club belongs to its members. Let's make sure it has a future worth turning up for.
🇬🇧 Once part of the Armed Forces family, always part of the family.
Lest we forget the living.
