Blackwood to host Gwent Poppy Appeal launch

The 2024 ceremony was the first time Blackwood had hosted the Gwent County launch of the Poppy Appeal

The annual launch of the Gwent Poppy Appeal will take place in Blackwood on Thursday, October 23 at 10am.

Now in its second year being hosted by the Blackwood and District branch of the Royal British Legion in support of Gwent County, the event will see veterans, youth organisations and standard bearers parade from St Margaret’s Church down to Dragon Square, where members of the public are invited to line the streets and show their support.

A number of VIPs are expected to attend, including Brigadier Robert Aitken CBE, the Lord Lieutenant of Gwent; Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Griffin, the High Sheriff of Gwent; Cllr Dawn Ingram-Jones, Mayor of Caerphilly County Borough, Newport West and Islwyn MP Ruth Jones and Air Officer Wales for the RAF Air Commodore Rob Woods of the RAF, alongside other dignitaries.

At 11am, a two-minute silence will be observed in Dragon Square. This will be followed by refreshments and stalls at Blackwood Miners’ Institute, with performances from two local school choirs, Markham Band, and a lone piper leading the march.

The Lord Lieutenant will also present awards to local volunteers who have supported the Poppy Appeal, ranging from five years’ service up to more than 25 years.

Event organiser Andrew Doody, Poppy Appeal Organiser for Blackwood and District and vice-chair of Gwent County Royal British Legion, said anyone requiring further details can contact him at gwent.vicechair@rbl.community or on 07398 991028, or get in touch with Natasha Hocking, Blackwood RBL chair, at blackwood.chair@rbl.community or on 07495 391208.

What is the Poppy Appeal?

The Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion’s biggest fundraising campaign, held every year in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday. Money raised provides support to serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

The red poppy became a symbol of remembrance after the First World War, inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields by Canadian doctor John McCrae, which described how poppies grew on the battlefields of Belgium and France.

The first official poppy appeal was held in 1921, with millions of paper poppies sold to raise funds for veterans of the Great War. Today, the appeal continues to support those who have served, while also acting as a visible symbol of remembrance for the sacrifices made in conflict.

Joanne Burgess

Sign-up to our daily newsletter