Welcome to NARPO Colchester & North East Essex
About Colchester & North East Essex Branch
Stretching from picturesque Mersea Island in the south, to Bures and John Constable’s Dedham in the north west, then eastwards to the port of Harwich and south along the coastline via Clacton back to Mersea, the branch encompasses much of the best of rural Essex. Central to the area is of course Colchester, a garrison town ever since being the first Roman capital of Britain, along with being Britain’s oldest recorded town. Colchester Castle is particularly well known for its oak tree growing from the tower top.
In addition to our own Force retiree’s, we are always pleased to welcome members who have served in other forces but retired to this area and this then gives us an average membership of just under 300.
![Branch - Colchester - Image 1](https://i0.wp.com/narpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Colchester-Castle-Copy-area-1-1-e1530194579440.jpg?fit=535%2C330&ssl=1)
![Branch - Colchester - Image 2](https://i0.wp.com/narpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Branch-Meeting-Copy-area-2-1.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1)
Further key information
Our Branch has both an active committee and an equally active programme. 10 Committee members meet on a quarterly basis and then take their discussions to the membership at a ‘Business’ meeting a week later.
Lance Williams and Dave Rout as our two Welfare Officers are also part of the general committee and provide regular feedback on any member who may be in need of either assistance or just a little company from time to time.
Branch Meetings will normally be held on the third Monday of each month at Clacton Golf Club, West Road, Clacton on Sea, CO15 1AJ at 11.00am [with exception maybe of December for our Christmas Social]. By necessity meal orders must be placed with the bar before we commence, so please arrive from 10:30 onwards in order to place your own.
* The Golf Club also has a Dress Code that is basically “Smart Casual” and excludes frayed or designer ripped jeans, cargo shorts & trousers [i.e. those with the patch pockets], and tee shirts, however collared Polo shirts are fine. Additional to and specifically for motorcyclists, “Leathers” are not permitted in the clubhouse and alternative trousers and shoes should be changed into, in the men’s changing room.
Please see the map below in ‘Contact Us’ for the location detail.
Across the 12 months it is anticipated there would be four ‘Speaker’ meetings, three ‘Just Social’ and three ‘Business’ meetings, plus the AGM. After any meeting members can then enjoy a good meal, some more chat and also chance their luck in the raffle – which all goes to make for a good half-day out.
Our next meeting on Monday 19th August will be at the Golf Club. It will be a Speaker Meeting when our own Rennie Chivers will be explaining the processes involved in Forensic Fire Investigation.
We are always ready to welcome potential new members in the form of ex Police Officers from any Force, or the widows of ex officers, to join us for a “chat and a bite to eat” at any of our Golf Club based meetings.
Our ramble group normally meets on the first Tuesday of the month, starting and finishing at a public house where an after-walk meal can be enjoyed. Occasionally the day may have to be changed due to the availability of the intended pub having adjusted their trading days.
If you have never walked with us before and would like details on how to join in, or where the next walk will be starting from, then please contact Steve Hunt via his email link below.
For any walk, you would need to be at the start point by 10.15 - and for most venues - have pre-booked your meal with Shirley Carman if you wish to eat afterwards.
Please note that as this is not a NARPO recognised event, there is no Branch/National insurance cover for any incident that may occur.
Branch and Covid/Winter Flu etc: We would simply ask that if you do feel in any way unwell in the days leading up to a branch meeting, then please do not risk passing a potential infection on to other members as they might have an immune system with a lesser resistance to your infection. Please be ultra considerate and stay at home, and hopefully by taking this action we will prevent any unnecessary incidents.
Contact Us
For further information about the branch please contact the Secretary:
John Tingey at EssexColchesterNE@narpo.org
Tel: 01255 813102
For Welfare matters only, please contact:
Lance Williams for the Colchester area at lance270@live.com
Dave Rout for the Tendring area at david.rout.666@btinternet.com
For information about our Ramble Section, please contact:
Steve Hunt at stanway1566@outlook.com