A WORLD War Two veteran from Wrexham has been presented with a bottle of centenary Royal British Legion (RBL) champagne to thank him for 40 years of service to the Poppy Appeal.

The bottle was presented to former Royal Marine Herbert Pritchard by RBL Community Fundraiser Claire Lewis.

He was also presented with his 40-year volunteer award by North Wales District Chair of the RBL, George Rogerson.

The RBL has launched its first-ever range of champagnes, the RBL 100 range, in partnership with luxury bespoke wine and spirit makers Eminent Wines.

Herbert, who was awarded the Burma Star medal for his service during World War Two, said: “It was a wonderful surprise to receive the champagne and I shall definitely enjoy it, once the Poppy Appeal is over.

"It is so important that we raise as much money as we can this year, with so many people in our Armed Forces community facing challenges as a result of the pandemic. This year, more than ever, every poppy counts.”

Three champagnes are available to buy online, with ten percent of profits going to the charity which provides life-long support to the Armed Forces community and is celebrating its centenary year.

Claire Lewis said, “This is just a gesture to say ‘thank you’ to a wonderful gentleman who has supported the Poppy Appeal for four decades.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, charities had to be ever more creative and innovative in the way they raised funds. The money raised from our RBL 100 Champagne sales will help us continue to provide life-long support to the Armed Forces community.”

The trio of champagnes are:

• Reveille (Brut) - A name inspired by the music which follows The Last Post and Two Minute Silence at Remembrance services.

• Champs de Fleurs (Rose) - Translates from French to ‘fields of flowers’, in reference to the fields of poppies that flourished on the Western Front following the First World War, which led to the red poppy becoming a symbol of Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future.

• Centurion (Blanc de Blanc) - A name, quite simply, in reference to 100 years of the Royal British Legion.

The bottles are available to buy at www.eminentwines.com