Museum visitors raise £5,000 for Royal British Legion

two customers lookat Royal British Legion display in Lakeland Motor Museum.

The Royal British Legion has said ‘thank you’ to visitors to the Lakeland Motor Museum, who have raised more than £5,000 for their Poppy Appeal.

A special display commemorating South Cumbria’s contribution to World War I was created as part of the WWI centenary in 2014, and since then, a stream of visitors have continued to make donations to the Poppy Appeal boxes alongside the thought-provoking exhibit.The money collected has now reached £5010.92 and the Royal British Legion have made a special presentation to celebrate the landmark.

Dedicated to the 14 men from Haverthwaite Parish who lost their lives in the conflict, the display shows details of where they fell and where they are commemorated – all researched by local historian Ron Mein. Depicting a typical command post, the exhibit includes a despatch rider bringing in a message on his Triumph Model H motorcycle - one of 30,000 produced for the war effort. A film showing various forms of transport during World War. One is also showing continuously, from horses and wagons to ambulances and motorbikes.

Chairman of the Lakeland Motor Museum, Les Micklethwaite, says, “Those who fought and fell in the First World War made a huge sacrifice and we feel this exhibit is an important way to recognise and honour their memory. We believe it is vital to keep supporting ex-service men and women and their families, and we are grateful to Museum visitors who have continued to give generously to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.”

The exhibition will continue until the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I in November 2018.