Rethink Remembrance this Poppy Appeal

For many people, Remembrance is associated with the fallen of the First and Second World Wars. While they will always be remembered, the Legion wants to raise awareness of a new generation of veterans and service personnel who need support.

The Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion’s biggest fund-raising campaign held every year in November, the period of Remembrance.

Each year, an army of volunteers distribute the iconic paper poppies throughout the nation, collecting donations in return to help support the vital work the charity does for the Armed Forces community.

Members of the public wear the poppy on their chest as a symbol of Remembrance: to remember the servicemen and women killed in conflict.

A number of Remembrance events, such as Remembrance Sunday, are held during the Poppy Appeal to commemorate the fallen.

The first Poppy Appeal was held in 1921, the founding year of The Royal British Legion.

Red silk poppies, inspired by the famous First World War poem In Flanders Fields, sold out instantly and raised more than £106,000. The funds helped First World War veterans find employment and housing after the war.

The following year, the Poppy Factory was set up, employing disabled ex-servicemen to create the poppies to sell during the appeal. Today, the factory still produces millions of poppies each year.

There are many ways to volunteer to help the Legion and people don’t need to be a Legion member or have links to the Armed Forces to volunteer.

However a person decides to get involved, they will be making a huge difference to the lives of the Armed Forces community. There are an estimated 6.5 to 6.7million members of this community in the UK. Those of working age are more likely than the general population to be out of work, have money problems, have unpaid caring responsibilities or have health conditions that limit their activity. The Royal British Legion is working hard to meet the needs of veterans, service people and their dependants, but it always needs more volunteers to help them. For further information about volunteering visit: www.britishlegion.org.uk

In the Ribble Valley, volunteers will be out in force collecting for the Poppy Appeal.

In Clitheroe, there will be collections in Tesco supermarket until Saturday and at Booths supermarket from today until Saturday.

Street collectors will also be on duty from 10am onwards on Saturday.

Volunteers are asked to report to the Royal British Legion on Whalley Road.

Clitheroe’s Poppy Appeal organiser Duncan Astley, said: “Any extra volunteers will be very welcome. Just come to the Royal British Legion Club or call me on 07542 405591.

Wreaths will also be available for collection from 10am.

Funds for the Poppy Appeal will also be raised through a Poppy Ball at the Royal British Legion Club at 8pm tomorrow with music, dancing and entertainment. This will include a female artist singing songs from the Second World War era. Tickets are £5 available from the club.

A fancy dress disco with a 1940s/war theme is also being staged at the Horseshoe in Clitheroe tomorrow at 8 pm.

At Clitheroe, the Remembrance parade on Sunday starts at 9-45am outside the Ribble Valley Council offices in Church Brow, and proceeds along York Street and Church Brow to Clitheroe Parish Church for the service at 10-30am which the Mayor of Clitheroe Coun. Mark French will attend.

After the service, the parade will go to the Castle Gates, where it will halt for a minute shortly before noon to allow the less able people to join for a shorter walk to the war memorial, where the service is at noon.

The Mayor of Clitheroe Coun. Mark French will also be observing the National Pause to Remember tomorrow at 11am at the Castle gates.

The beginning and end of the two minutes’ silence will be marked by signal rockets, and traffic will be stopped for the two minutes’ silence.

Remembrance services around the villages

BILLINGTON: A parade will assemble at the entrance to Billington Gardens from 2-30pm to march off at 2-45pm proceeding to Billington war memorial for a wreath laying service. The parade will be led by the Accrington Pipe Band with Blackburn Sea Cadets, Ribble Valley Mayor and councillors in attendance. On completion of the service the parade will return to Billington Gardens for dismissal.

DUNSOP BRIDGE: There will be a short service of Remembrance at the war memorial at Dunsop Bridge on Sunday, November 13th, from 10-55 am. All welcome.

GRINDLETON: A special service of Remembrance will be held in St Ambrose Church on Sunday at 10-30 am. Everyone is invited to attend.

KNOWLE GREEN: The young men of the village who died during the two world wars will be honoured and remembered at the annual Remembrance Day Service on Sunday. All are invited to attend this special service meeting at the village war memorial at 10-50am when memorial wreaths will be laid and the two minute silence observed.

PENDLETON: The Remembrance Day service at All Saints’ Church takes place on Sunday at 11am. The congregation is asked to be seated by 10-55am so that the silence can be observed at 11am. Mr T. Ormiston will be speaking on the Battle of the Somme.

SABDEN: Sabden Baptist Church will hold a short service at 10-30 am on Sunday before the congregation join the Village Service at the village war memorial on Remembrance Sunday at 11 am. Morning Mass at St Mary’s Church will be half an hour later, at 11-30 am, to allow people to attend the Remembrance Service. The 9-30 am Holy Communion and Remembrance Service at St Nicholas’s CE Church will be taken by the Rev. Kathryn Carmyllie. Meanwhile, Sabden Primary School is holding a Remembrance Assembly, led by the Year 6 children, tomorrow at 10-30 to 11-30 am, to which all villagers are welcome. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be served afterwards.

WHALLEY: On Armistice Day tomorrow members of the Whalley branch of The Royal British Legion will be observing a two minute silence at Whalley war memorial at 11am. They will be joined by staff and pupils from Oakhill College and St Mary’s CE Primary School. There will be no parades on this day.

On Remembrance Sunday, following a service at Whalley Parish Church at 10am, a parade will form in Church Lane at approximately 10-40am proceeding to the war memorial for the wreath-laying service. There will be no return parade.

There will not be a service at Whalley Methodist Church on Remembrance Sunday morning. The congregation will be sharing the ecumenical service at Whalley Parish Church at 10am.

At 6pm on Remembrance Sunday, Whalley Methodist Church will hold a service of remembrance and thanksgiving. They will be remembered individually by name and by the lighting of a candle. The service is intended to be of a quiet reflective nature that will hopefully be of comfort and strength, and will include the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

WISWELL: a Remembrance Service will be conducted by the Rev. Barbara Knight from Whalley Parish Church and will take place at 9-30am on Sunday at the war memorial in Wiswell.