The poppy is to remember so "Lest We Forget"



wear your poppy with pride

 

 

Well today was the official launch of the 2012 Poppy appeal. The 2012 campaign hopes to break previous records with an ambitious target of £42 million and donations are welcome all year round. Each year the nation expresses its unequivocal support for The Royal British Legion's work through the Poppy Appeal.

Today whilst putting our coats on my two year old daughter looked up at me pointing to my poppy and said " the flower is beautiful" and apart from making me smile it got me to thinking...... So whats the poppy all about and why that flower, and after a little research... it goes abit like this: On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the First World War ended. Civilians wanted to remember the people who had given their lives for peace and freedom. An American War Secretary, Moina Michael, inspired by John McCrae's poem,"in Flanders fields", began selling poppies to friends to raise money for the ex-Service community. The Legion adopted the poppy for its fundraising in 1921 - and so the tradition began.

Ive always brought and wore a poppy to show my mark of respect to those men and women whom paid the ultimate price, and on Armistice Sunday I will always be found at a memorial with my family paying my silent respects. 
 
why the blog, Well this year i have become personally more aware of just what great things the Royal British Legion (RBL) do. With Jay's PTSD has come the involvement of the RBL. from support at his veterans meetings to most recently a specialist Benefits and Money Adviser who has introduced us to specific benefits available to Jay, and can also advise on areas like War pensions, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and disability claims and tribunals. Which when your already suffering with a mental health problem, are even more complicated, so to have someone on your side helping you through the maze is priceless.

The RBL serve to support in so many ways, from bereavement, to grants, from holidays to care home, the list of support is endless, and all this funded by a little poppy donation. I visited there online shop yesterday and brought another poppy amongst other things, as i felt its just a small way of my repaying gratitude towards the RBL and all that they have done for my family.

And for my daughter who thought the poppy beautiful i brought a Poppy Pocket Field Garden. so she can grow poppies from the comfort of our own home simply by cutting off the top of the smart bag, and then it's ready, set, grow.
 

 
 
So i shall finish this blog by asking that you please no matter how small make a donation to this wonderul charity, and maybe even buy a poppy fields garden for someone you love which can be found at www.poppyshop.org.uk 


I will leave you with the poem by John McCrae that gave the poppy its significance to this day...

A POPPY IS TO REMEMBER....SO LEST WE FORGET.