Royal British Legion - Poppy Appeal 2007 Launch Video

And the demands of that work are changing, with the high levels of deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan; there’s been a marked increase in the numbers of younger service men and women needing help. And it’s only through the success of the Poppy Appeal that we can provide them with the help that they need. The Poppy Appeal is our annual call to the public to support us and to wear their poppy with pride. Last year we set a new record and we raised £26 million and that has enabled us to expand our Poppy Support programme throughout the country. This year we’ve set a very ambitious target of £27.5 million. So why do we need another record year? In the past 12 months alone we’ve experienced a 30% increase in case work among people aged 35 and under. And with some 30,000 people leaving the Services each year, many of them are turning to the Legion for independent advice, financial support and help in resettlement. All of this caseload is set against the backdrop of on-going operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. So it’s important to remember that all those in uniform today are eligible to receive Legion assistance for the rest of their lives. In terms of being involved in this campaign, why did you feel strongly enough that it was something you should support? I just thought that the Legion have always been there for me and they are there to support other families as well and I just wanted to give them something back. To show, yes, you’ve given me support and I’d like to do something for you and I do think we should buy poppies and wear them with pride. It’s important to remember the sacrifice the soldiers have gave and it’s a good cause, it’s positive, it's not negative. There’s a lot of negative press about loads of things, in just general life and this is a positive and a good outlook on things. I suppose at this time of year with Poppy Day coming up we tend to associate it with much older veterans, I know you’re not a veteran; you’re a serving soldier, but older people than yourself. Do you think we lose sight of the fact that there are people of your age getting injured, getting killed almost on a daily basis? Definitely, but it’s not about the older generation or the younger generation, it’s about what we do and what we sacrifice. That’s what the poppy’s about.