Poppy Appeal 2023-2024

This year the appeal was again very well supported by our intrepid army of volunteers, and local shops and businesses in and around Shaftesbury and the surrounding villages. The appeal financial year ends on 30 September.

The branch issued 180 collection tins and poppy boxes in October 2023, all of which have been collected, the donations counted and the summary sent well on time. Our current total is £19,808, which is well on the way to making our annual target of more than £20,000. Funds received during the Poppy Appeal fortnight an since comprise 25% in cheques, 40% in notes and 35% in coin. Since our Legion Hall was inaugurated in May 1994 the branch has contributed considerably more than half a million pounds to the Poppy Appeal.

We were encouraged to place boxes, collecting tins and a converted milk churn in Tesco superstore, from where we collected and banked a total of more than £2,000 from the store itself and the adjacent petrol station.

Twenty two shops kindly exhibited a Remembrance-themed display in their windows in a remarkable show of support throughout and beyond the High Street.

We also issued 40 wreaths for Remembrance, including many to the surrounding villages.

Poppy Volunteers

There is always a need for more Poppy Appeal collectors, who do not need to be Legion members; if you wish to volunteer please contact (01747) 854765, or come to a coffee morning in the Legion Hall on Thursdays between 9 and 11:30 a.m.

Legion Welfare

• We have 33 Admiral nurses supporting an average of 1,700 beneficiaries each month with advice and life changing support, better to live with dementia. Legion Admiral Nurses assisted over 1,200 new families living with dementia last year.
• 16% of grants went towards home essentials such as furniture, cookers and fridges ensuring that veterans, serving personnel and their families had hot food and a place to sleep.
• 29% of grants went towards essentials such as food and clothing, ensuring that our Armed Forces community never had to go hungry or cold.
• 12% of the grants we made went to improving independence through mobility equipment and adaptations, supporting disabled veterans and family members to live their lives to the fullest.
• For many of our most vulnerable veterans, the cost of moving house or funding essential repairs to their homes can be too much, leaving many at risk of homelessness when going through a divorce or facing a no-fault eviction. That is why 10% of our grants last year went to helping the people we support into new properties or improving their current home, so they always have a safe and warm place to sleep.
• Last year we supported more than 1,100 individuals or families with housing related grants to help give them the security they deserve.
• Our Care Homes provided support for more than 800 people either as residents or attending day care, ensuring their worlds continue to be filled with new opportunities and experiences.
• Last year, our specialist Benefit, Debt and Money Advice Service supported more than 1,750 people who found themselves struggling financially, securing nearly £8 Million in value through things such as debt write offs and benefit support. Over 29,000 grants were given last year, with over 6,500 grants given for the necessities of food and housing.
• Our Case Managers worked on more than 40,000 cases last year supporting Armed Forces personnel and their families with essential needs such as food, maintenance to their home and funeral costs.
• We retrieved a staggering £39 million at tribunals using our War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme for serving personnel, veterans and bereaved families who were injured as a result of their service.
• We provided £600,000 in funerals grants last year to make sure our Armed Forces community received the tributes they deserve.
• Last year our Outreach Service supported 1,080 beneficiaries facing major challenges including homelessness, mental health, addiction and domestic abuse.
• Our Independent Living Advice Service helped 1,184 veterans to either live independently and safely in their own homes, or transition to a supported environment.
• The need for our case workers increased beyond belief last year due to the cost-of- living crisis. Last year our welfare teams managed more than 40,000 cases, an increase of 43% compared with the year before. Your support means we are always there for our Armed Forces community, to provide personalised and complete support. Last year the volume of enquires to our welfare team increased by 10.5%.