Padua Communications to coordinate Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal in Fordingbridge

Fordingbridge-based content, marketing and PR agency Padua Communications has taken over the role of the coordination for the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) poppy appeal in Fordingbridge and the local area, with its Managing Director Nicky Rudd and Marketing Assistant Hayley Burrows becoming volunteers as Poppy Appeal Coordinators.

The company will be the main contact for organisations who want to order wreaths and both Nicky and Hayley will be responsible for coordinating, distributing and collecting the tins and boxes of poppies ahead of the Royal British Legion’s campaign running up to Remembrance Day.

Nicky says: “I saw a post on Facebook asking for new coordinators as the contact who had previously done this role has decided to step down.

“My grandad was a Royal Marine, and I knew he would have wanted me to help, so I contacted the RBL. After some reference checking, myself and Hayley on my team have got the go-ahead. Hayley is also super chuffed as both her grandads were also in the forces.”

Padua Communications has been given details of recent orders from the previous coordinator and is in the process of placing orders ahead of this year’s appeal.

Nicky continues: “We are going through the information that the RBL has shared and will be reaching out to the local community to take orders in person, but we would love to hear from businesses, organisations, churches and associations that would like a collection tin and poppies so we can add them to our order – and hopefully increase the amount raised by donations.”

Order your collection tin and poppies

The deadline for anyone who is interested in a collection tin and/ or a box of poppies is the 24^th of September. To place your order, email Hayley at [email protected].

The Royal British Legion helps members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families. It supports serving and ex-serving personnel all year round, every day of the week and its assistance starts after one day of service and continues through life, long after service is over.

The poppy appeal is the Royal British Legion’s biggest fundraising campaign held every year in November, during the period of Remembrance.

Every purchase through the Royal British Legion’s poppy shop or donation to the poppy appeal goes to the charity, and its work helping members or former members of the Armed Forces Community. The money raised is used to provide support to the Armed Forces community in six key areas: financial support, advice, employment, mobility, housing and mental health.