Poppy Appeal Press Pack 2011 - background information
26 October 2011
The 2011 Poppy Appeal is about standing shoulder to shoulder with our brave Armed Forces.
We need your support to help our injured Armed Forces to recover and to regain their confidence through The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre for sports and adventure training.
Last year the Appeal raised a record total of just over £36 million. In 2011, the 90th year of the Legion, we hope to reach £40 million to help the Afghanistan generation of the Armed Forces and their families - today and for the rest of their lives.
The Poppy Appeal takes place in the two-week period running up to Armistice Day on 11 November, when the nation pauses for a Two Minute Silence to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice during service for their country. In 2011, it will run until Remembrance Sunday on 13 November.
Poppy Appeal 2011
The Poppy Appeal is the Legion's major fundraising campaign. The Legion helps people of all ages, providing financial, social and emotional support to all those who have been affected by conflict. 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.
Where the money goes:
- The Legion has committed £50 million over ten years to pay for the creation and operation of The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre and to fund the operating costs of Personnel Recovery Centres, including four recovery centres in the UK and a facility in Germany
- The Legion spends £1.4 million a week delivering practical care, advice and support to serving and ex-Service people young and old, and their families
- The Legion has supported 80 bereaved Armed Forces families through inquest with free, independent expert legal advice and assistance
- The Legion has helped write off £18.3 million of debt and helped claim £9.1 million through its Benefits and Money Advice Service
- This year, the Legion awarded £5.6 million in grants, including £2.6 million for a 10-bed Poppy Wing for seriously injured Service men and women
- Over 11,000 Legion beneficiaries in temporary crisis received £6.1 million-worth of groceries, clothing, furniture and property repairs
- Over 400 Service leavers received loans, grants and mentoring to start their own business
- Over 1,400 Armed Forces families, many who had been through recent separation due to Service, received holidays from the Legion
- More than 16,000 of those who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq have received direct financial assistance from the Legion
Background information:
- The Royal British Legion is the UK's leading Armed Forces charity helping Service men and women past and present and their families
- Half of the people helped by the Legion are below retirement age
- The Legion's campaigns have resulted in more than £40 million extra being paid to those injured in Service
- The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre will be a national centre of excellence for adaptive sport and adventurous training to help Service men and women recover and either return to duty, or reskill and make a successful transition to civilian life
- Up to 800 injured personnel will be helped each year through the The Royal British Legion Battle Back Centre and Personnel Recovery Centres
- The £50 million commitment is the biggest single funding commitment the Legion has made in its 90 years
The Poppy Appeal today
- Some 350,000 volunteers help to organise and collect for the Poppy Appeal each year
- The Poppy Appeal distributes around 45 million poppies each year. Poppies are made at the Poppy Factory in Richmond, Surrey.
- A poppy can be worn at any time, but they are usually available two weeks before Remembrance Sunday.
- You do not have to be a member of the Legion to become a Poppy Appeal collector or organiser. To become involved call 0800 085 5924, visit www.britishlegion.org.uk/volunteers or email Poppy People
For press enquires about the Poppy Appeal or Remembrance please contact the Legion Press Office on 020 3207 2242, 2237, 2235, 2238, 2239.
Donating to the Poppy Appeal
The Legion urges members of the public to support the hundreds of thousands of people who need our help by wearing a poppy and making a donation to the Poppy Appeal.
- By telephone - call Free phone 0845 845 1945
- By text - text the word Poppy to 70090
- Online - visit the Poppy Appeal website at www.poppy.org.uk
- In person - the Legion has thousands of street collectors and many shops, pubs and businesses have Legion collecting boxes on their premises too.
- By post - send a cheque made payable to The Royal British Legion to: The Royal British Legion, RBL Village, Aylesford Kent ME20 7NX
Other news items relating to the the Poppy Appeal can be viewed here.
More background information can be found at:
And we have a photo gallery of Poppy Appeal images, including our poster campaign.
