THE Pershore branch Royal British Legion celebrated its 80th anniversary with a parade and service on Sunday, demonstrating its place in the community is just as important today as it was when the first ex-Servicemen formed the branch.

Malcolm Westerman, who moved to Pershore in 1969 after 22 years in the Royal Navy and joined the branch three years later has been treasurer for the past 12 years, and along with other offices he has held has a great knowledge of the value of the 200-strong branch.

"On the welfare side we try to be as helpful as we can within the rules of the game," he explained. "We have an active service committee dealing with the benevolent side which meets monthly and anyone seeking assistance we can channel in the right direction if it not something we can deal with ourselves."

Mr Westerman is convinced the Legion, with its army of volunteers at branch level across the country, is needed as much today as it has ever been. "The Second World War veterans are now getting on in years and many are not able to do as much as they used to do," he explained.

"We are gaining a few younger members nowadays and so hopefully the Royal British Legion will go on. Unfortunately, some of the smaller village branches are losing people prepared to carry on and we are now probably looking after a bigger area, covering some of the surrounding villages."

Mr Westerman said: "the Legion does a lot, sometimes very quietly, and I am convinced I will continue to do so for many years to come."

The Royal British Legion, Britain's premier ex-Service organisation, was formed in 1921 by the bringing together of four national organisations of ex-Servicemen. Formed at a time of depression and high unemployment, Field Marshall Earl Haig, the founding president, was concerned not only to help needy ex-Servicemen financially, but to restore self-respect by providing employment.

So it is today that the Legion, through its related companies, employs nearly 3,000 ex-Servicemen and women and their dependents, 24 pre cent of whom are registered disabled, making the Legion one of the largest employers of disabled people in the country.

Its objects include promoting the welfare of ex-Servicemen or women and their dependents and relieving hardship among them where it exists, raising and distributing money for these purposes, assisting serving men and women in their return to civilian life, and promoting the interests of their dependents.

Under its Royal Charter, he Legion's help is available to all of them, regardless of whether or not they are members. This represents some 13 million people, nearly one fifth of the population. For this purpose the Legion provides seven residential homes and three respite care homes, training to NVQ standard in a range of skills and disciplines, advice on setting up small businesses and start-up loans, pilgrimages to war graves world-wide, free advisory service of pensions, and much more, mainly funded by the Poppy Appeal.

Altogether, over 300,000 calls are dealt with each year. The Legion with its 610,000 members, 4,321 branches and 832 clubs also acts as a social focus for the ex-Service community. For details of how to join or for further information call Legionline on 08457 725 725 or visit the Legion's website www.britishlegion.org.uk, or write to The Secretary General, The Royal British Legion, 48 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5JY.