Sheringham & District Branch The Royal British Legion

Sheringham has a thriving Royal British Legion Branch and our Poppy Appeal this year is set to break last year's record collections. To date we have collected over £8,000 for the Poppy Appeal, and every last penny of this will go to benefit the welfare of the ex-service community and their dependants. As a Branch, we would like to give our thanks to those who so generously contributed during these especially difficult financial times.  We would also like to thank all those who gave their time voluntarily to collect, house to house and in the street, without whom none of this would be possible.

Our thanks to go to Geoff Tucker for almost single handedly organising both the Poppy Appeal and for the magnificent Caravan that we will be using in the future to promote the Royal British Legion. The caravan was kindly donated to the Branch, originally for us to use the chassis to build our Carnival Float on, as our old one was beyond repair.

On closer inspection of the caravan, Geoff Tucker, one of our more active members said that it was in a reasonable condition and that we could possibly convert it into a mobile HQ. This would enable us to have a more visible presence and a place people could sit and chat. A focal point for information about the Branch and indeed the Royal British Legion as a whole.

After agreement from the Branch, Geoff then began the transformation, with the aim of getting it ready for Poppy Appeal 2009. Our thanks go to John Lewis, Tony Holbrook and Neil from Graphic Edge for all their help and advice.  I think you will agree that it is a complete transformation.  We hope to get the interior completed to allow people to come inside and chat in privacy.  If there is anyone out there who could help us with that we would be very appreciative!

I would like to remind all of the ex-service in Sheringham and the surrounding areas, that the Branch is there to help them should they need it. We can be contacted on 01263 588082. We have over a hundred members, and are actively trying to encourage other ex-service to join us. We hold two Social Evenings and two dinners each year, join in the Sheringham and Cromer Carnival Parades, and are in the process of organising a trip to the National Arboretum in Staffordshire in 2010, so we a fairly active branch.

You do not have to be ex-service to join the Royal British Legion, so if you want to help us to make the lives of ex-service more comfortable, please get in touch as we would be delighted to meet you. The Legion is there, not just for the old soldiers of WWII, but also for those who have fought in later conflicts such as Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. We will be needed to help for many years to come.  You can also contact us through our web site: www.sheringhamrbl.co.uk or by email on: info@sheringhamrbl.co.uk
Melanie Clarke, Hon Secretary