2023 Poppy Appeal In Spain Launched

The Royal British Legion has officially launched its 2023 Poppy Appeal in parts of Spain, with the Valencian Community and Murcia region seeing its annual Benidorm procession take place last Saturday.

The Poppy Appeal is one of the most widely-recognised in the United Kingdom, but the Royal British Legion’s activities and awareness drives are not confined just to the British isles.

Indeed, there are marches and remembrance services around Europe, as well as each country’s own memorial days, and in Spain the Royal British Legion is particularly active due to the large ex-pat community hailing from the UK.

With Remembrance Day falling on the eleventh day of the eleventh month every year, the weeks prior in October see regular activity to fundraise for the fallen and injured who have served the United Kingdom in military conflict.

Poppy Appeal 2023 launched in Spain

The 2023 edition of the Poppy Appeal has been launched in Spain, then, with a march starting on Avenida de Castellon and ending on Avenida de l’Atmella de Mar in the Rincon de Loix.

After the march, a series of speeches were given, with guests such as Benidorm mayor, Toni Perez, Alicante’s British Consul Sara Munsterhjelm, and the Military attache from the British Embassy, Captain Stephen McGlory RN, all in attendance.

After the speeches, the national anthems of Spain and the United Kingdom were played to close the ceremony.

The Royal British Legion collects money across the twelve months in a year but it is in October and November where we obviously see them really come to prominence.

The Poppy Appeal, and donating to buy a paper poppy or a pin poppy, is just one way people can donate to the cause.

It begins the build up to Remembrance Day, which coincides with the ceasefire at the end of the First World War on November 11th.