Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal organisers urge Newark people not to forget to support the appeal this year
Poppy Appeal organisers have urged people not to forget to support the appeal this year, as they do their best to arrange collections in line with coronavirus regulations.
Collections in and around the district will be on a greatly-reduced scale.
There will no be official launches, as is customary, and far fewer places where people can buy poppies or other Royal British Legion fundraising products.
Organisers say they accept the reasons for the restrictions, but hope people will not forget that they still need to raise money, even though it may not be at the forefront of most people’s minds, with the country in the grip of a pandemic.
Newark appeal organiser Mr Paul Spreckley said: “Although the country is thinking of many things, could I ask, when you have a minute of quiet time, to remember all the men, women, and children, who fought — many thousands losing their lives or returning home with terrible injury.”
Appeals usually begin about two weeks before Remembrance Sunday.
In Newark, the town mayor traditionally launches the appeal by buying the first poppy at the Town Hall, but that will not happen this year.
Mr Spreckley said this year’s arrangements had been made after talks with the Royal British Legion nationally, and Newark Town Council.
Paper poppies and a few other items will be available from a stall outside the NatWest bank in Newark, for four hours a day on five days in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday.
The stall will be there for the first time this Saturday, and then on the Saturdays of October 31 and November 7.
It will also be there on Wednesdays October 28 and November 4. On each date it will be there from 10am to 2pm.
Mr Spreckley said making plans had been difficult, with ever-changing regulations, which might change still further.
“We at the Royal British Legion are doing our very best to observe the rules and our prime aim is to keep everyone safe, as well as our own members,” he said.
“The town council has kindly allowed us to have a stall in the Market Place. They will put up barriers and spacing markers.
“Please help everyone and observe our requests.”
People making donations at the stall will have to follow a one-way system, and put their money into collection pots as stallholders are not permitted to handle money.
Mr Spreckley said he hoped people in and around the town would support the Royal British Legion as well as they always had done. Last year’s appeal raised about £40,000.
In Southwell, where collecting tins are usually placed in premises throughout the town, there will be be just one, in the Handicentre on Queen Street, from Saturday.
Royal British Legion branch secretary Mr Robert Beckett said: “Normally we would have them in pubs and shops and everywhere, but that is out of the question.
“We chose The Handicentre because it is the most central shop in the town, and the busiest.”
Supporters will be able to buy paper poppies, lapel pins and small wooden crosses.
He said the safety of legion members and townspeople was the number one priority, and the legion had to behave responsibly.
“The legion has got such a good reputation in Southwell and we can’t afford to tarnish it,” he said.
Mr Beckett said people could also make donations by text, or online, by visiting the Royal British Legion’s national website.
In Bingham, the Royal British Legion has decided it cannot have members collecting in shops this year.
Long-standing branch member Mr Mick Walker said: “We are all over 65 so we are in the danger zone.”
Some shops in the town, including Sainsburys and Aldi, have confirmed they will be selling poppies.
Mr Walker said some legion members would have a small number of poppies available if people asked for them.
The Balderton branch of the Royal British Legion will also not have members collecting in their usual locations.
The Sainsbury’s store said it would still be holding a collection.
Aldi in Newark is among stores that will be selling poppies.
