The Poppy Appeal

This year the Royal British Legion have launched a new way of giving to the Poppy Appeal.

By texting the word POPPY to 85099, you can download one of three Poppy images to your mobile phone in return for a donation of £1.50. Each download (two of which are animated) feature the Poppy icon with the words 'Remember' and the time and date of the Two Minute Silence on 11th November: 11.11.11.

By downloading the Poppy you will also receive a text reminder on the day before 11th November to remind you to pause for the Two Minute Silence.

Click Poppy Appeal for further on this.

Whilst on the poppy appeal subject, I'd like to award 'Scum Bag' of the week to whoever was responsible for the robbery on the 74 year old veteran and theft of his Poppy Appeal collecting tin in Pitsea, Essex.

Veterans are again in the news this week, with the reported National Lottery climbdown due to public pressure highlighting their refusal to part fund a national memorial to the 16,000 soldiers, sailors and aircrew who have died in uniform since the Second World War.

According to sources, this money had initially been allocated to guinea pig farmers in Chile, after they complained that their Peruvian peers had been shown favouritism with an earlier lottery donation... This still doesn't account for the £2billion in funds awaiting distribution to other crackpot tree-hugging worthy causes.

Last but not least, thank goodness there wasn't a health and safety executive present on the Normandy coast during the D-Day landings. All this fuss about big strapping lads climbing a ladder is beyond me.

Wear a poppy with pride.