November 2022
I write this column having recently attended a number of moving Remembrance events and having joined local Poppy Appeal volunteers in Watford and Abbots Langley.
It was an honour to lay poppy wreaths and pay tribute to those who defended our freedoms, many making the ultimate sacrifice.
Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day as it's also known, marks the day that WWI ended in 1918. The first Remembrance Day was held in 1921, following a campaign by Earl Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the Army during the First World War.
This followed the unveiling of the Cenotaph in Whitehall by King George V on 11th November 1920 and the decision to adopt the poppy as a symbol of remembrance.
Poppy Appeal Volunteers are the face of the Royal British Legion and help collect donations whilst distributing poppies. Thousands of volunteers can be found on high streets, train stations and local supermarkets across the country.
I would like to thank Tony Griffiths and the team of volunteers in Watford, and Les Vertessy and the Abbots Langley team. The time I spent volunteering with them was very rewarding, so please do consider signing up to volunteer next year.
I was delighted to be able to mention them in Parliament during Prime Minister’s Questions, when I also took the opportunity to invite Rishi Sunak and veterans Minister Johnny Mercer to Watford to meet our veterans whom we owe so much.
I want to thank the RBL who provide support to serving and ex-serving personnel and their families. I would also like to thank every shop and business in the constituency that has supported the Poppy Appeal by allowing volunteers use of their premises.
