Poppy crisis over

The Echo's story about a lack of volunteers to collect for the Poppy Appeal sparked a last-minute rallying call.

And a combination of Bournemouth Lions members, councillors and kind-hearted residents ensured poppies had a strong presence in the town after all.

Cllr Anne Rey organised a collection at the Bournemouth Arcade and, with the support of more than 40 volunteers, she will sell poppies every day until Saturday, November 12.

She said: "The Echo did a great job in highlighting the lack of volunteers to support the Poppy Appeal. I think everyone was genuinely shocked to realise there might not be any collections in the town centre. It would have been terrible if that had happened.

"I'm grateful for everyone's support this year but it's important we find new volunteers to prevent this situation from arising again."

Meanwhile, Yellow Buses has placed poppies on the front grilles of its 106-strong bus fleet as part of its contribution to the annual Royal British Legion appeal.

Bob Wheatley, 84, who saw service in the Royal Navy during the Second Wold War, joined John Ashmore, managing director of Yellow Buses, at a ceremony at the company's Mallard Road headquarters in Bournemouth.

Mr Wheatley is the local Poppy Appeal organiser for the Mallard Road area.

Yellow Buses will also be observing the two minute silence on Armistice Day, Friday November 11.

Buses which are on the road will park at the nearest request stop - or safe parking area - and turn off their engines.

Mr Ashmore said: "We all have busy lives and it's easy to forget those who put their lives on the line for our country.

"We must never forget their sacrifices and this is our humble contribution to the Remembrance Day proceedings."

Bournemouth's commemorations on Remembrance Sunday, November 13, take place by the war memorial in the Central Gardens. Town centre rector Canon Jim Richardson will conduct the service, and the start of the two-minute silence at 11am will be indicated by the firing of guns provided by the Royal Artillery.

In Poole, veterans and civic dignitaries will head for the war memorial in Poole Park. The civic parade will start from the Cygnet restaurant at 10.35am accompanied by the Salvation Army band.

In Hamworthy, the parish remembrance service takes place at St Michael's Church, Blandford Road, at 10am, with the two-minute silence followed by wreath-laying at the war memorial in the old churchyard.

And in Parkstone, St Osmund's Church on Bournemouth Road hosts its first remembrance service since the building became an Orthodox Church. The mayor, Cllr Lou Knight, will be at the 3pm service.

Mayor of Christchurch Cllr Josephine Spencer lays her first wreath of the day in a 9.45am act of remembrance at the town's Purewell Cross war memorial before leading dignitaries and veterans in a Remembrance Day parade through the High Street to the Priory for the 10.50am service.

The Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Captain Michael Fulford-Dobson, will take part in commemorations during Sunday afternoon at Blandford.

A parade starts at the Royal British Legion headquarters in Church Lane at 2.30pm before marching to the Market Square and heading to the parish church for a 3pm service.

A two-minute silence will be observed at the war memorial on Wimborne Minster Green at 11am on Friday while Royal British Legion members will parade from West Borough to the Minster for a service at 3pm on Sunday.

Civic leaders and veterans parade though New Milton to the town's war memorial in Whitefield Road for an 11am service and New Forest district council chairman Squadron Leader Michael Pemberton will lay wreaths at memorial services in Keyhaven (2pm) and Milford-on-Sea (3pm) during the afternoon.

Ferndown mayor Cllr Peter Oggelsby will lay a wreath following a service of remembrance at St Mary's Church at 3pm on Sunday. Deputy mayor Cllr Liz Stevens will lay a wreath on behalf of the town council at All Saints' Church, Hampreston, at 10.50am.

First published: November 9, 2005