The Royal British Legion is the UK's leading charity providing financial, social emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their dependants.
Currently, nearly 11 million people are eligible for our support and we receive around 300,000 calls for help every year. The Legion was founded in 1921 as a voice for the ex-Service community and our 550,000 members continue to ensure that this voice does not go unheard. Although the needs of ex-Service people have changed over the years, we are still there to safeguard their welfare, interests and memory. British service people are in action around the world every day of the year. They know that if they need our support - now or in the future - the Legion is always on active duty for them.
The Boroughbridge Branch was one of the first to be formed, and one of its most colourful and hard working members, who became Chairman and ran the Poppy Appeal for many years was Johnnie Pickering,MBE, the local cobbler.His activities as Poppy Appeal organiser were continued after his death by Clifford Calley, Eric Watson, Bob Howell and Geoff Craggs who after nineteen years handed over to the current organiser, Bob Chamley.
The Branch meets on the first Monday of every month in the Crown Hotel Boroughbridge at 19.30 hrs. As with all Branches of the Royal British Legion, our objectives are to honour the memory of all Service men and women who died serving our country ,offer a caring service for dependents, comrades who are sick or have fallen on difficult times. This commitment is carried out locally by our welfare officer, and nationally by the funds we raise by the annual Poppy Appeal. Socially, our meetings bring together serving and ex- service persons, with an age range of 80 plus to 20 plus.
The Branch has a commitment to maintaining contact with neighbouring Branches and the RBL residential home at Lister House, Ripon, raising money for the Poppy Appealand raising public awareness of the sacrifices made by our Service men and women by the Remembrance Sunday church service, parade and wreath laying at the Boroughbridge War Memorial every November.
Interested in joining? Membership or associate membership is open to all; there is also an on-going need for volunteer Poppy sellers, contact:
President - Geoff Craggs BEM - Telephone: 01423 325488
Poppy Appeal organiser - Bob Chamley - Telephone: 01423 324608 / 07967 467556
Chairman - Bob Chamley: Telephone: 01423 324608 / 07967 467556
Hon.Secretary - Peter Fowles - Telephone: 01423 324372
Treasurer - Ian Hick - Telephone: 01423 322133
Welfare Officer - Enquiries via the Secretary