Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal volunteers are collecting in stores until Remembrance Day

Look out for the wonderful volunteers like John Shipman who'll be in our stores between now and Remembrance Day selling poppies in support of the Poppy Appeal.

Army veteran John has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal at our Clayton Green store every year since it first opened in 1978.

John, who's 72, became a boy soldier in 1966 before joining the 4th Battalion Queen's Regiment in 1968 and the 4th Battalion Queen's Regiment two years. He served in Germany and Northern Ireland before leaving the service in 1977 to become a driver and a joiner.

He said: "I grew up with the Poppy Appeal. My dad was a poppy organiser before I enlisted. He served with the army during the last war. Once I came out of the army and joined the legion I just started collecting and later on became the organiser.

"It is enjoyable. The store and the colleagues here are great and I know a lot of the customers. I do get to see and chat to a lot of the ex-service people who come in too.

"I'd like to thank the customers here for all the money they have donated over all the years that I've been collecting and hopefully they will carry on. I'll carry on as long as I''m able. The support the Royal British Legion gives to people is fantastic."

John, who's been married to Candy for 34 years and has five children and four grandchildren, is chairman and standard bearer for Clayton and Whittle le Woods branch of the Royal British Legion. He will be at the store daily from around 8am to 6.30pm until November 13.

Jo Hilton, the store's community champion, said: "John is just lovely; he's a very special person. Everyone knows him here and he always has a queue of people wanting to buy his poppies. His stall is amazing.

"He's so witty and has a great rapport with the customers who all love and respect him.

"John's a part of the fixtures here at this time of the year and will be here every day right up until Remembrance Day."