Cadets honoured for poppy appeal record

Date published: 22 February 2010

Caring cadets from Manchester raised more than £112,000 for the Poppy Appeal and had their hard work rewarded in a prestigious ceremony

Army, air and sea cadet units from Horwich to Droylsden, Rochdale to Wythenshawe, Wigan to the Rossendale Valley raised the largest amount in the country – an increase of nearly 36 per cent on the 2008 total.

Praising their efforts the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester Colonel Warren J Smith JP said: "At a time when we have been through the worst recession in living memory, this is a phenomenal result by outstanding young men and women showing for their support for their peers serving in Afghanistan and the service community in general."

Rochdale Air Training Corps raised the largest total of £9,343.89 closely followed by Oldham Sea Cadet Corps TS Onslow who raised £8,498.99 and Cheadle Hulme Army Cadet Force who raised £7,420.41.

Cadets were also singled out for praise for raising the largest individual amounts. Able Cadet Jenny Lane, 17, from TS Onslow, personally raised £1,593.72, while her sister Leading Cadet Helen Lane, 15, raised £1,048.15

Able Cadet Lane said: "Raising money for the Poppy Appeal is our way of saying thank you to the people who do so much for us. It is nice to give something back in return."

Greater Manchester County Manager for The Royal British Legion Martin Watkins said: "I am full of praise for the sterling work our 4,000 young cadets have carried out to raise this fantastic total. It surpasses all records and our expectations.

"They are not only a credit to themselves and their units, they deserve the thanks they received from the Lord Lieutenant and I am sure his comments would be echoed by servicemen and women and their families around the country.

"With British Forces currently serving in Afghanistan and elsewhere, it is vitally important that people continue to donate to the Poppy Appeal thus supporting the men and women who defend the freedoms many of us take for granted."

The awards night was held on Thursday 18 February at Belle Vue Territorial Army Centre, Manchester.

Nationally the Poppy Appeal has already raised £30.8million.

Unit winners

Sea Cadet Corps
1st TS Onslow (Oldham) £8, 498.96
2nd TS Tremadoc (Middleton) £5,001.36
3rd TS Scorpion (Bury) £2,087.07

Individual winners
1st Able Cadet Jenny Lane (TS Onslow) £1,593.72
2nd Leading Cadet Helen Lane (TS Onslow) £1,048.15
3rd Able Cadet H Chambers (TS Onslow) £807.37

Best new unit TS Quantock (Ashton-under-Lyne)

Most improved TS Onslow

Army Cadet Force
1st Cheadle Hulme £7,420.41
2nd Royton £3,013.84
3rd Shaw £2,973.82

Individual winners
1st Lance Corporal Bell, Cheadle Hulme, £1,246.16
2nd Cadet Burton, Cheadle Hulme, £1,070.01
3rd Lance Corporal Challah, Cheadle Hulme, £929.33

Most improved Belle Vue

Air Training Corps
1st 1263 Rochdale Squadron £9,343.89
2nd 1940 Levenshulme Squadron £4,956.06
3rd 1471 Horwich Squadron £4,848.61

Individual winners
1st Sergeant Christopher Hall, 2200 Oldham Squadron, £1,272.88
2nd Cadet Steven Cowan, 1263 Rochdale Squadron, £1,020.09
3rd Cadet Anderson, 1471 Horwich Squadron £836.32

Most improved TS Onslow