For mum Joanne Stansfield, every day is a Remembrance Day.

When her husband Sgt Mark Stansfield was killed in Iraq the day before he was due to head home, the 28-year-old was pregnant with the couple's first child.

Thirteen months on, Mrs Stansfield and the couple's nine-month-old son Jake are appearing in a poster campaign to support the Poppy Appeal.

Mrs Stansfield, who grew up in Wolvercote and now lives in Bicester, said she would have been lost without the support of the Royal British Legion since her husband was fatally injured in a forklift truck accident at Basra air station in September 2007.

Some people's perception is that the Legion helps only older veterans, but the organisation dedicates itself to aiding any service personnel or their relatives.

Mrs Stansfield said: "The British Legion are helping me at the moment. It's just great to know that I can pick up a phone and they will be there to give you advice."

Sgt Stansfield joined the Army aged 17 in 1992, and was a member of the Royal Logistic Corps, based at Dalton Barracks, Abingdon.

At the time of his death, his commanding officer Lt Col David Roberts called the 32-year-old a "devoted family man" and said: "He was a first-class soldier and a very fine Senior Non-Commissioned Officer, with an extremely bright career ahead of him.

"He was admired by the soldiers he led and respect- ed by everyone."

He previously served in the Balkans and Northern Ireland.

As one of the faces of the 2008 Poppy Appeal, Mrs Stansfield said she wanted to change perceptions of the campaign and get everybody to wear a poppy.

She added: "Before I got involved I just thought the Poppy Appeal was for older people, but it is so different to that.

"I want everybody to get behind it. I want young people to get involved and not think, like I did, that it is just for old people. I want to see everybody wearing a poppy and I want to be able to say that I helped by doing everything I can."

Jake was given his father's names Mark Anthony as his middle names. Jake and Mrs Stansfield will appear nationwide on the poster.

Mrs Stansfield said: "I don't think enough people realise that the money helps families like mine. It is just amazing what they do for injured soldiers and their families."

Talking about the poster, she added: "It does look really good and it took my breath away when I first saw it. The logo says it all, that every day is Remembrance Day for people like me. The Poppy Appeal is about helping families like me and Jake who have been left alone by losing someone."

The Oxford Mail is backing the people of Oxfordshire to help raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for this year's Poppy Appeal.

Last year, the county raised £611,089 and — even though the total included a single £100,000 donation — we believe it can be beaten.

In fact, if every man, woman and child in the county donated a pound to the appeal, the county would raise £635,000, so it's not impossible.

But we also want to know what the Poppy Appeal and the work of the Royal British Legion means to our readers.

Please send in 30 to 50 words on why you think it is important to wear a poppy to tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk Please include your name, age and address so we can feature your thoughts in a future edition of the newspaper.

Alternatively, call reporter Tom Shepherd on 01865 425411.

If you want to do more for the Poppy Appeal than just buying one — for instance becoming a seller — call 0800 0855924.