Announcing the grand total raised of £90,000, Allan Leith, regional organiser, said his team was able to make great use of the Gather unit in the shopping centre as the base for their collections.
“By using Gather unit as our headquarters during The Poppy Appeal, this helped us raise an incredible £20k in The Beacon towards our total figure,” Allan said. “We are very grateful for the centre’s support, which makes the work of our team of fundraisers a little bit easier.”
Donations made through Gift Aid and QR codes are still being calculated, so the end figure for the Eastbourne area is likely to rise.
Allan was assisted in the collection by his loyal team of volunteers and nearly 30 Army, Sea, RAF and Marine cadets. The fundraising team was able to keep its reserve stocks of poppies, badges and assorted merchandise gifts in the unit.
“We are already planning for this year's appeal and will be once more using Gather as our temporary base during October and November,” Allan continued. “It means we can stock up and ensure we have a plentiful supply of poppies, collection tins and card readers for the 2025 collection.”
The Poppy Appeal this year takes on added significance, with the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day. The Royal British Legion would like to hear from WW2 veterans, or a family member or carer on their behalf to register their interest to attend events. More information can be found at www.britishlegion.org.uk.
Beacon General Manager Mark Powell said he had worked alongside Allan and The Royal British Legion for a few years and was delighted to support the fundraising effort.
“The people of Eastbourne have once more raised a phenomenal amount for the annual poppy appeal,” Mark said. “We are delighted to support Allan and his team of volunteers for this great cause, which supports armed services veterans from all conflicts.”
Retailers support the appeal each year by taking donation boxes and encouraging customers to dig deep for The Poppy Appeal.
Last year, dozens of volunteers were stationed around the town with the aim of keeping Eastbourne at the top of the donation rankings. Nearly 10,000 badges and more than 100,000 poppies were sold.
