POPPY AWARDS – 17th April 2023

We approached the 2022 appeal with some concerns given the Economic pressures everyone was facing however we are delighted to say that the people of Brentwood and its Parishes once again showed their support for the appeal and as we heard earlier, we collected a total of £ 64,356 just £1,270 less than last year’s total. The total for Essex in March was £1.2 million.

We would like to say a big thank you to all our volunteers from the branch and public, including those from two local Rotary clubs: Brentwood, and Brentwood a Becket, Also the youngsters who give up their time to help from: ACF Brentwood & Warley, ATC          Brentwood & Hutton, Brentwood and District Scouts, Brentwood Sea Cadets, and CCF’s from  the Brentwood  & Shenfield Schools’

 We again need to thank Sainsburys for allowing us to have a table in their store for two weeks where we collected £21,913.10. The card readers are proving to be the future with a total of £10,095 being donated. We had our usual a table in Brentwood High Street for a week thanks to Bill Marshall and Peter Hyam. There was also a table in Shenfield High Street for a day, thanks to Michal Gott, Liz Church, John Tomlinson, and Janice Tucker.    Also special thanks also to Captain Alston and Major Herlihy for allowing us to use the Army Reserve Centre for storage and counting.

Without everyone’s combined efforts, both small and large, this would not happen. THANK YOU. We pleased to say that the Awards will be presented this evening by The Deputy Lord Lieutenant Graham Clegg.

Certificates of Appreciation for Organisations: Brentwood School CCF,  The Rotary Club of Brentwood a Becket  & Brentwood and District Scouts

5 Year Award - Certificate of Appreciation: Suzie and Debbie Eaton, Gloria Hyam, Sylvia Johnson, Vera Kitchener, Jean McGinley, Greg Roberts & Judy Gillies.

10 Year Award - Certificate of Appreciation:   Kevin Church, Sarah Parish, Janice Tucker. Roger Slade  & Alan Monk (As PAO Alan  takes primary responsibility for the count and organising these Awards.  He does  so much more, like sorting Poppies, wreaths and tins for deliverers or collecting at the High Street table.)

15 Year Awards -Badge  and Branch Certificate: Leila Alleway , Ivan Armstrong,  Beryl Caton, Barbara Lemmon, Trish Mount -Stevens, Jonathon Steer & Eric Nowell.  

20 Year Awards – Badge and Branch Certificate: Jan Murphy, Joan Westover & Chris Walton.         

50 Year Award - Badge, Bar and Certificate : Maureen Currey ( who collects house to house in house in Shenfield and started collecting way back in 1972 and has continued to support the Poppy appeal for the past 50 years.) An exceptional achievement ! Thank you Maureen.           

BRANCH AWARDS—The  Charles Taylor Award : The Committee have decided that the award for 2022 is to go to Les Polden. Les has been organising a Golf day at Warley Park Golf Club for the past 9 years with proceeds from the event being donated to the     Poppy Appeal  Les collected an amazing sum of £3,482.42 in 2022 and overall has collected a total of £ 15,089 for the Poppy Appeal. Les also invites two veterans from the Branch to   attend the event each year and provides them with lunch at the Club.

Current Total  (July 2023) £65,001:54

Poppy People

Anyone interested in helping in the Poppy Appeal should contact our Poppy Appeal Organisers Val and Alan Monk on 01245 901970 or email valmonk@hotmail.com.