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It was the branch’s first launch event

The Northill and District branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) has launched its Poppy Appeal in Biggleswade's Sainsbury's.

Members of the branch marked the start of their campaign on October 27, as they unveiled a stall at Bell’s Brook supermarket. The collectors will be at Sainsbury's every weekend until Remembrance Sunday (November 13), when a service will be held at 11am at the memorial on The Green, Ickwell.

Rob Smith, chair of Northill and District Royal British Legion, said: "This was the first year we've tried a launch event, although of course we have been collecting at Sainsbury's for many years now.

L to R: Yasmin Shackell from the Sainsburys team, Staff Sergeant Richie Little, Intelligence Corp Chicksands, Nigel Jarvis RBL Northill Branch Standard Bearer, Linda Smith
Northill and Old Warden Poppy Appeal Co-Ordinator, Levi Sparrow from Sainsburys and Andy Cowley RBL Northill Branch Secretary. — L to R: Yasmin Shackell from the Sainsburys team, Staff Sergeant Richie Little, Intelligence Corp Chicksands, Nigel Jarvis RBL Northill Branch Standard Bearer, Linda Smith Northill and Old Warden Poppy Appeal Co-Ordinator, Levi Sparrow from Sainsburys and Andy Cowley RBL Northill Branch Secretary.

"It amazes us how generous people are, being in these trying times with many not just donating but also stopping for a chat to tell us how their poppies and wooden crosses help them to remember family members that were lost or injured in all past conflicts - from people that lost grandparents with their very moving stories, to the taxi driver that gives his time up to transport veterans to the cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday."

He added: "People have also been very kind to the volunteers that are manning the stall, thanking us for giving up our time. It is important to support the Poppy appeal on so many counts, from helping veterans that were physically wounded or carry the mental scars of battle, to families - especially children that have lost a loved one. Through the Poppy Appeal, the RBL will be able to continue offering support as it has for over 100 years."

Here's how you can donate to Poppy Appeal for Northill and Ickwell Royal British Legion