The Guards Parachute Association

THE ASSOCIATION IS ESTABLISHED TO FURTHER THE FOLLOWING 3 PURPOSES: 1) TO PRESERVE AND FOSTER COMRADESHIP BETWEEN SERVING AND RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION BY: • PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS TO MEET AT AN ANNUAL DINNER, NORMALLY TO BE HELD, ON THE SATURDAY NEAREST THE DATE OF THE 1975 DISBANDMENT OF NO1 (GUARDS) INDEPENDENT COMPANY, THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT (24TH OCTOBER)• PROVIDING A WELFARE NETWORK FOR MEMBERS WHO MAY HAVE FALLEN ON HARD TIMES, OR FOR THEIR WIVES, WIDOWS AND CHILDREN, AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMITTEE• ORGANISING AND ENCOURAGING MEMBERS TO ATTEND OTHER FUNCTIONS, WHETHER SOCIAL, MILITARY OR COMMEMORATIVE, AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION• SUPPORTING AND ENCOURAGING IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE GUARDS UNITS AND INDIVIDUALS SERVING IN THE AIRBORNE ROLE. 2) TO RELIEVE NEED, HARDSHIP AND DISTRESS AMONGST PAST AND PRESENT MEMBERS OF GUARDS AIRBORNE SOLDIERS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS BY MAKING GRANTS AND PROVIDING SUCH SUPPORT AS THE TRUSTEES DEEM APPROPRIATE. 3)THE COMMEMORATION AND REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSEHOLD DIVISION WHO HAVE SERVED IN AIRBORNE FORCES AND WHO HAVE DIED WHILE IN SERVICE BY THE ERECTION OF A MEMORIAL AT THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM (NMA) AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND SERVING SOLDIERS AND VETERANS FROM ALL REGIMENTS AND CORPS ON THE LONG-ESTABLISHED AND CHERISHED TRADITIONS AND THE HISTORY OF GUARDSMEN IN AIRBORNE FORCE AND THE SACRIFICES MADE BY AIRBORNE GUARDSMEN IN CONFLICT.