Poppy appeal crucial for war veterans' services

Collections from Whangarei's annual poppy appeal fund essential services for the local war veteran community, the Returned and Services Association says.

RSA Whangarei Trust chairman Archie Dixon said new reading glasses, dentures and hearing aids for war veterans and their spouses were all funded by appeal proceeds.

"Recently we've funded a number of private surgery operations for cataracts where there is some urgency," he said.

"On some occasions, it's a wife of a war veteran that does the driving as they get older and it's the wife that needs the cataract operation."

About 2000 Whangarei residents were current RSA members, Mr Dixon said.

But, "we lose between 60 to 80 war veterans a year who pass away".

Despite this, total membership numbers remained reasonably constant as the sons and daughters of ex-veterans continued to support the club, he said.

Nationally, an estimated 10,000-12,000 Kiwi World War II veterans are still alive and many will turn out for the annual Anzac Day dawn services next week.

Ahead of today's Poppy Day, RSA national chief executive Stephen Clarke said appeal donations provided extra support for veterans and their families.

Government figures show around 9000 Kiwis were receiving the veteran's pension at the end of February.

About 450 were from Northland.

In the year to June, veteran's pension payouts amounted to $176.5 million, down from $178 million the previous year.

Dr Clarke said $1.8 million was raised in last year's Poppy appeal - more than $30,000 in Whangarei alone - to support ageing Kiwi servicemen and women.

Support service costs for the ex-veteran community were estimated at $2 million annually, he said.

"It's anything that makes their lives easier."

Nationally, RSA membership has declined from a peak of 136,000 just after World War II to about 110,000, he said. Of these, about 50,000 were returned or ex-service members.

Veteran's pensions

• 
  Far North 167
• 
  Kaipara 56
• 
  Whangarei 235
• 
  Northland total 458