British Army veteran Joe Marling, 'The Poppy man of Pitstone' needs your help!

Veteran Joe Marling will be bringing the wartime spirit to Pitstone in honour of the Royal British Legion for the 11th consecutive year of fundraising.

Joe. aged 79, first started collecting for The Poppy Appeal in 2008 outside Mason's Store in Pitstone.

Initially his commitment to the charity started as a personal challenge.

He single handily collects for the Poppy Appeal in all weather for 8 hours every day alongside his World War II jeep and military display.

Now a popular Pitstone attraction people travel especially to see him so they can be photographed with his jeep which served with the British Army from 1942 to 1957.

One man even made a special detour to see him after flying back from Australia having caught Joe’s story on social media.

In Joe’s first year he was able to raise £250. And by 2009 that figure had risen to £750. Every year he likes to beat the previous target and in 2018 he was able to raise a staggering £3585.82 for the Poppy appeal.

In June 18 he was chosen by the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire to attend a Royal garden party at Buckingham palace in recognition of his hard work. So far he has been able to raise over £18.000 and this year to tie in with the 75th D-Day anniversary Joe is hoping to raise £4000.

The poppy appeal helps veterans and their families both young and old and for whom the charity is a vital life line.

Joe will be collecting out-side Mason’s Stores every day from 9am to 5pm until the 11th November.