Midlands Poppy Appeal launches at RAF Cosford

The Royal British Legion has provided a Telford family with Aldo the assistance dog

The Poppy Appeal in the Midlands has been officially launched at RAF Cosford in Shropshire.

The annual campaign, to raise funds for the Royal British Legion, had been scaled back due to the pandemic and the impact of lockdowns.

But this year there are more collectors out on the streets and people can use contactless machines, the charity said.

About £4.5m was raised in the region in 2021 which the charity hopes to surpass this year.

Serving members of the armed forces joined fundraisers at the base on Thursday to launch the campaign where a 3D poppy was on show, created by the learning and technologies team there.

Flight Sgt Dan Milward said having Aldo "helped the family unit to be happy"

Flight Sgt Dan Milward, from Telford, said he has been helped by the charity which provided an assistance dog called Aldo, who especially helps his child Charlie who has autism.

"Charlie struggles to leave the house, struggles to get to school, struggles to interact in any social environment," he said.

"What Aldo has done is allow that to change where they can now get out the house and be almost a normal teenager."

Having Also "has really helped the family unit be happy," he added.

Donations across the UK have been affected by the pandemic and the charity said it was now aware of the cost of living crisis.

Money raised this year will help forces families cope with financial pressures, Midlands fundraising manager, Annmarie Jones, said.

A 3D poppy was on show for the launch at the air base

"Our armed forces are just like anybody else out there," she said.

"The veterans, the families, they are facing hardship this winter like everybody else in the UK is and the money we raise during this appeal is going to help them.

"It will possibly help them pay an electric bill, a utility bill of some kind, put food on the table."