Who Are Our Volunteers?

The Green Family

Between them the Greens have over 150 years of collecting experience, and have raised thousands of pounds. Ex-Serviceman John Green has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal since 1947. His wife, Joan, collected from 1947 until her death in 1988. Gill Hudson, John's partner, has been collecting for 14 years, one fewer than John's sister Margaret. John's daughters Susan, Margaret and Flo are all part of the family tradition, as are their partners, husbands and children.

Susan, who has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal for 23 years, says: 'I go out in all weathers. Before the Legion gave people waterproof collection boxes, I wore a dustbin bag to keep everything dry!'

Despite ill health, her sister Flo is equally dedicated. Her husband served in the Falklands and the first Gulf War. When he died, it motivated Flo to raise money for the ex-Service community.

And their commitment to the cause remains as strong as ever. Susan says: 'There will always be ex-Service men and women who need our help. By visiting schools and encouraging young people to take up the crusade, we can encourage the younger generations to continue to support the ex-Service community.'

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Yvette Brown

Poppy Appeal Organiser Yvette Brown was born in France in 1939 at the beginning of the Second World War. She therefore witnessed first hand both the occupation of France by the Germans and its liberation by the British Armed Forces. So when her first husband, an Englishman, volunteered her to become the Poppy Appeal Collector for her area 35 years ago she 'felt proud to take it on'. Since then, every year without fail she has tirelessly worked to raise money for the annual Poppy Appeal.

'I've been proud to be able to do this for the Legion,' says Yvette, who was awarded a 30-year Long Service Medal for her efforts in 1998. 'Lots of British people lost their lives in France during the War. This is my way of thanking them for the liberation of my country.'

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Janine Woodward

Janine is one of a new generation of Legion Caseworkers. She discovered whilst at university the range of services the Legion offers:

' I had a very narrow view of the Legion's activities: Remembrance Day and poppy collecting. This was dispelled by my visit to the local County Field Officer. '

Inspired, Janine signed up to do Caseworker training and she became qualified. She visits people whom the Legion may be able to help and assists them in completing forms so their cases can progress. But it doesn't end there: 'The great thing about the Legion is that the help they offer is not just money. I have a chance to develop a longer term relationship with people,' Janine explains.

Asked why she got involved with the Legion, Janine said, 'I wanted to give something back to the older generation who gave up so much for me. Yet I now know that the charity does much more than that: I have helped men and women, young and old, with a wide range of concerns and needs. I really feel that being a Caseworker means that I have a positive impact on people's lives.'

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Helen White

Helen White has taken part in the Legion’s fundraising ride - Pedal to Paris:

“Cycling in France was a joy. Going through little villages on our way, everyone came out and waved. The welcome we received wherever we stopped for lunch and tea was incredible. In one village, where the ride had stopped 7 years in a row, we rode in to the sound of the local band. The village was decked with bunting and everyone turned out to cheer us in.

In two of the towns we stopped at we were invited to wreath-laying ceremonies which were very moving events. Our visit was only a couple of days after the anniversary of their liberation in 1944 and this obviously still meant a lot to the communities we were visiting - even 60 years later.

The climax of the trip was the arrival in Paris on the last day for the wreath-laying ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. The four days, despite the jolly hard slog, were made worthwhile by the welcome we received from the French and their appreciation of the cause we were representing. I felt proud to be a part of it.”

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