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18.4.13

POPPIES, PICTURES & PLAYSCHOOL


 POPPIES There aren’t many left of the servicemen who fought in World War Two, but there are still servicemen and women being injured today. This is why the Royal British Legion in Tenerife supports the POPPY APPEAL. 

There are only a handful of us – my OH is the Chairman – but 2012 was the fifth year we won the Noel Rogers Trophy for the overseas branch that raised the most money per member.
It helped that we were invited to sell poppies on the cruise liner Mariner of the Seas when it called into Santa Cruz. We were given lunch and a guided tour, including the bridge, before we stood in the sun for a couple of hours while the passengers re-embarked after a day ashore. 
"Gee! Is it Veterans' Day already?" one American asked, and donated all his left-over euros.












PICTURES
Only a few years ago I would have had to PORE over library books to find the PHOTOS I wanted to help my research. Now all I have to do is to ask the internet the correct questions.
Photographs of common people in the early 1900s were difficult to track down – only wealthy people could afford cameras then – but find them I did.
 Such faces! Black and white or sepia are so much more evocative, aren't they?
On the other hand there were lots of photos of WW2, and those of Dunkirk beaches,with lines of men snaking into the sea are gut-wrenching even now.


My local photo for today is of the nearest PLAYSCHOOL. Those handprints create a lovely image of a caring environment. Unfortunately, my friend recently found a toddler wandering in the street, and she discovered, after carting him round the local shops and bars, he had escaped from this Guarderia un-noticed. We can only hope they have taken this lesson to heart.

7 comments:

  1. You both do a fantastic job with the Poppy Appeal. Even if not many are left the memories are there. I take my name from my Father's brother who was killed in WW1 aged just 19. What a waste of
    a young life.

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  2. Wonderful work with the Poppy Appeal. My grandfather was a member of the Lions Club, and I remember the little paper poppies they sold to raise money way back when.

    Love the old photos. With digital cameras, we can easily take b&w and sepia photos again. It seems like cheating!

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  3. I don't know why but it hadn't occured to me that the British Legion might support the Poppy Appeal overseas although in hindsight it is an obvious thing to do. In recent years a couple of quite young lads have taken over the collection in our village which is heartening to see. A worthy cause and sadly one for which a need continues.
    Ann

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  4. My late Uncle was wounded a Dunkirk though he never spoke of it.

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  5. I love old photos and it really is amazing what we can find on the Net now. I love poring over photos and wondering about the people in them.

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  6. I enjoy looking at old photos although there's not many from my family around,over the years they were lost but of my own children we have boxes full.

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  7. How awful that you found a wandering nursery child. That's every mother's nightmare, isn't it! And yes, those old sepia photos are really evocative.

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