The Poppy Appeal needs you - singer Laura Wright calls for volunteers
13 October 2011
Chart-topping classical crossover
artist Laura Wright launched Poppy People, The Royal British
Legion's national recruitment drive for Poppy Appeal volunteers, at
One New Change shopping centre in London today.
Laura, a dedicated supporter of the Legion, encouraged the public to give their time in support of the Armed Forces family while flanked by two Guardsmen from the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards.
The 21-year-old singer called on a new generation of volunteers to step forward to help the Legion: "I was a Corporal in the Combined Cadet Force when I was younger, and have always known about the Legion's great work for our Service people, including many who have served in current conflicts, such as Afghanistan," she said.
"Whether it's giving two hours or two weeks, volunteering some time for the Poppy Appeal will mean supporting those who bravely serve our country, including many young people who need financial, social and emotional support."
The Poppy Appeal is the Legion's principal way of raising money during the year, and thousands of volunteers are needed to do a variety of jobs such as distributing poppies and collecting on streets, in shops and workplaces.
The Legion's Director of Fundraising Russell Thompson OBE said: "Last year, we had an army of 350,000 volunteers helping out across the UK, who are passionate about the work of the Legion and we're urging more young volunteers to come forward and get involved.
"With the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and the public's generous support during the Poppy Appeal, we raised a record-breaking £36 million in support of our Armed Forces in 2010. We're always looking for more people to help beat this amount and meet an increasing need for our services."
Laura, who earlier this year took part the Legion's Pedal to Paris fundraising bike ride, will be out collecting during the Poppy Appeal as a volunteer herself.
To find out how to get involved please visit our volunteering section.
Notes to Editors:
Laura Wright's debut solo album 'The Last Rose' recently held the top spot in the classical charts for four weeks. Laura, originally from Suffolk, already has a long-established singing career. She won the BBC's highly competitive Chorister of the Year competition in 2005 and was subsequently a member of a classical girl group, during which time she recorded three albums, performed at the Classical BRITs, in front of royalty and also at several high-profile sporting events including international rugby matches and the Carling Cup Final. Laura is currently studying at the Royal College of Music in London on a scholarship.
For press enquiries, please contact:
Afsheen Latif, Public Relations Officer, The Royal British
Legion
T: 020 3207 2243 M: 07901 110 819 E: alatif@britishlegion.org.uk
