After two years' in the fundraising wilderness, RSL sub-branches from across the Mid-North Coast have been given the green light to resume selling poppies and other memorabilia.
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RSL NSW voluntarily suspended all fundraising activities - including Poppy Day sales and raffles - in August 2017.
The state body implemented the ban after its then newly-elected leadership found some of its processes were illegal under the state's charity laws.
That ban has now been lifted.
Sub-branch representatives from Port Macquarie, Kendall, Laurieton and Wauchope joined with Forster-Tuncurry, Gloucester, Nabiac, Old Bar Beach, Taree and Wingham at a training session organised by RSL NSW in Wingham on Saturday.
Areas covered in yesterday's training include, among other things, governance standards required for not-for-profit bodies, charity regulations, reporting obligations, responsibilities of committee members and trustees of a sub-branch, and education around broad compliance with fiduciary duties.
Port Macquarie RSL sub-branch president and OAM Greg Laird said he was pleased to see things getting back to normal.
"The sub-branch and our women's auxiliary are really happy to be back doing what we do," he said.
"Our organisation provides hospital visitations, welfare checks and other important initiatives to our members.
"An event like Anzac Day costs the sub-branch around $25,000 to host. So every fundraising effort is required. We do need those funds."
Mr Laird said the reintroduction of fundraising would be particularly welcomed by the women's auxiliary who felt that their efforts were not needed.
"Their entire operation is to fund raise. The auxiliary members love to help out with the selling of poppies, memorabilia along with the traditional cake stalls," he added.
Trustees, presidents, vice presidents, treasurers and honorary secretaries attended the training sessions.
The training is part of a state-wide initiative by RSL NSW that will see all 348 sub-Branches across the state invited to undertake this training.
RSL NSW acting president Ray James said the training was important to the ongoing future of the organisation.
"The governance and compliance is important in evolving RSL NSW both at sub-branches and ANZAC House - RSL NSW head office," he said.
""The RSL is vastly different today than it was 100 years ago, and it is imperative that our members remain fully across the legislative requirements around what it means to run a sub-Branch in 2019 and beyond.
"This training is part of evolving RSL NSW more broadly, and ensuring the public can have full confidence in supporting the important grassroots activities being undertaken everyday by sub-Branches for veterans and their families."
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