Following the closure of the Co-op, the Cross Keys Hotel and George Clare Surgery have stepped in to help out the Chatteris Poppy Appeal efforts by offering collectors a base to work from during the collection period.

The poppy appeal helps the Royal British Legion provide support to the armed forces community, past and present, which currently costs over £1.5 million per week to help those most in need, with many more they simply cannot afford to help.

In previous years Chatteris’ local Poppy Appeal Committee has held a stall at the Co-op supermarket in Bridge Street, where they sold poppies, wrist bands, large car poppies and all the miscellaneous items not able to be sold in the normal poppy trays about town, bringing in an extra £3,500 for the appeal. As the Poppy Appeal organiser for Chatteris, I was worried that the lack of a supermarket during this year’s two week collection period would severely limit Chatteris’ totals; however, the Hotel and doctors’ offer of warm and dry table space for the collection stalls is a welcome alternative that will hopefully reduce the predicted donation shortfall. Chatteris’ Poppy Launch will be at 10am on Friday October 16 at the Cross Keys Hotel.

A table will be manned during morning open surgery at the George Clare Surgery, while the Cross Keys have offered a stand and window display. In order for these stalls to be successful though, volunteers are needed to man them. If you are able to help, please contact me on 01354 695257 or 07774 121545.

I would like to encourage Chatteris’ residents to get their Poppy Appeal merchandise locally as donation amounts are linked to the town in which they are located. I would also like to make people aware of poppy products sold around the remembrance period whose profits do not make their way to charity and exploit our nation’s generosity, a growing problem year on year.

LYNDA BEHAGG

Chatteris