A WELCOMING MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Welcome to our branch’s home on the world Wide Web. The Society was formed in London in 1868, and this branch dates from 1958.
Through the past 50 years countless school children have written in our essay contest, generations of University Students have been associated with the U.B.C. Commonwealth Club, scores of students have participated in our mock Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM’s) and hundreds of speakers have given talks to our members and cause the Mainland of British Columbia to think about, engage with and learn more about that very special and unique entity–the Commonwealth.
Our organization focuses upon promoting education and fellowship between the 54 nations and peoples of the Commonwealth. We practice global citizenship through our outreach to those Commonwealth students studying at U.B.C. and S.F.U., and through our work with some of the other Commonwealth cultural associations in the Lower Mainland. We embrace the multicultural and Multifaith realities of our wider community, through our annual Commonwealth Day observance.
Through advocacy projects and occasional citizenship or community service activities, our branch engages with the wider world, tries to raise awareness of the Commonwealth and attempts to leave a lasting and permanent legacy in our community.
Membership is open to the citizens of any Commonwealth country (and all others can join as associate members), and our organization always welcomes newcomers.
Please enjoy your visit to our website. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your visit to our site.
Shawn M. Wade, LL.M.,
President
Commonwealth Day 2016 : “An Inclusive Commonwealth”
Please come and celebrate Commonwealth Day with us. This year’s theme is “An Inclusive Commonwealth!” Once again we will hold our observance at the Marpole Oakridge Community Centre where the sights and sounds of the Commonwealth will be there for us to see. See you there and Happy Commonwealth Day Everyone.
Cheerio,
Shawn M. Wade,
President
Royal Commonwealth BC Main
Event: Commonwealth Day Event : “An Inclusive Commonwealth”
Date: Sunday, March 13. 2016
Time: 1:00 PM
Venue: Marpole Oakridge Community Centre,
990 West 59th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia
Between Oak Street and Fremlin Street.
Please feel free to share with others and please bring your friends and family.
RCS Luncheons
Dec 9, 2015
AGM and Christmas luncheon at the Royal Yacht Club. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Oct 24, 2014
We commemorated the Battle of Trafalgar with our friends in the Royal Society of St. George at the Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club. Entertainment were provided by the Rattlebone Band with nautical music and a presentation by Steve Scanlan.
Dear one and all,
It is my sad duty to inform you that Lt. Col (Ret) Colin W. Reichle CD passed away this afternoon after a brief but valiant battles with Cancer.
Colin was a major force in establishing RCS Edmonton and served as our first chair. As well, he served as National Chair most recently preceding our current chair.
The RCS community is indeed a better place because of Colin, and he was a friend to many.
No memorial service is planned by the family and cremation internment will be a private family service, in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
Joe Zasada
Chair
Royal Commonwealth Society of Edmonton
Dear Joe,
On behalf of The Royal Commonwealth Society Mainland of British Columbia Branch we wish to express our condolences and sorrow at the passing of Lt. Col. Reichle. He was a brave soldier to the end fighting his ailments with courage. His achievements were very great indeed, in the city, and many organizations he participated in. He had a profound effect upon our organization. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the members in Edmonton at this time. May he rest in peace.
Sincerely yours,
Shawn M. Wade, LL.M.,
President, The Royal Commonwealth Society,
Mainland of British Columbia Branch
COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning/distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. COL is helping developing nations improve access to quality education and training.
The Chair of COL’s Board of Governors, COL’s President and Chief Executive Officer, and other senior staff members are regularly called upon to deliver speeches and presentations at events taking place throughout the Commonwealth. If you are specifically interested in presentations that have been delivered by a particular individual, please click on the presentation name below and at the left. Quotes may be taken from these presentations for third-party use, so long as full and accurate credit is conveyed. Please click to find more details.
COMMONWEALTH DAY 2014 – TEAM COMMONWEALTH
Come and Join “Team Commonwealth”
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Marpole/Oakridge Community Centre Vancouver
3:00 PM
This year’s Commonwealth Day theme is “Team Commonwealth”. The Commonwealth is not only a family it is a team of nations, cultures and traditions. What better way to celebrate this team than by joining with us as we celebrate the teamwork and unity of the Commonwealth. Come and join us in a celebration of music, culture and reflection. Admission is free.
THE QUEEN’S CHRISTMAS DAY MESSAGE 2013
It is our great honour to share with you the full message from Her Majesty for the Christmas Day of 2013. We wish you enjoy the video clip as we do.
2013/2014 ESSAY COMPETITION
Please click the link to view the pamphlet for our essay contest for this year. http://royalcommonwealthsociety.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/royal-commonwealth-society-essay-competition-2013-2014.pdf Any questions or clarifications concerning this contest should be emailed to [email protected].
RCS DIAMOND JUBILEE BENCH APPEAL
Following upon the success of the Diamond Jubilee Tree Re-dedication and unveiling of a Commemorative Plaque, and the other Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Branch is raising money to place a Bench, complete with a Bench Plaque, at their Tree and Plaque-site in Queen Elizabeth Park’s “Jubilee Square”. We have not quite achieved our target, so if you would like to make a donation there is still time. The erection of a Bench ensures a lasting legacy to the work of the Society, in this City, and as a commemoration of it and its members. Why not be a part of history though you contribution to this tangible timely and commemorative public work? For further information please contact Christopher Richardson at [email protected] (604) 218-0981 or Shawn Wade at [email protected] (604) 522-5134.
Congratulations To Our Local Essay Contest Winner, Abby Wells
Abby Wells, from Southridge School, placed 2nd in category A of R.C.S. London’s Essay Contest. In celebration of this great milestone we have invited Abbey to be our speaker and read out part of her essay at our November Luncheon. Abby reads her award winning essay during our luncheon in honour of her achievement.
EVENTS
Yule Tide Revelry–Our Christmas Event is back!, Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Come and kick off the Yule Tide season in style with our annual Christmas gathering.
The Dickens Buffet will be back to excite your palette with all you old Christmas favourites, including turkey, plum pudding and a host of lovely desserts. Our raffle, which goes from strength to strength, is always a fun way to begin the season of giving (a tad early) while last year’s Christmas carol sing-along will probably merit an encore based on the feedback we received.
We will, again, invite our good friends from the Royal Society of St. George’s and The Royal Over-seas League to join with us to celebrate this most blessed of occasions.
Event: R.C.S. Christmas Luncheon
Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2013.
Time: 11:45 to 12:15
Venue: The Vancouver Lawn Tennis & Badminton Club 1630 West 15th Avenue, Vancouver British Columbia, (Fir Street and 15th Avenue)
Price: $45.00
NEWSLETTERS
We hope that you have had a wonderful summer. Summer was quite warm at times and, as always, full of surprises! Now as we transition into fall we begin to take up our usual activities. Your Branch Council have not been idle and have planned some interesting events for the Fall. We hope to see you out at some of them. Welcome back! Please click to view our Fall Newsletter, October 2013.