Military bands brought smiles to the faces of those heading to work and uniformed collectors gathered donations while Defence Ministers Earl Howe, Mike Penning, Mark Lancaster and Harriett Baldwin helped the fundraising efforts at Waterloo Station.
Soprano Laura Wright, the official anthem singer for the England Rugby Team, and Lance Corporal Richard Jones, winner of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent 2016, were in attendance. The day began with the official fundraising launch in Covent Garden, where Defence Secretary Michael Fallon and Service personnel joined celebrity supporters.
Taking a break from their duties at home and around the globe, around 2,000 personnel from the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force gathered to greet commuters at 70 underground and mainline railway stations across London, as part of a bid to raise more than £1 million for TRBL in 24 hours. During Remembrance, the special poppy accompanies Frank on parade before being returned to safekeeping.Servicemen and women descended upon London today to lend their support to The Royal British Legion’s (TRBL) annual London Poppy Day. Today, Frank is the Standard Bearer for the Eastcote branch and has had the honour of showing his ‘one-of-a-kind poppy’ to Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philip and Prince Harry, along with other high-ranking Officers in the military and the Royal British Legion. It is not clear, therefore, where it came from, but Frank has treasured it ever since. Having never seen another like it, Frank made enquiries and found that neither the Poppy Factory, the Army Museum nor the Imperial War Museum appears to have one similar in their collections. Inside the tin lay a delicate poppy with the words “Haig’s Fund” stamped across its middle button. When his grandfather died, Frank went with his mother to empty his house, when he came across an old John Player & Son’s tobacco tin along with his campaign medals. He was one of the fortunate men who survived and returned to the UK where he found work in a foundry in Leamington Spa. My mother, sister, daughter and I continue to this day… I am passionate about our cause and those we support.”įrank Underhill’s grandfather served in the North Staffordshire Regiment during the First World War. “The Royal British Legion is in my blood and has been passed down from generation to generation. At aged 4 she would help to stick labels on collection tins and by aged 10 she was taking part in a 9-mile bike ride before joining the Officer Training Corps at university.
Remembrance poppy celebrities full#
Today, Jo has managed to rope her daughter into her fundraising events too, making the full family set. When the job became available Jo was quick to apply and has now been working From an early age Jo and her sister would help with Poppy Appeal collections each year so have always stayed involved.ĭuring her last few months with the RAF, Jo worked as a volunteer with the Royal British Legion community fundraiser for Lincolnshire who was soon to be leaving the position. Her mother became a volunteerįor the RBL in the 1960’s and is the County President of the Women’s Section. Jo’s family has had a longstanding connection to the Armed Forces with her father also serving in the RAF, his father serving in the Ministry of Defence during in the war, and his father serving in the First World War. She served for 22 years in the Royal Air Force before beginning her career at the Royal British Legion. Jo Ticehurst is the Regional Fundraising Manager for the East of England.
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