Poppy Seller Marks Five Decades of Service

A poppy seller in a Leicestershire town has completed five decades of contributions to the Royal British Legion’s appeal. Roger Brown’s involvement with collections in Market Harborough began during his childhood, alongside his grandfather, Frank Wilkinson, a veteran of World War One. Subsequently, he started selling poppies each year to assist his father, John Brown, a World War Two veteran. In 2024, his service to the branch reaches the 50-year mark. He stated: “I said ‘OK I’ll help’, and 50 years later I’m still doing it.” Brown recalled: “It must have been the end of the 1950s when I started with my granddad. We used to stand up the High Street.” He added: “He was secretary of the Harborough branch so we got involved like that.” Brown further explained: “Then moving on a few years, my father was branch secretary and standard bearer on the Leicestershire executive committee and he said he wanted a bit of help with the poppies.” Although Mr Brown did not pursue a military career, instead serving as a factory manager in the textile industry, his family’s connections to global conflicts are profound. He possesses a collection of medals and letters from his relatives. He shared: “My grandmother’s first husband was killed in the First World War. She didn’t know any information apart from letters from a German officer to say that they had found his body and stopped his unit, buried him and said prayers, and then the unit moved on.” To date this year, Mr Brown has collected over £800 for the charity, and he aims to exceed last year’s total of £1,500. Stewart Harrison, representing the Royal British Legion Market Harborough, commented: “He’s really been the backbone of the collecting.” Harrison added: “He’s always here, and it is rare to see somebody with Roger’s history – 50 years is a long time.” Helen Fairhead, the Poppy Appeal manager for Leicestershire and Rutland, stated: “People like Roger and all the hundreds of volunteers that we have across the counties and the thousands across the country, they’re just magnificent.” Fairhead emphasized: “Without the volunteers we simply don’t have a poppy appeal.” For updates, follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or by WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.