The new RBL logo pin is now available from PoppyShop , also there is a '100 Years' pin.

I've ordered both as I'm sure they will be popular and don't want to risk missing out !

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Well spotted - I have also made an order.

I have to thank Charliedog (James) as he gave me a 'heads-up' , you had to really hunt around the PoppyShop website to find them.

Today I got an e-mail from PoppyShop :
"We will be launching our Spring e-Catalogue in March but in the meantime we are pleased to let you know that some of our new items have already made it onto the Poppy Shop."

It showed the new dated gold/silver tone pins but not a mention of the 'logo' or '100 years' ones. :confused:

It's no wonder people miss out on some of their badges/pins ! :mad:

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Rant time !
 

A while back I was checking the RBL site about their plans for their Centenary and noticed this :

"We’ll be publishing a book by noted social historian Julie Summers to mark our centenary. The book will contain stories and images that can be used across our various channels."

The book is called "We Are The Legion: The Royal British Legion at 100" and will be a great item for anyone interested in the RBL.

So why the rant ?

This morning I have discovered it is available for pre-order ......

....... on eBay and Amazon ! Not on the RBL eBay pages or the PoppyShop website , the eBay ones (5 available) are on a book sellers site and the Amazon ones simply state "Dispatched from and sold by Amazon".


Another point , have also just seen that 2021 dated poppy pins are now available from PoppyShop , so expect to see them appearing on eBay soon.


RANT OVER ! :D

As a PAO I was informed last December that the 2021 Pin would be available from March 2021 but I am taken aback that they have been offered via the Poppy Shop at the cost of £3, £5 or £10 Donation PLUS £3.99 Postage. When as PAO's we are instructed only to suggest £2 - That is if and when we ever get them to offer that is. The postage alone for a single pin is far to high, and not money that goes to the Poppy Appeal.

I have e-mailed the head of Poppy Appeal to voice my displeasure at not getting them first or at least at the same time.

If & when I do receive some, I will offer them here.

Mike Vee, I spotted that book on ebay last night. It was ready to pre order and the sellers location was somewhere in America!

Mike_2817, my PAO has not been told of any delivery dates either and he is involved at county level as well as branch (I think he's deputy CFR).

It is getting stupid at the minute.

Michael

The book is now also available for pre-order from Waterstones and with Amazon offering a 12% discount + free postage why should people buy from RBL/PoppyShop ? :confused:

Over the past couple of years I have noticed a 'split' between the "grass roots" membership (branches/PAO's etc) and the "Corporate" side of the RBL . Negative newspaper/social media articles (the latest about the 'rebranding') are doing nothing to enhance the RBL , hopefully these can be resolved before members become disillusioned and start leaving.

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Just double checked and in the listing it says :

Item location: Newtownards Down, United States

Yet the sellers address is :

Ballygowan
Newtownards
Down
BT** 6**
United Kingdom

So possibly just a mistake in the listing ? :confused:


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Pins arrived today , the '100 Years' one I like and is a similar size to the other 'centenary' badges. :D

The new logo badge I'm not sure about , it is larger than I thought it would be and 'confusing' ! :confused:

It looks like they have removed the "British" part of the title , at a first glance it seems to be R Poppy L or even R.O.L!

The cost of "rebranding" has been put at £100,000 and the RBL's response when questioned about this was :

"The cost covers more than a new logo. It covers the iterative process of a new brand identity over a two-year period including stakeholder engagement, research and design work, development of the logo and brand assets, and fulfilling trademark requirements."

A load of corporate double speak with no mention of the membership at all , I'd bet that if all the members were asked they would have rejected this logo.

The 'old' logo (photo 1) was fine and as the saying goes "If it ain't broke don't fix it" !

I agree it is confusing as the full logo includes the words Royal British Legion below as first illustrated in my earlier post (and below)

I am informed that the Poppy Appeal order portal well be back up and running in April, and I should be able to order the 2021 Poppy Pin via my CFR then, so I will wait and see, in the meantime I have ordered one for myself for £3 via the Poppy Shop using the free postage promo code with my RBL pin order which I also received this morning.

I did the exact same thing . :D

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Yes, Typical, that the dated pins were listed the day after I ordered my RBL & 100 anniversary pins! In fact I ordered 2. One for my collection, and one to wear.

Sods law, as I will have 1000 as a starter in less than a few months, but I always pay for my own anyway!!

Got an e-mail from RBL today , it appears that Amazon are their main outlet for selling the book .

"We Are The Legion, is now available for pre-order on Amazon"

"The edition is offered at £16.71 reduced from £18.99 and pre-orders will be shipped on the publication date of 6 May."


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2021 Poppy pin arrived today , it is slightly different from previous years.

Shape/style of leaf and colouring of badge have changed. Also 'split' poppy like pre double dated ones.

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Just when I thought I knew all the 'commemorative' badges issued I have discovered another that I must have missed ! :(

Was looking for something else when I came across an old "Amazon" link , it is described as :

"The Royal British Legion Ypres Gift Shop Pin"

So , another one added to the 'Wanted List' !

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