Hitchin Poppy Appeal organisers on the hunt for new home

Organisers of the Hitchin Poppy Appeal are appealing for help to find a new home.

Members of the Hitchin branch of the Royal British Legion are no longer able to use Paynes Park Social Club to hold meetings and store stock after the club went into administration.

As a result, although the building situated in Paynes Park is owned by the Royal British Legion, the electric has been cut off, and the group has now been told to look elsewhere.

Mary Prowse, who has been running the Hitchin Poppy Appeal for the past eight years, said: “We would need a place where we could store all our tables and chairs. It would have to be a secure room or building so that we can store all the poppy stock, for example, we have almost 500 poppy boxes.”

Mrs Prowse said that the location would have to be central to the town as many of the members who take part in organising the appeal are elderly and would need to walk to the base.

Sharon Turton, county secretary for the Royal British Legion in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, added: “We are appealing to anyone within the Hitchin area who has a secure lock-up or garage of some sort to store the boxes of poppies, tables, chairs and everything else that our members and volunteers need during Remembrance Day and throughout the year.”

The Royal British Legion work all year round providing immediate support and life-long care to current and former members of the armed forces, as well as their families.

If you are able to help, email Mrs Prowse via mary_george@btinternet.com