The theme of this year’s fundraising campaign was Remember Together, with money raised providing support and services to local servicemen and women and their dependants who require medical, emotional or financial assistance.
Poppy Appeal organiser Alison Opfermann said: ‘We want to thank the people of Jersey for their amazing generosity. At the beginning of the appeal the appalling weather had seriously affected our fundraising efforts. We were significantly down on last year’s figures and worried that we wouldn’t be able to fund important support services for veterans and their families.
‘However, thanks to Islanders really pulling together and showing their community spirit, in addition to the fantastic work of our fundraising team and some very generous donations, we have had another fantastic year. We couldn’t be any more proud of our Island.
‘I am so glad that the work of the 500 Jersey-based volunteers paid off, after two weeks of going out in, what was at times, dreadful weather.’
Mrs Opfermann added that she and her mother were involved in previous appeals and that she did not ever remember the appeal going over the £200,000 mark.
Tim Daniels, chairman of the local branch of the Royal British Legion, said: ‘It is vitally important that we continue to raise funds that give veterans, current services personnel and their families the welfare support they desperately need.
‘Over the past year, our welfare services have helped many Islanders, whether it’s by talking through issues they’re experiencing, providing financial assistance when they need it, or ensuring they have necessary medical care. It’s why we’re so very grateful to Islanders and local businesses
for their continued support.’
For the second year running, the Channel Islands Co-operative Society also agreed to be the sole collector of used poppies for the recycled poppy scheme, which sees thousands of paper and plastic poppies sent to the RBL village in Kent for recycling by inmates of a nearby prison.
