Poppy appeal raises funds beyond expectations say grateful organisers
Royal British Legion fund-raisers in Ellesmere say they are overwhelmed by the ‘amazing’ response to the annual Poppy Appeal last November.
Nearly £7.000 have been banked so far, and the total is certain to go even higher as the current appeal remains open until the end of September.
The final tally for last year exceeded £9,500, but appeal organiser Lynn Howard feared that the cost-of-living squeeze would seriously hit donations this time around.
“But that doesn’t seem to have happened,” she said.
"The people of Ellesmere and the surrounding area have again shown tremendous generosity and I’m overwhelmed.”
“The money we’ve banked so far doesn’t include than two thousand pounds raised through contactless card payments and cash donations for poppies and merchandise sold at Ellesmere’s Tesco store, so we’re already on course to beat last year’s total. It’s absolutely amazing, and we’re really grateful.”
Other local shops, businesses, pubs and schools played a key role in fund-raising, with the town’s Mere Motors filling station, contributing £1,000 to the appeal, while a coffee morning at Criftins parish hall brought in more than £450.
Bob McBride, chairman of the Legion’s Ellesmere and District branch, said: “Once again we’re enormously grateful to everyone who has supported the poppy appeal. Ours is a small community with a big heart and compared with many larger towns we punch well above our weight when it comes raising money for the Poppy Appeal.
“The people here clearly recognise and appreciate the vital work that the Legion carries out in so many ways to support not only ex-servicemen and women and their families, but also many of those still serving in the armed forces. “
All this is dependent on the kind generosity of the public – there is no state funding. So we’d like to say a big thank-you to everyone who has donated, and to all those who have helped to ensure the success of the appeal.
