EVERY POPPY COUNTS
SUPPORT FOR THIS YEAR’S APPEAL IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER
SUPPORT for this year’s Poppy Appeal is needed more than ever, say organisers.
With fewer places to buy a poppy ahead of Remembrance Day due to Covid restrictions, supporters of the Armed Forces have been urged to donate in new ways.
The impact of the cut in collections raised concerns for those in their hour of greatest need. “Servicemen and woman gave their lives and sacrificed everything for us,” said one of the last surviving D-Day veterans. Bill Taylor, 95, a survivor of the landings on Sword Beach, Normandy, in June 1944, urged people to donate as much as they can to help his comrades and their families. Although he is not a Legion beneficiary thanks to the support of his loving family, Bill urged everyone to donate as much as they can for this year’s Poppy Appeal.
The Royal British Legion’s fund raising champion, Gemma Leaning, topped £1 million in last year’s campaign in Lincolnshire.
But restrictions in sales of poppies from shops and businesses due to the risk of spreading the Covid virus could severely impact the amount of money raised and the support given to veterans and their loved ones.
“We have had to cancel most of our fundraising events this year, as the safety of our volunteers is paramount,” said Gemma. She added: “We need them all fit and ready for our centenary year next year.” The fundraising champion told the Grimsby Telegraph: “We provide counselling support, financial help when someone needs a new fridge or carpet and we support service people with our Battle Back recuperation centre for amputees who served.”
She added: “This year the demands on the service have increased. The biggest impact has been on the loneliness for our people who have been isolating at home due to Covid-19 and unable to get out. So we have put in a lot more support. People need to get out and do some fundraising, whether it is the virtual Brigg 10k or taking on a challenge like baking 11 cakes or running eleven miles or having their own virtual Poppy run.”
Gemma hopes supporters will help fund the vital aid for servicemen and their families by doing sponsored knitting, running or baking.
She recommended people use the anniversary of the end of the First World War to bake 11 cakes, or run 11 miles or knit 11 poppies. “We are not putting out as many poppies boxes as usual and we will not have as many volunteers out collecting, as many of them fall into the vulnerable category for coronavirus,” said Gemma. Some supermarkets will have stalls where poppies can be bought.
Gemma said Waitrose and John Lewis had given a large cash donation to the appeal rather than have individual collections in stores. Lincolnshire Co-op are providing collection boxes and volunteer sellers will be at Tesco superstore on restricted hours and have contactless devices for donations. Freshney Place will have a stall from Thursdays to Saturdays at the Green Garden in the centre of the precinct.
School children have already d decorated stones painted with p poppies and messages to honour t those who died in service of their c country and placed them at G Grimsby Cenotaph. Families can also download p poppies from the Royal British L Legion website and place them in t their windows in the same way s support was shown for the NHS.
Donations can also be made online through www.britishlegion.org.uk
The biggest impact has been on the loneliness for our people who have been isolating at home due to Covid19 and unable to get out Gemma Leaning