At one time, such events were all about lauding the exploits of those in the First and Second World Wars.

Nowadays, they are also about the servicemen and women who died or have been injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

One of the organisations which keeps alive the memories of the fallen and helps those who survived is the Royal British Legion (RBL), which is perhaps best known for its annual selling of poppies and its network of clubs.

However, this is only a part of what they do, as Simon Burns, the Legion's County welfare officer for Northumbria, explained when we met him at the club on Queen Street, South Shields.

"As well as the Poppy appeal and clubs, we use the money raised to assist the many veterans who have fallen on hard times within the region from our office in Hebburn," he said.

Based at the Monkton Industrial Park, it is at the centre of an administration area stretching from Teeside to the Scottish Borders, and deals with everything from debt advice to disability access, and from mental health problems to housing.

"The majority of people we do help are those who left the forces years ago who are struggling, but we also help younger vets.

"But it's not just veterans. We also help the widows, ex-spouses, and children of ex-servicemen," said the father-of-one, from Hebburn, who has been in the post for two years.

"I enjoy it because of the assistance the legion gives the servicemen community. Last year we helped about 5,000 people in the North East with some £1m."

One such person was Kevin Hunt, 48, from Sunderland, who for six years was a paratrooper with the Royal Corps Signals, based in Aldershot, Hampshire.

Having served in Northern Ireland and the Falklands Islands, where his lung collapsed because of the extreme cold, the father-of-three left the army in 1989.

After doing a variety of jobs, he set up his own mechanical and electrical contracting business, which sadly became insolvent in January last year.

To compound his financial woes, the constant jumping out of planes means he needs physiotherapy on his right knee three times a week, and has been told it needs replacing.

Describing the time he left the forces, he said: "I felt discarded. I was in all that time and then it was just 'Out you go'.

Though he receives a war pension, he feels it was the Legion and not the Ministry Of Defence (MoD) which helped him in his time of need.

"I can't say how much they've helped me. They are lifesavers. I really was suicidal. I had everything taken away from me in two weeks.

"The RBL put me in touch with Citizens Advice Bureau and helped with my property.

"When I had nothing, the RBL put a new roof on my house and paid for me to train as a health and safety professional."

Though unemployed at the moment, he is hopeful his Level Three diploma in Heath and Safety will help him secure a job in that sector soon.

"People think it's only for veterans of the Second World War, but it's not," Mr Hunt said.

"It's for the younger servicemen too, as well as those who are still serving."

He then recounted his encounter with the Government's minister for veterans, Kevan Jones MP, who visited the RBL's Hebburn headquarters in June.

"We told him he should tell the MoD about the great work the Legion does for the younger members."

Another former para was also keen to point out how much good work the Legion does for veterans.

Peter Dawson, 56, of South Shields, is the secretary of the Queen Street club and has been a member of the RBL for 31 years.

The father-of-nine, who was in the regiments's Third Battalion from 1959 to 1966 and saw action in Britain's 'little war' in Saudi Arabia in 1964, and in Borneo during the communist uprising of the same year, said: "I feel very proud to be a veteran.

"I was a member for a long time, but this is the first time I've had a chance to be with the executive side of it."

In this, the 70th anniversary of the start of the Second World War, the plight of veterans has never been so topical, yet Mr Dawson had a 'use it or lose it' message for them.

"We need them to come in as the club is struggling. If it's going to survive, we need more support.

"We've got a good few members, but not as many are using the club as they should. Everybody is finding things a bit tight, but we do need them to start using the club again.

"A lot of our members are older, but there must be lots of younger people serving and ex-servicemen who don't even know the club exists."

In the bar was war hero Jim Tapman, who was in the Royal Artillery and Parachute Regiment from 1934 until 1946, and served in not one but three campaigns during the Second World War – North Africa, Italy and D-Day.

Having been a member of the club since 1947, when it was based at Winchester Street, South Shields, the former electrical engineer felt blessed he'd only ever needed it as a place to meet friends.

"I've been lucky because I've never really needed their help, but I have formed some great friendships."

Though his wife Flo died in 1986 and two of his four children had also passed away, for a man of 92 he was in remarkably good shape.

His secret to longevity, he revealed, was the "canny beer", which he enjoyed at the club. "The RBL do a lot of good work for everyone. I love it here."