The weather may not have been the best but with the giant red poppies decorating the streets of Ross-on-Wye the town was ready to mark the start of the Poppy Appeal on Saturday, October 29th.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Ross, David and Doreen Ravenscroft, planted the first Memorial Crosses in the Ross branch of the Royal British Legion’s garden in Broad Street. Air Cdr Viv Warrington planted the second as President of Ross RBL.

Several people also joined the branch members to plant crosses to remember their own relatives who have been lost in the service of this country. There is also a special section of the garden reserved for those men who were lost 100 years ago at the Somme.

Hopefully more people will get their crosses and add them to the Remembrance Garden in honour of all the brave men and women who have given their lives for their country during the last 100 years. All are welcome to plant crosses until at least November 18th – 100 years since the last day of the Somme.

However the Royal British Legion wants people to think about more than the First and Second World Wars and elderly veterans when they wear their poppy this year.

Read the full report in this week’s Ross Gazette.