It is an organisation that for 79 years has overseen an army of women who gave up their free time to help raise funds to support our nation's veterans.

But that enduring work by the Norfolk County Committee of the Royal British Legion Women's Section came to an emotional close at a church service in Dereham this morning.

A service at St Nicholas Church saw the folding of the county's women section as its standard was handed over to canon Sally Theakston to be kept at the church for perpetuity.

The section has closed due to a controversial ruling by the Royal British Legion that ended Women's Sections independent status by integrating them - leading to thousands of women leaving the charity groups nationally.

That decision has seen 20 out of 27 Women's Section in Norfolk decide to close, with the final process resulting in today's laying up of the county standard.

Canon Theakston said: 'We are privileged to receive the standard into our canon.'

She added the standard represented the Women's Section's notions of sovereign, community, nation, loyalty, fidelity and service.

Are you organising a fundraising event for a military charity? Email anthony.carroll@archant.co.uk or call 01379 651153.