A POPPY appeal volunteer who has helped raise thousands of pounds for Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families has been awarded for 24 years of devoted service.

Lilian Bennett started volunteering for the Crook and Willington branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) in the early1990s. At first ,she sold poppies door-to-door but now she arranges for collection boxes to be placed in shops, schools and businesses across her hometown of Willington. This regularly involves walking many miles to drop off and pick up the collection boxes from nearby villages.

This year, working alongside fellow Willington volunteer Brian Pyle, she helped raise almost £4,000 for the charity. Their colleagues in Crook, meanwhile raised a further £7,800.

Mrs Bennett, 77, who also runs a luncheon club in Willington, was presented with a long-service award at a special ceremony in Newcastle.

She said: “It’s lovely to receive this award but if it wasn’t for the community we would never raise this money. The people of Willington are so generous.”

Emma Cannings, RBL’s director of membership and volunteering, said: “Members and volunteers make up a truly vital part of our charity and support us in so many ways. Whether it’s collecting for the Poppy Appeal, providing community support, assisting at our Pop In centres, or helping residents at our care homes, they are the heartbeat that enables us to provide our services to the Armed Forces community.”

She added: “I was delighted to meet Lilian recently to present her with a well-deserved award and to recognise the invaluable support she’s given us over the years. Thank you, Lilian.”

To find out more, visit britishlegion.org.uk