Horsham RAF Association club disbanding

The news about the club, which meets at a council-owned site in Blackbridge Road, was broken to a meeting of the district council by Armed Forces champion Peter Burgess.

Mr Burgess said: “I regret to say the Royal Air Force Association in Horsham is disbanding.

“Their lease on our building, which we were expecting them to renew, is due on June 3 and they’re not going to take it up.”

The council was presented with a silver award in the 2018 MoD Recognition Scheme for its support of members of the Armed Forces.

Mr Burgess said he was trying to get another group into the building and added: “What I’m trying to do is to liaise with other people to get another group in there – there may well be a group forming a combined services club – and also talking to the British Legion, but they are very much focussed on using the Drill Hall.”

In a statement on social media, a spokesman for the club said it was closing with ‘considerable regret’.

The Facebook post reads: “Unfortunately due to increasing difficulty to keep both the branch and club committees sustainable, coupled with the need to extend the existing building lease in mid June 2020, this difficult decision has become inevitable.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank every member that has contributed to and supported the club over so many years, enjoyed wonderful and warm comradeship and made so many happy memories.

“Please take care and stay safe everyone at this difficult time.”

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