DISTRICT NEWSLETTER

Remembrance Sunday in Llandudno

The Exhortation recited by Al Baker

The Parade marched down Mostyn Street turning right on to St George’s Place on to the Promenade to the War Memorial where the Service of Remembrance took place. The cannon sounded to mark the start and end of the Two Minute Silence.

The Laying Of Wreaths by The Mayor of Llandudno Cllr Myra Wigzell, Al Baker Branch, Chairman Llandudno, MP and AM, Commanding Officer of RAF Valley and representatives of various organisations.

Members of the Blind Veterans (Formally St Dunstan’s) laying wreaths at the War Memorial in Llandudno on Remembrance Sunday.

After the service the parade assembled in Trinity Square under the control of Gordon Woodyatt the Parade Mashall. The parade was led by the town band and was attended by The Mayor of Llandudno Councillor, Mrs Myra Wigzell, Al Baker The Llandudno Branch Chairman, Members and Officers of the Town Council, the Local Member of Parliament, Guto Bebb, the AM Janet Finch Saunders together with Members of Local Ex-Service and Voluntary Organisations.The weather was dry the rain holding off during the proceedings. The streets where crowded with people throughout the parade, the estimated numbers of those in attendance at the War Memorial Service was between 750 to 1000.

Barmouth War Memorial

North Wales Poppy Launch

Jade Jones hails soldiers as 'real heroes' at Poppy Appeal launch

OLYMPIC star Jade Jones hailed the armed forces as the “real heroes” as she helped launch this year’s Poppy Appeal in North Wales.The taekwondo gold medal winner was joined by Cathryn Griffiths – mum of Wrexham soldier Jamie Shadrake who was killed in Afghanistan in August – in promoting The Royal British Legion’s 2012 Poppy Appeal.The 19-year-old returned to her old school, Flint High, for yesterday’s launch.Jade has enjoyed hero status since clinching gold at London 2012 but she believes past and present servicemen and women are the true heroes.She said: “It’s an honour to do this and to try and get people behind the appeal.“Fighting for your country – it’s an amazing thing to do. They’re the real heroes.”Jade also spoke of her sympathy for Cathryn and other families who have lost loved ones in battle.Guardsman Jamie Shadrake had only just turned 20 when he was killed defending a checkpoint in Afghanistan.Wrexham town centre came to a standstill last month as hundreds of people lined the streets to pay their respects to Jamie as the funeral cortege passed through.His mum Cathryn says the Poppy Appeal is vital for supporting bereaved families and injured troops.“It’s very important, not just this year but every year,” she said.“People are forgetting to wear poppies and they shouldn’t as war is stronger than ever.”Cathryn added: “Jamie was very lively, very bubbly – the life and soul of the party.“He never had a bad word to say about anyone, he was always there to help people.”

This year the Legion’s national fundraising target is a record-breaking £42m, and they are hoping North Wales’ contribution will be as much as £500,000.Peter Kingston, North Wales District chairman, said: “All money raised will go towards providing vital support for the armed forces and their families, so we’re urging everyone to get involved and raise as much as they can.”Flint High School pupils sang and read out poems during the launch event which was also attended by army, air and sea cadets from Flint and Connah’s Quay.Headteacher Pam McClean said: “We are honoured to be able to participate in this launch and proud to welcome back Jade.“The community of Flint and our school always supports the Poppy Appeal by selling poppies and holding a special remembrance service attended by local dignitaries and friends of the school.”

Two decades of poppy duty for veteran Jimmy

A Korean war veteran has been selling poppies in a hospital foyer for 20 years.

Jimmy Haycock, from Coedpoeth, has been raising money for the Royal British Legion from his stall in the main entrance to Wrexham Maelor

Hospital.

The 79-year-old is a much-loved figure at the hospital, raising a smile with patients and staff who buy poppies from his stall in the run up to

Remembrance Day.

Jimmy sells poppies for four hours every weekday in the run-up to Remembrance Day, raising on average between £1,500 and £2,000 and

he will be making his annual trip to London for Remembrance Day.

Y Teulu Sempyr Scout GroupColwyn Bay

As part of their programme with the Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scouts they prepare for the annual Remembrance Parade in Colwyn Bay.

This year they decided to stress the use of and reason for the wearing of the poppy. They had in previous years made individual poppies to put on our standards so felt they needed something to put in the Community Centre which is their meeting place. One of their leaders trawled the internet for ideas and found a poopy wreath which they then decided needed to contain a part of each member of the group.

In the picture you will see hand prints from all members from the youngest Beaver Scout to the oldest leader with their own version of a poppy placed on top finished off with black discs made from card. The group meet in the Bryn Cadno Community Centre, Upper Colwyn Bay where the wreath will be left until Christmas.

It was a simple idea but explained a lot to the young members about the wreath laying ceremony that they attended the following weekend.

Ysgol San Sior Primery School Llandudno.On Thursday 8th November I was invited to attend a Service of Remembrance at Ysgol San Sior Primary School Llandudno.

The presentation by the children of the school was outstanding, there was a video presentation of the service and art work of the children all depicting the Poppy.

The whole event was so touching particularly when the 200 children and staff (some of the children being only 4 years of age) observed the 2 minutes silence without any noise. The headmaster, teachers and children where a credit to their school, their parents but mainly to themselves. I am proud to have been in attendance at their service.

Al Baker, Chairman Llandudno branch.

Donations

Mr Christopher Lee the owner of Beech Developments Ltd donated £1,000 to the Poppy Appeal, by donation £200 for the sale of each home in the run up to Remembrance Sunday. The presentation was made to Paul Dicken the Llandudno Poppy Organiser.

In the picture are Trefor Williams Committee member, Cadet WO Graham Jones 418 Squadron, Al Baker Branch Chairman, Mr Lee of  Beech Development Ltd, Paul Dicken, Poppy Organiser and Morfydd Dicken Branch Secretary.

Llanwrst Branch donated £2000 to the Poppy Appeal.

Remembrance Sunday in Wrexham

At the Wrexham Cenotaph

David Lord VC memorial – if you Ctrl click the image it ought to be big enough so you can read what he did.

Prestatyn Branch

This John Williams Prestatyn, vice chair and PAO in our Poppy shop in the Scala in the high street and a young man on leave from a recovery centre who offered to stand in the local Aldi.

Poppy shop showing John and Doreen Lambert, Committee member, and stalwart helper.

Chirk Branch

George Rogerson (rear left), Branch Chairman and colleagues outside the Chirk RBL Club. Chirk remembrance service at the cenotaph went well. The branch committee would like to thank all the associations that attended and especially the people of Chirk for the support they have given the RBL throughout the year

WELFARE NEWSIn the North Wales area, so far this year, £290,000 has been spent with the common trend seems to be for debt, mobility scooters and rent &

deposit with household furniture following closely. I have also seen an increase in food vouchers this year as well.

Local Projects

Below are details of some new services that have started up in the North Wales area that have been brought to my attention:-

The first is a Money Advice Service that has been set up within the Citizen Advice Bureaus. Its aim is to help everyone understand and manage their money better and deliver free unbiased money advice sessions across Wales. The advisors cover everything from budgeting to saving, credit, borrowing, mortgages, insurance and pensions. The Advisor covering Wrexham, Flintshire & Denbighshire is David Haycocks, he is based at Denbigh Citizen Advice Bureau and Nigel Jacques covers Conwy, Gwynedd & Anglesey and is based at Caernarfon CAB.

Another project are the foodbanks that are being set up across the counties of Wales and indeed across the UK which are being run by The Trussell Trust. This national scheme provides food parcels for individuals and families in a crisis. The food supplied includes cereals, milk, fruit juice, soup, pasta, meat, fish, pudding & vegetables providing a balanced and nutritional meal for 3 days. Additional items are sometimes available such as toiletries, tin openers and extra treats or snacks. So far the foodbanks are in Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbigh and Caernarfon. In order to access the foodbank, an agency such as the Royal British Legion, Salvation Army, Jobcentre, Social Services, and Support Workers etc. will give the person a voucher which they then take to the Foodbank centre in their area to pick up their parcel. For further information visit www.trusselltrust.org

And finally, a project called NEST, a Welsh government scheme working to help reduce the number of household in fuel poverty.

Nationally

The Legion has also launched the Royal British Legion Admiral Nurse Service in partnership with Dementia UK to improve the quality of life for people with dementia by supporting those who care for them. The service is now operating in Lancashire and will shortly be starting in the West Midlands. The aim is to roll out the service nationally over the next 2 years.

Another project the Legion has invested £5 million into, is a Blast-injury research centre at Imperial College in London to combat the devastating effects of roadside bombs and IED’s.