Edwinstowe
Royal British Legion
The
Royal British Legion exists as an independent charity. It is funded
through member subscriptions and donations. The donations are predominantly
provided through the Poppy appeal on the run up tothe 11th of November,
Armistice day. Other funds are secured through provision of wreaths
and cards. Another area in which money is raised is through donations
bequeathed in wills.
The
Legion provides support for ex members of the Armed services. Indeed
more than 200,000 people depend upon our continuing support each year.
This number obviously includes the older veterans but also, and becoming
more prevalent, it is supporting younger persons.
15.000
serving personnel have been killed on operations since the end of the
Second World War. Many times these have been injured. Afghanistan and
Iraq are constantly in the news although the column space seems to get
shorter as time passes, such as it did with Northern Ireland. Each one
of those deaths leaves grieving families. Each one of those deaths has
many more injured un-reported.
In
the last year just in our area alone the Legion has provided much needed
help to ex members of the Armed Forces in excess of £4700. It
really is vitally important that we as a community get behind the Poppy
appeal each year to ensure this help continues.
Edwinstowe
RBL has currently a small membership. That said, this year the members
have been actively engaged in Poppy collections, with 66 donation tins
and boxes placed out into our community. Door to door Poppy selling
and wreaths for any village organisations / individuals wishing to place
on the memorial. Although the final figure has still to be confirmed,
our village has raised over £4500 for the appeal, this from a
village with no major supermarket or large shopping centre.
Next
year will see the village claiming back Center Parcs holiday Village
as a collection area and I am sure we will break the £5000 mark
easily. Thank you to all of you who have helped or donated and please
continue to do so next year. If you require wreaths, have not had a
collection box and would wish to have one or could help with any aspects
please feel free to contact any committee member.
As
a group we will be looking to arrange trips in the forth coming year.
A potential trip to Flanders is in the planning stages and the usual
trips to the coast earlier in the year. These trips are funded through
our own fund raising, bingo nights at South Forest organised and conducted
by Mrs Betty Fensom kindly with no charge from the owner Mr Bowring.
Other activities such as Coffee mornings have also brought in revenue
to support such trips. New members are always wanted and new ideas and
drive would be much appreciated.
If
you are interested in the organisation and require a joining pack or
want to know more, please contact Alice at the Parish council who will
pass your details on to me or contact any of our committee listed below.
Thank you.
Geoff Dunn
Edwinstowe
RBL Committee members
President
- Mr Vic Colley.
Chairman - Mr Dennis Tattersall.
Vice Chair - Mrs Betty Fensom.
Secretary - Mr Geoff Dunn.
Welfare Secretary - Mr Terry Power.
Treasurer - Mr Adrian Scargill.
