Poppy Appeal Launch This Saturday

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Poppy Appeal Launch Henley 2014This year’s Poppy Appeal in Henley will be launched by the Mayor, Councillor Lorraine Hillier, with Sam Brown and her ukulele players in the Market Place at 11 am on Saturday 24 October. The following Saturday 31 October, Mike Willoughby and the Lest We Forget project will have a display of his research into local WW1 servicemen in the Market Place. The final Saturday of the Appeal, 6 November 2015, along with the cadets, the Military Vehicle Society will be helping collect with a display of their vehicles in the Market Place.

Connie Butt is organising a dance in the Town Hall with the Sound Force Big Band on Saturday 31 October at 7.30 p.m. with profits to the Poppy Appeal. Everyone is encouraged to wear red and black. Tickets are £35 per head for tables of 10 and are selling fast, so do please contact Connie on 07879-217817 if you would like tickets.

The house to house collections will take place between Saturday 24 October and Friday 6 November. All collectors will carry appropriate authorisation. During the 2015 Poppy Appeal, over 45 million poppies will be distributed by over 350 000 dedicated collectors.

Remembrance Sunday, 8 November, will be commemorated with the traditional service in the Market Place. Military and youth groups will assemble in Greys Rd car park at 10.40am. On Armistice Day, Wednesday 11th November, a 2-minute silence will be observed at 11.00am outside the Town Hall. We welcome the attendance of the public at these events to honour the memory of those who have died in the service of their Country

Thanks to the generosity of the public, The Royal British Legion answered over 450,000 calls for help last year from the armed forces community. Examples of our work include Personnel Recovery Centres, the Battle Back centre for adaptive sports, representing widows at inquests, careers and financial advice, break centres and funding a research project into blast injury at Imperial College.  A Channel 4 programme earlier this year featured pioneering work with Alzheimer’s sufferers in RBL care homes.  In addition, we support veterans with Admiral Nurses, adaptations to the home and a handy van service.  Some welfare services have been provided confidentially to Henley residents.  If you know of anyone who might benefit, please contact Nick Launders, our branch Vice Chairman (01491 628 243), who deals with welfare matters.

The RBL Henley-on-Thames and Peppard branch meets at Christ Church Centre at 11.30 am on the third Monday of each month (except November).  We have a range of fascinating speakers lined up for 2016.  It is not necessary to have served in the military to become a member. If you would be interested to come along, do please contact the Branch Chairman, John Green (01491 638 720), or secretary, Stan Ainsley (07935 755 905).