The Royal British Legion’s (RBL) Poppy Appeal for 2025 officially launched today (Friday), in Northern Ireland, and this year highlights how the RBL is helping to rebuild lives across the Armed Forces community.
Founded in 1921, the Appeal aims to raise over £50 million to fund the RBL’s vital work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families throughout their lives with whatever the need, whenever it’s needed.
The Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Alderman Stephen Moutray, and representatives from the RBL branches across Northern Ireland gathered at Armagh Palace, where the President of the RBL in Northern Ireland, Col Neil Salisbury (ret’d) invited His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant Lord Nicholas Caledon to ceremonially collect the first poppy of the appeal in Northern Ireland.
From short-term relief to lifelong support, poppy donations enable the RBL – the UK’s largest Armed Forces charity – to help in ways tailored to the Armed Forces community’s unique needs and circumstances and, at any given moment, the RBL is helping over 7,000 members of the Armed Forces community with expert advice and practical support.
One of the RBL’s many beneficiaries in Northern Ireland who has been helped by the vital funds raised through the Poppy Appeal is veteran Robert Stewart and his wife Clare.
After their daughter Clara Rose was sadly stillborn, the RBL helped with support and legal fees which enabled an inquest. This helped the couple to understand what happened to their daughter and hopefully prevent others from having to go through a similar situation.
The couple said: “We worried that we would be unable to give our daughter the justice she deserved. Without the RBL’s help, we have no doubt this would not have been possible, and we are forever thankful. We are so proud as Clara’s parents, we did the best we could to save future children’s lives.”
From short-term relief to lifelong support, poppy donations enable the RBL – the UK’s largest Armed Forces charity – to help in ways tailored to the Armed Forces community’s unique needs and circumstances.
Lucy Inskip, Director of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal, said: “The Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal brings the nation together and helps us raise vital funds needed to support the Armed Forces community.
“This year we’re highlighting how, when a veteran’s life falls apart, the RBL will always be there to help rebuild it in ways tailored to the Armed Forces community’s unique needs and circumstances.
“Every day, ex-service personnel and their families come to the Royal British Legion for support when they become overwhelmed with issues including addiction, debt, homelessness, PTSD and relationship breakdowns.
“When something goes wrong, the RBL is there to help rebuild lives and provide members of the Armed Forces community with the support they need to create a better future.”
The Royal British Legion’s support to those in need is made possible by the generous donations of the public and the 50,000 Poppy Appeal collectors and volunteers who dedicate their time each year to helping fundraise across the country.
Every year, through specialist services and urgent support, the RBL is making a difference to lives across the Armed Forces community.
Last year it provided £12 million in welfare grants to support over 22,000 people including £1.4 million in food and clothing vouchers and £5 million spent on housing issues. It also provides funding to Shelter to help with veteran homelessness and to Combat Stress to support veterans with mental health challenges.
From risking their lives in war zones to spending time away from their families, and providing support during emergencies and humanitarian disasters, service life in Britain’s Armed Forces comes with a unique set of challenges for veterans and their families.
RBL’s range of services, scale, and partner network means it can support those facing multiple and complex challenges from mental and physical recovery programmes, help with finances, housing, and adapting to civilian life, to building camaraderie.
