BURNHAM’S branch of the Royal British Legion is set to re-open just in time for this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony after a surge of interest from the public.

The Weekly News reported last month that a decision had regretfully been made to close the branch due to dwindling support from members.

But since then there has been a new surge of interest from people who want to see it restarted, with enough now volunteering to set up a new committee.

Poppy Appeal organiser Gaynor Brown said that since opening up their room above the Legion office in Victoria Street for this year’s appeal, she had been inundated with people who were very sad that the branch had closed and wanted to do something about re-opening it.

She said: “A lot of people were upset about it and many thought that this would also mean the end of Burnham’s Remembrance Day parade in the town. Many people didn’t want to have the wreaths just lined up against the wall – they wanted the traditional parade and the usual nondenominational service which we have at the War Memorial Hospital in Love Lane.

“We had a lot of people come forward in the last few weeks and we are only two names short of having enough people to run the new committee.

We have an acting chairman and treasurer etc who will then be properly elected in due course.

“The Royal British Legion building was going to be sold but we have now stopped that from happening and we are hoping to get the keys back just in time to prepare for the Remembrance Day parade on November 9.”

It is also hoped that the building will also be a community hub which can be used by community groups throughout the year.