The Royal British Legion has called for more support for the 2018 Poppy Appeal in the centenary year marking the end of World War One.
Around £850,000 was raised across Merseyside and West Lancashire during last year’s campaign, and organisers are hoping to top those donations this time round.
By September 2018, the figure had risen to almost £970,000 after taking into account other fundraising activities and Armed Forces Day, as around £46-£47 million was raised nationally during last year’s Poppy Appeal.
Alison Mowlem, Community Fundraiser for the Poppy Appeal, told JMU Journalism why donations and additional help are so important.
She said: “Our volunteers are dwindling a little. We have a bit of an age gap where the younger generations aren’t so involved in volunteering because they maybe naturally associate it with an older generation.”
The Royal British Legion (RBL) works with both former and serving service personnel, with all the money raised going to support them and their families.
Facebook: Royal British Legion
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialPoppyLegion/videos/151934499090443/
Ms Mowlem explained: “We take someone through the full journey, so for example we had someone who was homeless and they came into one of the pop-in centres. We gave him some food vouchers, found him somewhere to stay, and paid a deposit on a flat and that person ended up getting back on their feet.
“A lot of volunteers who help with the Poppy Appeal tend to be beneficiaries that want to give a little back. I like to think of us as a large charity with a local footprint, so when you donate money to us you know it is going to be well spent.
“We don’t just spend it on our own projects, we tailor it. A lot of people don’t think of where the money goes. It’s really about remembering the sacrifices of the fallen and the past generations.”
The RBL was founded in 1921 in the aftermath of the First World War, in which almost one million British and Commonwealth troops died.
The Poppy Appeal culminates in memorial services on Merseyside and across the country on Sunday November 11.
YouTube: JMU Journalism (2017)