The Poppy Appeal in Toddington
At the close of the year in September 2023, the final figure amounted to £40,497.61 broken down as follows:
|
TODDINGTON 2022 (Oct-22 - Sep23)
|
|
House to House Collections
|
£2,207.72
|
|
Wreaths
|
£1,022.30
|
|
Schools – local and Luton
|
£21,267.80
|
|
AYR (All Year round) Collection Pots
|
£255.85
|
|
Collections
|
|
|
Toddington Service on the green
|
£1,874.16
|
|
Chalgrave Memorial Hall afternoon service
|
£87.50
|
|
M1 Services Collections
|
£4,608.40
|
|
Donations
|
£5,360.00
|
|
Static Boxes - pubs & shops
|
£2,912.89
|
|
Special Events
|
|
|
Green events - Fete
|
£268.36
|
|
Methodist Coffee Morning - Merchandise
|
£216.07
|
|
Methodist Coffee Morning - Kitchen
|
£150.95
|
|
Coronation evening
|
£265.61
|
|
TOTAL
|
£40,497.61
|
2023 Poppy Appeal Report – Melanie Parker
The current standings of the Poppy Appeal are as follows:
|
TODDINGTON 2023 (Oct-23 - Sep24)
|
|
House to House Collections
|
£1,804.69
|
|
Wreaths
|
£1,072.00
|
|
Schools
|
£19,449.21
|
|
Year-round Collection Pots
|
£56.94
|
|
Collections
|
|
|
Toddington Service on the green
|
£1,315.52
|
|
Church Services
|
£36.30
|
|
M1 Services Collections
|
£3,604.56
|
|
Donations
|
£316.14
|
|
Static Boxes - pubs & shops
|
£3,247.16
|
|
Special Events
|
|
|
Green events - Fete
|
|
|
Methodist Coffee Morning - Merchandise
|
£141.47
|
|
Methodist Coffee Morning - Kitchen
|
£166.23
|
|
D-Day Anniversary
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
£31,210.22
|
This is an enormous amount for our branch to achieve and we all owe a huge thank you to our poppy appeal organiser, Melanie Parker. When Melanie took over as poppy appeal organiser a few years ago the amount we were raising was around the £5,000 mark, so she has done a tremendous job!
So well done everybody and a big thank You to all the people of Toddington and the surrounding villages who have been so generous again.
THE ORIGINS OF REMEMBRANCE DAY
Remembrance Day (also called Armistice Day) is a memorial day observed by many countries of the world involved in the conflicts of World War I. In 1918 at "the eleventh hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" the Armistice papers were officially signed to mark the conclusion of the War. From 1919 onwards, Remembrance Day has been observed on 11th November to remember and honour members of the armed forces who have died serving their country. Many services are timed to observe 1 or 2 minutes of silence at 11am, and many places of work also observe some moments of silence at that time as a mark of respect. While key ceremonies take place on the anniversary date of 11th November, other Remembrance Day services take place on the 2nd Sunday in November or "Remembrance Sunday".
In subsequent years Remembrance Day has included those killed or injured in WWII and other later conflicts, most recently in Afghanistan. The poem "In Flanders Fields" by the Canadian John McCrae became popular during WWI, and it mentioned the poppies growing in Flanders fields. The poppies which formerly grew beside the trenches now grow in and near the cemeteries of France and Belgium. The poppy quickly became the symbol of Remembrance Day and people wear a replica of the flower as an act of remembrance. In official ceremonies around the world wreaths (often consisting of or including poppies) are placed in front of cenotaphs and war memorials in a simple act of remembrance. In the UK on Remembrance Sunday the Queen and other members of the Royal Family place such wreathes before the Cenotaph in Whitehall in London, and the ceremony is attended by leading politicians or representatives from across the Commonwealth and by members of the Armed Forces.
