Poppy collections continue at Telford service station
A decision to limit the amount of days Poppy Appeal collectors can visit Shropshire's only motorway service station has not stopped volunteers operating at the site all week.
Supporters of the Royal British Legion have been distributing poppies at Telford Services at junction four of the M54 every day since Saturday – despite officials at Welcome Break, which manages the site, reducing the amount of time charity collectors are allowed at their motorway services from two weeks to three days.
The nationwide policy was introduced by Welcome Break after the company chose Children in Need as its official charity of the year.
But Jim Pooler, Poppy Appeal coordinator for the Shifnal branch of the Royal British Legion, said volunteers would continue to turn up at the service station unless told otherwise.
He said: "We have had no problem whatsoever. So we have been up there for a week since last Saturday when we started there and we hope to carry on, I have not heard anything about it. So we shall be up there today and tomorrow, unless we are told anything different.
Pity
"We get around all the shops, the pubs, stand in the street and have had no problem whatsoever and we will carry on until we know anything more. We only collect for two weeks in a year and it would be a pity if people took a dim attitude towards us."
"So far we are having an excellent Poppy Appeal this year, even with our street collections. We are only a small community here but we have always gone up to the service station on the M54 because it is our side of the motorway."
A spokesman from Welcome Break said: "We continue to support the Poppy Appeal at all 27 of our locations across the UK. Poppy collection boxes will be visible at all sites throughout the campaign and collectors will be welcome on site in the run up the Remembrance Sunday.
"Welcome Break has chosen Children in Need as its charity of choice and raised over £520,000 for this great cause last year. This choice means that we must also find space to display Children in Need collection boxes during the same time period as the Poppy Appeal.
"We believe customers will understand that it's important for us to prioritise our official charity of choice. While we have the utmost respect for the Poppy Appeal, and will display collection boxes at every available opportunity, we don't want to overload our customers with charitable requests."
A Remembrance Sunday parade will take place in Shifnal this weekend with veterans assembling at the town's war memorial at Five Ways.
