Remembrance services in English this weekend

Churches, schools, shops and expat groups in Belgium are getting involved in the Royal British Legion's annual Poppy Appeal, with a goal to raise more than €55m worldwide.

Some of the bloodiest fighting in the first world war took place here in Belgium, and the Legion created the Poppy Appeal to help those returning from the conflict.

The symbol is worn to commemorate those who died and to fund welfare work and life-long care for ex-army personnel and their families.

Here are some of the places where you can buy a poppy this year - as well as details of remembrance services in English.

Brussels region

Air Museum Café, Parc du Cinquantenaire
St. Andrew’s Church of Scotland, Chaussée de Vleurgat 181
BEPS International School, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 23
British & Commonwealth Women’s Club, Rue au Bois 509
Burston Marsteller, Square de Meeûs 37
European Parliament, 1000
Eurostar terminal, Gare du Midi
Fleischman-Hillard, Square de Meeûs 35, 4th floor
FTI Consulting, Avenue Marnix 23
Hill & Knowlton, Rue Montoyer 51
Holy Trinity Church, Rue Capitaine Crespel 29
Marks & Spencer, Avenue de la Toison d'Or 26-28
Michael Collins, Rue du Bailli 1
Northern Ireland Executive Office, Chaussée d'Etterbeek 180
Schuman Medical Practice, Boulevard Charlemagne 37
British Chamber of Commerce, Boulevard Bishoffsheim 11
British Embassy and UK Representation, Avenue d'Auderghem 10
British International School, Avenue Emile Max 163
UK Delegation at NATO, Avenue Leopold II
Waterstone's, Boulevard Adolph Max 71-75
Welsh Assembly, Rond Point Schumann 11
Swedish/English Shop, Rue Archimède 59
Trafalgar, Passage Linthout 2-3
Slaughter & May, Square de Meeûs 40
Sterling Books, Rue Fossé aux Loups 38

A remembrance service will be held at 12.00 on Sunday 8 November at Holy Trinity Church, Rue Capitaine Crespel 29 in Ixelles.

The Royal British Legion Brussels branch will also take part in an international remembrance service on Belgian Memorial Day, Saturday 24 October, at the grave of the unknown soldier on Rue Royale from 14.00, honouring the Belgian civilians and soldiers as well as British, Canadian, French, German and Indian soldiers who lost their lives in 1915.

Brussels suburbs

All Saints Church, Chaussée de Charleroi 2, 1420 Braine-l’Alleud
St. Anthony’s Church, Oudstrijderslaan 23, 1950 Kraainem
St. John’s International School, Drève Richelle 146, 1410 Waterloo
St. Paul’s British Primary School, Stationstraat 3, 3080 Tervuren
British School of Brussels, Leuvensesteenweg 19, 3080 Tervuren
BUFC, Nekker Sports Centre, Mechelen
ISF Waterloo International School, Chaussée de Waterloo 280, 1640 Rhode-Saint-Genèse
Stonemanor, Steenhofstraat 28, 3078 Everberg
Stonemanor, Chaussée de Waterloo 41, 1640 Rhode-Saint-Genèse
Treasure Trove, Brusselssteenweg 7, 3080 Tervuren
Watson‘s Fish and Chip Shop, Chaussée de Bruxelles 192, 1410 Waterloo

Elsewhere in Wallonia

Lycée de Waha, Boulevard d'Avroy 96, 4000 Liège
SHAPE, 7010 Mons

Antwerp and suburbs

The Highlander, Stadswaag 21
The British Shop, Grote Pieter Potstraat 38
The Old Trafford, Leopoldplaats 3
Antwerp University Restaurant, Koningstraat 8
Hilton Hotel, Groenplaats 32
Leonardo Hotel, De Keyserlei 59
Belfry Little Theatre, Paardenmarkt 111
Vredescentrum, Lombardenvest 23
Da Vinci School, Verbondstraat 67
The Mission to Seafarers, Hoevensebaan 253, 2950 Kapellen
Basiliek Hotel, Trooststraat 22, 2650 Edegem

The Antwerp branch of the Royal British Legion will be selling poppies on the Meir shopping street on Saturday 7 November from 11.00 to 16.00. 

A remembrance service will be held on Sunday 8 November from 18.30 at Saint-Boniface Anglican church, Gretrystraat 39.

On 11 November, the RBL Antwerp branch will take part in ceremonies at Schoonselhof cemetery at 9.30 and the Stadspark from 10.45.

Ypres

Albion Hotel, St.Jacobsstraat 28
Alliance Hotel, D'Hondstraat 19
Ambrosia Hotel, D'Hondstraat 54
Ariane Hotel, Slachthuisstraat 58
Best Western Flanders, A Dehemlaan 19
Boerenhol, Vandepeereboomplein 21
Chez Marie, Neermarkt 6
Chocolate Vandaele, Grote Markt 9
Chocolaterie De Groote, Grote Markt 43
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Elverdingestraat 82
Cyper, Grote Markt 5
De Iep, Poperingseweg 34
De Kazematten, Bollingstraat 1
De Nacht Wacht B&B, Maloulaan 15
De Trompet, Grote Markt 28
Gasthof 't Zweerd, Grote Markt 2
Hampshire Hotel O, D'Hondstraat 4
Hortensia, Rijselstraat 196
Hotel Novotel, St Jacobsstraat 15
Hotel Regina, Grote Markt 45
Ice Cream De Groote, Grote Markt 43
In 't Klein Stadhuis, Grote Markt 32
Klein Rijsel, Rijselstraat 208
Kollebloem, Grote Markt 24
Leonidas H. De Groote, Grote Markt 7
Main Street Hotel, Rijselstraat 136
Marktkaffee 'les halles', Grote Markt 35
Minneke Poes, Menenstraat 39
Museum Godshuis Belle, Rijselstraat 38
Old Tom, Grote Markt 8
Petrus, Grote Markt 20
Salient Tours, Menenstraat 5
Santé, Boterstraat 37
St Arnoldus, Menenstraat 19
St George’s Church, Elverdingestraat 1
't Appel, Grote Markt
't Ganzeke, Vandepeereboomplein 5
't Hemelryck, Meensestraat 10
't Hemelryck 2, Meensestraat 16
't Iepertje, Menenstraat 12
't Kattekwaad, Grote Markt 23
The Walker, Menenstraat 6
Times Korte, Torhoutstraat 7
Tommy's Shop, Menenstraat 4
Tourist Office Ieper, Grote Markt 34

The Royal British Legion Ypres branch will launch its poppy appeal on Saturday 31 October, when branch members will be keeping a vigil at the Menin Gate memorial from sunrise to sunset.

The branch has also been given unprecedented permission to project the Legion's poppy onto the belfry of the Lakenhalle. The grand switch-on will be at 20.30 on 31 October, after the Last Post ceremony, and the poppy will be visible every evening until 11 November.

The Ypres Branch will also be street collecting in the town each evening from 18.00 to 21.00 from 31 October to 11 November.

Elsewhere in Flanders

Canada, Meenseweg 470, 8902 Zillebeke
Museum Hill 62, Canadalaan 26, 8902 Zillebeke
Museum Hooge Crater, Meenseweg 467, 8902 Zillebeke
Oud Gemeentehuis, Guynemerplein 5, 8920 Poelkapelle
Varlet Farm, Wallemolenstraat 43, 8920 Poelkapelle
Tourist Office Heuvelland, Polenlaan 1, 8950 Heuvelland
De Zon, Planciusplein 3, 8951 Dranouter
Peace Village Messines, Nieuwkerkestraat 9a, 8957 Mesen
Rozendal, Gasthuisstraat 77, 8970 Poperinge
Tourist Office Poperinge, Grote Markt 1, 8970 Poperinge
Talbot House vzw, Gasthuisstraat 43, 8970 Poperinge
Resto Merlijn, Oude Wervikstraat 70, 8980 Beselare
Café De Dreve, Lange Dreve 16, 8980 Zonnebeke
Memorial Museum Passchendaele, Berten Pilstraat 5, 8980 Zonnebeke
L'Auberge, Mesenstraat 159, 7782 Ploegsteert
Tourist Office Ploegsteert, rue de Messines 159, 7782 Ploegsteert
Quasimodo Tours, Kapellestraat 87, 8020 Oostkamp
Flanagans, Langestraat 102, 8400 Ostend
t Iengels Wienkeltje, Christinastraat 56, 8400 Osentd
P&J The Factory Oostendsebaan 152, 8470 Snaaskerke

Have we missed anything? Email editorial@thebulletin.be

Photo: wazimu0/Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons