Thank you for the reply's so far, to answer some of the questions:
Pete,
yes you're right. Help for Hero's has rather taken the front seat in recent years but the Haig Fund (poppies) run by the RBL is still the main and my preferred military charity.
Les,
Not really timed myself making hem, if I had to hazard a reasonable summing up, those 40 took me about 10 - 12 hours over 4 days. Only 2 days on the Lathe, 2+ hours cutting the blanks from the planks and once turned there was all the sanding/shaping and staining/oiling.
Misa, Derek,
I'll ask my friend if he can get me a couple of photos, but I know that they are to be sold off afterwards in aid of the charity.