Pickering & Thornton-le-Dale Branch

The Royal British Legion  celebrates 90 years this year of services to the ex and    serving members of the forces, who have received often devastating injuries in the service of Queen and Country. Many dependants also receive assistance. Readers will have seen on television the casualties being treated at the base hospitals, and then transported to the hospitals at Selly Oak and Hedley Court Centre for life saving treatment.

            Many generous people in our area have contributed to the Military Wing at Selly Oak. I have received very grateful acknowledgments from the hospital.

            This year on October 15th – Saturday of the “Pickering War Weekend”, our branch of the Legion will again be at the WRVS Hungate Centre, serving food, hopefully all day, with a ‘pig roast’ from 4.30pm in the car park. Any donations of cakes, buns etc, and suitable items for a raffle and tombola would be gratefully accepted. Ryedale District Council have kindly granted us a licence for a street collection over the three days.

            We have in the past donated to the ‘Poppy Break Homes’ at Southport and Bridlington and to the residential home at Ripon. For as long as there is a need, we will continue to contribute. A ‘state of the art’ television has also been given to the home at Ripon.

            The ‘War Week End’ is separate to the fund raising for the ‘Poppy Appeal’ in November, where we will again be at the WRVS Centre on November 5th.

            Due to the dreadful weather last winter, we were unable to open at Champley’s Yard on four occasions, and again on four occasions in early June due to a burst pipe. We lost income from our twice weekly Coffee Mornings. Hopefully our insurers will compensate. I thank all the loyal people who are regulars, for returning.

            We hope that the general public will help us to contribute to the aim to raise 90 million for the unit under construction at Catterick, to assist in rehabilitation.

 Margaret Atkinson, Hon. Sec.