The Stoke Gifford branch of The Royal British Legion (RBL) launched its 2014 Poppy Appeal with a ceremony in the foyer of Bristol Parkway Station on Friday 24th October.
The ceremony was attended by Station Manager Linda Swainger, Jack Lopresti MP (RBL branch vice president) and members of the Bristol Squadron of the RBL Riders (motorcyclists).
Parkway Station is one of the main sites for the branch’s fundraising efforts, along with the Asda store in Filton, Sainsbury’s in Stoke Gifford and the Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke.
Branch members will be collecting at each of the four venues daily from 9am to 6pm until Sunday 9th November.
The branch will again be supplying its legendary knitted poppies which have been a great hit in recent years. Last year it sold 3,500 of them, raising thousands for the Poppy Appeal.
Hilary Bloor, RBL branch chair, said:
“The Poppy Appeal launch is the start of our year for collecting monies for the welfare and support of service and ex-service personnel, their families and dependants. Last year, the Stoke Gifford branch raised about £35,000 and we appreciate the public’s generosity to this cause.”
Branch spokesman David Bell added:
“Money raised through the Poppy Appeal goes towards the RBL Welfare Fund. Nationally, the Legion spends £1.6 million every week in help and support, so it needs the continued generous support of the public, businesses and other organisations to help raise the funding it requires for its welfare work.”
The Legion is always looking for volunteers for its work; if you are interested, please contact John Moloney on 07802 535591.
Photo (l-r): Brian Hewitt, John Moloney, David Bell, Jack Lopresti MP and Linda Swainger.
Local Remembrance Parades and Ceremonies
- Bradley Stoke: Sunday 9th November – Parade from the Jubilee centre at 10.30am. Ceremony in the town square at 10.45am.
- Stoke Gifford: Sunday 9th November – Ceremony at the cenotaph, North Road at 10.20pm followed by service at Rock Lane Baptist Church at 11am.
- Patchway: Sunday 16th November – Parade from Waterside Drive at 10.15am followed by ceremony at RBL in Rodway Road.
Armistice Day Commemorations at 11am on 11th November
Short ceremonies organised by the Stoke Gifford Royal British Legion, with the Exhortation, Last Post, Two Minute Silence, Reveille and Kohima Epitaph.
- Bradley Stoke: Willow Brook Centre
- Stoke Gifford: Parkway Station and Sainsbury’s
