Royal British Legion

While we all look forward towards the summer and holidays, the work of the Royal British Legion continues as we review last year and look forward to the 2026 Poppy Appeal from 25 October.

Readers may be interested in some useful figures on how the money raised each year is typically spent. In the last full year reported, the Legion as part of its nationwide work has made over 22,000 grants to individuals totalling £1.8 million, spent £7.25 million supporting residents in its care homes and donated £2 million to Combat Stress which provides specialist mental health support to veterans.

Our local care home, Halsey House at Cromer, has 87 bedrooms and provides nursing and residential care as well as having a dementia unit. These are just some significant examples of the year-round work of the RBL as it supports veterans and their dependents from many operations, and is by no means exclusive.

As I reported in the February/March edition of The Trumpet, our 2025 Poppy Appeal in Trumpington and its environs again raised a really significant sum for which the Legion is very grateful. We shall soon be starting to plan this year’s appeal. Last year we welcomed some new volunteers, primarily to staff our table in the Waitrose store. If you are new to the area and would like to help, please do contact me.

Edmund Brookes, 01223 840374.