A CHARD woman responsible for raising around £75,000 for the Poppy Appeal has been forced to sit out of this year's fundraising effort.
With ongoing fears over the threat of coronavirus, the Royal British Legion's central office has stepped in to make sure appeals are conducted safely.
Maryanne Adams, who has been the driving force behind Chard's Poppy Appeal for the past five years, will be stepping aside just for 2020.
She said: "I am very sorry to inform you all that the Poppy Appeal is being run by Head Office, and because of this pandemic I cannot support this year's appeal."
You will still be able to buy a poppy and support the Royal British Legion later this year,but only from supermarkets and banks.
Maryanne added: "Obviously I am upset over this, but it is out of my hands.
"I would like to Thank you all for your support over the last five years, but I will be back next year."
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