RBL will ‘paint the TRNC red’
THE Royal British Legion (RBL) Kyrenia Branch will “paint the TRNC red” when it launches its 2018 Poppy Appeal.
The branch — now under the new chairmanship of Keith Lloyd — has raised £91,305 over the past seven years for the international campaign to help millions of present and former Armed Forces personnel and their families, and is aiming to hit a total of £100,000 when it launches this year’s appeal with a Poppy Walk tomorrow.
Currently, more than nine million people around the world are eligible for financial and emotional support from the UK-registered charity. One area of care is counselling for ex-servicemen and women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and in a poignant farewell speech at last Wednesday’s AGM, outgoing chairman Major Brian Thomas spoke of his own struggles with PTSD and how he was helped by the RBL after he left the army in 2006.
He told the seventh AGM at Karaoğlanoğlu’s Ship Inn Hotel: “I vowed to myself there and then to repay that debt whenever I could, never dreaming that five years later we would have an RBL branch here . . . that I could throw my energies into.”
Reflecting on his seven years as chairman, Mr Thomas mentioned achievements such as the British Cyprus Memorial in Girne and various events including an Armed Forces Celebration Day, cricket matches, galas and even a comedy night starring British comedian Bobby Davro in 2015.
Mr Lloyd, a former Welsh Guardsman, paid tribute to Mr Thomas and his wife Adele for their “valuable and unwavering work in firstly forming the branch, guiding it through its early days and then establishing the branch as a foremost fundraising organisation in Cyprus”.
“There will be some inevitable changes as the Branch moves forward, although its mission to assist Britain’s armed forces personnel will continue unabated,” said Mr Lloyd, who has lived in Girne with his wife Betty for 15 years.
Tomorrow’s 3.5km Poppy Walk — a new event for those east of Girne — starts and finishes at the Grease Monkey in Çatalköy. Registration is from 9.30am for a 10.30am start.
The annual 10km Poppy Walk to the west of Girne starts at 10.45am next Sunday, October 28, from Ozzie’s Place in Lapta, followed by a 5km walk at 11am, with registration for both at 9.30am. Entrance is 15TL for both days. Poppy merchandise will be sold at stands outside Girne Municipality on Thursday, at the official appeal launch, and again on November 1, between 11am and 3pm.
A Fun Quiz and Lucky Card Draw takes place at The Fez in Çatalköy from 7.30pm, also on Thursday. Tickets are 45TL to include chicken and chips. A coach leaves Karşıyaka at 6.45pm with pick up points en route, and places cost 20TL — to book, call 0533 841 1882.