14478/2POPPY Appeal organisers across Wiltshire are appealing for people to help as volunteers to raise money for needy ex-servicemen and women.

Peter Douglas, the Royal British Legion's county field officer stressed the appeal is as vital today, possibly even more so, than it when it was first launched more than 90 years ago.

Each year the amount raised by the Poppy Appeal increases but organisers say if the work of the Royal British Legion supporting ex-servicemen is to continue, more volunteers are needed to sell poppies.

Virtually every year there has been only one year since the end of the Second World War when British troops were not involved in conflicts there have been new wars with their inevitable casualties.

Within modern memory there have been the Falklands War, two Gulf Wars, Bosnia and Kosovo, Afghanistan and currently Iraq.

Mr Douglas said people forget that while there is no open hostility currently in Northern Ireland there are still 13,000 British troops there.

He said Wiltshire tends to pick up the brunt of the casualties because there are so many important military bases in the county.

He said that with Army bases all across Salisbury Plain and with the Royal Air Force also still retaining a major presence in the county at Lyneham, many servicemen and women look upon the county as their home.

In many cases their families live at the Wiltshire bases and when they find they are in need they turn to the county's Royal British Legion for assistance.

Mr Douglas said wherever British troops are involved in trouble spots in the world there is almost certainly a Wiltshire connection.

The illustrious Black Watch, the Scottish regiment that is being moved south of Baghdad to the so-called 'Triangle of Death', to support the US troops, is currently based in Warminster where in many cases wives and families are left behind.

Mr Douglas said the number of calls for help to the Royal British Legion is constantly increasing.

He said: "Our workload over the last year alone has gone up by 32 per cent and we have had 2,978 new calls for help in that time."

Last year in Chippenham a record sum of £23,000 was raised, which was up by £3,000 on the previous year.

But this year organisers have lost some volunteers owing to ill health and others have moved away.

Jim Scott, the area's joint Poppy

Appeal organiser, said: "We have built up a good team of volunteers. This year unfortunately some of our volunteers are unable to help us through illness or infirmity and two of our younger members have moved away from the area.

"We could do with ten people to volunteer a couple of hours of their time over the next fortnight."

The Swindon Central branch is one of the areas where more collectors are desperately needed to ensure that maximum funds are raised.

Mr Douglas said: "We need collectors in Swindon, mainly in the town centre area. They need people who can give an hour or two to stand in the precincts and collect."

The only age stipulation for collectors is that they must be over 16.

While most town and village RBL branches have an adequate number of collectors they could all do with more.

"Any support is welcome especially for the poppy collections," Mr Douglas said.

One poppy collector who knows how important the Royal British Legion work can be is Betty Earle of Kington Langley, near Chippenham.

She has been involved in collecting for the Poppy Appeal for a total of 35 years.

For the last 25 years she has sold poppies locally in north Wiltshire.

She said: "The Royal British Legion is a most wonderful charity.

"I do it because I appreciate what soldiers, sailors and airmen have suffered for this country."

To be put in touch with a local branch, voluntary helpers should contact the RBL county office at Tidworth on (01980) 847752. The 2004 Poppy day appeal will be officially launched on Saturday and will run to November 14.