UK's largest charity for the Armed Forces community on Thursday (28) launched its biggest fundraising campaign by 10 generations of collectors.
The Royal British Legion (RBL) has launched its centenary Poppy Appeal, held every year in October and November, in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, a statement said.
The charity has brought together ten generations of collectors who each represent a decade since its formation in 1921.
These collectors, aged from 10 to 95, have been paired with historic Poppy Appeal artefacts from the decade in which they were born. They will be amongst 40,000 Poppy Appeal volunteers who will be back out in force, raising vital funds to support the work of the RBL this year, the statement added.
They exchange poppies for charitable donations used to give financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the armed forces.
One of the “hero” collectors is Mirza Muhammad Sohail Shahzad, regional coordinator for the South-West of the Muslim youth group, Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA).
“I’m originally from Pakistan but I live in the UK, so I regard the British Military as our heroes. AMYA takes a lot of pride in supporting the RBL, and by collecting for the Poppy Appeal we help the families of those serving men and women. That’s why I’m so passionate about getting back out into my community to collect for the Poppy Appeal this year," said Sohail Shahzad, who has been involved with the Poppy Appeal since 2012.
According to the statement, the oldest collector is Jill Gladwell, 95, whose mother was one of the RBL’s first-ever collectors, and whose 10-year-old great-great-Niece is continuing the family tradition.
Gladwel said, “I started collecting when I was 14 in 1940, and even then, I knew the Poppy Appeal was important to the wounded men who had fought for the country and for peace. My father followed the Legion’s motto “Service not self” and I’m so happy to be back out collecting to support the Armed Forces community and their families this year.”
Also featured is Vera Parnaby,82, known as ‘Mrs Poppy’, who has raised more than £1m over 75 years collecting for the Poppy Appeal. The youngest is Masie Mead,10, who has been collecting since she was four when her father was medically discharged from the Army.
The historic artefacts worn or held by each of the collectors include an original silk poppy from the first Appeal in 1921, one of very few made by Madame Guerin, the French woman who popularised the poppy, to have survived.
Other items include a 'khadi' poppy, a limited-edition poppy released in 2018 to honour the 74,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for Britain in WW1. The ‘khadi’ poppy is made from the same linen worn by Mahatma Gandhi, which may be of interest to you and your audience.
Covid-19 restrictions led the charity to cancel all face-to-face fundraising for the first time in its history in 2020.
For more details, visit: rbl.org.uk
Bob Blackman MP speaks during the event