Horsham’s annual Poppy Appeal launched

The town is set to remember those who have been lost whilst serving their country and their families throughout the start of November.

Preparations are in place for the town’s Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day services as well as the Horsham Poppy Appeal which has found itself a new home.

The collection is already underway and the Appeal has moved to a new location in the Swan Walk Shopping Centre, next to Sports Direct, sports clothing shop.

Gill Buchanan, Swan Walk centre manager, said: “At this very important time of year for remembrance I am pleased that we have been able to host the Horsham Poppy Appeal store.”

Last year the team were located in the Carfax but Poppy Appeal organiser Dianne Loates said the new shop is in a ‘fantastic location’ as it is right in the centre of the town.

She said: “We have got the shop for free and we are very grateful to Gill for letting us use the shop, it’s perfect.

“It is just a fantastic location this year. It is more or less at the centre of town and we have had lots of people come in and donate already.”

Dianne will be manning the shop in the centre until November 8 with a team of volunteers where they will be aiming to beat last year’s total of £36,000 raised by people across the district.

“We are very grateful for the people of Horsham,” Dianne said. “They have really, really deep pockets and they always seem to find an extra couple of pennies.”

Members of the public can still volunteer to work in the shop and help with the appeal. To find out more visit Dianne in the store.

As well as the Poppy Appeal the town will also be holding its traditional Remembrance Sunday service in the Carfax.

It will be held on Sunday November 9 at the War Memorial, in the Carfax, where the town will be remembering all those who have given up their lives fighting for their country and their families.

The annual parade will be marching through the town before the service, led by the Rev Canon Guy Bridgewater, the Vicar of Horsham, begins at 11am where a two minute silence will be held.

Horsham MP Francis Maude will be laying a wreath on the memorial after the silence along with chairman of Horsham District Council, Brian O’Connell, and David Copestake, chairman of the Royal British Legion Horsham Branch.

Representatives of the armed services and youth organisations will then lay their wreaths.

After the national anthem and a blessing of the memorial the service will continue at St. Mary’s Church, in the Causeway, to which members of the public are all is invited.

In addition to Remembrance Sunday, the Horsham branch of the Royal British Legion will also be holding an extra service on Armistice day, Tuesday November 11.

A short ceremony will take place at the War Memorial which will be attended once again by Mr O’Connell and Mr Copestake. They will also be joined by 120 pupils from St Mary’s primary school.

Another two minute silence will be held at 11am before Mr O’Connell lays a second wreath on the memorial.

The pupils of St Mary’s will then plant twelve crosses.

A number of Remembrance Sunday services take place throughout the Horsham district.