The Royal British Legion in St Neots is in danger of becoming a “ghost branch” unless more members come forward to offer their support.

Members have contacted the Hunts Post for help as they now have only eight to 10 people who attend regular monthly meetings and are in “grave danger” of closing. The branch was one of the first to be commissioned following the formation of the Royal British Legion and is due to celebrate its centenary in 2021.

“The branch is in grave danger of closure, or becoming nothing more than a ghost branch, unless we can attract new members,” said vice-chairman Tom Mumford.

“This would be a tragedy, not just for the branch, but for the whole town of St Neots.”

The RBL has a long history in the town and surrounding villages and received “tremendous support” for this year’s Poppy Appeal and the commemoration services on the centenary of the armistice.

“The generous donations and the attendance at the services are something the town can be very proud of,” added Mr Mumford.

“However, we are an ageing group of volunteers and we urgently need to encourage new active members to join us.”

Branch president, Keith Ridley, added: “We need more workers on the coalface. People who can help with fund-raising and support social gatherings. Everyone understands about the Poppy Appeal, but the legion offers a lot of support and guidance to service men and women and their families all year round. The most important thing is not age, but a willingness to get involved and help us go from strength to strength. We have a long and distinguished history in St Neots and we want to continue the good works and celebrate our own centenary in 2021.”

Members do not need to be ex-service personnel. The next meeting is on December 11 at the RAFA Club in St Neots. There are two sessions at 3pm and 7.30pm. Contact Keith Ridley on: 01480 810848 or email: stneotsrbl@gmail.com.