Poppy Appeal breaks record

And the total amount raised so far - 32,443.79 - is almost 10,000 up on last year’s final amount.

It’s been Roberta McNally’s first year as the Royal British’s Legion’s Poppy Appeal organiser and she’s over the moon with the response.

She said: “I was just ecstatic to have got practically 10,000 more in the first year.

“It’s also the highest ever that’s been lifted in Lurgan. 29,000 was the previous record.

“It’s just down to hard work. I have to thank the collectors for all their hard work and also the businesses that donated.”

Roberta also thanked everyone in Lurgan, Waringstown, Maralin, Moira, Dollingstown and Craigavon who parted with their hard earned cash to help the veterans of two world wars as well as helping the Afghan generation of the armed forces and their families.

Roberta is a third generation poppy collector. Her great aunt Ada Rolan got a BEM for poppy collecting and her uncle Albert Harland was poppy organiser in Lurgan for a number of years.

She commented: “We’ve set ourselves a precedent. We’ve to beat it next year.

“There’s still room for improvement. As this was my first year I was still finding my feet.”

The appeal is ongoing and Roberta reminded any business or individual wishing to contribute they could still do so.