GULF war veteran and best selling author John Nichol will be in Kent next month to launch the county’s Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Mr Nichol will speak about his experiences as a prisoner-of-war during the Gulf War and how he is using his experiences to champion the cause of ex-Service men and women.

The Poppy Appeal lunch will be held at noon on Saturday, October 19, at the Ramada Hotel, Hollingbourne, near Maidstone. Tickets are available to members of the public at £35 a head.

Last year, the Poppy Appeal in Kent raised £744,028 - an increase of 6.2 per cent on the previous year. Nationally, the Legion raised almost £21.5 million.

As president of the Gulf veteran's branch of the Legion, John Nichol is well aware of the continuing need to help and support ex-service personnel.

"When I joined the RAF in 1981, at the height of the Cold War, it was inconceivable that we would go to war,” he said.

But then came the Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan. And perhaps Iraq again.

* Anyone wishing to attend should specify the number of tickets required and send a cheque payable to Kent County RBL Poppy Appeal to: Mr Ron Lamb, County Appeals Co-ordinator, Kent County HQ, The Royal British Legion Village, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7NY.

Please include your name and address and daytime telephone number. Additional amounts can be included as a donation to the Poppy Appeal. Applications for tickets must be with the Legion by Friday, September 20.