The "Soup Kitchen" based in the WRVS Centre on Hungate opens at 9.30am and is a popular rallying point for re-enactors and visitors who know they will receive good quality fare at value for money prices.

But they may not be aware where the proceeds go. In fact it goes to the Royal British Legion's newest Poppy Break Centre in Bridlington, which was officially opened by Lady Dannatt, wife of General Sir Richard Dannatt, the head of the Army, last month.

One of four in the country and the only one on the East Coast the centre provides free holidays and convalescence for serving and ex-Servicemen and women in the Armed Forces and their dependants.

The converted building on South Marine Drive with spectacular views over the South Beach, has been modernised to accommodate disabled guests and has 26 bedrooms with ensuite facilities, a dining room, library, hair salon, games room, conservatory and a bar.

It opened in summer last year and Pickering's Royal British Legion Branch secretary Margaret Atkinson and the area's Poppy Appeal organiser, Janet Martin, were given a guided tour.

While there, they gave Alderson House a cheque for £1,000 raised at the War Weekend soup kitchen in 2006. And last year's soup kitchen made more than £1,500 profit, which also went to Alderson House.

Margaret said: "It's a fantastic place with wonderful facilities and we will continue to support it with money raised at our soup kitchen. Donations for tombola and raffle prizes will be gratefully accepted and if anyone would like to donate food they can drop it into the WRVS Centre on the day."

A 50-seat coach of people currently staying at Alderson House will travel to Pickering on Saturday to see the parade through the town and take lunch at the WRVS Centre.

Meanwhile there will also be a street collection for the annual Poppy Appeal during the Wartime Weekend, together with poppy sellers at the railway station and on the trains running between Pickering and Whitby.

The proceeds from those sales will help to support the seven residential Poppy Homes run by the Legion for ex-members of HM Forces or their dependants, together with the four Poppy Break Centres.