Spitfire launch for Cornwall's Poppy Appeal (From This is The West Country)

Spitfire launch for Cornwall's Poppy Appeal

12:00pm Saturday 27th October 2012 in Cornwall

Invited guests at RAF St Mawgan have saluted the past, present and future at the launch of the county's Poppy Appeal launch on Thursday.

Against the iconic back drop of a replica Spitfire on the former wartime RAF Airfield and operational military base, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall Col. Tom French launched this year’s annual campaign.

The guests were joined by schoolchildren who are members of HMS HEROES, an organisation that is composed of children whose parents are currently serving in our Armed Forces and have been deployed to areas of conflict.

With musical accompaniment by representatives from City of Truro Pipes and Drums, and following the official launch, Squadron leader Shaun Pascoe RAF, lead his team of serving personnel on a Poppy Dash throughout Cornwall.

This will entail pulling a six foot giant poppy throughout the county, both to raise funds for the Poppy Appeal and to raise the profile of the legion.

The servicemen will be pulling the giant poppy the equivalent of six marathons – this equates to each service persons life lost for every 500 metres covered.