This old soldier's a Poppy Appeal veteran

He had started in the Royal Artillery Corps a few months before VE day and was on his way home.

During a brief stay in Woolwich Arsenal he met the woman who was to become his wife, working in the women's section of the Corps.

"She was going in the opposite direction - out to Germany, as I was coming home, so we decided to get married," says Mr Avery.

Almost half a century later they have been selling poppies for 35 years between them, earning thousands of pounds for the annual Royal British Legion appeal, dedicating their lives to raising money for other ex-servicemen and women not as fortunate as them.

Now Mr Avery's 77 years are catching up with him and, for the first time, his arthritis has prevented him from selling poppies on the street.

"I feel guilty that I'm not doing it this year," he says.

"It's a shame because I've met lots of interesting people from all different walks of life selling poppies.

"They come up and chat to you. You get the old dears who say they've lost their poppy and want to buy another one and younger people who just want to come and have a chat."

Mrs Avery, aged 68, has continued to sell pop-

pies this year in St John's. She too is enthusiastic about the cause.

"I enjoy meeting people all the time and I love seeing the little ones. It's tiring but satisfying."

They were both presented with an award yesterday by Royal British Legion county field officer Anthony Hartley-Woolley for their long service to the Poppy Appeal.

Mr Avery spent four years in Germany from 1946 and then went to Korea and Japan, including a visit to post-H-bomb Hiroshima.

He was chairman of the St John's and Hallow branch of the Royal British Legion for three years and is marshal on Sunday's St John's Remembrance Day parade. And with a grandson-in-law serving in the Army, this year's commemorations have a particular poignancy.

"It brings things to the public's attention," he says.

"The lads today are losing their lives in Iraq and people are getting injured. The Legion is supporting them too.

"It brings it all back. They might be dressed a bit differently but they are doing the same job as we did. They are scared that terrorists are going to hit them.

Mr Avery remembers the particular fears of servicemen going into such an environment.

"You've certainly got to keep your eyes open. It's hard to stay completely alert but you've got to. With bullets and bombs going off all night you can't sleep and you get run down," he says.

"It seems the same thing is going on in Fallujah. I'd like to see it finished and we can all live in peace. By the end of the Second World War everyone thought: 'That's over and we can settle down to peaceful life.'"

The Averys, who live in Worboys Road, St John's, have nine grandchildren, and the one who is married to a soldier currently stationed in Aldershot is expecting Mr and Mrs Avery's first great-grandchild in February.

With every poppy the couple has sold, there is a story to tell and an opportunity to reflect on servicemen and women past and present.

"You do get worried because you don't know what's going to happen," says Mrs Avery.

"But that's why they join up. To help people. And that's just what they're doing."

n Worcester

Members of the Royal British Legion will fall in at Queen Street at 10am and march through High Street to the Cathedral. Prayers will be said outside before the service begins at 11am. Mayor Allah Ditta will take the salute at the Guildhall after the Remembrance Service.

n St John's and Hallow

British Legion members will join Scouts and Guides in the Swanpool car park at 9.30am. They will march to St John's Church in Malvern Road for the service at 10am. Wreaths and poppies will be laid at the war memorial outside the church before the silence at 11am. The march will then go back to Swanpool via Bromyard Road.

n Claines

Meet in St Anne's church hall, in Cornmeadow Lane, at 10am. The march to St John the Baptist Church will move off 20 minutes later, accompanied by Stourport Brass Band. Wreaths will be laid next to the sacrificial cross outside the church before the service. There will then be a march back to the Royal British Legion hall.

n Droitwich

Marchers meet at the Salvation Army hall in Union Lane at 10.30am and lay wreaths at the cenotaph outside the library at 11am. They then continue on to the service at St Andrew's church which begins at 11.30am.

n Pershore

Meeting at 10.20am at the main car park in High Street for the march to the Abbey where the two-minute silence will be held. After the service there will be a march past through the town around noon. All ex-servicemen and women are welcome to attend.

n Stourport

The parade will start at 10.15am outside the Royal British Legion. Anybody wishing to join in should assemble at 9.40am. The marchers, together with Sherwood Foresters band, will go to St Wulstan's Roman Catholic Church in Vale Road.

n Colwall

There is no parade in Colwall, but members of the Royal British Legion will meet at St James' Parish Church at 10.35am. The service begins at 10.45am with the laying of wreaths and the Last Post. Standards will be raised at 11.10am.

n Evesham

Marchers will be in Market Square at 10.25am and will be inspected by the mayor of Evesham. The parade will go to the war memorial in Evesham park and, after the laying of wreaths and the two-minute silence, a service will take place at All Saints Church in Market Square.

n Ledbury

Proceedings begin at 10.20am when the Royal British Legion assembles in St Catherine's car park in the centre of town. Members will then march to St Michael's and All Angels Church for the service, which starts at 11am.

n Malvern

Marchers, including members of the Royal British Legion and representatives from the police, fire brigade and St John Ambulance, will fall in at 2.10pm in Graham Road. They will march to the war memorial at the library and lay wreaths before going to a service in Malvern Priory in Church Street at 3pm. The march will be accompanied by Malvern Hills Brass Band.

n Powick and

Callow End

Marchers will meet outside the Red Lion public house in Powick at 10.20am. They will march to St Peter's Church for a service at 11am before going back to the Red Lion. In the afternoon the events move to Callow End, meeting at the Village Hall at 2.20pm before a service at St James's Church. The Royal British Legion says everybody is welcome to attend.

n Upton-upon-Severn

The Royal British Legion has arranged to meet at the old fire station at the bottom of New Street between 10am and 10.15am. They will march to the parish church for a service and to lay wreaths before going to the Pepperpot church.

n Kidderminster

The parade takes place between 10.15am and 12.30pm from New Road to St Mary's Church, with the service between 11am and noon. New Road, Bridge Street, Oxford Street, Vicar Street, Bull Ring, Lower Mill Street and St Mary's Ringway will be closed as the march passes by.

n Hereford

Meeting at 10.15am in High Town before setting off to the cenotaph. There will be wreath-laying and a two-minute silence there before a short service in the open air. The paraders will then march back through the city centre.

poppy day guide

What's happening around the two counties today to remember those who have fallen.

Worcester

Members of the Royal British Legion will fall in at Queen Street at 10am and march through High Street to the Cathedral. Prayers will be said outside before the service begins at 11am. Mayor Allah Ditta will take the salute at the Guildhall after the Remembrance Service.

St John's and Hallow

British Legion members will join Scouts and Guides in the Swanpool car park at 9.30am. They will march to St John's Church in Malvern Road for the service at 10am. Wreaths and poppies will be laid at the war memorial outside the church before the silence at 11am. The march will then go back to Swanpool via Bromyard Road.

Claines

Meet in St Anne's church hall, in Cornmeadow Lane, at 10am. The march to St John the Baptist Church will move off 20 minutes later, accompanied by Stourport Brass Band. Wreaths will be laid next to the sacrificial cross outside the church before the service. There will then be a march back to the Royal British Legion hall.

Droitwich

Marchers meet at the Salvation Army hall in Union Lane at 10.30am and lay wreaths at the cenotaph outside the library at 11am. They then continue on to the service at St Andrew's church which begins at 11.30am.

Pershore

Meeting at 10.20am at the main car park in High Street for the march to the Abbey where the two-minute silence will be held. After the service there will be a march past through the town around noon. All ex-servicemen and women are welcome to attend.

Stourport

The parade will start at 10.15am outside the Royal British Legion. Anybody wishing to join in should assemble at 9.40am. The marchers, together with Sherwood Foresters band, will go to St Wulstan's Roman Catholic Church in Vale Road.

Colwall

There is no parade in Colwall, but members of the Royal British Legion will meet at St James' Parish Church at 10.35am. The service begins at 10.45am with the laying of wreaths and the Last Post. Standards will be raised at 11.10am.

Evesham

Marchers will be in Market Square at 10.25am and will be inspected by the mayor of Evesham. The parade will go to the war memorial in Evesham park and, after the laying of wreaths and the two-minute silence, a service will take place at All Saints Church in Market Square.

Ledbury

Proceedings begin at 10.20am when the Royal British Legion assembles in St Catherine's car park in the centre of town. Members will then march to St Michael's and All Angels Church for the service, which starts at 11am.

Malvern

Marchers, including members of the Royal British Legion and representatives from the police, fire brigade and St John Ambulance, will fall in at 2.10pm in Graham Road. They will march to the war memorial at the library and lay wreaths before going to a service in Malvern Priory in Church Street at 3pm. The march will be accompanied by Malvern Hills Brass Band.

Powick and

Callow End

Marchers will meet outside the Red Lion public house in Powick at 10.20am. They will march to St Peter's Church for a service at 11am before going back to the Red Lion. In the afternoon the events move to Callow End, meeting at the Village Hall at 2.20pm before a service at St James's Church. The Royal British Legion says everybody is welcome to attend.

Upton-upon-Severn

The Royal British Legion has arranged to meet at the old fire station at the bottom of New Street between 10am and 10.15am. They will march to the parish church for a service and to lay wreaths before going to the Pepperpot church.

Kidderminster

The parade takes place between 10.15am and 12.30pm from New Road to St Mary's Church, with the service between 11am and noon. New Road, Bridge Street, Oxford Street, Vicar Street, Bull Ring, Lower Mill Street and St Mary's Ringway will be closed as the march passes by.

Hereford

Meeting at 10.15am in High Town before setting off to the cenotaph. There will be wreath-laying and a two-minute silence there before a short service in the open air. The paraders will then march back through the city centre.