Bury St Edmunds Poppy Appeal organiser Pip Davies bids farewell after seven years and £374,000 raised

A volunteer who helped to raise £374,000 for the Bury St Edmunds Poppy Appeal is to retire after dedicating seven years to the cause.

Pip Davies, 64, took over as the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal organiser in 2016 and has helped lead a team of around 50 volunteers to ensure the smooth running of the appeal year after year.

But for Pip, who comes from a family that served in the Armed Forces, the money raised during her time as organiser is a symbol of the generosity of Bury residents.

She said: “It’s incredible and the majority of what we raise is in that fortnight. I’m proud. I’m not proud of myself, I’m more proud of the people of Bury. To give that much money is just lovely. It is a staggering amount but it’s the lovely people of Bury that have done that.

“And I would hope that the veterans are going to pick up the phone and if they need the help they’ll get the help.”

Pip, originally from Ipswich, joined the Territorial Army as a medic when she was around 19 or 20 until she moved to Bury with her husband in 1981.

Pip’s husband Tim also served in the Suffolk Regiment, which would later become the Royal Anglian Regiment, and their son is also currently serving.

Now after years of dedication and passion, Pip has decided to hand over to someone new.

“I just think seven years is enough and it will be nice to let someone else take it on,” she said.

“They may be able to take it to a new level. I’ve done my serving and I’m now going to look after myself.”

She will continue to volunteer at Combat2Coffee, alongside her husband, helping out at the regular breakfast club.

Mandi Cox-Osborne, Suffolk community fund-raiser for the Royal British Legion, said: “I’m very sad she’s retiring. She’s passionate and also very humble about what she does.

“She has brought up Bury St Edmunds Poppy Appeal and it would be a shame to lose that and it’s important her legacy continues.”

Mandi added that the Poppy Appeal was now looking for someone or a couple of people to take over the the role from Pip. Anyone who is interested should email Mandi at mcox-osborne@britishlegion.org.uk or call on 07823416748.

The Poppy Appeal is also looking for organisers in Beccles and Halesworth.

For more information about the appeal visit: https://counties.britishlegion.org.uk/counties/suffolk/poppy-appeal/