PM gives special mention to RBL of Greenhithe in World War I Centenary announcement

In a speech at the Imperial War Museum last week to announce £50m of funding to commemorate the First World War’s Centenary, the Prime Minister emphasised that “whether it is a series of friendly football matches to mark the famous 1914 Christmas Day truce, or the campaign led by the Greenhithe branch of the Royal British Legion to sow the Western Front’s iconic poppies here in the UK, I think we should get out there and make this centenary a truly national moment, but also something that actually means something in every locality in our country”.

The local RBL’s ‘Real Poppy Campaign’ plans- which involves distributing packs of poppy seeds in the local community to be planted in time for the anniversary in 2014- have also been endorsed in a letter from HRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.

In a statement following the announcement, the Royal British Legion in Greenhithe said;

"The 2014 Real Poppy Campaign would like to thank the Prime Minister for his personal acknowledgement of our efforts. Given his announcement of the new Centenary Education Programme funding, we would welcome the opportunity to present each and every school, Cadet Force, Cub and Scout group, and youth organisation in the Country with their own Poppy Seeds. If these seeds were planted in 2014, with a little basic gardening, by 2018 we truly will have planted our towns and our entire land red. To quote HRH The Prince of Wales “this campaign will be poignant and evocative”. We therefore urge all other MP’s, Councils, Schools, Scouts and the public to get involved in this inexpensive, silent but highly significant tribute.”

Gareth Johnson, who was so impressed with their proposal that he raised it with Downing Street to invite the PM’s involvement, commented that;

“This is a fantastic idea and something that I am delighted the Prime Minister has personally highlighted in his speech. This promises to be a very moving tribute to the bravery and sacrifice our national troops made for us nearly 100 years ago, and I hope local communities will give their full support to bring this vision to life. We are also trying to arrange for Greenhithe’s RBL to make a special presentation to Downing Street during the Centenary celebrations.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

In the first of these presentations of seeds, Greenhithe’s RBL will be presenting 1 million poppy seeds to Dartford Borough Council on Remembrance Sunday, 11^th November 2012, at Stone Memorial at 2:45pm.