The British community based on the Costa del Sol took to the streets of La Cala on Saturday 17th October to mark Remembrance Day once again. The event honoured the memory of those who fell in armed conflicts and officially launched the organisation’s annual charity fundraising campaign. The mayoress of Mijas, Ana Mata (PP), joined the gathering in La Butibamba Park and highlighted the event’s spirit of community and solidarity, noting that “our presence here signifies support for this significant commemoration and pays tribute to all those who served and lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. We also want to help ensure that the people living among us, our British neighbours, do not feel alone, and all the funds raised will go towards supporting those British residents who have chosen Mijas as their home for life and who, as they grow older, sometimes find it harder to get out and integrate”.

 

Following the initial gathering in the park, the military and civilian procession set off. The councillor for Foreigners, Mario Bravo (PP), and councillor Marcos Cortés (PP) made their way to the Plaza de El Torreón to take part in the solemn raising of the Union flag alongside members of the organisation. Bravo reflected on the historic sacrifice made by Allied troops in their defence of Western democracies, stating that “we have gathered at El Torreón, where we will honour the memory of those who gave their lives to keep the world free, peaceful and secure. That is why we are here, supporting them and sharing with them the values of our culture on a day to remember all those who fell in the conflicts in which, sadly, we have had to take part”.

The Poppy Appeal

The event served as the official launch for the sale of traditional red poppies (the Poppy Appeal), an initiative that saw attendees wearing the emblem on their lapels. The chairman of the Royal British Legion in southern Spain, Neal Toplis, emphasised the strategic importance of our municipality in hosting the opening parade, stating: “We are holding this event in Mijas because it is the heart of the Costa del Sol, the ideal location. The real reason for being here is to raise money to help British ex-servicemen, the wounded and pensioners in Spain”.

 

The funds raised through this charity drive, which will run until Sunday 8th November, guarantee the provision of healthcare, housing and food assistance. This was explained by decorated veteran Tony Roberson, who wore six medals for his service in Northern Ireland and Kuwait, alongside commemorative badges marking the Queen’s jubilees and the King’s coronation: “The charity is for veterans; even if you’ve served just one day in the military, you’re a veteran. Every year we raise funds through the poppy campaign and other events so that we can help military personnel and their families in times of need. Perhaps an elderly person needs food, housing or medical support, and that’s what we’re here for".

The origin of the emblem of remembrance

The choice of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance is deeply rooted in the First World War, poetically linking a tragic event with human solidarity. Poppies thrive exceptionally well in disturbed, chalky soil; consequently, after relentless artillery bombardments, the churned-up earth of Belgium and France was covered in a blanket of red poppies. During the Second Battle of Ypres in the spring of 1915, military doctor John McCrae captured this phenomenon in his poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, forever linking the flower’s colour with those fallen in battle.

 

Three years later, American academic Moina Michael read the poem and began wearing a silk poppy as a tribute. The shift towards charitable work came shortly afterwards, spearheaded by Frenchwoman Anna Guérin, who organised the production of artificial poppies to fund aid for veterans and orphans.

The symbol was permanently established in 1921, when Guérin persuaded the newly founded Royal British Legion to adopt the initiative. The organisation ordered millions of paper poppies for its autumn campaign, cementing a lasting tradition of remembrance and fundraising that takes centre stage across the Commonwealth every November.

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