Deputy Mayor Steve Lugg buys the first poppy from Diane Ridge, Ferndown RBL poppy organiser, watched by branch chairman Pat Birch and standard bearers Zoe Major and Ray Wrigglesworth
Ferndown’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr Steve Lugg, launched this year’s Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal at the town’s Garden of Remembrance on Friday 25 October.
The Ferndown branch of the Royal British Legion has one of the largest memberships in the UK and is keen to raise a record amount for the appeal provides welfare and aftercare support for the Armed Forces community.
Cllr Lugg said: “In so proudly and emotionally opening the local Poppy Appeal for 2013, I think of our Armed Forces past and present. I think of my contemporaries, of my son in the Household Cavalry and of everyone’s sons and daughters.
I know that fallen comrades would hope that those remaining are well looked after by us all and so I ask the Ferndown public to support this Appeal generously once again”
A fundraising indoor cycle ride is to be held once again on Friday 1 November at 8pm at Ferndown Royal British Legion in aid of the Poppy Appeal. Each sponsored rider is asked to complete a 15 minute ride, covering 4 miles on cycle machines provided by Ferndown Leisure Centre. The idea is to cover 544 miles – the equivalent distance of Ferndown to its twinned town, Segre, in France. The event is open to all.
Nationally 350,000 volunteers are needed for the Poppy Appeal collection which last year raised £35 million nationally. The collection in the Ferndown area raised £27,000. If you would like to help out this year, please contact the Royal British Legion in Church Road on 01202 877706 or e-mail rblferndown@btconnect.com
