Buying a poppy is as crucial as ever

Bill Gibbs meets the remarkable "Mrs Poppy", who has raised more than £1 million for the Royal British Legion.

- Bill Gibbs

IT all started just months after the celebrations marking the end of WWII. Vera Parnaby got her first taste of what the Royal British Legion can do when she attended a Christmas party with her mum and family.

Her soldier dad had died in 1942, and everyone appreciated the support that families of servicemen needed.

More than 75 years on, Vera's backing for the Legion has become legendary. She's known as the "Poppy Lady", and has helped raise over £1 million for the organisation.

Such is her renown that she has even been invited to tea with royalty! At the age of eighty-three, Vera is still devoted and will be out collecting and organising this year as energetically as ever.

"I went to the Christmas party with my brothers and sisters in December 1945," Vera says.

"Soon afterwards, the local Women's Section was restarted by the widows and, as there weren't any babysitters, my mum always took me along.

"I was about six when I started going out with her on the poppy collections.