Larry Cauchi has been appointed the new chairman of the Thornbury and District Branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL).

Larry was in the RAF for 26 years and served in Germany, the Middle East and the USA as well as in the UK.

After leaving the RAF, he moved to Rolls Royce Defence in Bristol and managed the operations desk providing technical support to Air Forces around the world.

“It was almost pre-ordained that I would join the RAF," said Larry.

"My grandfather and two uncles were all military men and their stories influenced me as I was growing up.

"An important feature of my time in the service was the comradeship which is an intrinsic part of being in the military family.

"My reasons for originally joining the Royal British Legion were to maintain that sense of belonging to the military family, for comradeship and in order to help those in need both locally and in the wider RBL community.

"As the new Chairman of our branch, I would like to increase and build our membership. Anyone who shares our aims and values can join the RBL and will be very welcome.

"I would also like to build on the successful welfare support we already provide for our members. Since the first lockdown our members have rallied to support each other.

"We have a team of volunteers ready to help with shopping, prescriptions and the like, and we have been making weekly calls to our members to make sure they are OK, and to provide those on their own some social exchange."

Last year the Thornbury branch of the RBL raised more than £17,000 for the Poppy Appeal.

The branch normally meets on the last Sunday of the month in the Black Horse on Gillingstool at 12 noon.

"We look forward to resuming these meetings as soon as we can, and anybody who would like to join the branch will be very welcome," said Larry.