Following today's theme of rememberance, here is a little bit about our 'veterans organisation'.......
"The Royal British Legion is the leading ex-Service charity protecting the welfare, interests and memory of ex-Service people and their families and dependants.
2001 was its 80 th anniversary year. It was founded in 1921.
13 million people in the UK are eligible to ask for its help – 5.5 million ex-Service people and 7.5 million dependants. (i.e. one in five people or 20 per cent of the population).
The Legion is almost the UK 's largest membership organisation, with 519,000 members (including the Women's Section this total is 589,000).
People as young as 17.5 years can be sent on active service, so veterans are often much younger than people realise.
There has only been one year (1968) since the Second World War when a British Service person hasn't been killed on active service.
Each year the Legion answers 300,000 calls for help to its helpline, Legionline.
The Legion will be needed for as long as people continue to be affected by conflict. It doesn't advocate war but is simply there to support those who have been prepared to make a personal sacrifice through serving in the British Armed Forces.
The Poppy Appeal raised over £21.1 million in 2002.
In 2002 the Legion spent over £50 million on its work.
70% of the 61 Poppy Factory workers are disabled or suffer from chronic illness. The Factory was designed to offer jobs to such people and its remit remains the same today.
300,000 staff and volunteers organise the Poppy Appeal each year
More than 38 million poppies, 98,000 wreaths and sprays, 730,000 Remembrance Crosses and other Remembrance items will be made at the Poppy Factory in Richmond , Surrey , this year."