Communities rally to help launch poppy appeals
The Mayor of Newark’s annual Poppy Appeal was launched today.
The Newark Branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) hopes to top last year’s efforts, when around £40,000 was raised to help care for veterans.
The first people to buy a poppy were 15-year-old Harvey Riggott, of Newark, and his sister, Tilly, 8.
Harvey said: “I bought one in support of all the troops who have come from wars — many of them injured. I will wear it with pride.”
Poppies are on sale in all of the town’s supermarkets and many of its shops.
The town’s branch of Morrisons will count the money raised, which the chairman of the Newark branch of the RBL, deputy Newark Poppy Appeal organiser Mr John Rush, a retired RAF wing commander, described as taking a weight off the RBL’s shoulders.
Another first for the appeal is the involvement of Newark Patriotic Fund — a Forces charity that assists wounded and mentally-scarred serving and ex-members of the Armed Forces and their families.
A total of 12 members of the fund will be stationed at Morrisons and Asda for a day (date yet to be confirmed), allowing RBL members to collect elsewhere at a time when the branch remains short of volunteers.
Anyone interested in volunteering should call Newark Poppy Appeal organiser Mr Paul Spreckley on 07967 873536.
Support for appeal across the region
Military vehicles and equipment will be on show in Newark Market Place for the next three Saturdays as part of the annual Poppy Appeal.
Members of Callsign Alpha, a living history group specialising in the Armed Forces from 1980 to 1995, have been helping with the appeal in Newark for the past five years, raising £1,330 in 2015.
The group was set up by two enthusiasts in Mansfield who had ex-military vehicles and were keen to use them at events in Nottinghamshire.
About 100 shops, pubs and offices in Balderton and Fernwood are helping with the poppy appeal and have collection boxes. There will also be collectors in Sainsbury’s and Tesco in Balderton, from Saturday.
Mr Danny Bambury, 71, of Hawton Lane, Balderton, who has been selling poppies for 46 years and has been the poppy organiser for the town’s Royal British Legion branch for 16 years, said they wanted to recruit extra helpers for the appeal and more members for the branch.
A figure made from poppies has gone on display in the Sue Ryder charity shop window in Bingham along with two mobile memorial gardens remembering those from the town who died in the first and second world wars.
Poppies will be on sale in 34 shops throughout the town. Sellers will be in the Co-op and Sainsbury’s throughout the appeal and in Aldi and Lidl on Saturday morning, when they will be helped by military cadets.
Children from Robert Miles and Carnarvon junior schools will help the legion place crosses on three first world war graves and a second world war grave in the town’s cemetery a week on Tuesday.
Ollerton and district Royal British Legion launched its appeal at St Joseph’s Catholic School, Boughton.
Poppies will be on sale in main shops in the area, including Tesco, Ollerton, from Saturday.
