June is thanked for selling poppies for Remembrance Sunday for 70 years

A woman has been honoured for collecting money for the Poppy Appeal for seven decades to help service men and women and their families.

June Clenshaw, of Guyhirn, began selling poppies for Remembrance Sunday just three years after the end of the Second World War in 1948.

Now, 70 years later, she is a key member of the women’s section of the Royal British Legion, and is a quiet hero who has helped many with her endeavours.

Marie Skells, who helped organise the presentation, said: “June made her first collection before her 14th birthday accompanied by her cousin who was slightly older.

“June soon became the official collector for the village which at the beginning was quite a small village with lots of farm tracks and side roads to walk down.

“Over her years of service the village has expanded but she continued to carry the collections out on foot until her late 70’s when she succumbed to using her car.

“In recent years some neighbouring villages lost their official Poppy collectors so June had telephone calls asking for poppies which she not only provided but delivered them to the individuals.

“June has also been a stalwart member of the Guyhirn branch of the Royal British Legion Women’s Section and sits on the Cambridgeshire county committee as a representative for her area.

“She recently received a merit award from the Women’s Section national chairman in recognition of her service.

“June is also very supportive to her branch members, some of whom are elderly, by taking them to doctors and hospital appointments and checking on them from time to time to ensure they are managing.”

A presentation was held at The Station Restaurant in Wisbech St Mary to mark June’s 70 years of service to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

She was presented with the a collectors badge and a certificate from the RBL national chairman to mark this milestone.

The presentation was made by Tony Twigger, area organiser for the Poppy Appeal.