The City of Lismore RSL Sub-Branch has elected a new president, with Allan Ryan stepping into the role after former president Ken Arnett passed on the baton at the branch’s recent Annual General Meeting.

Allan brings more than four decades of military experience to the position, having served in both the New Zealand Army and the Australian Army before retiring earlier this year as a Warrant Officer Class One.

Now settling into civilian life after officially retiring in February, says he wants to ensure the RSL continues to support veterans in the region, particularly younger ones who may not realise the services available to them.

“One of the big things for me is making sure younger veterans know the RSL is here,” Ryan said.

“There’s a big veteran and ex-service community around Lismore, and a lot of people don’t really understand what the RSL actually does. We’re here to look after the welfare of returned service personnel, and that’s something we want to keep strengthening.”

Allan takes over the role with the backing of outgoing president Ken Arnett and an experienced committee already in place.

He admits stepping straight into the presidency after previously being a regular member of the sub-branch will bring challenges, but he is confident the team around him will help guide the way.

“Ken said to me when he handed over that if he didn’t think I could do it, he wouldn’t have supported it,” he said. “So it’s good to have the backing of the people already involved. We’ll see how we go.”

He has been a member of the Lismore sub-branch for several years, maintaining contact with fellow veterans even while serving elsewhere in the country. A regular gathering point has been informal Thursday catch-ups with fellow members at the Workers Sports Club.

Those conversations ultimately led to fellow members encouraging him to step forward.

“The fellas started suggesting almost a year ago that maybe I should put my hand up for something on the committee,” he said. “When the AGM came around and they said we needed a president who might be a bit younger, I thought, well, I’ll stick my hand up and see what happens.”

One of his key priorities will be building stronger connections between the RSL and the wider community, particularly local schools.

In the lead-up to Anzac Day, members of the sub-branch regularly visit schools across the region to speak with students about the meaning of the day and the history behind it. Allan says the number of schools requesting visits has been growing each year.

“We’ve got about 13 schools asking for people to come and speak so far, and we’re expecting more,” he said. “If we can get out there and talk to the kids about what Anzac Day means and what service represents, even if only a couple of them take that message home and talk about it with their families, that’s a good thing.”

He has also noticed growing attendance at Lismore’s commemorative services, particularly the Anzac Day Dawn Service.

“When I first started attending here, the crowd would mostly just stand around the memorial,” Ryan said. “But over the last few years it’s grown. People are out along the road and down the side streets. It’s really encouraging to see.”

Another longer-term ambition for Ryan is securing a permanent home for the Lismore RSL Sub-Branch.

While the organisation maintains an office in the Lismore Memorial Baths, meetings and activities are currently held at the Workers Sports Club.

Allan believes having a dedicated space would allow the branch to better showcase local military history and create a place where veterans and the community can gather.

“We need somewhere we can call our own,” he said.

“There’s a lot of memorabilia around Lismore connected to military service, and it would be great to have a place where it could all be displayed and where we could bring school groups through and talk about that history.”

With Anzac Day approaching, Ryan says his first months in the role will largely focus on supporting the existing committee and ensuring the upcoming commemorations run smoothly.

For him, the role is less about changing traditions and more about making sure they continue to thrive.

“At the end of the day, it’s about remembering the people who served and making sure the next generation understands why that matters,” he said.

And in a city like Lismore, he believes that tradition still runs deep.