AS Pete Jackson celebrated his 70th birthday earlier this year, he decided to plan a 70 mile walk around local parish war memorials, raising money for the Bromyard branch of the Royal British Legion. And he has now finished.

The Royal British Legion Bromyard branch are currently making 4000 'Everyone Remembered' poppies to install along Bromyard bypass, and Pete has laid one of these at every memorial he visited.

Visiting the memorials has been quite a moving experience for both Pete himself and the various people who have supported and accompanied him on these walks. As many are located in churches and churchyards, they are surround by the graves of the fallen; many of whom were only 18 or 19 when they fought and died.

This summer Pete and his wife Pauline went of a five week tour of route 500 in Scotland, walking and visiting various landmarks.

One of the places they visited was the Castle of Mey, the late Queen Mother's private residence now under the care of the Prince of Wales.

Speaking to the staff there, they found a number of them were or had been in the armed forces, and all expressed an interest in Pete's charitable escapades. So interested, in fact, that they had a whip round and made a donation themselves.

In October, when the Bypass poppies are installed, one will have a dedication label on it from the staff of Castle Mey. Pete promised to send a picture of himself with their poppy when it's in place.

Pete's walks have taken him to over 20 memorials and concluded on September 15 at Bromyard Rugby Club when he laid his final poppy as part of the Bromyard Royal British Legion's Centennial Poppy Pageant Parade.