Poppies on lampposts raise more than last year’s effort for Royal British Legion

Chatteris town councillor James Carney has presented a cheque of £1,035 to the charity with the ‘poppy on a lamppost’ effort.

He presented the amount raised to Lynda Behagg, who organises the town’s poppy appeal for the Royal British Legion.

Cllr Carney said: “The moment I have been waiting for - the ‘grand announcement’ as to how much this year’s ‘Poppy on a Lamppost’ scheme raised.

“It hasn’t been an easy one this year, as we all know, however after perseverance and a bit of help from Lynda, an anonymous sender of four extra poppies and a very good deal negotiated with Ramsbottom RBL in Lancashire to secure a further six poppies, I got there.

He added: “It all amounted to raising £1,035.

“Thank you so much to everyone who sponsored a lamppost poppy or two this year, you have been most generous, and thanks also to Ian Benney who helped me once again to install the poppies on Tuesday morning, even if we did have to dodge the rain!”

Despite the challenges this year’s appeal faced because of the pandemic, the poppies on lampposts raised £175 more than the 2019 efforts.

Last year, 39 poppies were sponsored around the town. This year, there were 45 poppies available to mark 1945 and the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

The Royal British Legion chose to scale back the appeal by reducing the numbers of volunteers and limiting supplies of poppy merchandise.

The country’s second lockdown was also introduced during the collection period.

A final total for this year’s Chatteris poppy appeal will be released when all monies have been collected.