Date: 28th May 2009

Where: Football club, Haughley, Suffolk

A ground-breaking scheme to bring Scouts and British Legion members across the world closer together has been launched in Haughley.

The innovative project, backed by the Royal British Legion's (RBL)headquarters in London, will see Scouts wearing a special necker, or scarf, incorporating the Scout logo and the legion's trademark poppy. The neckers will be worn on Remembrance Sunday, Armistice Day and other ceremonial events and raise money for the RBL.

The idea came from the 1st Wetherden and Haughley Scout Group, which took the idea to the RBL in London.

Margaret Buttle, Haughley RBL secretary, said: "The RBL headquarters said this could take off all over the world as scouts and the Legion are both worldwide organisations. This is a huge deal for us and we are very excited to be leading the way." On Friday, more than 100 Scouts and Legion members gathered at Haughley Football Club to become officially affiliated and to try out the new neckers. Mrs Buttle said: "This is about bringing old and young together, to allow them to learn and help each other.

The entire project has caused quite a stir and we feel we have been given a great honour." Jim Grainger, 1st Wetherden and Haughley Scout group leader, said the necker represented the Scouts' attitude to Remembrance and hoped tens of thousands of neckers would eventually be sold.

"By affiliating the two groups it gives the younger generations a sense of history," said Mr Grainger. Adrienne Wakeling, manager of the Suffolk RBL, said: "This is one way people can demonstrate an act of remembrance while bringing together both organisations," she added.

The necker goes on sale today at www.onestopscouting.co.uk