Poppy Appeal launches with focus on 'Afghan generation' of troops
Howard Lake | 28 October 2010 | News
The Royal British Legion today launched its 90th annual Poppy appeal, with an emphasis on its support for the wounded and bereaved of the British Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan.
The appeal was launched at Colchester Garrison in Essex with a private concert by The Saturdays exclusively for the families and personnel of 16 Air Assault Brigade, which is currently on serving in Afghanistan.
Rochelle Wiseman, one of the Essex-born members of the group, said: “It’s humbling to be asked to help launch this year’s Poppy Appeal. We will do anything we can do to support the Poppy Appeal and our brave Armed Forces and their families”.
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Last year’s appeal raised a record £35 million, and this year’s target is £36 million.
The Royal British Legion spends more than £1.4 million a week in its work helping 160,000 members of the ‘Armed Forces Family’ each year.
Russell Thompson, the Legion’s Director of National Events and Fundraising, said: “We call on the nation to give generously and to wear their poppies with pride”.
[Video at iPadio.com no longer available as it was published in the deprecated Flash].
The Saturdays’ concert was preceded by a display of wingsuit flight by Jump 4 Heroes, The Royal British Legion’s Extreme Human Flight Team. Team Captain Major Alastair Macartney said: “As serving soldiers, we know all too well how important the Poppy Appeal is for the support of today’s Armed Forces and we are very proud to be part of it.”
Colchester Garrison will be the location of one of four Personnel Recovery Centres that the Legion will be operating in partnership with the British Army.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.