FUNDRAISING for this year’s Poppy Appeal is underway as two Forest branches launched their campaigns at the weekend.

Coleford Royal British Legion were at the town’s Co-op store on Saturday and had decorated the railings surrounding the Coleford Clock Tower with poppies, which features the names of those who died in the First World War.

Berry Hill Primary School, Ellwood Primary School and English Bicknor Primary School helped make poppies and write the names in the larger poppies.

Meanwhile the ribbon to the former Sloppy Joe’s in Hill Street, Lydney was cut by Mayor of Lydney, Cllr Bob Berryman who officially declared it as a Poppy Appeal branch.

The Melville Watts Poppy Shop, which has been run by the Rudge family since 2005, is aiming to beat last year’s total of £18,519 to £20,000.

Lydney Tesco store manager, Rob Bailey put on a buffet and laid an 84-year-old silk poppy wreath which is believed to be the oldest remaining in Gloucestershire on a makeshift cenotaph. Rebecca Jessops from Lydney ATC played The Last Post.

Poppy Appeal organiser (PAO), Stan Rudge said: “At least 50 people attended our official launch of the Melville Watts Poppy Shop – it was our best attended launch since I took over as PAO ten years ago.

“Since 2005 my family and the poppy team have raised £147,810.99 for the Poppy Appeal bringing the total since the first PAO started in Lydney in 1971 to £260,138.35. We aim this year to raise £20,000 but we can’t achieve this without the help of volunteers, which we need desperately, so if anybody is interested they can call me on 07788535807.”

In just six months a tree that was planted last July to mark the 90th anniversary of the town’s branch of the Royal British Legion has been vandalised for the second time.

Stan said: “The 6ft 5in tree (in Bathurst Park) was in a protective cage that would make it hard for the average height person to snap it in half. It appears somebody has jumped on somebody else’s back and reached down.

“Cllr Alan Preest and a local businessman are offering up to £100 reward for information.”

Chairman of the Lydney branch, Mel Rudge added: “It is completely disrespectful and although our branch president, who is a retired Forestry Commission manager, says he may be able to salvage it it’s the principle that somebody has done this again that makes it so frustrating.”

Anybody with information can call 101 quoting incident number 30027 of October 21.