After another successful fundraising year, the Stoke Gifford branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) is already gearing up for its 2019/20 Poppy Appeal.
The branch, which covers Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke, Stoke Lodge, Stoke Gifford and Filton, will stage its traditional Poppy Appeal launch event at Bristol Parkway Station on Friday 25th October, starting at 2pm.
The money raised through the Poppy Appeal goes to the RBL’s Welfare Fund, which is used to give help and support to current and ex-service personnel and their families.
The branch puts poppies and collecting tins around the area in shops, businesses and colleges. It also puts tables with poppies and collecting tins in larger stores, but it needs more volunteers to man these stalls during Poppy Fortnight, which runs from Saturday 26th October until Remembrance Sunday.
If you would like to volunteer for the branch as a collector during Poppy Fortnight, they would love to hear from you! Please make contact with the relevant organiser as follows:
- Sainsbury’s, Stoke Gifford or the Willow Brook Centre, Bradley Stoke: John Moloney, 07802 535591
- The Mall at Cribbs Causeway: Billy Wilde, 07874 895993
- Asda, Abbey Wood: Tony Peters, 07971 242845
- Morrisons, Cribbs Causeway: Craig Webb, 07450 969957
The branch is also very keen to recruit more people to knit its famous knitted poppies for the Poppy Appeal. The knitted poppies are very popular and raise a great deal of money for the Poppy Appeal, but the branch struggles to keep up with demand.
There is no pressure to knit a certain number of poppies – any amount you can manage will greatly help.
If you are interested, please contact the branch via its email address rblstokegifford@gmail.com or phone Tony Peters on 07971 242845.
If you or someone you know needs help from the Royal British Legion, please contact their national helpline on 0808 802 8080.
The RBL has a pop-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 of the Royal British Legion has its own Facebook page: @StokeGiffordRBL
Photo: Jack Lopresti MP and Chelsea Pensioner Dennis Morgan at the 2018 launch event.
This article originally appeared in the October 2019 issue of the Stoke Gifford Journal magazine (on page 2). 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.
