Byline: ANDREW GLOVER
But their plans to raise thousands of pounds to equip the revamped pavilion at Upper Hopton Cricket Club have been dealt a massive blow.War veterans had been left devastated when organisers had to make the decision to cancel the event.When the Chronicle told Mr Graham about the pounds 1,000 offer from Greggs, he said: "That's absolutely amazing.[bar] TARGET: Upper Hopton Cricket Club president Neil Jagger with the shed which was broken in to. Below, the clubhouse which is set for major improvementThere will be a junior cricket match in the morning followed by a barbecue and entertainment for families, including games, races, a bouncy castle and a Between The Sexes cricket match.The club has been given grants totalling pounds 45,000, from Kirklees Council and the waste group Sita UK, to build extensions to the clubhouse, which dates back to 1962 when the cricketers moved to their present ground.Mr Graham, from Cramlington, Northumberland, said: "There's been a lot of tears among the veterans and the people who supported it. To know we can put something on for them is great. They will be greatly relieved."Father-of-two and grandfather-ofthree Mr Graham said the festival would still be without a military band because of cutbacks to the Armed Forces brought about by the Strategic Defence Review.At its height in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Masover's firm operated 30 Les-On Drugs stores in greater Chicago and downstate Illinois, each averaging close to $1 million in sales. By 1987, however, the chain was down to 12 units. Recently, the last of them were sold back to their franchisees.The festival, held in Gateshead, commemorates the fallen and raises thousands of pounds for military charities, including the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.But they also want to provide new furniture, fittings, showers and toilets to meet growing demand at the club.Mr Graham, who is also Newcastle chairman of the Royal Air Force Association, said it was the highlight of the year for many veterans."They caused damage to the locks on our container and smashed the door on the storage shed. It will cost us pounds 5,000 and although insurance will cover some of the cost, it is equipment we have to replace.The Chronicle reported how this November's event had been cancelled because the committee could not cover the costs of catering, entertainment and the printing of tickets and programmes, which cost around pounds 1,000."We want the club to become the focal point of village life as other non-cricket community and village groups, such as the local art group and coffee mornings, can make use of it."The Tyneside Festival of Remembrance has won a reprieve after bakers Greggs donated funds to help it continue."Our Tuesday practice nights see 70 children on the fields and that is why we desperately need to expand the facilities.PLAYERS and officials of a Mirfield cricket club are pulling out all the stops to improve their facilities.CAPTION(S):"Times are very tough for many people and at Greggs we really wanted to help so this important festival can take place again, bringing veterans from across the region together and helping to raise funds for the Royal British Legion's annual Poppy Appeal."But the Greggs' offer means the committee can begin to plan the celebrations so many ex-servicemen and women looked forward to every year.
NEWS How we reported on the war veterans' plight LIFTED RAF veteran Sydney Graham celebrates after Greggs stepped in to help the Festival of Remembrance with a donation
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