How you can help serving and ex-soldiers in this year's Poppy Appeal in Hartlepool

The organiser of Hartlepool’s annual poppy appeal has issued a call out for new volunteers.
Hartlepool Poppy Appeal organiser Sian Cameron in Morrisons supermarket.Hartlepool Poppy Appeal organiser Sian Cameron in Morrisons supermarket.
Hartlepool Poppy Appeal organiser Sian Cameron in Morrisons supermarket.

Sian Cameron spearheads the town’s annual two-week drive which raises tens of thousands of pounds every year for the Royal British Legion.

This week’s appeal begins on October 26 and Sian is looking for new faces to join the team.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Volunteers are needed to help man stalls that are held throughout the two weeks at Morrisons supermarket in Clarence Road, Middleton Grange shopping centre and Tesco Extra in Burn Road.

Sian said: “We are very fortunate with the support we have including the Rotary Club, RAFA (Royal Air Force Association) Sea Cadets and a lot of individuals.

“One lady clears the full fortnight every year and is in the shopping centre every day.

“However, we sometimes tend to be a little bit hampered by the amount of people we have.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“If we had more we could branch out to another site and the more people we have out, the more money we raise.”

The team’s volunteers are all ages. Sian added: “I guarantee anybody that volunteers will have a lovely time.

“You get to meet some really nice people whilst doing something for a really worthwhile cause.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Julie Warters, Royal British Legion community fundraiser for Durham, Wearside and North Tees, said: “Every year we are astounded by the overwhelming support from the public who give anything from two hours to two weeks of their free time to help out during the Poppy Appeal.

“It’s the Legion’s biggest fundraising campaign and last year we raised in excess of £70,000 in Hartlepool, which we couldn’t have done without the dedication of our volunteers.

“The money raised helps the Legion to support serving personnel, veterans and their dependants in a variety of ways such as helping them to manage their debts.”

For more details contact Sian on Facebook or call her on 0778 7570601.

Shops that would like poppies or individuals who want wreaths can also contact Sian.