TIVERTON'S Poppy Appeal faces a funding crisis unless more people come forward to help, its organiser has warned.
Several stalwart collectors who have helped the town's branch of the Royal British Legion raise huge amounts to help care for veteran servicemen and women and their families are no longer able to help because of age and infirmity.
Last year collectors and generous Tivertonians helped the legion reach a new record of £22,280 for the Poppy Appeal.
But co-ordinator Ray Broom fears such a total will be difficult to reach unless more people come forward to help.
Jobs include making boxes for the poppies and delivering collecting tins, as well as collecting in public.
"The generosity of the people in Tiverton and the surrounding district really amazes me," he said.
"I can't thank the people who counted the money, delivered boxes and collected them in afterwards enough.
"To the people who stand in the shops and streets you have my heartfelt thanks, as do the shops which sell poppies on their counters."
This year's appeal will start on Saturday, October 25, and run until November 8.
The Poppy Appeal is the legion's biggest fundraising campaign of the year.
Poppies were first suggested as a symbol of Remembrance in 1918 and were adopted by the American Legion in 1920. In 1921 the British Legion adopted it and the first Poppy Appeal was born.
The first appeal raised £106,000 (nearly £30 million in today's terms) and all the poppies were supplied from France. In 1922 the "Poppy Factory" was established in the UK to keep costs down. It employs disabled ex-Servicemen to make the poppies.
Anyone who can help with the appeal is asked to call Mr Broom on 01884 243980 or call into the Royal British Legion's Tiverton club on Angel Hill.
