Call to poppy sellers to help boost funds

From the Echo, first published Friday 17th Oct 2003.

POPPY Appeal organisers have issued an urgent call for volunteers to boost their funds this year.

The amount of money raised by the Royal British Legion appeal fell last year for the first time ever - but demand for its help is growing.

Dorset fund-raisers believe people want to buy poppies but need to see more collectors on the streets.

Bournemouth's mayor, Cllr Anne Rey, has been a Poppy Appeal collector for 30 years. She said: "When you're out there, people come up and say: `We haven't seen a poppy seller this year. Where are they all?' and I say unfortunately we haven't got as many as we used to have.

"It's sad because people expect this year after year and it's something we must never allow to die in Bournemouth."

Howard Fairman, the legion's county field officer for Dorset, said the charity spent £290,000 helping 442 Dorset people in the last year.

The work ranges from helping war widows with their debts to arranging respite breaks for the carers of disabled ex-service people.

He said the legion had raised £21 million through last year's Poppy Appeal - 2.8 per cent down on the previous year:

"I do feel there's a genuine feeling of goodwill for the servicemen both serving and retired and I think that increasingly there's an awareness that the work goes on and it's not just about the First and Second World Wars," he added.

"There's not been a single year since 1968 when a serviceman hasn't lost their life and you've only got to look at Iraq this year."

Bournemouth is one of the few towns which still lends its name to its local Poppy Appeal, with the mayor sitting as the drive's ex officio president.

Cllr Rey said: "If somebody gave one hour a week, that hour would make a difference. It's good to give something back because we wouldn't be here without these service people."

This year's appeal begins on October 25. Anyone interested should ring 01258 480805 to be put in touch with a local organiser. Alternatively, log on to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal website - www.poppy. org.uk.

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