Col Longsdon's association with charitable and benevolent organisations has been long and gratifying.  He has been a Church Warden at his local Church (St Peter's Church, Southrop) since 1994 and Chair of his Parish's Council since 1997.  In 2004 he was elected as Chair of the Gloucestershire Branch of SSAFA (Sailors, Soldiers and Air Force Association) which is the National charity helping serving and ex-service personnel and their families in times of need.  Another of Col Longsdon's passions is with Leonard Cheshire Home, the charity for people with disability, .  Between 1993 - 1999 he was on the Management Committee of the Leonard Cheshire Home of Gloucestershire, becoming Chair 1995-99.  He became a Trustee of the Leonard Cheshire Foundation 2000, becoming first, Chair of the Public Affairs Committee and in 2001 Chair of the Leonard Cheshire Central Region.

In November 2005 Col Longsdon visited Ethiopia representing Leonard Cheshire at the 50th Anniversary Celebrations for the Leonard Cheshire International (LCI).  It had been planned that he should deliver a speech at the Reception to be held at the British Embassy on 4 November, but due to the unstable political situation, all activity in Addis Ababa was at a virtual standstill and the reception had to cancelled.  Leonard Cheshire's Services in Ethiopia are provided by two separate organisations - Leonard Cheshire Services and The Leonard Cheshire Foundation. The Leonard Cheshire Foundation bases its activities on skills training where its staff run training courses for disabled children in a number of locations throughout the country - leading to self sufficiency and eventual economic empowerment. Between them they support almost 10,000 disabled children throughout the country.  Each acts totally independently of the other and indeed there is little spirit of co-operation. Although it was planned that Col Longsdon should be able to devote time to both organisations, restrictions on his movement meant that he was unable to meet the Executive Director of the Foundation.  True to character, Col Longsdon found a way around the obstacles and below is an edited version of his report: 

"........Through the Leonard Cheshire Services Outreach Programme, mobile clinics, which are based up on two specially equipped buses and which annually tour the Regions, reach out to all areas of the country.  Children in need are identified and brought to the Rehabilitation Centre at Menagesha some 26km outside the capital.  Once there, and after corrective surgery, they are fitted with the necessary walking appliances (made on site) and learn to walk again.  After approximately six months, and an intensive period of physiotherapy, they are able to return home as active members of their community.  They are also taught basic reading and numeracy skills which, in a country where only 2% of disabled children attend school, enable them for the first time to join in the formal education system.  At any one time there are 70 children at Menagesha, each of whom stay some four to six months and the centre treats some 150 children each year. Outreach tours are further extended by identifying and assessing new cases, following up old patients, and replacing and repairing orthopaedic devices. Finally, there are the Community Based Services, where field workers go out into the communities within and around Addis Ababa and teach such basic disciplines as primary health care, hygiene and road safety.  Since the Reception had been cancelled I was given the opportunity to call on the Ambassador, Mr Robert Dewar, and make clear to him just how much LCI appreciates his strong support for all Leonard Cheshire activities in Ethiopia.  Considering the pressures of the political situation, that the Ambassador should find time to see me was particularly appreciated. I was also able to meet Mr Paul Acroyd of The Department of International Development (DFID).  The 2004 UN Human Development Report ranks Ethiopia 170th out of 177 on the Human Development Index; 92nd out of 95 on the Human Poverty Index, and 137th out of 144 on the gender related Development Index.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, therefore, Ethiopia is one of the four African countries singled out by the British government, where it is proposed that the total African Aid budget is increased from £1.2 billion to £2.5 billion by 2008.  Last May's democratic elections in Ethiopia had made possible the delivery of aid through budget support, which matches well with the LCI objectives, with DFID ensuring proper channelling of resources to disability projects.  However, the current political situation, unless it is quickly resolved, which is unlikely, will inevitably lead to donors holding back.  (See The Times, Friday November 4, 2005).  All this achieved on an annual budget of £700,000 (£300k revenue and £400k capital). Virtually all fundraising is carried out in Ethiopia and I shall be returning to Addis Ababa in November 2006 to take part in the annual 21k fundraising walk.  I never cease to be amazed during my all too short visit by the total dedication, commitment and enthusiasm of everyone I met"

When Col Longsdon isn't managing or raising awareness for his charities he relaxes in a variety of country pursuits and when in London is a keen visitor at his clubs - Cavalry and Guards, White's and Pratts.  See 1954 and 1966 versions of Shaun Longsdon

Major Bruce Middleton Hope Shand MC and bar was born 22 January 1917 to Philip Morton Shand (1888-1960), an architectural writer and critic and Edith Marguerite Harrington (1893-1946, later Mrs Charles Tippett).  He joined the 12th Lancers in 1937; served in France and North Africa during the Second War.  He was wounded, taken prisoner, and awarded the MC in 1940 and again in 1942.  Maj Shand returned a hero from the war and on 2 January 1946 he married The Hon Rosalind Maud Cubitt, daughter of Roland Calvert Cubitt, 3rd Baron Ashcombe and Sonia Rosemary Keppel.  They had three children, Camilla Rosemary, now Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Sonia Annabel and Mark Roland Shand. The Hon Rosalind Shand died in October 1994 having long suffered from osteoporosis.  Shand was Vice-Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex between 1974 - 1992. He was Master of the South-Down Hounds for 19 years and an established wine merchant.

Maj Shand was an Officer of The Queen's Body Guard between 1971 - 1987.  He began his career with The Body Guard in 1971as a Junior Exon. He was promoted to Ensign in 1979, a position he held until his rise to Clerk of the Check and Adjutant in 1985. He retired from The Body Guard in 1987 on his 70th birthday and died on the morning of 11 June 2006 aged 89 years.  A gentleman of the first order, this modest and courageous man will be sadly missed by all that knew him.

On 17 July 2005 Her Majesty The Queen signed a Warrant granting her daughter-in-law, The Duchess of Cornwall, a new coat of arms to signify her position as wife of the heir apparent to the throne, The Prince of Wales. The shield shows of the arms of the Prince of Wales impaled with the already existing arms of the Duchess' father, Major Bruce Shand. The shield is supported on the dexter side by the Prince's own dexter supporter, and on the sinister by a boar taken from the Shand crest. Over the shield is the single-arched crown to which the Duchess is entitled as consort of the heir apparent, as laid down by the Royal Warrant of Charles II dated 9 February 1661.

The arms of Major Shand, used in the sinister (right hand side of the shield when viewed from the front; the right hand side is the dexter and considered superior to sinister) half of the Duchess' shield, are blazoned (a verbal or written description of armorial bearings) with Azure (armorial tincture blue) a Boar's Head erased behind the ears Argent (armorial metal silver) armed and langued (describing the tongue of a creature) Or (armorial metal gold) on a Chief (a broad horizontal band covering the uppermost portion of the shield) engrailed (decorate or mark the edge of with small curves) Argent between two Mullets (star with 5-points) Gules (armorial tincture red) a Cross crosslet (a plain cross with each of its four limbs also terminating in a cross) fitchy (pointed at the foot) Sable (armorial tincture black). The sinister supporter is blazoned with a Boar Azure armed and unguled (describing the hooves of an animal) Or langued Gules and gorged (encircled around the throat) with a Coronet composed of crosses formy and fleurs-de-lys (armorial charge in the form of a stylized lily) attached thereto a Chain reflexed (curved backwards) over the back and ending in a ring all Or.

The Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla Rosemary Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Parker Bowles, née Shand) (born 17 July 1947) is a member of the British Royal Family. She is the second wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the thrones of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms.

Major Samuel Charles Enderby - 9th/12th Lancers

Charles Enderby was educated at Wellington College between 1953-57 then accepted as a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.  After a growling, but educational, two years he was commissioned in the 12 Lancers, serving with the 9/12 Lancers until 1985.

In 1973 he married Mary Justina Compton and they have two daughters.

Maj Enderby lives in Hexham, Northumberland and is Chairman and Managing Director of Hexham Steeplechase Company Ltd.  Since 1991 he has served as a Justice of the Peace and relaxes by shooting, gardening, reading and bird ringing (also known as bird banding).

Maj Enderby was destined to be involved with The Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard given that his father was Colonel Samuel Enderby CVO, DSO, MC was a respected member of The Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms between 1954-77.  Charles joined the Queen's Body Guard in 1987 as an Exon.  In 2002 he was promoted to Ensign, 2006 to Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant and in 2007 to the highest rank of Lieutenant (but below the appointed rank of Captain).