Picton RSA marked its 80th Anniversary on 3 October, bringing together lifelong and new members to reflect on the club’s history of supporting local veterans and their families.
Nelson-Marlborough District President Franco Horridge said the future of the RSA movement in New Zealand was “at a pivotal point”, encouraging a forward-thinking approach that recognises all contemporary veterans, rather than maintaining the historic focus primarily on veterans of the First and Second World Wars.
“We have to accept there will not be a First World War again. There will never be a Second World War again, but there will be soldiers, navy, sailors, pilots to deal with things that we could not ever experience,” he said.
Franco raised a glass to those who continue to serve and represent New Zealand, acknowledging the evolving role of the RSA in supporting veterans and their families into the future.
