The Stoke Gifford branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) launched its 2018/19 Poppy Appeal with a ceremony in the foyer of Bristol Parkway Station on Friday 26th October.
The branch was pleased to welcome a special guest, Chelsea Pensioner Dennis Morgan, who cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the start of the local appeal. Mr Morgan, 71, retired from the army in 1987 following 23 years of service with the Royal Corps of Signal during which he completed overseas tours of duty in Borneo, Germany and Cyprus.
Mr Morgan has been a resident of the Royal Hospital Chelsea since January 2017. He is very active in his support of military charities and recently travelled to Spain to take part in an Armed Forces Day event. He is due to visit Paris later this month to attend an international ceremony marking the centenary of the end of World War 1.
The Parkway event was also attended by Jack Lopresti MP (RBL branch vice-president), members of local uniformed groups and motorcyclists from the Bristol RBL Riders.
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, the Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke and The Mall at Cribbs Causeway.
Money raised through the Poppy Appeal goes to the RBL’s Welfare Fund, which is used to give help and support to serving and ex-service personnel and their families.
If you or someone you know needs help from the RBL, please contact the national helpline on 0808 802 8080.
The RBL has a drop-in centre at 60 Union Street, Bristol, where people can call in for advice and information on the charity’s support and community services.
The Stoke Gifford branch has raised around £50,000 for the Poppy Appeal in each of the last two years. It is always looking for volunteers for its work; if you are interested, please contact Billy Wylde on 07874 895993 or email rblstokegifford@gmail.com
More information: Stoke Gifford RBL on Facebook
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Local Remembrance parades and ceremonies
- Bradley Stoke: Sunday 11th November – Parade from the Jubilee Centre at 10.15am. Ceremony in the town square from 10.30am.
- Stoke Gifford: Sunday 11th November – Ceremony at the cenotaph, North Road at 10.15am followed by services at St Michael’s Church and Rock Lane Baptist Church at 11am.
- Patchway: Sunday 18th November – Parade from the car park near Coniston Medical Practice at 10.30am sharp followed by Remembrance service at the war memorial in Scott Park.
This article originally appeared in the November 2018 issue of the Stoke Gifford Journal news magazine (on page 3). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to over 5,000 homes in Stoke Gifford, Little Stoke and Harry Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
