Armed Forces Covenant

The Poppy Appeal

• The Poppy Appeal is held every year in October and November. The National Launch of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal takes place on Thu 22 Oct.
• As Canada and The United Kingdom observed its very first Remembrance Day, Madame Anna Guérin, a teacher from France, had the idea to distribute poppies in order to raise money for veterans in need. The practice caught on quickly and has continued ever since.
• Founded in 1921, the Appeal raises funds for the Royal British Legion’s vital work supporting serving personnel, veterans and their families throughout their lives with whatever the need, whenever it’s needed. This support for those in need is made possible by the generous donations of the public and the 60,000 Poppy Appeal collectors and volunteers who dedicate their time each year to helping fundraise across the country.
• In 2026 poppies will be available at local supermarkets, high street shops, train stations or online.
• The simple act of wearing a poppy sends a personal message of thanks and support for the Armed Forces community to see, and we ask the public not to underestimate the impact that wearing a poppy has on those who serve, and their families.

Could you be a Poppy Appeal collector?

Poppy Appeal Collectors have been at the heart of the Poppy Appeal for over 100 years, helping raise funds across the country to support the Armed Forces community.

As a Poppy Appeal Collector, you will:

• Take donations from the public at various locations and events in your local area during the Poppy Appeal in October and November. There may also be opportunities if you wish to get involved at other fundraising events throughout the year.
• Representing the Royal British Legion at high footfall locations/events.
• Supervising stalls at collection points and events.
• Talking to members of the public to raise awareness of the Royal British Legion's work.

• Also known as Remembrance Day, Armistice Day on the 11th of November is a day for remembering the millions upon millions of soldiers and civilians killed during the First World War.
• The First World War began in 1914, with the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His assassin was the Serbian extremist Gavrilo Princip, and took place in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This assassination led Serbia to declare war on Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, because each nation had multiple interlocking alliances with other European nations, it wasn’t long before Europe was divided in two.
• On one side, there was the Triple Entente: France, the Russian Empire, and the British Empire. On the other, there was the Triple Alliance: the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. As the war progressed, many more nations would join on either side of the conflict, and for four long years, war would rage across the world.
• In 1918, after four brutal years of trench warfare in across France and Belgium, Allied soldiers pushed the German troops back, and the German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm, abdicated the throne. The German Empire was the last of the Triple Alliance to agree to end the fighting. In November 1918, shortly after the Kaiser stepped down, Germany signed an armistice which ended the war completely.
• The Armistice, an agreement to end the fighting of the First World War as a prelude to peace negotiations, began at 11am on 11 November 1918.
• Armistice is Latin for to stand (still) arms.
• To this day we mark Armistice Day around the United Kingdom with a Two-minute silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month.

MKC Training will be supporting Armistice Day alongside our military colleagues on camp

Sunday 8^th November 2026 is Remembrance Sunday. It is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.

We remember the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism.

For those wishing to attend a service in the Medway, details of parades can be found here: Medway Remembrance Sunday: 8 Nov Parades and Closures

From Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen, written in September 1914

The Armed Forces Connect app was created by Forces Connect South East—a cross-border partnership of local authorities, the tri-service Armed Forces, health providers, and service charities—using a grant from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. Its mission is simple: make it easier for serving personnel, veterans, and their families to access local services quickly and directly.

Joining the app is free and straightforward, and it’s open to every region across the UK. Access the Armed Forces Network here:  armedforcesnetwork.org

The Network Aims to:

• Provide vital support for vulnerable or complex cases within the Armed Forces community

• Speed up access to the right care—keeping Reservists and Regulars deployable, and helping those impacted by service, including their families

• Deliver holistic support for individuals, carers and families for wellbeing, prevention and care

• Safeguard quality and safety for the Armed Forces community

• Recognise and utilise the community’s strengths as an asset to wider society

• Promote the sharing of good practice across sectors and services

What you will find:

• Direct access to over 250 national organisations (centrally updated)

• Local information managed by representatives within local authorities and NHS bodies

• 54,000+ stakeholders already using the app

• Available on MODNet and Defence Gateway