Help and advice from Royal British Legion now available at Wellingborough supermarket

Shoppers will be able to find out more about the work of the Royal British Legion when they visit this Morrisons store.
The launch at Morrisons in Wellingborough yesterday (Wednesday)The launch at Morrisons in Wellingborough yesterday (Wednesday)
The launch at Morrisons in Wellingborough yesterday (Wednesday)

The Wellingborough branch is set to have representatives from the Legion once a month to talk about the advice and support available through the charity.

And even if they can’t help people themselves, they will take their details and try to find someone who can.

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Emma Connor, advice and information officer for the RBL in Northamptonshire, said: “We are here because the poppy shop closed in town but we still wanted to have a presence in the town.”
She said they have had success with other pop-up stands across the county, including at Rushden’s Asda, the Corby Cube and Kettering Council offices, and they are hoping it will be the same in Wellingborough.

The stall will be there on the third Wednesday of every month between 10am and midday.

People will be able to find out more about the Legion’s work, including welfare support for former servicemen and their families.

Issues they can help with include mobility problems, housing, finance, mental well-being, independent living and employability.

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Emma added: “It’s about getting our name out there, to let people know we are here to help and not just selling poppies.”

Natalie Reade, case officer for the county’s RBL, described the Legion as ‘the biggest secret service’ because many people don’t realise how they can help.

But she said the stalls allow them to reach a lot more people and she added: “We’ve had a good response here so far.”

Staff at the Morrisons store were recently presented with a certificate of affiliation from Wellingborough RBL in honour of their support.

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Duty manager Lee Smith praised Tracey Nichols, who used to be the store’s community champion but is now checkout manager, for her role in helping launch the new monthly stand.

Tracey said: “We are doing one day a month to bring the Royal British Legion into the public eye.”

Chairman of the Wellingborough RBL group Ian Nunney said: “It’s very good for the community, it’s somewhere for people to come.”

The launch comes just days after the Band of the Irish Guards performed at the United Reformed Church in Wellingborough and helped raise £3,500 for the branch’s Poppy Appeal.

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Mr Nunney said: “It was excellent, we had about 400 people there.

“It was a really good concert, everybody enjoyed it.”

For more information about the Legion and its work call 0808 8028080 or click here