Dear LPG,

Coronavirus has managed to overshadow just about everything this year.  We have missed so many of the celebrations that many of us are used to enjoying and marking by getting together.  Easter was a bit of a non-event, in fact I realised that we had arrived there on the day itself.  When the Government started talking about the lifting of the restrictions that kept so many of us at home, I had high hopes for the summer, but bank holiday came and went too.  I suspect that many grandparents will read my words and remember how worried they were when the little ones were told that it was safe to return to school, and I am sure I am not the only pensioner with children who are still working from home.

As I write this note, I have no doubt that we can all look forward to a Halloween where we don’t need to buy any extra sweets for the children who come knocking on the door, and I also suspect that we are well on the way to a bonfire night where there will be few lights in the sky and no public firework displays.

The next event on our social calendar is usually Armistice Day, and though I wrote this a week or two in advance in the hope that LPG will post it on the day, I have no doubt that we will all still be so caught up trying to find out which colour our area of Britain is on the UK ‘tier’ map, that getting a poppy will be the last thing on our minds, even if we can find a shop or public building which has one to offer us.

So, I just wanted to remind readers that if you usually get a red reminder and give a bit of money to this cause but have not even been to one of those shops or day centres where they are available this year, you can donate online.

I am one of those who enjoyed the fact that this is one of the few charities where you could still give anonymously, and it occurs to me that there are others who were happy to put their coins into a box and pick up a poppy without having to give away their whereabouts by texting or donating electronically. 

I have now found out that they still accept cheques which you can send without having to add your address, mobile phone number, or email address while offering them support.  You can send your donations to:

Never Forget Memorial Donations,

The Royal British Legion,

Freepost Plus RTZT-ATBH-RGBZ,

Bumpers Way, Bumpers Farm,

Chippenham, SN14 6NG.

It is true that people collect the oddest of things and I have a collection of every Remembrance Day poppy I have bought so far this century.  Even if this message of mine has jogged a memory or two today I suspect that some will think that the time has passed and it is all too late.  I am sure that the British Legion is happy to receive help at any time during the year and, my collection of poppies is more than likely to be missing of my 2020 specimen. 

Standing takes more of an effort for me these days and on the rare occasion that I hear it, I have given up getting to my feet for the national anthem, but I will make the effort this morning at 11 O’clock, to be quite for two minutes and I will be glad to be able to say that I have remembered this particular calendar event in spite of Covid-19.

OV, Lewisham

LPG offers some links regarding ways to donate to the Poppy appeal this year.

(►►►)   (►►►)     (►►►)