LAST year’s Poppy Appeal in Lydney broke its record – but was just short of £20,000.

The appeal result of £19,800 was announced at the opening of the Melville Watts Poppy Shop in Newerne Street on Saturday (October 27).

Poppy Appeal organiser Stan Rudge said: “Every year I say we are going to hit the £20,000, and hopefully with the centenary year (of the end of the First World War) we can hit that.

“The Royal British Legion is leading the nation in saying thank you not just for today but to the men who fought in the First World War.

“We also thank the women who grew crops and who made the ammunition for our boys on the front line.”

The shop was officially opened by the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, Mr Charles Martell.

He said: “So much of the excellent work of the British Legion is for the after-effects of war – what we now recongise as PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

After the First World War my grandfather did the job I am doing as High Sherrif.

“He had to witness executions and a lot of those executions in the 10 or 20 years after the First World War were soldiers with PTSD.

“It was absolutely tragic but we recognise it now and this is what so much of the British Legion’s work is about.

“It is about remembrance but it is also to deal with the after effects of recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Chairman of the Lydney branch of the Royal British Legion, Ian Hendy, said there was “massive” public support for the Poppy Appeal in Lydney.

He said: “Most people have the idea that the Poppy Appeal is just for two weeks in the run-up to November 11.

“It isn’t – it is all the year round. It involves summer shows,

organising Poppy dinners and countless events during the year to make this huge sum of nearly £20,000.”

He also announced that a book of remembrance would be available for the public to write their thoughts about the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.

“It is available for individual comments and group comments.

“It may be a signature, verse or a phrase. It will be on display at the Poppy shop and will go to St Mary’s Church after November 11 and there will be further opportunities to contribute to it.

“As a historian, I’d like to think it will provide a snapshot of our thoughts 100 years after the ending of the most horrific conflict.”

The book also contains the verses composed by children as part of a competition to write the message on a community wreath that went to Ypres in Belguim for a mass commemoration in August.

A certificate of thanks was presented to Mr John Thurston of the Watts Group for again making premises available.