The past year has been an encouraging year for the Association.  From the strong foundations laid in 2013 we have been able to further consolidate.  The website continues to play a crucial role for members with regular updates regarding events and news flashes being posted to honour past veterans who have made their final journey to the green fields beyond.  Extensive spreadsheets created by our hard working and ever faithful Secretary, Robert Stafford, assist us to keep track of all our members.  Regular communication has been made via emails and mail outs including Cav News, the website and phone contact to members as required. 

The committee continue to evaluate the success and attendance at all special events and strive to improve wherever possible. We welcome any suggestions you may have to assist us in this process.  

The 2014 Anzac Day March was very well attended with many 2 Cav personnel marching alongside one veteran and many family members.  I pay tribute to Jim Muir for his faithfulness and commitment and we are grateful for his good health which enables him to march. Veteran Keith Johnston also participated in the march travelling by vehicle.   After the march a few of us headed to Federation Square to enjoy some fellowship and food.

 A new addition to the social calendar was a special afternoon tea where some of our senior members, who are unable to drive or attend outdoor events, were collected and transported to the lovely Livingstone Community Centre in Ivanhoe.  Several veterans, widows plus committee members enjoyed a relaxed afternoon, a scrumptious afternoon tea and shooting the breeze about the good old days! 

Our 2014 AGM was held at a new venue, the Ringwood RSL, but was unfortunately not well attended. However, we did welcome three new committee members in Clint Johnson (2 Cav), Leonie Bailey and Geoff Peel.  Leonie Rieper after retiring the previous year rejoined the committee part way through the year.  We will keep trying to attract new committee members as the future survival of the Association depends on it!  Please consider joining our Committee for a great cause, to ensure our fallen and surviving veterans continue to be honoured as they deserve.  With only four meetings a year it is not an onerous commitment and we are a friendly and understanding bunch doing the best we can. 

Many thanks to the loyal band of the 2014 committee which includes Robert Stafford, Heather Stone, Sgt. Clint Johnson, Leonie Rieper, Anne Ramsay, David Land, Geoff Peel, Leonie Bailey and our beloved Patron Betty Land.  I am very grateful to you all for your continued commitment and support of the Association.  Special thanks to our Secretary and Treasurer Robert Stafford for the many hours he volunteers to keep the Association in ship shape.  And a special acknowledgement to his wife Meredith Stafford who is our official photographer at all events, and who plays an important role in supplying photos for Cav News and the website.

The 2014 commemoration of the Regiment’s Foundation Day on 3^rd November at the Shrine was a great success.  We welcomed for the first time 2 Cav Commanding Officer Lt. Col. James Davis; 2 Cav retiring Northern Territory President Sgt. Tyrone Cashin and incoming President Sgt. Chris Cohen.  Once again, we enjoyed the moving sound of the bagpipes played by Kelly Cheng, a student of our adopted school Presbyterian Girls College (PLC).  We are very appreciative of the continuing relationship and support of PLC at this important event! It was great to catch up with members at the lunch after the commemoration! 

Darwin Update from Paul (Hap) Hanlon:With the 2 Cav relocation to Townsville which occurred during 2014, it is now very quiet in Darwin. The monument installation at the museum has slowed down to a crawl due to heritage red tape beyond our control.  Another six months will be allowed before more follow up is made with the Darwin council.  Hopefully there will be better news to report re this project next year.  The money for this project continues to earn interest in the meantime. 

NSW Update:Regular contact has been maintained with the NSW committee, especially in regard to the bi-annual Victorian contribution to Cav News.  Despite our desire for primarily electronic Cav News plus a mail out to those without emails, Cav News will continue to be posted to all members as per the decision of the NSW branch.  We will go with this decision for now but further discussion will be held at future meetings.   I would like to take this opportunity to thank and pay tribute to Lola Workman for all her hard work and commitment to Cav News over many years.  She does a sterling job in correlating and editing all contributions and we are grateful for our news to be included. 

2 Cav Update: I am still waiting for a report from 2 Cav but their relocation to Townsville went relatively smoothly and they are settling into their new barracks. 

All in all a solid year and the Association is holding strong! 

To conclude my report I would like to share a quote from Nelson Mandela: 

 "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it.  The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear" 

Yours sincerely,

Susan McLaughlin

Victorian Branch President.