National launch of the Poppy Appeal 2011
27 October 2011
Shoulder to shoulder with all who serve
Television personality
Gethin Jones launched The Royal British Legion's
2011 Poppy Appeal on Thursday as the UK's leading Armed Forces
charity announced a £40 million fundraising goal in its most
ambitious campaign ever.
To mark its 90th anniversary year, the Legion launched its Poppy Appeal under the slogan of standing "shoulder to shoulder with all who serve." The theme is backed by an online campaign and a chart-destined official single recorded by Robin Gibb and The Soldiers.
Holding Out For A Hero presenter Gethin Jones said: "I'm honoured to be launching the Poppy Appeal. I've experienced first-hand what life is like for our brave Service men and women on operations and how much the British public's support means to them.
"They risk so much for us every single day. I ask everyone to throw their support behind the Appeal and to wear their poppy with pride."
The Poppy Appeal raises funds needed to support those currently serving in Afghanistan, veterans of past conflict and their families.
The Legion unveiled a major social media campaign (shouldertoshoulder.org.uk) to capture public support and encouragement for British Armed Forces.
Members of the public are encouraged to pin a poppy to an online photograph, add a message of support, and place it alongside thousands of others on an interactive wall.
"Of course, everyone who wears the paper poppy is also standing shoulder to shoulder," said Legion Director of Fundraising Russell Thompson OBE. "It doesn't really matter whether you wear your poppy on the street or online - just so long as you wear your poppy with pride."
At the launch, The Soldiers performed the official Poppy Appeal song for 2011, I've Gotta Get a Message to You, recorded with pop legend Robin Gibb.
Robin, who wrote the chart-topping single with his brothers Barry and Maurice of the Bee Gees in 1968, said the single is a "moving tribute to our serving personnel who lay their lives on the line for our country every day."
"Although the song was not written all those years back about soldiers, it can represent the human emotions of Servicemen - or in this case, a single soldier," he added. "It's about being trapped in a corner far from home, brave but scared and thinking of loved ones. These men and women deserve our respect and support."
Attending
the launch was L/Cpl Tyler Christopher, 27, of 4th Battalion The
Rifles. L/Cpl Christopher was injured by an IED in Afghanistan in
2009. As a result of the blast he had to have both legs amputated
above the knee. The Legion stepped in and provided immediate and
essential adaptations to his home.
"Changes to my mum's home were essential when I came home from Headley Court, and I'll never forget that the Legion got the job done as quickly as possible to make life at that time easier for me," he said.
"Both myself and my girlfriend are grateful for the support of the Legion and hope to some day set up our own business- something we know the Legion is also able to help with."
Also at the launch was Aron Shelton, 27, who served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment. Mr Shelton had his leg amputated in 2008 following a roadside bomb incident in Afghanistan.
His Disability Living
Allowance was reduced after he filled in a form to say that on a
"good day" he could walk 400 metres. The Legion intervened and
represented him at a tribunal heard in September 2011. The appeal
was successful and his allowance, which pays for a car, was
returned to him.
"I wanted to help the Legion launch its Poppy Appeal campaign to give something back. The support and advice I've received has been second to none, but I've always been a big supporter of the Legion anyway, " he said.
"Putting on a poppy for me is about remembering the ultimate sacrifice my mates and others like them made. I'm still here, I'm getting married, I'm looking ahead - it could've been a lot worse."
A video of the launch event can be viewed below or on our YouTube channel.
Notes to Editors:
The Royal British Legion: The Royal British Legion
stands shoulder to shoulder with all who serve. It is the nation's
leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all
members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their
families. It is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and
safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed
Forces. It is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its
emblem, the red poppy. www.britishlegion.org.uk
Each year the nation expresses its unequivocal support for The Royal British Legion's charity work through the Poppy Appeal, emphasising the need to help the Afghan generation of the Armed Forces and their families - today and for the rest of their lives.
The annual Poppy Appeal is the Legion's major fundraising campaign and their aim this year is to surpass last year's total and raise £40 million. This will allow the Legion to continue the work that means so much to the thousands of serving and ex-Service people and their families, who approach the charity every year for help. They reached their target of £36 million for 2010.
The Legion helps people of all ages, providing financial, social and emotional help to all those who have been affected by conflict. Increasingly they see younger people coming to them for help. Beneficiaries range from children to widows, from single mothers to pensioners, in fact anyone who finds themselves in need of help. Some 9.5 million people are eligible to approach us for support.
The Poppy Appeal distributes around 45 million poppies, 100,000
wreaths and sprays and 750,000 Little Remembrance Crosses. These
items are made at the Legion's Poppy Factory in Richmond,
Surrey.
Gethin Jones: Gethin is currently presenting ITV's
Holding Out For A Hero and is the face for
retailer Holland and Barrett. Recent television credits include
71 Degrees North, Police Camera Action and hosted
the Golden Globes red carpet coverage for Sky1. In
2010 Gethin also took part in Soccer Aid for ITV1
playing for the Rest of The World Team and returned to
Radio 5 Live with his own Saturday show from July,
running for 7 weeks. He also returned to Wales for a week long run
in the Rocky Horror Show, acting as the
Narrator.
Robin Gibb: For most of his life Robin Gibb has been a principal member of one of the most celebrated song writing teams and recording groups of all time: the Bee Gees. The legendary group has sold 200 million records and achieved scores of Number One hit singles. Robin has also enjoyed a successful solo career with hits such as Saved By The Bell and Juliet.
The Soldiers: The Soldiers are a music group of
three serving personnel - Sergeant Major Gary Chilton, Staff
Sergeant Richie Maddocks and Lance Corporal Ryan Idzi. I've
Got to Get a Message to You features on the Soldiers'
third album Message to You. Their first album Coming
Home reached double platinum. To date, the Soldiers have
raised £500,000 for military charities.
I've Gotta Get a Message to You
video can be viewed on the Legion's YouTube channel.
Media contact:
For further information please contact
Afsheen Latif, Public Relations Officer, The Royal British
Legion
T: 020 3207 2243 E: alatif@britishlegion.org.uk
