SSAFA Gloucestershire attend polo event

08 July 2022

Cirencester Polo Club was sponsored by SSAFA and the location for two sporting challenges, the Natalie Meredith Cup, and the Apsley Cup.

June 25th saw a team of UK Armed Forces members challenge the Cirencester Park Polo Club (CPPC), the teams played eagerly but it was the CPPC that emerged victorious 6-4 claiming the Natalie Meredith Cup which was commissioned and donated for the occasion by Natalie Meredith of the CPPC.

Volunteers of SSAFA Gloucestershire were then able to watch the next sporting highlight, the Apsley Cup.

The main reason SSAFA Gloucestershire were present at this prestigious event was to celebrate Armed Forces Day. The team of volunteers was led by President Sir Francis Richards KCMG CVO DL, Regional Chairman Col. Tony Singer OBE, Branch Chairman Jonathan Cardale, and Col. Ross Thurlow OBE.

Along with the sporting high jinks, they and the rest of the SSAFA team are grateful to Sergeant M. Denman and his team from the Royal Wessex Yeomanry who provided a much-admired Land Rover display and the many re-enactors who were present.

Moira Dickinson, Regional Fundraising Manager (West) said: ”being at the Cirencester Polo ground was an amazing day, watching the serving Armed Forces team play is a memory that I will treasure, I have spoken to members of the public about SSAFA and what we do which is always a plus, hopefully we might get some new volunteers.”

For more information including how to volunteer or fundraise for SSAFA, or to access its support, visit ssafa.org.uk/gloucestershire.