Red Poppy

AT this time of the year we find ourselves remembering the sacrifices that our service personnel made, and the after effects those sacrifices had on their families, in all conflicts from World War One through to the present day.

The Royal British Legion as we know it, was there, and is there today. The aim is to provide relief for our Veterans /ex-service personnel and families from hardship, failing health, counselling, and help in a thousand ways.

The Royal British Legion provides a third of all help that is available to the whole of the ex-services needs.

In recent years, working with many other service charities, we in the Royal British Legion have been able to ensure so much more has been achieved in helping those in need.

The only concept of life we shy away from is politics. It has been said before that every penny given to the Poppy Appeal goes to help those in need, and I repeat it again here.

So it is internationally recognised that at this time of the year is the time when we can give a little to help those left behind, which accumulates in the Act of Remembrance. This takes place in different centres of faith, and memorials to the Fallen. This year is particularly problematic due to the pandemic, however “We Will Remember Them”.

The White Poppy

The White Poppy is used to raise funds for a group of people who title themselves the "Peace Pledge Union”.

They use this money to promote their idea of a world were differences can be resolved by negotiation alone.

They promote their ideas in schools, colleges, and other places where young minds, and those open to suggestion might listen to them.

They show no evidence of any of the money going to help those in need from the effects of conflict.

I find it a conflict of interest at the time of Remembrance, to attempt to raise funds for a very different use, and a source of distress to myself and, I am told, the same by many others.

It is not my intention by way of this letter to infer the right or wrongs of their affairs, but I say again, not at this time of the year.

Go away and re-arrange your funding for your ideology at another time of the year. You may lay a wreath of white poppies at any of the memorials so long as it does not in any way detract from the quiet reverence of the occasion we maintain during our Act of Remembrance.

John Shaw

Crediton