Legion plan for commemoration

Blairgowrie Branch of Legion Scotland organised the collection for Poppyscotland which raised £5,945, significantly more than in recent years.

“Thanks are due to the street collectors and all the businesses that took cans,” said a legion spokesperson.

“The remembrance events on November 11 and 12 were seen by a large audience and it was good to have members of so many youth organisations parading on the Sunday.”

The branch is now starting to organise for an important occasion next year.

In August 2018, to commemorate a large pilgrimage to the Menin Gate in Belgium in 1928, all legion branches in the UK are being asked to send one standard bearer and one wreath layer to the Great Pilgrimage 90 (GP90). The Blairgowrie branch has members keen to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime event and the cost of two attending is £1,000.

“The branch will contribute part but believes that there will be others who will wish to donate,” said the spokesperson. “Donations at the branch to GP90 will be acknowledged with a receipt and, if it is over subscribed, the surplus will be donated to service charities.

“It is a common misunderstanding that membership of Legion Scotland is only for those who have served in any of the armed forces.

“In fact, around 70% of the members in Blairgowrie have never been in the forces.”