RADCLIFFE Royal British Legion is taking drastic action in an attempt to ensure its survival.

With fewer members and less money, the organisation was forced to close its building in Water Street on April 1 when it became financially impossible to keep it open.

Supporters have drifted to other pubs in Radcliffe and just a handful of committee members remain at the heart of the group.

They are now looking for new ways to run the organisation and have been forced to change the way it works.

John Simpson, who has been a member for more than 30 years, said: "On Remembrance Sunday, 300 people turn out from across the town, but unfortunately we don't see those people again for the rest of the year because they are supporting their own organisations instead. We understand why they don't come back, but it means we only have a small group of loyal members throughout the year and we're really struggling."

The Royal British Legion has now moved to a small office in Heber Street, close to the cenotaph, which will act as the branch headquarters. The office is used as a base for the group and as a venue for their monthly committee meetings.

From September 12, it will also be used as a small charity shop, selling ornaments and other bric-a-brac, to raise money to keep the branch running throughout the year. It will open from 10am until 3pm every Tuesday and Friday, during which donations of goods suitable for sale can also be left.

Mr Simpson said: "Opening the office as a shop is something new for us to do and it might not work, but we need to find a way to raise money to fund the branch. We don't have bar takings or social events any more, so this is a way of having a regular income."

The move from a large headquarters has meant members of the British Legion are already making plans for the launch of the Poppy Appeal and Remembrance Day.

Mr Simpson, who organises the appeal in the area, hopes they will be able to distribute poppies across the town as usual, but he is worried there will not be enough volunteers to do this. Another major concern is finding people willing to sell the poppies at Asda in Radcliffe, where two volunteers must cover each four-hour shift in the week before Remembrance Day.

Poppy wreaths to be laid at the cenotaph during the parade are already being ordered by the Royal British Legion, and the lack of space means they will have to be collected from the office during the weeks before the event, rather than on the day.

For the parade, organisations from across Radcliffe will have to meet on the car park at the Last Orders pub in Water Street to assemble for the walk through the town.

The parade will follow the traditional route towards the cenotaph for the two minutes silence, before a service at St Thomas and St John's Church in Blackburn Street.

Refreshments will be served afterwards at the Last Orders, though it is unlikely that the usual buffet and large raffle will be on offer this year. The branch collects around £6,000 per year through the Poppy Appeal, but the lack of a social event after the parade is bound to have a knock-on effect on the amount of money raised.

Mr Simpson said: "The Last Orders have been kind enough to let us use their pub, but there will be regular drinkers there and we can't take over the building. We won't have takings from the bar this year, and we probably won't hold a raffle, so the charity will definitely suffer.

"Many people think of British Legions as being full of little old men with arms and legs missing, but it really isn't like that. Young men are coming back from war zones right now, and they need our support just like World War Two soldiers did.

"Branches are closing in other towns but we are determined to do whatever we can to keep the Royal British Legion in Radcliffe."

Anyone wishing to find out more about the Radcliffe Royal British Legion can contact John Simpson on (0161) 724 7928.