Meet Ellen – After serving in the Armed Forces, Ellen now gives back through her role as a Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal volunteer.
Earlier this year, we decided we wanted to honour some of the extraordinary Poppy Appeal volunteers who help raise vital funds for the Royal British Legion. The people who give their hours, their energy, and their hearts to support the Armed Forces community.
As a small token of recognition, we gifted ten of the first ever commemorative Poppy Pounds to ten committed RBL volunteers.
Today, we are able to share the words of volunteer Ellen Anderson, and to let her tell everyone how having served in the Armed Forces herself, she is happy to now be able to help give back through the RBL.
Can you tell me your name, where you’re from, and a little bit about your affiliation with the Royal British Legion?
My name’s Ellen Anderson. I live in Cardiff, and have been volunteering with the RBL since 2019.
How did you first get involved with the RBL?
I always knew I wanted to volunteer for a service charity when I retired, and I first started coming in to the RBL pop-in centre in Cardiff one day a week, but then Covid hit and volunteering became a bit difficult. The Poppy Appeal Manager came in one day and said they were looking for help to cover different areas of Cardiff and I volunteered to become a Poppy Appeal Organiser for the city centre, and I’ve been doing it ever since.
How long have you been fundraising for the RBL?
I’ve been fundraising for the RBL for 6 years now. I love what I’ve been doing and over the years have taken on more responsibility. The people in Cardiff are so generous. In the current year [2024/2025] my area of Cardiff City centre has raised over £60,000 for the Poppy Appeal, and I’m really proud of my team of volunteers who helped us achieve that.
What does it mean to you to support the RBL?
My husband and I both served, and I know people who’ve been helped by the RBL, so I’m very pleased to be able to give something back. Being involved in the charity helps keep that military connection in your life too, which is really nice. Remembrance and the Poppy is very important to me and I think of the brave service of people who help keep us safe on a daily basis. A lot of people think the Poppy means the First and Second World Wars, but for me it’s remembering people today too. During the Remembrance period, when I’m standing there for those two minutes silence, it’s people like that I remember, and that’s why I want to give back.
Have you seen the impact of the RBL’s work first-hand? Could you share an example?
Since I started volunteering for the Royal British Legion, I’ve met a number of people who tell me about the help they’ve received from the charity, including someone who was able to buy some furniture for her new home and someone who has been supported by the Admiral Nurses when she was caring for her husband who suffers from dementia. I also know someone who had an injury but was helped a great deal in coping with it following a trip to the RBL Recover Centre. It’s extremely encouraging to receive personal testimony from people who have sought help from the charity. It makes all our hard work workwhile.
What would you say to anyone considering volunteering for the charity?
DO IT! When you retire it’s a critical time in your life, and finding volunteer opportunities with the RBL gave me a purpose for getting up in the morning. It was a real lifeline! It keeps your brain active, you make friends, and you’re doing something that’s helping somebody else. It’s a win, win situation!
What do you think about this new coin issued in support of the RBL?
All too often, in the busyness of work, service can be forgotten and it’s good to see support for charities like the RBL. The coin itself is well-designed and I think this will bring it to the attention of collectors and the public. I’m delighted that the Westminster Collection is supporting the charity in this way.
Ellen is very passionate about the benefits of becoming an RBL volunteer, if her words have inspired you, you can click here to find out more about how you could volunteer with the Royal British Legion.
Or you can purchase your own Poppy Pound, with a percentage of each one sold going directly to the RBL. This coin marks a landmark moment in coin collecting: the first-ever British Isles commemorative 12-sided £1 coin. Click here to see the full range >>
Meet Bill – Former RAF aircrew and Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal volunteer of 25 years
Earlier this year, we decided we wanted to honour some of the extraordinary Poppy Appeal volunteers who help raise vital funds for the Royal British Legion. The people who give their hours, their energy, and their hearts to support the Armed Forces community.
As a small token of recognition, we gifted ten of the first ever commemorative Poppy Pounds to ten committed RBL volunteers.
First up, we’re honoured to introduce you to one of those volunteers, former RAF aircrew Bill Tyack, and to share his story in his own words.
Can you tell me your name, where you’re from, and a little bit about your affiliation with the Royal British Legion?
My name is Bill Tyack. I live in Fleet, Hampshire. I served in the RAF as aircrew for 37 years. When I retired in 2006, I joined the Branch Committee of the Fleet & Crookham Branch, becoming Branch Chairman from 2008 until 2021. I am currently Poppy Appeal Organiser for Fleet, Crookham, Crondall and Dogmersfield (SBF 03), having taken over the role in 2012.
How did you first get involved with the RBL?
I offered my services as a Poppy Appeal collector in the late 1990s.
How long have you been fundraising for the RBL?
This will be my 25th year collecting.
What does it mean to you to support the RBL?
I had an interesting and rewarding career in the RAF and I am supporting the RBL to give back to those current and former members of the Armed Services who were less fortunate than me.
What has been the most memorable moment for you during your time with the RBL?
I would not single out any particular moment: there have been so many acts of real generosity by our donors and of selfless dedication and brilliant enterprise by our collectors. Also, I have heard some fascinating and often moving “war stories” from donors.
Have you seen the impact of RBL’s work first-hand? Could you share an example?
I am aware of several cases ranging from: financial advice; through help with independent living; to a major intervention for a veteran suffering from PTSD.
What would you say to anyone considering volunteering for the charity?
Give it a go. You will be helping a vital charity. You will meet some brilliant people, both fellow collectors and generous donors. You might even have some fun!
What do you think about this new coin issued in support of the RBL?
I think that it is a brilliant way of remembering those who suffered and died for our freedom, and those still suffering. It also should prompt people to be generous in their donations to the Poppy Appeal
If Bill’s words have inspired you, you can click here to find out more about how you could volunteer with the Royal British Legion.
Or you can purchase your own Poppy Pound, with a percentage of each one sold going directly to the RBL. This coin marks a landmark moment in coin collecting: the first-ever British Isles commemorative 12-sided £1 coin. Click here to see the full range >>
Discover the British Birds Pin Badge Collection
A beautifully crafted tribute to Britain’s most iconic birds, starting with a FREE Robin badge.
Britain is home to some of the most charming and distinctive birds in the world, from the dazzling flash of a kingfisher to the tiny tremble of a goldcrest’s song. And now, you can celebrate them all with the British Birds Pin Badge Collection, a stunning enamel badge series designed for bird lovers and collectors.
We’re starting the collection with a true national favourite: the Robin. This beloved garden visitor is yours FREE as a special welcome gift, simply cover the postage.
Ready to begin your collection? Click here to claim your free robin badge, or keep reading to meet the rest of the flock.
Your journey begins with the robin: bright-eyed, chest puffed out, and unmistakably British. As our national favourite, the robin makes the perfect introduction to the collection. For a limited time, we’re offering the Robin Bin badge completely free, simply cover £1.99 postage fee and it’ll fly straight to your door, ready to perch on your coat, card, or collector’s board.
But there’s so much more to discover beyond the garden fence. From the goldcrest– Britain’s tiniest bird, weighing less than a 20p coin- to the osprey, which can spot a fish from 100 feet in the air before diving with talons extended, this collection spans the full character and colour of our birdlife.
The jay, often hidden in woodland, is a nervous hoarder that helps grow our oak forests by forgetting where it buried its acorns. Meanwhile, the kestrel hovers in mid-air with astonishing stillness, using ultraviolet vision to track mice through the undergrowth.
Some birds are known by sound before sight. The wren, round and restless, delivers one of the loudest songs in the undergrowth. Others live more unusual lives- like the dipper, a songbird that actually walks underwater in fast-flowing rivers to hunt for insects.
By securing your FREE Robin Pin Badge today, you gain priority access to the full collection, guaranteeing you TWO brand-new British Bird Pin Badges every month.
Every badge in the collection is designed in the UK, crafted from high-quality enamel, and paired with a unique collector’s card filled with fascinating facts and beautiful presentation.
Whether you wear them, gift them, or collect them all, each one brings a little moment of joy and a deeper connection to the wildlife around us.
But, spaces on this collection are limited to just 19,995 worldwide, with thousands already taken.