General Chat

I was surprised to learn they only have seventeen operatives in the whole of the UK

had a letter from Poppy Help actually thanking me for using their services :-D <3

Ann Im glad you got it all sorted ...an im not a little tinker you are ;-) ;-) <3

The Royal British Legion's Handy Van service (also known as Poppy Calls) means that if you need any minor maintenance work or adaptations, we are here to help.

Our trained, friendly, and reliable fitters can carry out many tasks in your home including:

The provision of household checks covering physical security, fire safety and winter warmth.
Changing light-bulbs and tap washers.
Installing shelves, curtain-rails and grab-rails.
Installling smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Fitting and changing door locks and other security features.
Building access ramps and sheds where an EPV has been provided by the Legion.
Installing care-phones.

This is not an exhaustive list so let us know what you need, and if we can help, we will.

Who can get it?

Our Handy Van service is available for all Legion beneficiaries living in the areas below. The service is free if you are receiving a means-tested benefit, and if you are aged 75 or over (irrespective of whether you are in receipt of a means-tested benefit or not).

Additional support may also be given to those who have been invalided from Service.

If you are not eligible for a free service, then we will give you a competitive quote.

Areas of coverage

Birmingham
Cambridgeshire
Cornwall
Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
Leicestershire
Greater Manchester and Lancashire
Lincolnshire
Liverpool
Merseyside and Cheshire
Mid Wales
Newcastle
Norfolk
North Wales
Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes
Northumberland
Staffordshire
Somerset
South Wales
South and West Yorkshire
Suffolk

In addition to the above areas, the service can be provided into bordering counties where it is practical and effective to do so. The service coverage is always under review.

Peace of mind

For your safety all of our Handy Van (Poppy Calls) fitters

have been cleared by the Disclosue and Barring Service
carry identification cards at all times, and
wear one of our Legion-branded uniforms.

Our fitters can signpost you to other Legion services and support or referral agencies in your local area.

If you would like to ask about our Handy Van service, call us on 0808 802 8080 (+44 (0)20 3376 8080 if calling from abroad) or email us at [email protected]. You can also fill in the form in the back of the attached booklet.

What if my area is not covered by the Poppy Calls service?

Poppy Calls also works in partnership with the Goodwin Trust covering Hull and WE Care and Repair covering Bristol. If you live in one of these areas you should contact these organisations directly.

Goodwin trust (Hull): 01482 587550

WE Care and Repair: 0300 323 0700

Good news Ann, thanks for the info, I am just about to make a note of the number in case we ever need it. :-) :-) :-)

door chain fitted :-D :-D

he checked all my doors for security, gave me two carbon monoxide alarms, asked me if I wanted one of the "SOS" alarms to hang round my neck!!! - free for the first year - didn't want one

is coming again to do a full fire safety check, and to repair a broken light switch and a wobbly socket

seems they do everything apart from gardening and painting and decorating

Great news Ann.....when I see my neighbour I will ask him if he has heard anything <3

had a call this afternoon - someone coming tomorrow to fit my door chain and to see if there is anything else I need :-D

Very sorry to hear that PatinCyprus

:-D <3

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All ex service men and women and their dependants are entitled to help from the British Legion and the Naval/Army/RAF charities. Most areas have an association nearby with a welfare section.

The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen Families Association - SSAFA https://www.ssafa.org.uk/

I helped a friend of mine when her inlaws were in dire straits due to severe ill health. She didn't know where to turn, I just asked if he'd served as he was the right age for WW2. He'd been in the Navy she was a WREN. British Legion got there fast. Found out he'd been on 3 ships that had been torpedoed and sunk, he was therefore entitled to a war pension and should have received it years before. The confirmation of this came through 2 weeks after he'd died. The money is only paid to a living person so the pension was never paid. The mother in law did get help during her last 2 years of life but things could have been so different for them.

apparently they can do lots of things - even in the garden

Glad you feel you have some extra support Ann at a time when you must be feeling low, I am pleased you thought of contacting them and have now helped someone else as well.

My parents contacted SSAFA I think it was, when they needed help when my Dad was diagnosed with cancer and they helped with advice and support.

Lizx

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Nudge

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nudging to keep it on front page for a while