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How your poppy cash makes a difference
THE annual Poppy Appeal raises millions of pounds to help ex-servicemen and their families. Here features editor Joni Ager finds out how buying a poppy can help to change veterans' lives for the better.
Many of us will buy a poppy this year, but how many know where our money is being spent?
Last year the Poppy Appeal raised a staggering 26m nationally and that money is used to help ex-servicemen and women, and their families, all over the country.
But there are many more people who could benefit from legion support. The organisation estimates there are 900,000 ex-service people with a disability, 180,000 ex-service people without visitors, and 40,000 families who need support.
Only a fraction of the veterans who could benefit from legion funds come forward, partly because they do not want to accept charity and partly because many don't know about the support available.
The Royal British Legion can help with all kinds of support from re-training for people who are just leaving the forces, to providing electric scooters for those with mobility problems.
Ron and Joyce Tate, of Wellingborough, have just returned from a much-needed break at a legion care home hotel, Alderson House in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.
They only found out about the hotel when Mrs Tate, who has a cross put in the memorial garden each year at Westminster, was sent a leaflet about it with a thank you letter from the legion.
Mr Tate, who served in the Second Dragoon Guards in the 1950s, including a posting in Germany, has suffered a number of heart attacks and strokes in recent years and now finds it difficult to get about. He also has problems with his throat and is constantly coughing, so the couple don't like to stay at hotels for fear of upsetting the other guests.
This was their first holiday in three years.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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