Veterans joined the Mayor of Mansfield, Kate Allsop, and Mansfield District councillors to launch Mansfield’s local Poppy Appeal.

Poppy Appeal organiser Mick Beresford and Joe Martin from the Mansfield branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL), pinned poppies on the lapels of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor Cllr Mick Barton, leader of Mansfield Independent Forum, and Labour group leader Cllr Sonya Ward.

They were joined by members of the RBL and several councillors, including the council’s Armed Forces Champion Cllr Sean McCallum.

Every poppy sold will help the Legion support bereaved families, wounded servicemen and women, younger veterans seeking employment and housing, and older veterans needing age-related care.

The People’s Poppies project, which the council launched in April this year, has seen knitters from the district and further afield donate more than 7,500 knitted and crocheted poppies, which will be added to 8,000 from last year to create a display on the Old Town Hall.

Last week the public helped attach the thousands of woollen poppies to camouflage netting at a stall on Mansfield Market. They also raised £1,833 for the RBL in donations.

The knitted poppy display will be installed on the Old Town Hall on 8th November and remain in place until 12th November to create a centrepiece for the Mansfield Remembrance Sunday parade.

The parade on Sunday, 11 November starts with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Civic Centre war memorial at 10am, before heading to St Peter and St Paul’s Church for a memorial service at 10.55am – 100 years exactly since the time and date the Armistice was signed to end the First World War in 1918.

After the church service, there will be a military salute in the Market Place in front of the impressive knitted poppy display on the Old Town Hall around noon before the parade returns to the Civic Centre.

There will also be a wreath-laying ceremony at the Carr Bank Park memorial at 2.30pm.

Mayor Allsop said: “The council’s People’s Poppies tribute has again been an inspiring success. Each year the Remembrance Sunday epitaph is ‘Lest we forget’. This display will make an unforgettable statement about just how much the people of this district care for our Armed Forces.

“The Legion’s Poppy Appeal is an equally important campaign because it supports a wide range of services to help our veterans, serving personnel and their families. I am sure Mansfield people will dig deep and show their generosity for it.”

Mr Beresford added: “Mansfield has shown amazing support for the People’s Poppies tribute which will be an impressive and fitting tribute in this First World War centenary year to all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“We hope people will be equally supportive of our poppy appeal between now and Remembrance Sunday.

“We are always astounded by the level of generosity towards this appeal in Mansfield. Even though people here don’t always have a lot to give, they always find something to support this annual campaign and last year it raised about £76,000 in this area.”

Other Remembrance events in the district include:

Saturday 10 November

Warsop, Meden Vale and District branch of the RBL, service at the Warsop Vale Cenotaph at 10.45am.

Sunday 11 November

Warsop: Warsop, Meden Vale and District branch of the RBL, parade from the Warsop Ex-Servicemen’s Club in Carr Lane at 10.20am to the Warsop War Memorial at The Carrs for a service and wreath-laying ceremony at 10.50am.

Forest Town: Remembrance Day parade organised by the Royal British Legion Clipstone and Forest Town Branch at 10:15am from Forest Town Arena, Clipstone Road West, to St Alban’s Church where wreaths will be laid followed by a service.

Clipstone: At 9.30am from the Cricket Pavilion, to All Saints’ Church, for a service followed by wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial.

Mansfield Woodhouse: Remembrance Day parade at 10am from Yeoman Hill Park to Welbeck Road, Albert Street, High Street and Church Street, for a brief service at the church before returning to the park for a wreath-laying service around 11.30am.

Bellamy Road, Mansfield: Mansfield Bellamy branch of the RBL are holding a service at the Life Church South Mansfield at South Mansfield Community Centre, Bellamy Road, at 10.30am.