‘canny’£1m
to set up the local British Legion group for widows, their children and war orphans.
“At the end of the war, we were invited to the Christmas party and formed the women’s section which I am still in today,” she said.
Her grocer father George, called up to serve in the fight against Hitler’s Germany, died after a road accident during active service in 1942. Her mum Annie, a widow still in her 20s, took Vera, then six, to the Royal British Legion’s fundraising events.
“It is just something I grew up with,” said Vera.
“In those days, they did not have babysitters so my brothers and sisters and I went to all of the meetings with the other children. We heard what was going on and I joined in and have taken part ever since.” When she was 14, she no longer just helped her mother but became a poppy seller in her own right. She wed Alan Parnaby, who served with the British Army in the Royal Army Pay Corps.
Now a widow, her lifelong commitment to the charity goes on, and she was awarded the chairman’s medal for her years of devoted service.
She said: “The money we raise goes to personnel who are in hardship or are injured, for anything they might need to make their lives easier. I keep going for the good it is doing for the ex-service people, those in need.”
Peter Milne, community fundraiser for the Royal British Legion, said: “Vera has been a dedicated and committed poppy seller for more than seven decades and has raised well in excess of £1m for the Poppy Appeal.
“In 2013 she deservedly received the chairman’s medal for her years of service and her enthusiasm shows no sign of diminishing.” MISS Newcastle and Miss England Alisha Cowie has paid her respects to the fallen in a stunning poppy dress. Alisha, from Spennymoor, County Durham, has travelled to China to represent her country at the next Miss World contest. And the 19-year-old will be donning the beautiful poppy dress to show her pride on Remembrance Sunday. Alisha said: “I really wanted to do the shoot, it’s very important for my generation to remember all those who have fought for our freedom. “Mick Nickerson, my great-grandfather was in the 8th Light infantry World War One. George Cowie, my other great-grandfather served in the Second World War. My great great-grandfather was in the Cameron Highlanders. Alan Cameron was a bat man to a Major Galloway at Catterick Camp.” Alisha travelled to the photo shoot in Leicester, before continuing her journey to China – via London Heathrow – for the Miss World contest. When the reigning Miss England was asked to do a fashion shoot in poppy dresses, she was very keen to pay her respects.
The competition will involve a series of rounds including sports, talent, catwalk and beauty with a purpose fundraising.
Alisha is studying Forensic Crime Scene Investigation at Teesside University.