POPPY appeal tins could be missing from Colchester this year if a volunteer cannot be found to organise the initiative.

The town's branch of the Royal British Legion is desperate to find a co-ordinator for the annual fundraiser which takes place each November.

Dozens of hardy members are willing to help out, but they still need to find somebody to head things up.

The role includes organising poppies to be dropped off at shops, ordering in wreaths and allocating responsibilities to other volunteers.

Most years Colchester's poppy appeal raises between £80,000 and £85,000, however donations were supercharged to £100,000 in 2018 because of the Armistice centenary events.

But donations could take a sizeable hit if the role cannot be filled.

Angela Tillett, the legion's community fundraiser for Essex, said the previous incumbent James Burgoyne had stepped down and nobody had come forward to replace him.

Gazette:

Appeal - Angela Tillett


"We have been working for the last couple of months to find someone but nobody has come forward yet," she said.

"The organiser is responsible for things like making drop offs at static points around the town.

"They would also manage the distribution of the tins.

"Often organisations like Colchester Council and Essex Police will want to lay wreathes and we need somebody to organise that.

"The Colchester branch of the Royal British Legion are amazing and they will support them with the selling.

"We just need somebody to be responsible for managing the team of volunteers.

"It would certainly not be a case of them taking it on by themselves.

"James was the chairman of the Royal British Legion and the poppy appeal organiser for two or three years.

"But he is in his seventies and it is a lot to take on with family commitments as well.

"We have asked at the branch and they all want to support the appeal but nobody wants the responsibility of organising things."

Angela said it was a genuine possibility that the appeal could be absent from Colchester if a solution was not found.

"It is not inevitable that someone will come forward - there isn't an appeal organiser in the centres of Cambridge and Norwich."

Anyone interested needs to have good logistical skills but they do not need to necessarily be a veteran or have any armed forces connection - just be passionate about what the charity represents.

For more information or to apply for the role call Angela on 07920138798 for a no obligation chat.